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Many of the panels that make up the tapestry were derived from
the portfolio of photographs that captured the town at the end
of the 20th Century. Drawings and paintings were produced from
these photographs (1).
(1) Designing line drawings from photographs.
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| Initially, very rough sketches were made and
positioned on the wall (2) to form a plan, from which, the
final detailed artwork was produced. Colour photocopies were
made, each design having to be reduced or enlarged according
to its allocated space. The decision to make the panels of
varying sizes and shapes produced an interesting format, but
made the job of joining them together very difficult. After
this stage, it was necessary to transfer the designs of each
panel onto the canvas. This was achieved by the use of a 'light
box' (3). This simple apparatus made it easy to copy the outline
of the design by attaching the drawings to the surface of
the light box. The drawings were then covered with canvas,
enabling the outline to be traced using waterproof pens. |
(2) Early sketches during the design
of the tapestry. |
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(3) Using the light box. |
Each embroiderer chose their panel and was given a pack
consisting of the design, canvas, carefully matched wools
and a wooden frame made to size. Regular workshops were held
so that progress could be monitored. On completion, each panel
was stretched professionally. |
(4) Joining the panels together. |
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Around each panel, a six-hole border was left free of embroidery
to allow flexibility when joining. A special stitch was
developed which disguised the join (4), making the finished
embroidery appear seamless. The biggest problem throughout
the joining was to keep the work square and parallel. Once
the main panels had been successfully joined, the top and
bottom borders (each made up of fourteen small panels) and
the four 8" corners were added. Finally, ten metres of gold
and blue border were worked and applied (5).
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(5) Attaching the border. |
| The finished work was delivered to Ryte Lynes
Upholsterers in Leicester for stretching and mounting on a
sealed plywood panel lined with acid free paper. Ryte Lynes
also undertook the installation of the tapestry at the Library.
The already heavy tapestry was fixed to a very sturdy supporting
framework, and encased in safety glass surrounded by a polished
wooden frame. It took around nine months to design the tapestry,
over a year to complete all of the embroidery, and ten months
to join this enormous "jigsaw" together. |
| Working examples. |
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These two pictures show how the Barclays Bank building
made the transition from photograph to finished panel.
Below: Rowland Rouse - first known Market
Harborough historian is immortalised in the tapestry from
an early illustration.
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Special thanks to the following for providing
photographs and illustrations used here:
Frank Newport, Angela Newport, Anne Allen and John Pendered.
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