Khayamiya Belly Dancing Patchwork [Cairo]

Love at first sight! This is one of the most curious thing I found whilst frolicking through the Tentmakers Market in Old Cairo. This is totally a one of a kind piece originally made to decorate the inside of celebration tents. It would make a fantastic feature to celebrate your own walls. People are guaranteed to talk!

THE DETAILS

• Brand new
• Handmade item by skilled artisans
• Unique, 1 of a kind, piece
• Some slight marking, from the pencil sketch design, on the natural calico base fabric (refer to photos)
• Professional finished and backed with calico fabric
• Dry-clean only
• Length- 78.5cm (31 inch's)
• Width- 56cm (22 inch's)
• Weight- 0.5kgs (1.1lbs)

THE STORY
Khayma means ‘tent’ which are used for celebrations from births, marriages, funerals and holidays. Traditionally these tents were handmade but times are a changing.
Khayamiya are the beautiful needle turned applique pieces, done by the men, in Chariah-el Khaiamiah. Located down twisty laneways in Old Cairo, this hidden market, is the home of the ‘Tentmakers’.
These beautiful pieces, resembling quilts, were originally made to decorate the inside of celebration tents. Technically not quilts.....they are canvas backed cotton onto which brilliantly coloured and intricate applique designs are stitched. It is believed the Khayamiya trade dates back to the days of the Mamluks who ruled Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517 AD.

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