We now offer many pieces from the Khayamiya (tentmakers) district of old Cairo in our Etsy store. For over 1,000 years, the tentmakers of Cairo hand-stitched huge panels (some as large as 10 x 20 feet) that were attached to the interior of tents. These were primarily used for funeral gatherings, with very bright green, orange and red colors.

The designs are created by the 'appliqué' process which is stitching layers on top of canvas backing. In recent years, the tentmakers began making smaller pieces to be used as bedspreads, wall hangings, and pillowcases, using much softer color tones. The appliqués are elaborately patterned and contain colorful arabesque designs.

We have been working closely with the family of Emam Hamed, one of the oldest and most renown families in Khayamiya. To view all of our hand stitched appliqués, please visit our Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HistoryDefined