November Kit - Sheela na Gig
The Sheela na Gig is another one of those kits that’s been in the back of my mind for a long time. I just wasn’t quite sure how to get it out. I also knew it was going to be a ‘stitch-heavy’ design, so it would take a while!
A sheela na gig is a figurative carving of a naked woman displaying an exaggerated vulva. These carvings, from the Middle Ages, are architectural grotesques found throughout most of Europe on cathedrals, castles, and other buildings. Ireland has the greatest number of surviving sheela na gig carvings.
The carvings may have been used to ward off death, evil and demons, similar to gargoyles It is commonly said that their purpose was to keep evil spirits away. They often are positioned over doors or windows, presumably to protect these openings.
But the truth is we don’t really know much about them. We’re not sure where they originated, or what they mean, or why they’re mostly found on churches. They could be remnants of a pre-Christian goddess and have something to do with fertility. Or they could show the ‘grotesque evil’ of female lust. Were they intentionally placed where we find them today? Or are they from stones being reused to build something new?
We don’t even know why they’re called Sheela na Gigs. Is it Sighle na gCíoch, meaning "the old hag of the breasts", or Síle ina Giob, meaning "Sheila on her hunkers", or a meaningless modern nickname? We’ll probably never know, but I think that’s what makes these figures all the more intriguing.
As these figures are mostly found in medieval structures, I decided we’d go with a medieval style for the embroidery too. After all, it’s possible there were stitched versions of these figures at one time - they just haven’t survived as well as the stone.
In this kit, we’re using crewel wools - a 2-ply wool that is very similar to what would have been used commonly at the time. And the main sticth - the bayeux stitch - originates from medieval embroidery also. The most famous example being the work that gave it it’s name - The Bayeux Tapestry. I had been wanting to try this technique in a kit for some time also. I’m not sure why I didn’t connect the two sooner but at least I got there in the end! We’re also using a lot of split stitch and chain stitch.
This is probably the most heavily stitched design I’ve ever created! The majority of the fabric is covered in thread. So it’s going to take you a while to complete I’m afraid. Any regulars at the Dublin Sewcial Club will know I was working on it for a long time! It’s the kind of project I would get stuck into for a couple a days and then move on to something quicker before coming back to it again. It can be nice to have one of those longer projects marinating in your sewing box sometimes. So please, don’t feel you need to stitch it all at once - I certainly didn’t!
