Woven Blanket/Tapestry "Never Steal from the Magpie or Blacksmith" by Em Atropa
Woven Blanket/Tapestry "Never Steal from the Magpie or Blacksmith" by Em Atropa
54″ x 70″
Made with a subtle mix of spun cotton and recycled cotton.
Recycled cotton contains trace amounts of polyester fiber to maintain its strength.
Machine wash on gentle cycle or hand wash in cool water using mild detergent.
Dry on cool cycle.
The third image shows the original illustration (not included in purchase :)
About this design: "Never Steal from the Magpie or Blacksmith" is special design, close to Em's heart. It is a detail of an illustration Em made for a book of words and phrases in the Irish language, "Focail na mBan" by Irish author, Manchán Magan. The illustration -- originally made with pen and ink and watercolor. "Focail na mBan" was published by Mayo Books in November 2023 and now available for purchase (see link, below).
Here is an excerpt about the book:
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"Focail na mBan is a gathering of Irish words for vaginas, vulvas, clitorises and periods with illustrations from 29 artists ...This is a gender inclusive book, with a few modern words to describe the wider spectrum beyond the dualistic confines of male and female, illustrated by artists who identify as trans, intersex and non-binary."
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"Never Steal from the Magpie or Blacksmith" blanket design feature magpies, the fire and tools of the blacksmith, wheat (as well as the edges of two other plants, gorse and elderberry). Magpies and blacksmiths are aligned with curses in Irish folklore and folk traditions, as detailed in various accounts from Ireland's National Folklore Collection. In short, never steal from the magpie or blacksmith!
The full illustration, published in "Focail na mBan" is about this seanfhocal, or Irish proverb: Droch-shláinte chugat is cabhar, is dealbh (destitute) go deo de raibhir, is go n-imíodh an clúmh dod gabhal go raibh sé chomh maol le pholl. (Seanfhocal ó Chorca Dhuibhne) Bad health and help to you, and that you may be destitute for ever, and that the pelt on your groin may go until you are as bald as a hole.
To learn more about where to order the book "Focail na mBan" or learn more about Manchán Magan's work, visit this visit this link.