July 31, 2017
Game of Thrones Plot Retold in Epic Tapestry
If you missed the last few seasons of HBO’s blood-soaked fantasy saga Game of Thrones or just want a quick refresher on who beheaded whom, don’t panic. Northern Ireland has your back (and promises not to stab it).
Tourism Ireland, working with public relations firm Publicis London, has created a tapestry – rivaling the dimensions of the famed Bayeux Tapestry – that tells the story of the show so far in gorgeous embroidery. Game of Thrones is filmed in Northern Ireland, among other locations.
The Game of Thrones tapestry was unveiled a few weeks ago, in conjunction with the season seven premiere. As each new episode airs, weavers will add a new section to the tapestry, which will measure 77 meters long, nearly 250 feet, when finished.
As intricate as the plot it details, the first 66 meters of the tapestry were woven over the course of three months. Artists first recreated each key scene and character, and their illustrations were then converted into a digital format to map out a weaving guide and color palettes. Expert weavers used a jacquard loom and Northern Irish linen to bring the illustrations to life. Hand embroiderers then meticulously retouched fine details on the piece.
The tapestry is on display at the Ulster Museum in Belfast. But if you’re not able to make the trip across the pond, you can still get an intimate look at the medieval-style wall-hanging via this interactive web app on Tourism Ireland’s website.
Of course, this isn’t the first time embroidery and Game of Thrones have been wedded. (Insert bad joke about the Red Wedding here.) Last year, HBO commissioned the Embroiderer’s Guild in London to create a menacing, dimensional embroidery of a “white walker” to commemorate the launch of a DVD box set. And the gorgeous costumes on set include enough embellishment to require a principal costume embroiderer position.