RUTH
HARRIS
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WEDDING
HUPPAH©2000
My husbands niece was engaged to a Jewish man and in the planning of their
wedding, they decided to commission a Huppah from me. I didn't even know
what one was or what it was for, but quickly turned to research for my answers.
I didn't have a computer at the time, so it was strictly through books that I
learned about them. Therefore seeing any other Huppah, before I designed
one did not influence me.
I asked the couple to collect handprints (tracing around their hand on white
paper) from all of their family members. They mailed me all of the prints
with each person's name of them. I wanted to include both families into
the quilt to symbolize the merging of both of them. I started with a
neutral color of "satiny" fabric for the background. Then choose
a palette of neutral fancy fabrics to make the handprints from. Each
handprint was adhered using "Wonder-under" to the background
and laid out to form 2 wedding ring shaped rings. One ring was formed
from the groom's side of the family and the other ring was formed from the
handprints of the bride's family. I overlapped the rings in the center of
the Huppah. I also arranged the family, by placing the closest family
member next to the bride or groom. For example, mother and father closest
to the bride's handprint, then brothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, etc, keeping
the families hands next to each other. After arranging the hands, they
were adhered down and satin stitched around each one. I also stitched the
names on each handprint, and added wedding rings to the bride and groom's hands.
When finished I machine embroidered vines intertwining around, in and out of the
two wedding rings. The Huppah had sleeves on the top and bottom of
the back of the quilt, to insert poles inside and was carried down the aisle for
the ceremony. After the wedding, it was hung up at the reception, for all
to see.
It was wonderful to see the interaction of all of the members of the family search
for their own handprint. The children were fascinated with the size change
of their hands, which had grown since the tracing was done. It was quite
an honor to be a part of their wedding memories; their Huppah now hangs in their
home.
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05/12/2006 02:54 PM |
