On the Bayeux Tapestry – which is actually an embroidery, as you’ll know 😉 – there are about 200 horses, 35 dogs, more than 600 soldiers… but only one star. Halley’s Comet is depicted racing across the sky – a portent of doom for the fateful Harold soon to have the arrow strike him down.
At Yelling Tree Press, embroidery and comets is our thing! So we couldn’t forego the chance to take a look once again at the wool-stitched wonder on the Bayeux Tapestry that is Halley’s Comet and reimagine it for today.
A new Halley’s Comet embroidery
Artist James Tovey has channelled the original Bayeux Tapestry Halley’s Comet design and come up with something entirely new.
James’ palette and design for his new embroidery kit takes inspiration from modern day space photography and current images of Halley’s Comet, as well as studying the comet as stitched on the Bayeux Tapestry.
He’s created an embroidery artwork that includes the famous Bayeux stitch and split stitch, stem stitch and chain stitch too – the selection of stitches used in the creation of the tapestry over 900 years ago. The materials in James’ Halley’s Comet embroidery kit include Appleton’s wool, as the Bayeux Tapestry was stitched in wool, and the fabric is a linen and cotton mix.
Find out more
Come to James Tovey’s Open Studios weekend, 26th-28th June 2026, 7 Moreley’s Lane, Corby Glen NG33 4NL, where among many other of his artworks, we’ll be showing a preview of the Halley’s Comet Kit.
And if you’d like to stitch it yourself, sign up to the Stella* Stitching Embroidery Workshop, taking place at Peterborough Museum, 51 Priestgate PE1 1LF, on Saturday 8th August 10am-4pm.
( * Halley’s Comet is labelled ‘Stella’ on the Bayeux Tapestry).
Any queries, please email yellingtreepress@gmail.com
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