Size: 2″w x 3.5″ h
Stitches: blanket stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch, chain stitch, straight stitch
Materials: silk embroidery floss on linen

I read about a call for entries the Mizel Museum was having for Mezuzahs to accompany their upcoming “4,000 Year Road Trip: Gathering Sparks” exhibit.  Apparently, they are going to have a lot of doorways and wanted mezuzahs for all of them.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve created a mezuzah, and I don’t really know why I stopped making them.  I figured this was just the kick I needed.

When I started playing with ideas for a new mezuzah design, I thought it might be really amazing to make it a keyhole design, both from a symbolic perspective and from a design perspective.  I often think of a mezuzah as the spiritual lock on a Jewish home.

The keyhole design also offered an opportunity for a little cutwork,which I had never done before.  This way, you can see the scroll (there’s not one in there right now).

This design is based on a keyhole cover from 1855.  There’s all kinds of symbolism in the color and design choices, but I’ll let you interpret this as you choose!

Wish me luck.  I sent it off to the museum, and hopefully it will be selected for the exhibition!  I plan on doing more based on this design in the future.  There’s some other stitching variations I want to try.  If you are interested in ordering one, convo me on Etsy or just leave a comment below!