Tellem cross-stitch

Stitch the legacy of Mali’s ancient textile pioneers.

Our Tellem cross-stitch collection draws inspiration from one of West Africa’s most remarkable textile traditions—the woven masterpieces of the Tellem people, who inhabited the Bandiagara Escarpment in present-day Mali between the 11th and 16th centuries. Preserved for nearly a millennium in the region’s dry caves, Tellem garments reveal sophisticated weaving techniques, thoughtful geometric sensibility, and a deep understanding of fiber that would influence generations of West African makers.

Each cross-stitch pattern in this collection captures the essence of motifs found in these ancient textiles, allowing you to engage respectfully with Mali’s earliest known textile artisans. As you stitch, you connect with a legacy that shaped West African design for centuries.