Threading together exhibition
Threading Together
The Threading Together project held a one-day exhibition of the tablecloth and the photographs on 17 March 2022 at the Dover Town Council Chamber. It was attended by many of the stitchers and students and staff from Dover Technical College. In keeping with the theme, international nibbles were served with the tea and coffee!
We were delighted to welcome the Mayor of Dover, Councillor Gordon Cowan, who said:
This is a wonderful example of how people of all ages can come together to create something that both looks to our future and draws on our past memories. Thoughtful and gently humorous, the photographs taken by our young people and the embroideries work together to show how proud we are of our Town and how strong we are as a united community. That this project was completed during the challenges of covid is a huge tribute to the determination and creative abilities of all those taking part. We are so pleased have been able to support the project by showing it publicly in the Dover Town Council Chamber.
Andrew Dennis, who led the student photography project said:
The exhibition brought together the different generations of people who took part in Threading Together, and to see the final exhibition pieces together in one room, along with the participants, added the extra dimension I was hoping to see from the project. I was delighted with how the photographs and the embroidery fitted together in such a complementary fashion.
And Gwen Hedley, who led the textile project said:
What a wonderful shared experience this has been – the joy is reflected in the cloth! Our stitch team has created personal plates using really wide ranging ideas and stitching processes. They are truly works of art offering a rich visual feast. The ‘back story’ to each plate, gives even greater depth to the work – who knew that ‘food’ could evoke such memories of time, place, experiences and emotions of all kinds?!
About 50 people – members of the public and project participants – came along:
- It was great to see the pieces in the flesh and it discover the fine stitch details often lost in photos (Emily Tull)
- What variety, what skill and what interesting stories contributed to this unique piece of work. I was very pleased to be asked to participate, and even more pleased to see everyone’s efforts looking so good this afternoon. (Sue Cowell)
- I really enjoyed today and I think everyone who visited did too. It was a lovely relaxed atmosphere between the stitchers, student photographers and project partners. Well done everyone involved in this intergenerational project; it is a great achievement. (Joanna Jones)
- I thought all of the embroidery work was fantastic and loved the stories that Gwen told behind these works. (Christina Empson)
- A table of experiences…Stitched into the delicate embroideries of food, memories of both wonderful and difficult personal stories emerged. The great care and skill taken by the makers showed how much they had invested in this quiet, contemplative communal piece. (Helen Lindon)
- What a delight to see the plates first hand, stitched onto the cloth, creating a unified whole. Each plate had its own story, and each captured something of the maker, whose hand stitched a particular food memory that they had carried with them, often for decades. The diversity of approaches was striking, yet the plates sat together in a visual conversation that flowed and entertained. I loved taking part in this project and seeing my little plate amongst such wonderful company. (Petra Matthews-Crow)
I’d like to thank everyone involved and also our funders for making the project possible. (Clare Smith)
