© WOVEN 2019 | Privacy Policy | Designed by Browndog
For their fourth WOVEN Festival, Friends of Skelpmanthorpe library once again co-ordinated a beautiful exhibition. For Connecting Communities, groups and individuals across Denby Dale spent 6 months discussing, stitching, dyeing, knitting and organising.
Launching on May 31st, and open throughout June the exhibition showcased a range of textiles work, including naturally dyed pieces, recycled, remade and mended items, a Textile Heritage Display and a stunning community quilt at the Denby Dale Parish Council Community Building.
The visitor experience began by walking through the Field of Flowers – a textile yarn bomb made by local residents. Inside the community building, visitors explored a collection of textile art really celebrating the skills and passions of local artists, makers and archivists.
The contemporary artists displayed alongside work loaned from Skelpmanthorpe Textile Heritage Centre, showcasing the important past of the area and how it continues to influence the work of today’s textile artists.
"The continuing commitment to sharing how important the textile industry was is celebrated in the displays, resources and commentary. As a visitor to the area I am impressed by the Community."
"Fabulous work in the exhibition reflecting our heritage of textiles in Yorkshire. Beautiful colours derived from natural dyes. …Really lovely work and a great effort in bringing all the local groups from all the local villages (which I know is really difficult). The quilt is fantastic and really something to be proud of. The rest of the exhibition is a real testament of the local talent around. Well done."
The community quilt was the centre piece of the exhibition, and a wonderful example of what can happen when communities work together. The Community Quilt features 90 different makers ranging from children to older people (including care home residents), men as well as women and features many aspects of community life. It displays a wide degree of creative talent, and a broad range of skill. People choose to interpret “Community” in many ways, representing groups, teams, places and aspects of the local countryside.
In all 117 squares were returned and all contributions were used in the final quilt. All of the communities in Denby Dale Parish Council are represented and demonstrate what a lively and vibrant place it is to live and work.
“The Quilt project and the variety of topics covered. Wonderful to celebrate an area, the passion of local residents, the knowledge and anecdotes shared. A true Community project. Wow!”
"Wow!! I don’t want to stop looking at it.! There’s so much to see!! I love it!"
"Absolutely wonderful - lots of variety of wonderful craft pieces, demonstrating lots of skills and dedication."
The Community Quilt was such a success, generating lots of local discussion and requests to borrow it for events, that there is now a system in place to manage bookings and a simple agreement ensuring the quilt is treated appropriately.
Community contributors have also been inspired to build on their work, the care home are now running an ‘Oral History’ project. The Field of Flowers are being reworked into a garland for the library.
The success of the project relies heavily on the commitment and good will of the Friends of Skelmanthorpe team, who are all talented craftspersons and passionate about sharing skills and encouraging creativity, alongside the willingness of the library to facilitate and support with loans of equipment and in promoting the project.
This fourth WOVEN Event has reached further than ever, with many people engaging with the Community Quilt.
WOVEN would like to thank Nicky Ryden for her co-ordination, and the other team members: Miranda Auckland, Joan Beedle, Joan Butterfield, Mel Peach, Gilly Renshaw, Ann West, Brenda White and Polly Ann Flinders.
© WOVEN 2019 | Privacy Policy | Designed by Browndog