Woven Together is a community quilt project run by textile artist Dionne Swift
Anyone who lives or works in Kirklees can get involved and the concept behind the project is simple.
You and 3 friends/family/colleagues will work together to create a quilt block – you’ll each make your own square block, which when joined to the others will create a larger and complete image. So, individually you might each create a series of diagonal lines yet once tessellated and joined up with your partners pieces a diamond or square is created : working with other people we are able to create beautiful images!
The finished quilt[s] will be on public display at various locations throughout June.
This project is about collaboration. Historically, quilts have always been masterpieces of community collaboration: often created by a whole village as a wedding gift for a young couple or as a celebration to welcome home lonely travellers. The images portrayed within the tactile tiles are symbolic too; the traditional ‘log cabin’ construction which a yellow centre signifies that there’s a light on in the window to guide you home or a red centre suggests that a warm welcome awaits and there’s a fire on in the hearth.
Get involved:
- You don’t need any fancy equipment, but if you can access a sewing machine that would be great.
- You don’t need any quilting experience. Dionne will show you a series of patchwork techniques, split into 4 levels, so there’s something to suit everyone.
- You don’t need any fabric. Dionne has created a collection of fabric kits, you are welcome to supplement these with some of your own stash if you wish. Each pack has enough fabric for a group of four to create, 2, maybe 3 quilt blocks each. You will need some regular sewing thread, scissors and a ruler.
- You will need to work together to decide how you are going to plan your blocks – you will have access to a series of video tutorials that will help you through the design discussions and the technical sewing…each of you will sew the same thing, so you can help and support each other.
If you would like to be connected with others in your area to create a new gang of 4 also let me know & the WOVEN team will aim to join up some quilting buddies!! Sign up here
Dionne uses the scale, emotion and energy of Landscapes to inspire energetic drawings and textiles. The power of the elements: wind, rain, sea are translated into layers of intuitive marks: on paper and on cloth. Thread colours and textures entwine to produce a vibrant and dynamic surface with tones visually mixing and revealing themselves hence captivating and entrancing the viewer. Dionne sews as she draws, draws as she sews – using her sewing machine as a mark making tool. Embroidery need not be a slow, static meditation but lively, vibrant and effervescent.
Gold winner of Craft & Design Magazine’s SELECTED awards Textile Artist: Dionne Swift is a graduate of Goldsmith’s College, London University, she has a Masters in Textiles from UCE, Birmingham and has over 30 years of creative practice experience. Now based in Holmfirth, Yorkshire, she exhibits and tutors internationally.
