Tapestry Project

Fylde DFAS, together with members of the Salmesbury, and Ribble and Craven DFAS groups, were involved in a regional collaborative heritage project. The activity was to embroider kneelers for the chapel at Lancashire-based Stonyhurst School. The project was led by Helen McCook,embroiderer, and textile artist, who also helped make the lace which went on Kate Middleton’s dress, wedding shoes and veil.

The project was described as ‘easy sewing’, comprising a mix of five stitches. The canvas already had the design painted onto it, so it was a bit like the painting by numbers concept, and there was no counting involved to put off those who were numerically challenged! Wooden tapestry frames were supplied.

Training was provided for all volunteers. After the first training day, participants then took home the materials to sew in their own homes, at their leisure.  Meetings at the School were held every six to nine months to assess the progress being made.

This was an exciting opportunity for people who enjoyed embroidery. It also represented a brand new development for Fylde DFAS and was an opportunity to work alongside other societies, something that members raised in the last evaluation.