Stitch Story

Tewkesbury Stitch Story was an ambitious project to connect a community through the power of a needle and thread.

As the lead artist and originator of this project, it was an amazing opportunity to share the art and craft of embroidery with a whole town, eventually reaching over 8,000 participants.

This 6 metre long hand embroidery was worked on in venues all over the town, from schools to care homes, running clubs to markets and from pantomimes to council meetings. The townsfolk were just asked to add one stitch, to make their mark on the work. An enthusiastic set of volunteers worked to ensure that the gaps between those stitches were filled. Looking closely at the grass and the water you can see how the stitches vary and with each change in stitch a new person came into add their part.

The illustration, designed by Sam Morris, explores the landmarks and history of the town. These landmarks are the stories of the town and Stitch Story gives a chance to share those stories. The project was led by Megan Dunford as coordinator of Tewkesbury Culture.

Videos

Visit the Stitch Story YouTube Playlist to find out more ...