Residents stitched together stories from their lives and created a collective piece of embroidered artwork at a community art project in Cheetham Hill.
Attendees at the weekly Empower M8 group were invited to take part in the ‘Stitching Stories’ project and create a piece of embroidery that reflected their own personal stories, heritage and journeys.
Gemma Batchelor, our Neighbourhood Engagement Officer, worked in partnership with the Wai Yin Welcome Centre, Winning Hearts and Minds and The University of Manchester to organise the seven-week embroidery project which was delivered by independent textile artist Lynn Setterington.
Each week around 15 residents came together to learn and practise embroidery. They created unique pieces inspired by their own lives, with many choosing to include flags, landmarks or symbols that represented where they had come from.
The sessions encouraged people to share stories about their backgrounds and experiences while getting to know one another and making friends.
One resident said: “I never thought I’d enjoy embroidery so much. It was lovely sitting together, chatting and sharing our stories while making something personal. I really hope we can keep the sessions going.”
Artist Lynn will now create one large tapestry using the induvial pieces of embroidery created by the residents. This will then be unveiled at a celebration event hosted by The University of Manchester at the Guidance Hub in July.
The finished artwork will also be displayed at venues across Cheetham Fest in October, giving the wider community the opportunity to enjoy the finished piece.
