Stitch a memory this Heritage Week
Share this story
A group of Christchurch needleworkers are hoping to bring Christchurch’s lost buildings to life through textiles..
A Stitch a Memory workshop during Beca Heritage Week will encourage people to bring a picture of a treasured house or building and have it bought to life through needlework.
Christchurch Guild of Weavers and Spinners co-ordinator Sue Russell said so much heritage had been lost through the Earthquake and her group wanted to teach people how to “preserve heritage and memories” through textiles.
“Overseas, it’s very popular to create works of public places or buildings of significance. We have lost so much in Christchurch that we’d like to help show people how they can capture buildings or aspects of buildings using weaving or needle work,” Ms Russell said.
Patchwork wall hanging of the Christchurch Arts Centre.
“For example we have lovely works of the ceiling of the Sign of the Takahe, and works show casing wrought iron that was around different buildings in the city. Bridges are another thing that just look great in needlework.
“You can just bring in a photo or image, or do a drawing of the building or work you want to create, and we’ll show you how to draw it up and we’ll help you make it happen.”
The Guild’s best example of a building bought to life has been their own work of the Christchurch Art’s Centre, which is now hanging in the Guild Rooms at The Tannery in Woolston.
The full wall hanging was rescued 18 months after the Earthquake from the Guild’s former rooms in the Observatory at the Arts Centre.
“We had rooms in the Arts Centre for 40 years. In 2000, we had the National Festival here and we did this large hanging of the Arts Centre then.
“About 18 months after the quake, they rang to let us know we could go into the Arts Centre and rescue the wall hanging. My sister and I rolled up the hanging and carried it out – the workmen there said it looked like we were carrying out a body. We stuffed it in the car and took off – we were just so pleased and relieved to think we had rescued it.”
Next year the Festival is back in Christchurch again and the Guild will have their prized wall hanging on display at their new location at The Tannery.
“We are so proud of that work, and it means a lot to us to have a memory preserved. What we would say is that if you have a house or building of significance, let us help you to turn that memory into a permanent fixture through needle work.”
The Guild will be running three events as part of Beca Heritage Week: A seminar talking about the importance of stich and textiles in preserving heritage; a workshop where people can come and create their own needlepoint heritage work; and a talk from world-renowned spinner and lace artisan Margaret Stove QSM, the creative genius behind New Zealand’s gift of a baby shawl for both Prince William and his son, Prince George.