Tag: art

Bringing It All Together: The Final Chapter of Stitching Ashbourne

everystitchastory

Today marked our final public workshop for Stitching Ashbourne! A real milestone in what has been an inspiring and genuinely collaborative journey.

From the very beginning, this project has been shaped by generosity. So many people have given their time, skills and knowledge to help bring it to life. One of the most rewarding parts has been watching each person’s expertise step forward at just the right moment, whether through embroidery, workshop support, machine stitching, pressing, problem-solving or those careful finishing touches that make all the difference. If you have taken part at any point along the way, thank you. Your contribution is stitched into this piece in more ways than one.

At our final public session, we were hard at work assembling the two side panels and beginning the binding process and they are looking fantastic. Seeing weeks of individual contributions come together into something cohesive and unified has been incredibly satisfying. It’s hard to believe how much has been achieved in such a short space of time.

We are hugely grateful to Betty’s Sewing Box and Betty’s Vintage Tea Room for providing such a welcoming and supportive creative space over the past month, and for keeping us so well fed and watered throughout. We will all miss those legendary cheese scones! We’re also incredibly thankful to the other local venues who have hosted workshops along the way, your generosity and willingness to open your doors has helped make this project possible.

Although the public workshops have now finished, the work isn’t quite complete. Over the coming weeks, the Central Panel Sewing Circle will be meeting, and beavering away at home, to finish the final elements and a few top-secret details. Then our focus turns fully to planning the grand unveiling, which will take place mid-to-late April at Ashbourne Methodist Church.

As we begin planning this celebration, we would love to hear from anyone who would like to be involved. We’re hoping to showcase locally themed refreshments, ideally provided by Ashbourne businesses, and are also looking for help with planning, setting up, clearing away, serving teas and coffees and possibly even providing some entertainment. If you would like to play a part in bringing the unveiling to life, please do get in touch.

Following the unveiling, the finished piece will tour the town, visiting St Oswald’s Church, Ashbourne Historical Centre, House Of Beer, Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, St Oswald’s C of E Primary School, Ashbourne Library and Ashbourne Festival, celebrating the people, places and creativity that make Ashbourne so special.

This project has always been about connection, between stitches, between stories and between people. I can’t wait to share the finished piece with you. Watch this space!

Holocaust Memorial Day: Remembering, Reflecting, Bearing Witness

everystitchastory

Events and Book Signing Across Derbyshire

Each year, Holocaust Memorial Day invites us to pause, to remember the six million Jewish people murdered in the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution and to reflect on the consequences of hatred, prejudice and indifference.

This year, I am honoured that The 80 Candles Quilt Book: Honouring Individual Lives through Collaborative Stitch will be launched as part of a series of Holocaust Memorial Day events across Derbyshire. While the book will be introduced and available for signing, these gatherings are first and foremost spaces of remembrance, reflection, and collective witness.

Walter Kammerling by Alice Burns
To the children who died in the camps by Lisa Matthews
The Undocumented by Janet Ireland

The 80 Candles Quilt Project

The 80 Candles Quilt began as a collaborative act of remembrance — a way of honouring individual lives through stitch, care, and shared commitment to memory. Each candle represents a life, a story, and a refusal to forget.

This book brings together those stitched contributions, ensuring that the stories behind them can continue to be shared, remembered, and honoured beyond the quilt itself. It exists not as an endpoint, but as a continuation of remembrance.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to, supported, and shared in this project. The book is a testament to what can be held — and honoured — when memory is carried collectively.

Event Details

Derby

10:00am–11:00am
Derby Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Service
Multi Faith Centre, University of Derby
Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB

This interfaith service brings together voices and communities in shared remembrance.
RSVP essential:
https://www.derbyshirejewishcommunity.co.uk/event-details/holocaust-memorial-day-derby-interfaith-remembrance

Matlock

12:30pm arrival for a 1:00pm start
Candle lighting followed by exhibition – Derbyshire County Council
County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3AG

An open public event centred on candle lighting and reflection.
RSVP not required.

Chesterfield

6:30pm–8:00pm
Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration – Chesterfield Borough Council
Featuring testimony via Zoom from Peter Summerfield BEM
Chesterfield Library
New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 1QN

RSVP essential:
https://www.derbyshirejewishcommunity.co.uk/event-details/holocaust-memorial-day-2026-in-chesterfield

Book Signing

At each event, copies of The 80 Candles Quilt Book will be available and I will be signing books following the formal commemorations where appropriate. The signing is intended as an extension of remembrance, a quiet moment to honour the stories held within the pages.

Holocaust Memorial Day reminds us that remembrance is not passive. It is an active choice to listen, to learn and to carry stories forward. I hope you will be able to join us at one of these events as we remember, reflect, and bear witness together.

The 80 Candles Quilt Book Is Here

everystitchastory

After nearly a year in the making, I’m delighted to finally share that The 80 Candles Quilt: Honouring Individual Lives Through Collaborative Stitch will be available to purchase from 27th February.

This book represents an extraordinary collective effort. I couldn’t be more proud of what I and the makers and storytellers of The 80 Candles Quilt have achieved together. Each stitch, each square and each story honours an individual life and reflects the care, generosity and creativity of everyone involved.

About the Book

The 80 Candles Quilt: Honouring Individual Lives Through Collaborative Stitch is a beautifully produced full-colour publication that not only showcases the quilt but preserves the stories it holds. Carefully researched this book serves as a tangible record, a lasting tribute to the lives commemorated and an educational resource that ensures these stories continue to inform and inspire future generations.

Inside you’ll find:

  • True-to-size images of each quilt square
  • A biography of each of the 80 individuals commemorated
  • The background of the project and the making of the quilt
  • Explanations of the symbolism woven throughout the work
  • Photographs of workshops, participants and makers
  • Reflections from participants, workshops and exhibitions

Editions Available

Standard Edition — £15

A beautiful full-colour book of the quilt and its stories.

Supporter Edition — £20

Help us keep their stories alive. Your additional support helps cover project costs, including workshops, photography, research alongside the ongoing life of the project through exhibitions, presentations and education. The Supporter Edition includes:

  • A signed copy with a personal dedication
  • A printed postcard

Postage & Delivery

Books can be:

  • Collected at events, or
  • Delivered by post

UK postage: £3.50 per book. Please allow up to 10 days for delivery.

How to Order

To order your copy, please send an email to: Laura_Burrill@outlook.com You will receive an email confirmation of your order confirming availability, total cost and payment details will be sent to you within 3 working days.

Please include the following information in your email:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Quantity
  • Edition: Standard or Supporter
  • Personal dedication (optional), for example:
    “To Sarah, with thanks”
  • Postage or collection

I’m so grateful to everyone who has contributed to, supported and shared in The 80 Candles Quilt project. This book ensures these stories will continue to be shared and remembered. Thank you for your support.

Threads of Community: Ashbourne Makers Tell Ashbourne’s Story

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Thanks to the incredible contributions of participants and volunteers, Stitching Ashbourne is blossoming into the meaningful, collaborative artwork it was always envisioned to be, an inspiring testament to the creativity and heart of this community. More than 170 people have contributed their creativity, memories and love for Ashbourne to this growing work. The process has brought together the youngest stitchers experimenting with thread for the very first time, those rediscovering skills from childhood, and lifelong makers sharing their experience. Every single square adds depth, character and meaning to the collective story being told.

This community-led project has been made possible through generous support from funders including Ashbourne Methodist Church, St Oswald’s Church, Ashbourne Arts, Ashbourne Town Council and The Rotary Club, whose combined contributions of £2,478 enabled materials to be purchased and workshops to be offered free of charge. Local venues and businesses have also played a vital role, donating workshop spaces valued at more than £5,000. St Oswald’s Church, Ashbourne Craft & Chat, House of Beer, Sticky Fingers, Ashbourne Library, Ashbourne Town Hall and Betty’s Sewing Box have all opened their doors and helped the project flourish.

Further donations, £265 from the crowdfunder and workshop donation tubs, highlight the generosity of the wider community. BUT!!! To bring the project to completion, an additional £2,754 is still needed. These remaining funds will support the delivery of the final workshops, administration, assembly and installation of the finished piece, as well as a hoped-for unveiling event that will bring the whole community together to celebrate. Contributions can be made via the crowdfunder or by contacting me directly.

As the creative phase progresses, stitched squares are being gathered ahead of the next stage of the journey. Once collected, the Central Panel Sewing Circle, an incredibly skilled group of local stitchers, will continue detailed work through December and January. Construction workshops are planned for February at Betty’s Sewing Box, where the final artwork will be assembled with care and craftsmanship. (If you’d like to help, please email laura_burrill@outlook.com

The completed piece is scheduled to be unveiled in the spring, coinciding with the opening of the newly refurbished Ashbourne Methodist Church. Once the date is confirmed, invitations will go out to everyone involved. After the unveiling, the work will embark on a tour of Ashbourne, with planned displays at St Oswald’s Church, Ashbourne Library, the Ashbourne Heritage Centre, House of Beer, Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School and St Oswald’s Primary School. Interest from additional venues, businesses and community organisations is warmly welcomed to allow the artwork to reach as many people as possible.

Behind the scenes, a remarkable group of volunteers has helped bring the project to life. Alice, a University of Derby student on placement, has played a crucial role in supporting workshops. Catherine Hart contributed her expertise in working with children to deliver a special session at St Oswald’s Primary School. Clare, Jackie, Sue and the Ashbourne Craft & Chat team have ensured workshops ran smoothly—setting up spaces, serving refreshments, and helping manage busy sessions with warmth and enthusiasm.

As the squares, stories and stitches come together, the true essence of the project becomes ever clearer. Stitching Ashbourne is more than fabric and thread: it is a celebration of local culture, shared heritage and the deep connections between people and place. What began as a simple idea has grown into a living tapestry of the town—a collective artwork woven from hundreds of voices, memories and moments. It stands as a testament to the creativity, generosity and community spirit that define Ashbourne.

An unforgettable start for Stitching Ashbourne

everystitchastory

What a fantastic launch workshop! The Stitching Ashbourne launch yesterday was everything we hoped it would be and more, lively, welcoming, and full of creativity. More than fifty people joined us, with a real buzz of excitement and queues out the door! It was heart-warming to see so many people come together, chatting, stitching, and sharing ideas about what makes Ashbourne such a special place to live, visit, work and go to school.

Right from the start, everyone got stuck in, filling the space with conversation and colour. Early designs began to celebrate the town’s beautiful surroundings, the rolling countryside, trees, fields and open skies that make Ashbourne such a joy to walk, cycle and explore. The much-loved Tissington Trail came up again and again, with its mix of walkers, cyclists, dog owners, parents and grandparents enjoying time outdoors. And it’s clear Ashbourne is a town that loves its animals too, with The Ark Rescue Centre finding its place in designs alongside wildlife and much-loved pets.

As the afternoon went on, themes of friendship and community connection began to shine through. Local gathering spots like Smith’s Tavern, a familiar meeting place for many, and the Cornerstone Café at the Methodist Church featured prominently, places that hold so many shared memories. The newly refurbished church, with its bright red doors, also made an appearance, symbolising warmth and welcome. Cultural favourites such as Shrovetide Football, the Lantern Parade and the Christmas Tractor Lights brought smiles all round, reminders of the events that bring everyone together year after year.

Food made its way into the mix too! Ashbourne Gingerbread popped up in early sketches, and we’re already wondering what other local treats will find their way into stitches over the coming weeks. Plenty of people also took home packs to work on, including students from local schools, we can’t wait to see the range of ideas that come back from makers of all ages.

We were also absolutely delighted to welcome Helena, our official project photographer to the event. Originally from Ukraine, Katerina brings a wealth of experience and a wonderful creative eye. Her involvement has been made possible thanks to generous support from Ashbourne Arts, who have provided £500 in funding to help document the project. This support means we’ll have a beautiful visual record of Stitching Ashbourne as it grows, something lasting to accompany the finished textile artwork.

If everyone who came along brings back their stitched square, we’ll already be halfway to our goal of 100, what an amazing start! There are still plenty of opportunities to get involved. Upcoming workshop dates are listed on the workshop page, with 16 workshops to choose from hopefully you’ll find one that suits you. If you can’t make it to a workshop but would still like to take part, just email Laura for a postal pack. Finished squares (with feedback forms) can be returned at sessions or posted directly to Stitching Ashbourne.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along and helped make the launch so special. Your enthusiasm, creativity and warmth are at the heart of Stitching Ashbourne — this really is a project shaped by our community, for our community.