Tag: sewing

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!

The 80 Candles Quilt Book Is Here

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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.

Stitch by Stitch, Ashbourne’s Story is Taking Shape

everystitchastory

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a few weeks since Stitching Ashbourne began, and already more than 100 people have taken part! I don’t think any of us quite expected the level of excitement, creativity, and care that’s filled the first four workshops. Every session has had its own character, full of conversation, laughter, and those quiet moments of concentration that come when everyone’s lost in the rhythm of sewing.

And now, finished squares are starting to arrive. Each one is different, bright, delicate, bold, playful, but every stitch has meaning. Together, they’re starting to form something truly beautiful: a picture of Ashbourne told through thread and texture.

Certain themes are emerging, lots of countryside scenes, walking and cycling the Tissington Trail, food, flowers, hobbies, favourite views. It’s wonderful to see how much people treasure the open spaces around town and the simple joys of everyday life.

But it’s also made me wonder… what’s missing from Ashbourne’s stitched story so far? What places, people, or moments haven’t yet been represented? Are there stories of the high street, our schools, the Shrovetide ball game, music, or even those little acts of kindness that make our community special?

If you’re still planning your square, maybe this is your moment to tell one of those untold stories. Think about what Ashbourne means to you, not just the places we walk through, but the memories, traditions, and connections that make this town home. And don’t forget to include a few words or a note with your square, I love hearing the inspiration behind each design!

We’re well on track to exceed our original hopes for participation, and I can already see the final piece starting to take shape in my mind, full of colour, texture, and community spirit. I can’t wait to see what arrives next.

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.

The 80 Candles Quilt is Unveiled!

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Saturday was a big day for the 80 candles quilt project as participants from across the East Midlands came together to unveil the completed quilt. It was an absolutely beautiful afternoon of sharing research, connecting and celebrating what we have achieved together.

Through 9 workshops, supported by The Multi Faith Centre, The National Holocaust Centre & Museum, Ashbourne Methodist Craft & Chat Group and Brailsford Methodist church, and 9 postal packs, 76 individuals have participated in the project. People joined the project from across Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and even as far as London and the South West. The stories documented range from very personal stories of family members to well-known survivors and lesser-known individuals selected because of a shared name, hobby or job, or because of the very absence of their stories from traditional Holocaust narratives. The body of research created is impressive, and the Unveiling Event provided a wonderful opportunity for individuals to share details about the person they have honored.

Thoughts now naturally move to how do we share the 80 Candles Quilt and the stories it contains? Over the coming months the quilt will be on display at various location across the East Midlands, starting at the Multi Faith Centre on 27th January, moving to the Derby Cathedral, Swadlincote Tourist Information, Ashbourne Cornerstone Cafe, Queen Elizabeths Grammar School, Nottingham Liberal Synagogue and the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. We are also in the early stages of creating a book! The book will share the making of the quilt, and the research carried out by participants. Fundraising to support publication has already begun with the sale of postcards and printed booklets which will be for sale at £2 each at exhibitions.