Hello All. Just had to write and tell you of the amazing exhibition I attended in Edinburgh yesterday - The Great Tapestry of Scotland. Those of you living in the area will no doubt have been aware of it for some time. For those of you who haven't yet seen it YOU MUST GO!!
It consists of 165 panels, each one metre square and the whole thing has been done in crewelwork (despite the use of the word 'tapestry'). I bought the book and will quote below a paragraph from one of the opening pages:
"All over Scotland, handovers have been taking place. Packages have changed hands in doorways, on kitchen tables, in coffee shops, at the school gates, rolled up, wrapped in cloth, folded inside Marks & Spencer carrier bags. One even made its way back and forth on the ferry between Harris and North Uist, watched over by the crew. Precious packages. Packages of craftsmanship, packages of history"
The planning of this work began two years ago - and even then it was given the date of September 2013 to go on show in the Main Hall of the Scottish Parliament. In that time span the historical facts were decided upon, arranged into chronoligical order and the artist Andrew Crummy commenced drawing, bringing to life all the information gathered together. Following this, Dorie Wilkie and her team of volunteers took over and traced all Andrew's designs onto linen and made up packs for the stitchers with the panel, a coloured illusration and a selection of wools.
Several stitchers could be involved in just one panel and on most of them can be found the initials or names of the stitchers. In all 1000 stitchers took part.
I was privileged yesterday to be introduced to Dorie Wilkie (she, as a gifted stitcher herself, became the co-ordinator of all the stitchers and panels).
As some of you know I stitch away at a band sampler in a sort of diary mode and I took my latest section with me and I was over the moon when Dorie agreed to sign on it (so's I can stitch over her signature.) I then met another lady - Christine Simm - who did some of the stitching on Panels 70 and 76 so we too had a lovely chat and she also signed my band sampler - I tell you I was nearly wetting myself with pleasure! She told me that she had been 'volunteered' (rather than offered herself) and said when the parcel arived at her home she nearly died when she unwrapped it and saw what she had to do. Also she didn't know the other ladies who stitched it with her and they had to work their way round who was doing what and when; to ensure it got completed and returned to Dorie.
I intend bringing the book with me to Leicester so's you can have a look at it. As for the tapestry itself, it is hoped it can do a tour round England and will also go to North America before finally being found a 'forever' home. Personally I think it would be brilliant if it could find its way to Ally Pally for 2014 - this would ensure that hundreds of stitchers would see it and be able to appreciate all the work that has gone into it.
My feet still haven't yet touched the ground!
