Stitched Stories & Wellbeing – in conversation with the planet.

In May 2021 Stitched Stories & Wellbeing responded to a call from Season for Changeto use our creative voices to declare our commitment to the environment ahead of COP26. A group of members began stitching a conversation between themselves and the planet. Using the subject of wellbeing, members reflected on how intrinsically linked our own wellbeing is with that of the planet. The aim was to reflect that conversation in a stitched panel which we would all stitch slowly during the summer.

There is a worldwide slow-stitching movement that affirms that stitching slowly and mindfully is very good for our health so this approach seemed to fit the brief well. Each member of the group reflected on what they wanted to say using the language of stitch and work got underway. This was a challenging narrative to work with so we supported each other with monthly zoom catch-ups and a Facebook group where we could share work-in-progress.

On Sunday 10th October we opened our work up to the world via a virtual gallery on our project website – https://www.stitchedstories.co.uk/slowsummerstitchexhibition

During the summer these stitched panels had become part of the fibre of our being and we were pleased to share them alongside a free downloadable e-book that places the project in its widest context. We hope that you might visit the exhibition and ‘read’ the conversations for yourself and reflect on what your conversation with the planet might look like.

Ahead of COP26 we hope our voices will be heard as we stand alongside other creative voices. Great change is needed. The world is watching and the time is now.

Stitched Stories & Wellbeing is a community stitching project with over two thousand members worldwide. It began life on the Isle of Arran with the intention of stitching a postcard a week for a year. The pandemic provoked a huge explosion of the project as people sought ways to help them get through this challenging time. The project now runs a number of stitching projects, a learning space and a store. It is completely self funded. New members are always welcome.

Fiona Doubleday
Founder, Stitched Stories
Member of Creative Carbon Scotland

Visit the Stitched Stories website or see the posts on Facebook and Instagram.

References:
Season for Change
UK COP26

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Creative Carbon Scotland is a partnership of arts organisations working to put culture at the heart of a sustainable Scotland. We believe cultural and creative organisations have a significant influencing power to help shape a sustainable Scotland for the 21st century.

In 2011 we worked with partners Festivals Edinburgh, the Federation of Scottish Threatre and Scottish Contemporary Art Network to support over thirty arts organisations to operate more sustainably.

We are now building on these achievements and working with over 70 cultural organisations across Scotland in various key areas including carbon management, behavioural change and advocacy for sustainable practice in the arts.

Our work with cultural organisations is the first step towards a wider change. Cultural organisations can influence public behaviour and attitudes about climate change through:

Changing their own behaviour;
Communicating with their audiences;
Engaging the public’s emotions, values and ideas.

Go to Creative Carbon Scotland

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