Sunderland, depicted in thousands of tiny stitches, will form the centrepiece of a new exhibition opening to the public next week (22 July). On Friday, 22 July, the Seventeen Nineteen cultural, heritage and events space, within the former Holy Trinity Parish Church in the city’s east end, will kickstart a summer season of events with The Wearside Creative Stitch Exhibition.
The Wearside Creative Stitch Exhibition
And it will feature stand out pieces created over 40 years by members of the city’s craft group, Wearside Creative Stitchers.
Pieces include panels worked on by teams of sewers, including one specially designed to celebrate the group’s 40th anniversary.
It depicts scenes of the city, worked in a variety of stitches from blackwork and crewelwork to embroidery and canvas work.
There will be a panel of rainbow colours stitched by members of the group – formerly the Sunderland branch of The Embroiderer’s Guild – and a third panel depicting the seasons.
Also included in the exhibition, which runs until 5 August, will be smaller examples of work created by past and present members.
Creating something beautiful
Barbara Collins, programme secretary for Wearside Creative Stitchers, said needlework was enjoying a resurgence and hopes sewers of all abilities will come along to view the exhibition.
“Embroidery used to be seen as a rather elitist craft, associated with Victorian ladies of leisure,” she said. “But that’s certainly no longer the case.
“Visitors to the exhibition will see how easy it is to create something beautiful at very little cost and I hope they’ll be impressed at what can be achieved with just needle and threads.”
Summer events at Seventeen Nineteen
The Wearside Creative Stitch Exhibition is the first of several summer events at Seventeen Nineteen, with a summer fayre scheduled for 23 July.
On Tuesday 2 August at 7pm, the 40-strong close harmony group Compass Acapella will perform songs from the 1940s to the present day and on Wednesday 17 August, at 2pm, musician, writer and historian Keith Gregson will lead an afternoon of songs old and new relating to Sunderland and Wearside. To book any of these events, visit Seventeen Nineteen Events | Eventbrite or What’s on | Seventeen Nineteen (visitchurches.org.uk) and more information about Seventeen Nineteen – which is cared for by national charity, Churches Conservation Trust (CCT)
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