Over the last couple of months the Blackpool SMS Knitting Group that I facilitate has been involved in a community arts project to stitch a signature quilt as a wedding gift from the people of Blackpool to Prince William and Katherine Middleton.
The group has worked with North west based artist Lynn Setterington to stitch both signature and picture sections of the quilt. The quilt has its own blog on which you track progress of the project which also involved a number of other community groups in Blackpool.
During the project Lynne shared with us her research into the history of signature quilts from the 19th century. Used as fundraisers and celebrations of local communities, Lynne showed us pictures of quilts from the US and more locally from Lancashire.
Yesterday after a workshop in Blackburn I made a mad dash to Blackpool to join group members and those from other groups for the celebration event where Lynn talked through the process of making the quilt, the history of quilts and group members saw the finished quilt displayed in the window of FYC creatives on Church Street. Tea and some rather lovely wedding cake was also consumed in line with the wedding theme…
This is the quilt on display:
It is both simple and incredibly effective, and on close inspection you really appreciate the detail captured by hand stitching.
 "front")
The group really enjoyed the project and polishing, re-learning and learning new skills. Val even suggested she might like to do some more – she should know better. She’s got me thinking that maybe we could use up some of my old felted sweaters, felted for a purpose as yet unrealised, to make a blanket out of felted squares with embroidered motifs – I do believe I have some crewel wool somewhere!