“Stitching Together” creative women’s project announced as part of Crewe Arts Trail

A powerful new installation will be facilitated by textiles artist Vanessa Marr, founder of the award-winning Domestic Dusters project, which explores perspectives on the lives of women. Women from across the world have submitted hundreds of embroidered cloths to the ongoing initiative already and each one is unique and hand-stitched, transforming it from a cleaning cloth into a voice for women today.

This is the next phase of the UKSPF-funded Crewe Arts Trail. The “Stitching Together” project will focus upon making women’s voices more visible in the community by inviting local women to embroider their experiences and perspectives onto bright yellow dusters.

Traditional yellow dusters were selected by the artist as they represent the invisibility of the labour of women, but are still visually appealing when strung together in large numbers. The cloths are stitched with red thread to represent femininity and Crewe’s dusters will help to share the rich hidden histories and experiences of women within our community.

As part of the engagement process around this project, consultation took place with 22 local organisations through group workshops and one-to-one sessions, which highlighted the following priority themes:

• young people
• existing creative communities
• the increasingly diverse community in Crewe
• women and girls.

The finished creative artwork will be added to an evolving display in Crewe Library as part of the Arts Trail, which launches on the weekend of 14th-16th February 2025.
Crewe has a history of textiles manufacturing and a strong present-day crafting community and the creative project will provide the opportunity to develop skills and creative confidence.

Project Launch event

You are invited to join the launch of the project in Crewe Market Hall on Thursday 28th November, between 5pm and 7pm. Attendees are invited to share their opinions on women’s lives and experiences, and to tell their stories and be heard.

The launch event will help participants to plan and begin stitching their duster and all levels of sewing ability are welcome!

For those who are unable to attend the event, FREE embroidery kits and simple instructions can be collected from Crewe Library after 28th November. Completed dusters need to be returned to the Library by the end of January 2025.

Participants are encouraged to pick up a kit, pop it in their bags and stitch whenever they get a spare moment, or get together with a group of friends or as a community group to stitch together.

For any queries or advice about hosting a group stitching session, please contact: sarahg@counterculturellp.com.

Textiles artist Vanessa Marr said: “I am really excited to bring the Domestic Dusters project to Crewe! I am passionate about working with women to realise their voices in stitch, especially where they feel unseen, ignored or unheard. It will be a privilege to work with you, I can’t wait to see what you embroider onto your dusters!”

A spokesperson for Crewe Town Council commented: “We are excited to see how the creativity of women in Crewe will be represented in the Stitching Together project, which will feature as a part of the Arts Trail. Crewe Town Council is committed to supporting and developing arts and culture within the town and we are delighted to see the Crewe Arts Development Programme coming together. The completed Arts Trail will be an attraction for all residents and visitors to Crewe to enjoy.”

The Crewe Arts Development Programme

Crewe Town Council has been awarded central government UKSPF funding to deliver an Arts Development Project and Trail between January 2024 and March 2025, consolidating the Town Council’s commitment to developing arts and culture within Crewe. The trail will be displayed in accessible locations throughout Crewe.

Several public art commissions will be included as part of the Arts Trail (which has the theme of “Making Crewe”), including a huge mural on the gable end of a High Street building and a creative artwork on the side of the Crewe Town Council office building.
Project participants will be supported to help them learn and develop skills and it is hoped that the Programme will help to raise the aspirations of young people in Crewe and inspire them to venture into creative careers.

Find out more about the UKSPF funded Arts Development Project and Arts Trail here:
www.crewetowncouncil.gov.uk/whats-on-events/crewe-arts-development-programme/