Each one of these Silver Thread tapestries represents at least 5000 sewing hours clocked up by an army of volunteers.
The final inspiration of Walsall Council’s Creative Development Team, the project ran for nearly a year and involved hundreds of local people, both as storytellers and sewers.
People came from far and wide during the first three months of the project, to have their say on what should feature in each tapestry. Artist Hunt Emerson turned their stories into illustrations which were then loving stitched into more than 12 square metres of fabric.
Each tapestry features a different area of the borough, capturing Walsall’s living history and diverse geographical communities.
The project was the brainchild of Creative Development Team Manager Maxwell Bailey who wrote a successful funding bid to Arts Council England. Sadly Max died before seeing the final tapestries completed, having fought a four-year battle with cancer. Rather poignantly, Silver Thread also became the last project for the Team which was disbanded due to Council savings in 2016.
Everyone involved in Silver Thread had an amazing experience so please take time to view the tapestries as they go on their travels.
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Silver Thread Tapestries Tour
21st -29th Jan
New Art Gallery Walsall
2nd – 7th Feb
St Matthews Church
8th - 14th Feb
Pheasey Library
15th - 21nd Feb
Willenhall Library
22nd – 28th Feb
Pelsall Library
1st 16th Mar
Central Library
17th – 19th Mar
NEC Sewing for Pleasure Show
21st -1st Apr
Walsall leather Museum
Tues – Sat 10 – 5pm
5th -17th Apr
Walsall Aboretum Visitors Centre
Mon – Fri 10am – 4.30pm Sat and Sun 9.30 – 4.30pm
18th – 6th May
Bloxwich Library
Tues – Fri 9am – 6pm Sat 9 – 4pm
9th – 27th May
Brownhills Library
Tues – Fri 9am – 6pm Sat 9 – 4pm
2nd – 29th Jun
Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham
Daily 9am – 10pm
1st - 6th July
St Matthews Church Community Day and week
Featuring a display of embroidered alter cloths
8th July
Collingwood Centre Pheasey
10th - 31st July
New Art Gallery Walsall
Tues - Sat 10am - 5pm Sun 12 -4pm
1st Aug - 3rd September
Sandwell Central Sixth Art cafe in West Bromwich
4th - 17th September
Black Country Living Museum in Dudley
19th Sept - 5th October
Aldridge Community Centre
Special event Sat 23rd September - Sewing Nostalgia and Aldridge Embroidery
7th - 8th October
St Michael's Church in Rushall
7th October Rushall Quilter's Show - come early as limited capacity
Credits
Artist – Hunt Emerson
Project Manager – Deb Slade
Sewing Manager – Rachel Parker
Sewing Advisor – Ann Howden
Photography – Ming De Nasty
Local History Advisor – Stuart Williams, also thanks to Andrew and Hazel Wood and Sue Sattleswaite
Super Sewers: Yvonne Thomas, Beth Porter, Jude Perry, Sam Hale, Sue Collingswood, Chrys Bullingham, Katherine Keatley, Sheila Fawlkes, Jacquie Noyce, Wendy Evans and Wendy Jeavons
Additional support from Rita Patel, Neemita Patel, Maria Wiggly, Heritage Joinery, Claud Chambers, Glenis Williams, Sue Kirby, Linda Evans
Over 100 regular stitching volunteers and another 100 who have stitched
Many thanks to our sponsors:
Benton and Johnson Goldwork Suppliers
John James Needles
Launer Handbags
Marcus Gear
Sewing for Pleasure Show
Tweedle Architects, Town Planners and Project Managers
Venues: Arboretum Visitors Centre, Central Library, Aldridge Community Centre and all the centres in the different areas that hosted local groups