Homes and Gardens: a collaborative project with York Hospital NHS Trust
Published: Tuesday, 21st June 2011 13:45 PM
Since February 2011 the Quilt Museum and Gallery has been involved in a rewarding textile project with York Hospital NHS Trust entitled 'Homes and Gardens'. The theme was inspired by current exhibition 'Made in Yorkshire'.
This collaborative project was co-led by Sally Sculthorpe, Education Officer at the Quilt Museum (job share) and Lesley Seeger, Arts Development Worker for York Hospital Trust. The project aimed to offer creative therapy to dialysis patients in the renal unit at York Hospital.
Over ten weeks Sally, Lesley and two dedicated volunteers offered one-to-one support to patients to assist them with creating their own textile blocks. In the renal unit patients worked from images of quilts but many also paid a visit to the Quilt Museum to see the exhibitions.
The output was extraordinary with over thirty blocks finished in total. Many patients completed more than one block and the diverse 'homes' represented include a lighthouse, a temple and a cottage to name a few! Several patients discovered a new love of sewing, or revived an old interest in textiles and one even scoured her local charity shops for suitable fabric to use in her designs!
All the blocks were taken to the Quilt Museum to be decoratively stitched by Quilt Museum volunteers. Last week the finished 'mini quilts' were turned into five quilted banners at the Quilt Museum. These spectacular works of textile art are being framed and will shortly go on permanent display at York Hospital.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this project!