If we can’t talk about what happened and the impact of the event, we haven’t let the story touch us.
As a Montessorian I love timelines. Over the last few years I have made a wide range of prehistoric timelines, as well as what I call History Snapshots, trying to catch a moment in time of British History, to share with children and adults, to promote discussion, questions and the imagination. The image above is a section from a version of the Bayeux Tapestry I made with a colleague in 2021. Our version is a mere 15 metres long, but long enough to capture attention and make an impact upon children. We took it out to a local school and observed fascination and delight. Our images weren’t on a screen, and didn’t move, but they told a story very effectively nevertheless.
Books are such a precious resource and I fully support the provision of a wide range of books in schools and nurseries. However I also encourage practitioners and teachers to invest in the tradition of oral storytelling, to include children in the plot and outcome.
Sewing a story is a very effective way to involve a group or community in exploring a theme. Choosing a story, cutting out fabrics, deciding on placement and sewing the pieces – this all gives the participants a space to question, explore, test and assess. Sewing with others is also a very therapeutic process, proven to have beneficial effects on groups in prisons and hospitals. Please take a look at the fantastic work done by Fine Cell Work (finecellwork.co.uk)
The images below are from my representation of The Canterbury Tales, made with the help and support of Sue Hufton (www.suehufton.co.uk). Do you have a story to tell? It could be a story from your local area, or a story you have imagined. If you would like help with getting started on a Sewing Story of your own, please do get in touch
