In late 2018 I was asked to participate in the Barocco project, which is a decade-long embroidery project by UK textile artist Kirstie Macleod. The project is centered around a single red dress which has been contributed to by embroiderers all over the world.
Since 2009 parts of the dress have traveled around the world and been embroidered on by women in over 25 countries. The intention is that the dress will bring together various cultures, each with their own identity and experiences, through their stitches.
I was very excited to accept the invitation on behalf of the Allthreads Community and just before our Christmas break we received a piece of red Dupion silk approximately fat quarter size, to embroider on. In early January and with the input of class members and teachers, a design representative of Australia was created.
The design has been transferred onto the fabric and gradually the stitching is taking form. Of course all the threads to be used on our part of the project are from Allthreads and most are Australian. We are using a large number of Gumnut Yarns silks along with some Cottage Garden stranded cotton.
We do have a deadline in which to complete the embroidery, as the project is to be finalised this year when the dress in its final form will be exhibited at the V & A Museum in London.
As I really want this to be an inclusive project by members of the Allthreads Community, if anyone who is reading this newsletter is in Brisbane and would like to participate in the project, please give us a call and make a time to come into the shop to put in a few stitches.
All levels of embroiderers are very welcome – the whole intention of the project is to unite embroiderers in a global project and therefore individual ability is not a focus. I think it is a very exciting project and I invite you and hope that you will become involved.
I am hopeful that we will have our piece completed by the mid to end of March, so there is much stitching to be done! I will give you all an update in my next newsletter as to how we are going.
There is a commission payable for the embroidered piece and this commission will be donated to the Leukemia Foundation and the Ovarian and Breast Cancer Research as part of our annual charity donation.