Talks & Workshops

Friday 16th Sept 10am – 7pm
Saturday 17th Sept 2pm – 5pm

Two days of workshops and talks looking at the history of stitching in the county, and the secrets of Westgate Street, featuring a panel discussion hosted by Jo Andrews and Haptic & Hue.

Friday 16th

10.30am – 11.15am
The historic needlework of Cheltenham Female Orphanage
Ahead of next year’s exhibition at the Holst Victorian House Museum,Curator and researcher Jo Teague will share her research into the historic needlework produced at Cheltenham Female Orphanage Asylum. The work produced appears at first glance to be traditional school girl samplers, but they are so much more.
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11.30am – 12.30pm
Embroidery Workshop
Try your hand at creating your own hand embroidered initial sampler with an embroidery session led by Jo. Places are limited to 20 so please book early to avoid disappointment.
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1.30pm – 2.15pm
Westgate Stories
Marsha O’Mahony, writer/oral historian, was commissioned by the Cathedral Quarter project to collect and record the rich stories from inhabitants of Westgate Street, past and present, over the last year. Five of these can be found as part of the Threads trail. In this talk she will share excerpts of some of the many fascinating stories woven into the fabric of the street.
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4pm – 5pm
400 Years of Stroudwater Textiles
The Stroud Valleys have a long history of making woollen cloth. There are over 170 mill sites; at one there is a history of cloth-making reaching back to the 1300s at least. The industry has evolved and continues to make material that is in demand across the world. As well as being illustrated, this talk will include handling samples made in the Valleys.
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6pm – 7pm
Language beyond words – stitching and stories
A discussion of the application and impact of collaborative stitching projects. Chaired by Jo Andrews, Broadcast journalist & host of Haptic & Hue Podcast, with Zaheera Nanabawa, Women at the Well & Emma Willis Sewing Studio, Jo Teague Community artist & curator; and Kim Hill, Social Prescriber.
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Saturday 17th

2pm – 5pm
Supersized Stitch
Join young creatives from Jolt Studios Gloucester and Tewkesbury Culture in this creative exploration of textiles and heritage. Suitable for young people from 12 upwards, participants will get the opportunity to contribute to a collaborative art work that will give voice to their interpretation of Gloucester’s Heritage. Whether you are a creative writer, budding artist, or just want to have your say, book now for this fabulous free workshop.
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