Threads: the stitch goes on...

Threads began as a collaborative stitching project that connected individuals and groups from across the county to celebrate the area’s rich textile history. It has since developed a beautiful life of its own, with communities across Gloucester coming to see our Red Dress exhibition at the Friendship Cafe in March 2023, which in turn has inspired a brand new project …

A COSTUME FOR GLOUCESTER
A Costume for Gloucester is an ambitious community project bringing together as many as 100 stitchers to showcase Gloucester’s unique heritage, history and culture. Each contribution will depict a scene, location, event or person connected to the city, and our brilliant project leads, costumier Katie Taylor and community artist Jo Teague, will use them to create the finished outfit.

GLOUCESTER SERVICES EXHIBITION
Katie Taylor, who has cleverly designed a costume that can take the work of hundreds of different embroideries and designs, has worked with Gloucester Services, and this connection will be celebrated with a display of some of the early submissions from local people – demonstrating the progress of the project, and calling local people to make their own unique contribution …

CALL OUT FOR CLOTHES WITH STORIES TO TELL
The finished design will be worn in the Gloucester Day parade before going on display in the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral between 15 September and 1 October 2023. It will be accompanied by a number of personal items of clothing and a photography exhibition in the Cloister highlighting additional garments that have a story to tell.

THIS IS HOW YOU GET INVOLVED

Local people are being asked to take part by submitting items of clothing that have a story to tell. If the item can’t be displayed, then a photograph can be provided, alongside a short story about why that is important to you. This can be anything – an inherited apron, a uniform, a carnival costume, an outfit worn at an important event, something from a shop that no longer exists in Gloucester – anything that has a connection to Gloucester and has a story to tell.

● Send this form and a photograph of your item to info@voicesgloucester.org.uk by 31 July. Note that if you don’t want to loan the actual garment, you could submit a photograph instead.

“What is especially lovely about clothes is the stories they carry,” says Jo Teague, a local community artist, who is charged with bringing all the community contributions together. We revere certain historical apparel, like crowns, but imagine the tales those jeans worn to 90s raves can tell – they can testify to a whole period of cultural history. Or the ‘something old’ elements passed down through generations of brides. I’ll often ask people, what’s the oldest item in your wardrobe? Why do you keep it, and what tales are hidden inside those pockets? Submit that item to be part of our exhibition, along with around 200 words about what it means to you.”

JO TEAGUE, COMMUNITY ARTIST AND THREADS PROJECT LEAD