Kindred Spirits
BY THE WYVIS STITCHERS, THE UIST STRANDS STITCHERS, THE HEARTLANDS STITCHERS AND THE MAERL STITCHERS
(Top; Left to Right) Laura of The Wyvis Stitchers; The Uist Strands Stitchers. (Bottom, Left to Right) Vicky, Trevor and Margaret of the Heartlands Stitchers; The Maerl Stitchers.Image provided by Smartify
STITCHING THE TAPESTRY OF THE HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS
This audio forms part of a series of audio interviews conducted in 2023 by Smartify as part of the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project. Listen and discover the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands through the eyes of the stitchers of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.
Discover tales of strengthening old and new friendships, helping each other, post-COVID gatherings, great craic with kindred spirits and lifelong memories made while stitching the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.
[Laura] ...I think nowadays, especially once you're over the age of having children and school, it's quite hard to make friends as adults. And we've got really strong bonds now,working together on this thing that I never would have imagined would come out of a sewing project. It's nice.
[Adele] ...While we're sitting here stitching the tapestry, people, locals and tourists and everyone they come in and they get to look at it and they're 'Oh!', you know, they start chatting about what they do and what's it for. It's really lovely.
[Trevor] I think it's really been meeting a lot of different people, with different skills and the whole thing coming together. I think that's been the fun part, you know, a lot of fun people with a diverse range of skills, really.
[Alison] It's just a pleasure to come, walk in the door. Everybody smiles. We just sit here. Because I think quite a few crafts are quite solitary. You sit at home, you do your embrodiery or your crafts and things. And you love that space, but it's just nice to come in...do it but in a different space. That's what I really love.