In 2022, 168 Patches were made remembering amazing women we have known, loved, and been influenced by. There were so many patches that we made 3 panels for the September premiere of the Requiem. We hope to be able to make a fourth panel for people to add their patches as we take the requiem to other communities and will put info up here in due course. Meantime, here are photos of the three panels taken by Will Stone.
Update January 2023:
The invitation to contribute a patch has now been extended, and as we perform the requiem in different places we will collect patches remembering other amazing women. When there are enough to make up a panel we will stitch them together. All the information needed is below.
You are invited to contribute a patch to remember any amazing woman whose shoulders you stand upon. You don’t have to be a wonderful haberdasher to participate, it could even be a single coloured square if that, for you, represents your amazing woman.
Specifics
Size:
8×8 inch plus a half inch seam all round, so the visible size is 8 inches squared, but the piece of cloth itself should be 9 inches square with the 8” in the centre.
Decoration:
Anything! You can write a person’s name or make an image that in some way represents them. You can embroider, appliqué, tie dye, write with fabric pens, cut and glue fabric on, stencil etc. Your creative imagination is the only limit.
Fabric:
We need relatively light fabric patches so they will hang together well. Some embroidery and applique is fine, but please not full quilting, knitting or crochet.
Yes please:
- Light and mid-weight cotton
- Lighter fabrics
No thankyou:
- Knitting or crochet
- Stretchy fabric
- Heavy fabric
- Quilted pieces
How many?
You can share as many patches as you like.
Who?
Any and all women that you may want to commemorate or celebrate. Family members, friends, writers, teachers or artists who have inspired you. The only criteria is simply that they have died and that they are women.
When?
We will be collecting patches over the next few months. There will be a sheet to pin new patches to at the Derby Requiem performance on March 4th 2023, but you can send them after that time as well.
Where?
You can either bring a patch to a workshop or concert, or post them. If you want to post them, please send to Penny Stone, 67/11 Giles Street, Edinburgh, EH6 6DD. Please also include the full name of your patchwork woman. If you include a note of your email address, I’ll be sure to let you know your patch has arrived safely! If you want to email a couple of sentences about your amazing woman, I’m collating these as well as I work out how to share the patches/stories digitally.
What will happen to the patchwork?
The requiem will be premiered in Edinburgh in September 2022 and in Derby in March 2023, and I’m applying for funding to tour the work to different communities through 2023, so the patchwork will carry on being shared during that time. Once this run has ended I’ll make sure the patchwork is used in positive and appropriate ways.
If you have any other questions, please email wisewomenrequiem@gmail.com
Please do pass this call out to any friends who you think might want to contribute a square.
Penny Stone 