Almost a millennium after Bishop Odo of Bayeux commissioned the Bayeux Tapestry to celebrate the achievements of his brother William the Conqueror, Stockport has produced a textile-based history of its own.

The 'Sew Stockport Chronicles' project is a collaborative piece of artwork which aims to celebrate the history of the town in textile. The finished piece was unveiled in a special ceremony at the Arc Centre / Hat Museum on Saturday (24 February).

Local group Self Care Creatives (SCC) presided over the project, which began in October. The group enlisted the help of countless Stopfordians, young and old, who helped plan and produce the piece.

Stephanie and Kimberley, co-founders of SCC, emphasise that this is a piece designed and produced by the people of Stockport, aimed at "reflecting the community values, spirit and textile history of the area". 

Each motif showcases a little piece of Stockport - landmarks, cultural exports, and even a few faithful representations of its residents (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Speaking to Nub News at the ceremony, Kimberley said: "We're absolutely thrilled that this project has been so well-received by the community.

"Ages from preschool to 80 plus have taken part; there have been so many different people from across the borough. They've been involved everywhere; from the planning side of things, to the actual stitching.

"We're so proud. We're hoping that this will be a legacy piece to inspire other people to get creative in Stockport."

The artwork will be displayed publicly in Stockport - as yet, it is uncertain where that may be.

Can't get enough of the artwork? You can buy it on a tote bag! Follow the link near the end of this article to get your own (Image - Alasdair Perry)

Speaking as the project started, Stephanie and Kimberley said: "We are over the moon to deliver this unique embroidered legacy artwork project [...] aiming to inspire and bring the community together with creativity.

"[The aim is for] a beautiful heritage and culture-centred art piece to be displayed to the public in Stockport. 

"The process of the project includes planning using vision boards and stitching miniature memories of Stockport. Collaborative work is key for this project and we are working with lots of groups from a diverse range of backgrounds."

And now for some links!

• Can't get enough of the artwork? Buy a tote bag with the design HERE.
• Fancy taking part in some embroidery yourself? Stay tuned with SCC HERE, or find more information on Stephanie's classes HERE.
• A key part of the project has been to improve mental health through artistry - read more about how SCC plans to do so HERE.

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