The Meadow Community Art Project

The Meadow Community Art Project
Led by Deborah New

"The Meadow" is York Learning's 2024 Community Art Project.  It uses denim as a focus to highlight the unsustainable nature of the fashion industry. 

The Meadow - detail

York Learning’s dressmaking classes collected denim scraps from past projects, which were sewn together to form the base layer of The Meadow. Then, Deborah New, textile artist and tutor, worked with women from the Kyra Women's Project.  The Kyra Women's Project support women to make positive changes to their lives. They stitched into the patchwork denim background inspired by Japanese boro and sashiko techniques.

The Meadow - detail

The participants also hand embroidered many different flowers and leaves which could then be added to the piece.

The Meadow - detail

Volunteers helped attach the pieces onto the background to create "The Meadow".

The Meadow - detail

Barely anything used in the project was bought new. Embroidery threads were sourced from the Cone Exchange in Harrogate. The Cone Exchange is the flagship community project of Bettys & Taylors Group. It is a scrapstore which repurposes waste materials from businesses and donations from the local community. The money raised is used for local good causes.

The Meadow - detail

Some of the participants embroidered their names which were added to the piece...

The Meadow - Embroidered Names

Routes2Success learners researched facts and figures about the scandalous nature of the fashion industry in terms of waste, pollution and carbon emissions. These were cleverly displayed as the tags you get on new clothing. The plastic which enables you to read these labels came from recycled plastic bags...

The Meadow - Labels

Deborah cleverly used recycled denim jean belt loops to hang the project - see first image.  

"The Meadow" is truly fabulous.  It's currently being exhibited at York Explore (York Central Library), Library Square, York, YO1 7DS till early September 2025. If you get the chance, do go and see it!  If you're making a special trip, do check with the library first to make sure it's still on show.

York's Bloomin' Marvellous Flowerwall in Bloom! - Part 1

Part of the Flowerwall at York Explore Library

The Bloom! festival in York over the last few days has made the city look even better than usual.  From the 5-8 July 2018,  the festival celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists - who have held an annual horticultural show since 1768.  This blogpost is dedicated to the York Learning community art flowerwall at York Explore which was magnficent.

Flower arch at Bloom!

You may remember that I went along to take part in one of the many York Learning flowerwall workshops given by Deborah New - read more here.  Then I told the Fairfax Court Yarnstormers all about it and they decided to get involved - read about that here.  Fiona Dixon & her group Sew Chatty also contributed fab flowers to the project...

Sew Chatty Flowers courtesy of Fiona Dixon

See if you can spot them in the flower wall...

Green flowers

York Learning put on lots of flower making workshops for people to go to. Workshops weren't only held at the library.  Claire Douglas (project leader) & Kerry Roberts took workshops into New Earswick, Skelton and St Barnabas primary schools and Karen at Lakeside primary ran after school workshops for parents & children.

Some people made them at home or in their craft groups.  Sue Clayton worked with older learners & Kat Wood, created lovely flowers from plastic bags with crafty folk at Chapelfields Community   Association & Foxwood Community Centre.  Other groups (including Haxby Methodist Church Hall, Clifton Library & Blossom Women's Group) and individuals (especially Cheryl Pickard & Hannah Savage) also made lots of bloomin' flowers...

Green Flowers

There was such a great variety of flowers - fabric, paper, plastic, willow, stitched, knitted, crocheted and they were all displayed in groups of the same colour...

Blue Flowers

Blue Flowers

Purple Flowers

Red & Orange Flowers

Fabulous Flowers

Yellow flowers

White flowers

White flowers

It wasn't just the outside of the library that was blooming...

The Stairwell is Blooming

Inside the Library

It all looked fantastic.  And Claire Douglas, Deborah New, Donna Taylor & Karen Winship did an amazing job putting it all together.  Thanks to York Learning and everyone who took part for creating such an amazing display!

York Learning Flowerwall

More about the Bloom! festival in another post!

 

Bloom! - A Floral Festival in York

Paper Flower

I have recently had great fun at a workshop run by Deborah New for York Learning making flowers for the community art flower wall at York Explore (the main York Library for anyone who's wondering).  This is part of the Bloom! festival in York, running from the 5-8 July 2018 and beyond.  The festival is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Ancient Society of York Florists - who have held an annual horticultural show since 1768 - which is quite an achievement!  There are lots of things botanical going on and you can check them out here. 
 

Flower out of bin liners and pipecleaners

Flower out of old bags

Flower out of plastic bottle, fruit netting & more

 
Here are some of the flowers that were made by other people...

If you want to get involved why not make a flower or several - they could be knitted (if you want some flower patterns check out my blog here and knit them in any bright colour you like!), stitched or how about trying out some recycling or upcycling and invent a flower.  

Melted straw flowers

Since the workshop I've made a few flower heads from melted straws (thanks to Jessica Grady for the technique - watch out for more about Jess in another blogpost!).

So, if you want to get involved your completed flowers have to be with Claire Douglas at the City of York Council West Offices (open 8.30am to 5pm Mon - Fri) by 30 June 2018.  There are also more workshops on Sat 16 June 2018. Contact York 01904 554277 or email Claire at claire.douglas@york.gov.uk for more details.

Go on - make a flower - you know you want to!

Planet South Bank's Craft-y-Crawl - Sunday 22 November 2015

Hippystitch - brooches, bracelets, necklaces, notebooks

Coming up on Sunday 22 November from 11am to 3pm, makers in York's South Bank are throwing open their doors and inviting their friends, neighbours and anyone who's interested to come and have a look at (and buy) their makes.  This could be a chance to get all your Christmas shopping done whilst having a pleasant walk round York.  Even better, you'd be supporting local makers.  

 

You can get a list of Planet South Bank's Craft-y-Crawl exhibitors here or a map here or you can pick up the info from Sainsbury's on the corner of Bishopthorpe Road and Scarcroft Road, York.  (Thanks to Pie Waller for organising this event!)
 

Nicola's Cards

Deborah New's Christmas Robins

Nicola's Cards - Christmas Cards

Hippystitch (jewellery & notebooks - take a look in the gallery), Nicola's Cards (cards & wrapping paper) and Deborah New (Christmas robin decorations) will all be at:

33 Wentworth Road, York, YO24 1DG

and just next door at 35 Wentworth Road we have Sue Dennis & Ruth Merriman who will have cards and small paintings. And lots more not far away - so do come along.  Hope to see you soon!