Working together over a six month period, identifying common issues and concerns, a group of women from five countries and the Irish Traveller's Community created The Alphabet Quilt. Using hand-woven Irish tweed and a rainbow selection of coloured cotton batiks (representing the multi-cultural backgrounds within the group), they identified words for each letter of the alphabet, and illustrated them using a variety of textile techniques.
The themes reflected were quite wide ranging, explains Deborah Stockdale, who facilitated the process: "from children, to cooking, from grief to xenophobia, tea to yoga, the topics we selected were a wide ranging snapshot of our lives."
The hands-on nature of the work facilitated lots of discussion and exchange of views: It is an engaging piece of work. As Deborah reflects: "[it] strikes a chord with almost everyone who views it."
The Alphabet Quilt was part of a larger alphabet project sponsored by Port na Fáilte, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.
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