Tea-Flora-Tales

Tea-Flora-Tales is a six year long community project on an international scale reflecting the need to preserve our wild flowers and related habitat and to support the work of the charity Plantlife This growing installation was has been contributed to by makers all over the world  and was shown at Nadelwelt in May at the Knitting and Stitching Shows London and Harrogate in October and November 2018. The installation final showing was at Rochester Cathedral and Rochester Art Gallery. (Spring 2019). Medway is the home of the Plantlife's flagship reserve.

In the last few years as we marked WW1 'Flowers of Remembrance', such as Poppies, Cornflowers, Rosemary, Forget-Me-Nots and Daisies started to appear.I am delighted that the membership of the Embroiderers' Guild UK has supported this project.
How to get involved with making a small piece was also detailed below in an article by Stitch magazine.

You are welcome to continue using these instructions to create your ownTea-Flora Tales and make a continuing record reflecting these special places.

• You can paint, draw and/or stitch an image on a piece of firm cloth, watercolour paper,  or any written text with image (brochure or postcard for example).
• Include a wrapper from a herbal or fruit teabag (or beverage of your choice) a floral piece of textile and additional elements you like.
• The idea of connecting flowers to remembrance is particularly relevant in 2018,  wildflowers or summer gardens could be among themes explored. 
• Each resulting piece no more than about half a small postcard in size (about 3x2 inches or 8x5cm).
• 7-8 of these could be stitched together on ribbon/lace to represent a group. Leaving a gap between each piece and a long length and a loop at the top for hanging. Do not worry overmuch about is it the right length, ribbon etc.Weeds are different as these will be.

While visitors lingered to admire her work, Cas reinforced the message by distributing empty used tea bags, challenging her audience to use them in a collaborative piece 'Tea-Flora-Tales' as a starting point for their own stitched pieces of work. 

 Diana Brown  

Thankyou to the individuals, groups and members of both the Embroiderer's Guild and the Quilter's Guild UK who have supported this project.  A few images of its travels are included below

Tea Flora Tales at 7 International Quilt Festival, Luxembourg

At The Beaney Museum, Canterbury

Tea Flora Tales article in Patchwork Professional

At the European Patchwork Meeting Video

Tea Flora Tales,Farnham Pottery,Common Places Exhibition 

Some lovely pieces created by people attending workshops with Stitch Retreats

Tea Flora Tales at Visions Art Museum

Also at an exhibition in Mons at the Couvent des Soeurs noires,
Cas was inviting people to join her in making little squares for Tea-Flora-Tales - I like a good square - then they'd get strung up taken to each of her shows. I sat down and made one, didn't photograph it ;( I can honestly say that 10 minutes was the one serene; calming few moments of the day! Emma A Little Bit of Everything 

You may wish to join or donate directly to the charity Plantlife  Other useful links to wildlife and conservation (RSPB, Woodland Trust, Kent Wildlife Buglife ) and related charities here.



Some of the pieces as posted:
From the USA

Box from Mons in Belgium

Netherlands large grouping  (below)

Kent WildlifeTrust

From Deborah Collum Love Art

Sheilagh Dyson 

Linda Litchfield, Loose Sheet, Louise Bourgeois

Linda Bundfuss and Mary Mockten New Zealand

                

Some lovely pieces sent in after a workshop at Sew Not Strawberry Jam by Lesley Brown and her friends 

 

All images and text copyright Cas Holmes and participants 2019.
All rights reserved.