Quaker Tapestry

Panel D10 of the Quaker tapestry, showing three famous Quaker scientists. Panel D10 of the Quaker tapestry, showing three famous Quaker scientists.

The Quaker tapestry is a commemorative embroidery that illustrates the history of Quakerism (a Christian, non-Conformist religious group; also known as the Society of Friends). The idea for the Tapestry came from Anne Wynn-Wilson, who was influenced by the Bayeux tapestry.

The Quaker tapestry includes three horizontal divisions within each panel, embroidered outlines for faces and hands and solid infilling of clothing. All of these features can be found in the Bayeux tapestry. The Quaker embroidery tells in visual and written form important Quaker events and insights rather than a conventional history. It starts with the origins of Quakerism with George Fox in 1652. Other stories include social reforms, the abolition of slavery, the industrial revolution, as well as developments in science and medicine brought about by Quakers.

In its final form, the embroidery includes 77 panels, each of which is 53 cm high and 63 cm wide. The panels are worked in crewel embroidery on a handwoven woollen background, using chain stitch, Peking knot, quaker stitch (invented by Anne Wynn-Wilson), split stitch and stem stitch. About 4000 stitchers (individuals and groups) in fifteen countries carried out the work between 1981 and 1989. Part of the embroidery is on display in the Friends Meeting House, Kendal, Cumbria, England.

Sources:

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 29 May 2016).

GVE

Last modified on Wednesday, 19 April 2017 19:01