Mindful making through lockdown

Alongside her online teaching, the new project is inspired by Dr Findley volunteering to make scrubs for health care workers via Chichester Scrubs on her industrial lockstitch machine in the evening from home.

Working in hubs, volunteers are put into teams to produce the clothing and hats for staff in operating theatres. Dr Findley said: “It’s very satisfying being able to contribute to the NHS knowing these will be used on the front line or in care homes. We don’t know who the clients are but we do know that our contributions are making a difference.”

Alongside the scrub-making, Dr Findley is also hand making paper for an installation called ‘Water Babies’. Both have inspired her call for mindful stitching submissions, which it is hoped will form part of a future discussion, exhibition and online conference on the domestic issues that have arisen from COVID-19, incorporating themes like childcare, work and mental health.

With that in mind, makers are encouraged to send in their creative stitch - either knitted, crochet, felted, embroidered, hand sewn or machine sewn – up to the size of an A4 piece of paper, by Friday 12 June. These will be incorporated into a larger piece of work, which will mean samples will not be able to be returned.

To submit your piece of work, send your piece, name and email address to Dr Jules Findley, University of Brighton, 58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 0JY.