A tablecloth and testimonies

Rebecca Grove reports on a creative initiative in Chichester

Chichester Quakers marked the centenary of the start of the first world war in 2014 with a ‘Building Peace’ project. The thought behind this was to strengthen our awareness of the Peace Testimony and to use this idea as outreach. The aim was achieved through a series of different activities, including talks, outings, poetry, art and craft.

We have a beautiful wooden table in our Meeting room that needed protection. The idea of Quakers making an embroidered tablecloth as part of the ‘Building Peace’ project was suggested and it was decided that the tablecloth should embrace not just our testimony to peace but all of the testimonies: peace, simplicity, equality, truth and sustainability, as we feel they are all interlinked – supporting and upholding each other.

The project involved many of our Meeting members and attenders, from children and beginners to more experienced embroiderers. A member of the sewing group who is also a member of the Embroiderers’ Guild oversaw the project and helped with the embroidery and appliqué. (Appliqué is a sewing technique that involves stitching a small piece of fabric onto a larger one to make a pattern or design.)

Individual Friends from our Meeting were encouraged to sew on squares or triangles. In each of these we chose images and words that we felt symbolised the essence of our chosen testimony. So, for example, as well as doves for peace we have scales for equality and a judge’s head for truth. Simplicity is represented by the idea of making and mending, including tools for gardening and sewing.

The depiction of endangered animals was one way we chose to represent sustainability. We have also depicted organisations, often Quaker ones, that we felt important in upholding the testimonies.

The Home Farm Project is included as it was founded by a member of our Meeting. The Home Farm Project is an organisation that enables sustainable farming in the Gambia, allowing young men to stay in their villages and look after their families, rather than going abroad.

When the squares and triangles were completed, they were expertly sewn together into a tablecloth and the names of the testimonies were written around the edge. The project took us about three years to complete. It now has pride of place in our Meeting room.

We hope it will inspire all those who use our Meeting house for many years to come.

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