Fostering Community Through Reuse: The Wapping Community Quilt
Unveiled during the annual Wapping Christmas Fair last December, the Wapping Community Quilt captures last December, this testament to community and convivial creativity showcases the cherished aspects of this neighbourhood.
Residents of Wapping created 10 cm by 10 cm panels to capture what they loved most about Wapping, using a variety of embroidery and patchwork quilting and Yodomo textiles.
Rholdah, the community quilting group who helped organise this initiative, says:
The Wapping Community Quilt was borne out of a wish to create something homely and belonging. It was inspired by the Patchwork Quilt of the Century, a work designed by artist Lilian Dring and collectively crafted by 80 women who previously did not know needlework. It was made in 1951 to mark the achievements of women over the previous century and celebrate the opening of the Royal Festival Hall. While this historical project used only household scraps of material, our Wapping Community Quilt was less spartan and generously supported with pre-consumer fabrics from Yodomo.
The resulting quilt, which took just 2 months to complete, is a triumphant reflection of what its creators see as important and central to their lives. Throughout the quilt, you might notice people, dogs, cats, bridges, ships, trees and everything in between. In coming together to create this communal work of art, we didn’t just make a quilt; we made friends.
The Wapping Community Quilt is on display until March 2024 at Wapping Station. The project is sponsored in part by the Turk's Head Charity and RODA, with support from Yodomo.