The Star Project Award 2024

Star Project Award text, brightly coloured embroidery and thread
Star Project Award

I met Fiona Wilkinson, lead occupational therapist for the Dorset perinatal community health team, at a wild swimming group in Studland, Dorset. Our shared interests in early motherhood, mental health, and my desire to bring textiles practice into this space, sparked the idea to apply for the STAR project award together.

Planning the project, from a simple idea to a proposal for an 8 week course, was incredibly rewarding. By working through the numbers on a spreadsheet, considering amount of participants, number of sessions, cost of materials, room hire, staffing and other costs, we were able to calculate and adjust the plan until we reached a viable project within the funding available. This led us to make decisions on where to focus the funds, and where we might save money, for example borrowing instead of buying.

Since this project is aimed at Dorset Perinatal Mental Health clients, offering the course free of charge was a priority. We also recognised the challenge of balancing caring for young children with engaging in textile craft. So, we budgeted for additional staff to help with children during sessions.

In planning the project, we reflected on whether an outcome was necessary. Creating a finished item is often the assumed goal of a textiles course, however, in my experience, a focus on end result can sometimes interfere with in-the-moment making. I want participants to engage intuitively with the process whilst letting go of expectation. However, we also recognised the value of completing a personal patchwork to keep as a memento of this time.

Our aim is to create a non-judgemental, safe and welcoming space where participants will be invited to focus on themselves for the time that they are with us. This will include plenty of tea, coffee, and maybe even cake! We will encourage a light-hearted and instinctive no rules approach to piecing and stitching, whilst supporting participants to work to their own interest and pace to complete a textiles piece that will feel meaningful to them within the timeframe.

Participants are very welcome to bring any fabrics they would like to use for their patchwork, although this isn’t necessary as we have gathered together a large supply of materials and plenty of embroidery threads for them to rummage through and select from.

I look forward to reporting back once the project is well underway, and would like thank the Textile Study Group for their generous award and for selecting our project, Patchworking Motherhood.

Emma McGinn

This warm and welcoming room as it was set up ready and waiting for the mothers with their children to arrive.

Return to Star Project Award on the TSG website for more information about the award and an application form.