Weaving Tales –the Lochaber Story Quilt

from Lochaber Life #353 March 2023

Save Money, Save Landfill and Air Pollution & Save our Environment with “Scruples”

Michelle Iona Melville High Life Highland’s Heritage Ranger.

What does nearly 100m of material, 5,000m of thread, many hundred bags of fleece, fabric pens and paint, over 900 people, approximately 700 miles, 10 ferries, hundreds of hours of creativity and over 40 volunteering hours have in common?

Together with support from the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund, they make up the 21panels of the Lochaber Story quilt. The aim of the project was to bring together all ages and ethnicities, genders, abilities etc, living and working in Lochaber to create a community story quilt, each square representing something special about the area to its creator.

From Rum to Kilchoan, Duror to Lochaline, Mallaig to Glencoe, Spean Bridge to Acharacle, and Fort William to Kinlochleven, over the last six months we have been out on the road visiting nurseries, primary and High Schools, ESOL classes, adult groups and local Scouts, as well as running holiday drop-in sessions where members of the public could drop in to create their own square, there was no age limit, no set stories or techniques for square creation, this project was for the people of Lochaber and was individual to each person taking part.

Scottish Author and Storyteller Jess Smith came along to Rum nursery and Primary, and Duror Primary schools to share some of her stories and tales about her life.

The quilt tells our stories, the stories of Lochaber whether they are ancient tales retold or new tales being aired for the first time, old storytellers mingled with new, weaving together our rich traditions and recording them for this and future generations, after all there is a story in every one of us that begins at birth and continues after death (through the retelling of a story).

Around 900 children and adults have taken part in this project. Each square is unique and represents the makers favourite place, wildlife, sport, hobby, whatever is special about the area to them. Workshops provided fabric paint and pens, and the option to learn how to needle-felt, which proved very popular with all ages – one participant said it was a great form of stress relief.

As the squares were created there was a few surprises such as a tiger roaming the roof of Kinloch Castle on Rum and a kelpie holding children captive on its back as well as a chambered cairn and Viking ship, which was found near the artist’s house. Wildlife stretches from stags to pine martens, herons to orcas, butterflies to frogs and the odd turtle (Leatherback turtles have been spotted off Lochaber’s coast).

The exhibition of panels that make up the Lochaber Story quilt opened in Fort William Library on February 6th and they can be viewed there.

Pcarers

NHS Highland Care at Home Service are recruiting for carers for various areas of Lochaber and Fort Augustus.

For more details please contact Care at Home on 01397 709826 and ask for Sarah Traynor, Care at Home Manager sarah.traynor@nhs.scot

Reporter

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a bright, passionate and self-motivated reporter to join the Lochaber Times’ busy team. You should be bursting with ideas and have a track record of delivering engaging news and be capable of working on your own initiative as well as part of a team. You should also be able to demonstrate sound journalistic practice, such as balance, careful sourcing and a practical understanding of Scots Law. If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.