Connect More - A shared act of making

Stitching with many people you get to notice quite a bit.  Whether someone is left or right handed, whether they like green or blue.  How they sit, how they talk.  How being given a needle makes them feel part of the group.

I noticed that even though we were all stitching together we were still in our own thoughts as we stitched.  I love how having something to do with your hands means that you do not have to make eye contact (being left and right handed I am terrible at this!), it frees you up a bit, maybe it makes you a little more confident to share or just listen.  I am a great believer in "a question asked could be someone's answer heard".  So having something to do but sitting together was great for communication, especially those that are quieter or shy.

I wanted to create a tool that could be used one to one so that I could hear the stories, hopes and dreams of each individual, we are not all “joiners in”.  I wanted them to have time, instead of always talking I wanted to listen.  A shared piece of stitching that meant no holding, that could lift our heads up from the work and face each other.  But not totally see each other.

I wanted to see how stitching together could become a meeting place for conversation and care.  I worked with Dual Works to create a tool that looked inviting, a little bit playful and familiar. It also had to be fun!

The results of collaborative stitching are displayed as two sided artworks

There are lots of applications for Connect More, I have used it in public spaces, at seminars and in workshops.

Do contact me if you see an application for this great tool is your space tina@tinafrancis.co.uk