Published August 15, 2024
A community quilt inspired by Turkey Red designs was completed and celebrated at the Vale of Leven Heritage Hub this weekend.
As part of National Lottery Fund funding, West Dunbartonshire Arts and Heritage asked residents earlier this year to take part in The Quilt Project, a five-week course in making a community quilt.
The class was led by quilter Patricia MacIndoe and included eight participants – Elaine Giannin, Marlene Angus, Margaret Reid, Anne Crawley, Natalie McDonald, Catherine McDonald, Yvonne Clark and Vicky Graham – who each quilted a block to create the 60 x 80 inch colorful quilt.
During the course, the group learned more about the origins and heritage behind Turkey Red, as well as the processes used to create the designs.
The celebration marking the completion of the project included dances by the Abhinaya Dance Group as a tribute to the influence of Indian culture with Turkish red and the trade link from the valley to India. Guests also planted madder, which will later be used to dye textiles. The finished quilt will be on permanent display at the Vale of Leven Heritage Hub in the Alexandria Library.
Dannie Lennie, councillor and head of corporate services, said: “This is a fantastic project with such a colourful and detailed result. The quilt is a great example of how we learn from the past in the future and what invaluable techniques and artistry we have in West Dunbartonshire. Congratulations to everyone involved from start to finish, you should all be very proud of yourselves.”
Councillor Michelle McGinty, Deputy Director of Corporate Services, added: “From the quilt to the event, everyone has done a great job. You can tell how much work and effort has gone into learning about Turkey Red and the inspiration and the way the patterns were created. Kudos and thank you for being a part of this project. It’s a great addition to the centre and I hope people take the time to come by, visit us and find out more.”
