Beautiful Bunting at Drumnadrochit
In April 2014 I visited Craigmonie, the community learning centre in Drumnadrochit, on the shores of Loch Ness. The building that houses both the school and the community facilities is beautiful and bright, and is used for all sorts of activities, including community celebrations and craft fairs.
So, together with a diverse group of locals, I set about creating some imaginative bunting to give the space a happy air of celebration for just such occasions. We decided that each flag would have a local theme and that the flags would feature lettering that, when joined together, would make three phrases connected to the area: GLEN URQUHART, LOCH NESS and SCOTLAND.
This was a tall order, given the short time we had to produce the work, but I needn't have worried - there was no shortage of ideas and enthusiasm amongst the group. Some were seasoned sewers, others were working in this medium for the first time, but each contributed their unique perspective on living in this area, choosing to make images as diverse as a Highland cow to a wood-burning stove! The younger folk learned a lot from the adults and I was particularly impressed to see a young lad in the group who was no stranger to the sewing machine and who attacked the work with gusto!
By the time I left, the designs were finished and the local craft group had agreed to take on the task of backing them and joining them together on to tape. They completed this in record time, allowing the bunting to decorate the craft fair held only two weeks later - and they received rave reviews from the visiting public.
Once home, I made a book (see photograph below) containing photographs of each panel, to commemorate the event and sent this on to the Centre. The gallery below shows some of the panels, but it turns out that I was having a slightly off day with my camera, so not all the panels feature. To see them all, ask Fran at the Craigmonie Centre in Drumnadrochit to point you in the right direction. They are a feast for the eyes!
Please click on each image to see the full picture.
