
4 minute read
The Covid Chronicle – a stitch in a troubled time…
by Natalie McCulloch
It’s safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes and challenges to our nation which forced people into a state of lockdown, adaptions and redistribution of time. For some people this meant acquiring new working patterns, new hobbies and even completely new ways of living day to day.
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The nation saw a surge of people engaging in creative activities such as sewing scrubs, making masks and upcycling household goods. The reasons for this were varied, from finding meaningful occupation of time, offering practical support to others (i.e. NHS PPE), fulfilling a desire to learn new skills and assisting general wellbeing.
From a wellbeing perspective the benefits of engaging your creative side are well documented, including calming the mind, reducing stress and as a general coping mechanism when things in daily life get too much. In fact, research suggests that engaging in creative activities like sewing, can help to raise dopamine levels - the ‘feel good hormone’. Even better is doing such activities as a collective group, in person or online, as this helps combat the loneliness and isolation that many feel in modern day society, especially since COVID-19 began.
Alongside the benefits of creativity and time with others, the benefits of journaling are well documented, suggesting that simply writing things down can help to ‘clear the mental clutter’ and establish a clearer mindset as well as providing a record of important happenings and events.
Considering these things it’s no wonder that projects such as ‘The Covid Chronicle’ are a huge success and something to be celebrated and commended.
The ‘Covid Chronicle’ is a unique project of a London based artist Wendy Bliss which is being aptly referred to as a modern-day Bayeux tapestry and aims to create a lasting record of the pandemic through the medium of tapestry.

In 2020 artists everywhere were invited to make and donate a fabric panel which illustrated their understanding/ experience of the pandemic on the understanding that it would be stitched together with others work for exhibition.
The response to this invite was massive with an incredible 15 countries around the world joining in resulting in a moving masterpiece measuring 36x1 metres!
Wendy Bliss, the creator of this artwork recalls “…once the panels arrived, everyday became like Christmas as there was a parcel of delights to open,” which far exceeded the 100 panels she aimed to acquire.

Every panel is uniquely interesting and features a small blurb which details the distinct experiences everyone had of a time in our lives which shook the nations norm.
“Literally stitching my own story to that of others seemed like a perfect antidote to the disconnect I felt.” Naomi Adams, a participating artist deduced.
Diana Springall, an author and art collector told The Covid Chronicle media team that “To have recognised that this pandemic was worthy of recording by seeking an international response through interpretation of thoughts was unique in itself, but to have collated and organised the resulting testaments with needle and thread is a triumph. The work clearly demonstrates mental creativity and agility from all those who have so skilfully stitched their memories transposing them into a moving and unique work of art.” One local participant, Anne-Maria Salmon ‘Bee’, found out about this project on Instagram and decided to join in.
“I’ve never done anything like this before, but I wanted to honour all those, who like I did, got out their sewing machines to help at the height of the pandemic. There were so many individuals and small groups of home sewists around the world that did this , not wanting or expecting any recognition but just did this to help where they could . I wanted them to be recognised for their contribution no matter how small or large.” Bee explained.
Amazingly, not only did Bee get involved herself, she also shared the quest amongst her local community. “I helped a small sewing group called Cardiff and the Vale Sewing Community. None of us had met, we were just volunteers, organised over the internet via Facebook. COVID-19 was a difficult and frightening time for everyone. The community spirit in people was awakened, with many people volunteering help where help could be given, this was a way of me giving back to my community in a safe and creative way.”
Bee’s panel was inspired by her own lockdown experience of “days spent sewing in the garden in the sunshine with the sparrows hopping around and singing away in the background and my trusty little Janome sewing machine that had worked so hard that it too deserved to be recognised.”
Other panels came from Welsh fabric artist, Sarah Bliss, depicting a copy of her granddaughter’s rainbow painting that was done to support the NHS and went into the window as many other children did at the time.
And Bethan Ash, who runs the art gallery in Neath where the final project currently resides, whose panel entitled ‘no more black’ illustrated her own reflections of the pandemic being like ‘black negativity slowly spreading and overcoming the resonant colour in our lives’.

Squares came from around the globe and each fabric artist wrote a few words about their piece which is published on the website and in a brochure that can be bought at the exhibition www.thecovidchronicles.org

Initially the idea was to auction the squares in aid of MIND, but this changed as the artists made it clear they felt the work made a stronger statement together. A donation will still be made to MIND thanks to a sale of textile hearts made by the artists for Riverside Studios, but fittingly, it has been agreed that The Covid Chronicle itself will be donated to Chelsea & Westminster Hospital who would like to display it in their public foyer spaces in Fulham & Twickenham as a mark of thanks to all NHS staff who made so many personal sacrifices during the pandemic.
Luckily for us Cardiff folk, this super display currently resides locally in the Studio 40 contemporary arts studio in Neath from 14.01.23 until 25.02.23. Further information can also be found on the website or Facebook group.
Whether you’re a keen crafter yourself, a historian or just someone whose life has been touched by the pandemic, this display is worth putting on your ‘must see in 2023’ list. I am certainly keen to put it on my own!


















