What if, after we die, we were wrapped, rather than boxed? The softness and flow of fabric creating a gentle, evocative outline, instead of hard edges, solid barriers and firm lines, separating us from our person.

There is something about the quiet simplicity and integrity of a shroud that offers an intriguing alternative to a traditional coffin.

A woollen shroud

Rituals of closure and goodbye could involve folding, covering, tucking, tying, or sewing. Working with textiles, using existing skills or learning new ones, can give us rich opportunities for life tending and grief tending, weaving our stories into our own personal ceremonial burial cloth.

Creative processes can invite others to contribute, bringing friends, family and community together in the cycles of life and death. A shroud can be folded and stored, or hung like art, or cuddled in comfort, until the time when it is needed.

This session will explore the possibilities, in theory and practice, of working with natural fibres and fabrics, using ancient processes and techniques that can be applied to create beautiful, bespoke, evocative, earth-loving burial shrouds.

Rachel’s artwork The Luddenden Shroud will be on show, and the day will include a viewing of the film of the same name about the making of the shroud.

Price: £75

Booking: please contact me to book your place, thank you.

Dyeing fabric with natural dyes