It’s been a year since I started the SLOW STiTCH NOMAD project. To create this unique piece of tent/dress, I reconnected with some old friends and met more new faces. It gave me a chance to travel through the time machine, back to the Blue House decades ago. Throughout that year, I traveled both online and offline due to the pandemic, but still, I managed to immerse myself in the art of trans-fashion and fully experienced how slow and heart-warming it could be to make a fine piece of clothing.
The creative process was dynamic and ever-changing. In less than a week, I was pleasantly surprised to call upon 40 people via the internet to participate in the project, which gave me a much-needed confidence boost as a first-time director of a collective creation.Each person was given embroidery threads in two colors and one designated pattern to sew. I was stunned by what was sent back to me. It was obvious that each participant put their heart and soul into their work. Even someone that claimed to have absolutely no experience in embroidery produced an incredibly fascinating work and even sent in a written remark on “Living in the Present.”
Clothes-making is not about keeping up with trends. What matters are the ideas and inspiration that come along when one puts their hands on the fabric, fingers delicately handling needle and thread, and the connection that is built with your fellows during the creative process.
The story of the Blue House and the embroidery work of 38 participants have been sewn together onto a tent-dress made of dozens of old shirts, and propped up by the framework from an old tent. It will be exhibited in the courtyard of the Blue House from May 8th to 16th. If you have time, come and feel the warmth from our fingertips and listen to the stories shared by the old neighbors.
Last but not least, let me summarize the journey in eighty-two Chinese words:
April 2020 marked the beginning of the journey Old and new faces, they met and connected Connecting the past and future, writing the stories of Hong Kong Dozens of pieces of old clothes, forty pairs of hands In a year of time, we sewed, stitch by stitch We took our time, slowly we sewed Two spools of threads, creating endless possibilities A dress, or a tent we created Fast fashion lasts for a moment But stories of the Blue House live forever
May the family of SLOW STiTCH NOMAD continue to grow and explore the world.