Material Power - Rewoven

National Trust - Hardwick Hall 17 April - 31 October 2025

These intricately worked recycled fabrics highlight the importance of textile care and conservation. This was close to the heart of Bess, who outlined the care of her textile collection in her will.  

Each given to Clare in a stained, poor condition, she has slowly covered them in straight scatter stitch, creating a new surface to draw the viewer in and give them a new life. They reference to Elizabethan blackwork, a monochromatic decorative stitch often used to embellish textiles, such as the sleeves on Bess’s dress in the portrait nearby.