The Old Needlecase

I have read many accounts of the villagers who lived in Tyneham and one lady who stands out is Helen Taylor, she worked for many years as a seamstress for the Manor House in Tyneham.  On the day the village had to be evacuated Helen pinned a note to the church door.

It read:

‘’Please treat the church and houses with care. We have given up our homes where many of us lived for generations to help win the war to keep men free. We shall return one day and thank you for treating the village kindly’.

This needle case is from an old sewing box.  The needles have aged and rusted it, hand-made it once belonged to someone alongside other pieces in the box that I bought.  When things like this end up in a sale it is sad to think they are not worth anything anymore.

I have decided to use it as an embroidered piece for my exhibition, so that the owner can be thought of through the memory of Tyneham.  I have started to stitch the message that Helen left at the church.

Disperse dye, heatpressed onto torn polyester

Stitching Helen's message

Image of what the needlecase would like like on the windowsill of the Seamstresses Cottage