intergenerational & cultural story telling through creational material weaving

Nabeela grew up in Doncaster, studied at Doncaster Art College, then Central St Martins in London. Lived and worked in Dorset and now works in Bradford. She has 25 years of teaching experience in various areas of Fashion design, textiles, sewing and weaving classes.

Nabeela talks about the project in the March 2021 issue of A view from the edge

Doncaster Conversation Club Newsletter.

Weaving project By Nabeela Khan

I was approached by Akeela as an independent community consultant working alongside Right Up Our Street. There was an opportunity to offer a creative project in Doncaster to work with ladies particularly from the BAME community.

The project is where students are able to tell their own stories through a multi textured fibre art wall hanging. Through researching what is important to them, their loves, their lives, their cultures or accomplishments, they will gather together fabrics, yarns, garments, beads, scarfs, wools, whatever has some meaning in some way to them, either from their own cultures, families, work, religion or personality.

They will then use these, together with various textures and thicknesses of yarns provided, chosen to complement their fabric story, to weave, knot, twist, embroider, crochet and knit, making their own personal, meaningful, hanging art. A fibre art wall hanging.

Once complete, it will be hung using a local branch or twig collected from a walk in Doncaster.

The gallery of the artwork created by the participants using the weaving method.

Participant of the project, Simaa Jebabli writes in A view from the edge, Doncaster Conversation Club Newsletter, about her thoughts and experiences of Nabeela’s weaving workshop.

Asylum Seekers and Lockdown do not Match By Simaa Jebabli

We all know the hard time that we are facing these days during the lockdown, but the bad effects of it may vary from person to person and I guarantee you it is much harder on the asylum seekers. However, I was so fortunate to be invited to a weaving workshop course made by Nabeela Khan and presented by Right Up Our Street. I was so desperate and I accepted this invitation immediately despite the fact that I was not a big fan of weaving.

After I attended the first class and learned how to do some stitches and how to recycle my old clothes and turn them into a beautiful artistic piece, I fell in love with that course and just after the first class I spent about 4-5 hours working on my loom continuously until I fell asleep. It was a great opportunity I have been given to add a new skill to my life.

I would like to thank everyone who was responsible for that class. I really appreciate your support, kindness and your simple way of delivering the information. You have given me a new skill which I will use again and again and make sure I will remember you with every stitch. I found that weaving is a great way to relieve stress and motivate your brain to create a beautiful piece of art. Try it!

Do you have any memories you’d like to share with us from Nabeela’s Weaving Workshop?

We’d love to hear from you!