My interest in Kantha quilts began after a visit to the Woven Air exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in 1988. This hand-made cloth was little know in Europe and seeing the amazing work on display changed the direction and my way of thinking and making.
Kantha embroidery/quilting originated in the Bengal area in what is now Bangladesh and India, and the earliest examples originate in the late 19th century, made from old saris and dhotis pieced together carefully to make a new cloth.
They were not made for commercial purposes but were heirlooms and objects for ritual. They were made exclusively by women and were an important element of traditional folk art encompassing both Hindu and Muslim religions.
These first Kantha cloths also celebrate everyday life through the depiction of day-to-day activities, from earrings and mirrors to rice winnowing and agriculture. For me this storytelling in thread and application of hand stitch opened up new ways of working individually and together with others.
Some posts about my work in Kantha
- Connecting Threads – tactile social history – new publication Jan 25
Lynn Setterington’s new book, Connecting Threads tactile social history brings together twelve of her textile projects produced between 1981 and 2024. These social history documents provide tactile evidence of untold stories, people and places through stitch and the work is both personal and political. - Update from 2022-23
In 2022-2023, my work focused on how textiles connect, document, and empower communities. Alongside creating new pieces, I co-authored Crafting with a Purpose with Professor Fiona Hackney, exploring community workshops and well-being. I presented at conferences in Ghent and India, sharing research on mental health, construction, and ethical stitching practices. - Safety Net
Dr. Lynn Setterington, a Manchester-based textile artist, launches Safety Net, a project raising mental health awareness in the construction industry. Featuring large-scale banners in Manchester and Salford, the installation, created with young people from 42 Street and Manchester School of Art students, highlights the sector’s mental health crisis, urging reflection and action. - PHD Study
My PhD at UCA, supervised by Professor Lesley Millar and Simon Olding, explored collaborative stitch’s benefits and tensions. Focusing on “signature cloths”—hand-sewn autographs—it examined community dynamics through case studies at Robin Hood’s Bay Museum, the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Archive, and Burnage Academy, highlighting stitch-based collaboration’s cross-disciplinary potential. - Unfolding OriginsIn collaboration with Chrysalis Arts and the North Yorkshire County Records Office, this project explored Selby’s old toll bridge. My research uncovered new insights and culminated in banners celebrating 30 years toll-free, created with local schools. Showcased at Selby Library and other venues, the project preserved untold stories through oral history.