You can help to create Northern Ireland’s longest linen tablecloth at a Lisburn workshop

The Linen Biennale, a festival celebrating flax and linen, will be running a workshop this Saturday (September 9) as part of a special project to create a huge linen tablecloth.
By Julie-Ann Spence
Published 6th Sep 2023, 15:14 BST
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The event takes place at Lisburn’s R-Space Gallery at the Linen Rooms, during the European Heritage Open Day, when visitors will be able to take a tour of the historic 18th century building that once served as the rectory to Lisburn Cathedral.

The tablecloth workshop is open to all, regardless of age or sewing abilities, and will be led by textile artist Emma Whitehead who the biennale has commissioned to begin the design process and oversee the project.

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Organisers are encouraging people to come in and share their linen stories, take part in the making, or just pop by to see that’s going on.

Anthea McWilliams, co-director and co-founder of the Linen Biennale, is encouraging everyone to come along to the tablecloth workshop on September 9. Pic credit: R Space GalleryAnthea McWilliams, co-director and co-founder of the Linen Biennale, is encouraging everyone to come along to the tablecloth workshop on September 9. Pic credit: R Space Gallery
Anthea McWilliams, co-director and co-founder of the Linen Biennale, is encouraging everyone to come along to the tablecloth workshop on September 9. Pic credit: R Space Gallery

Anthea McWilliams, co-director and co-founder of the Linen Biennale said: “We’re inviting the public to R-Space to come to watch, sew or stitch and have a chat. See the tablecloth in action and celebrate our linen history – the people, skills, and stories that are all part of that.”

The Linen Biennale’s plan is to make the longest linen tablecloth in Northern Ireland over the course of the next two years and Saturday’s event will play a significant part in that process.

But ambitions are high, and with enough donations and support from the public this could be the longest linen tablecloth in the world.

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For more details and to find out how to register to visit R-Space go to https://www.linenbiennalenorthernireland.com/long-linen-tablecloth

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The final event, scheduled for the next Linen Biennale in 2025, will be an enormous tea party on a bleaching green, when friends and contributors will be invited together to celebrate its completion.

Donations are also welcomed - so if you have old, loved but rarely used linen, including napkins, tray cloths, runners or tablecloths, that you would like to be given new life in this remarkable event, drop them off at R-Space in Lisburn.

The Longest Linen Tablecloth takes place between 11am-5pm on Saturday September 9 at R-Space, Castle Street Lisburn, and is part of the European Heritage Open Day and the Linen Biennale 2023.

Related topics:OrganisersNorthern Ireland