Slow Stitching

The Slow Stitching group, formed by local artist Catherine Gray, present their first exhibition in the Jury Room café.

Meeting twice monthly, the group has grown into a supportive and creative gathering of women who travel from across Ireland to carve out time from their busy lives. At the core of their work is a shared commitment to reusing and repurposing materials  — cloth with history, discarded textiles, and fragments once overlooked — transforming them through hand stitch into works of art. Slow, deliberate handwork becomes a quiet counterpoint to a disposable culture. 

What began as informal sessions around a shared table has evolved into a thoughtful body of work rooted in patience, connection, and the quiet rhythm of mark making. The exhibition highlights hand-stitched work that explores texture, repetition, and subtle narrative. Working primarily with textile techniques, the group responds to personal themes using thread to create meaning and for meditation. 

Each piece reflects an individual voice while collectively the work speaks to mindful making and the value of community. Meeting on the second Thursday and the third Friday of each month. The group has created a welcoming and inclusive space where conversation flows alongside needle and thread, and creativity unfolds gently over time.

This debut exhibition marks an important milestone for the group honouring both the work created and the community formed through the simple powerful act of making by hand. The Slow Stitching Ladies are always delighted to gather in the welcoming comfort of the Jury Room café, enjoying Andy’s coffee as thread slips quietly through cloth. Conversation rises and falls. They are deeply grateful to the Dock for providing such a welcoming space — a place where making friendship and stillness can sit side by side.