A Facebook post by Menlo Park resident Amy Bayersdorfer got our attention. It was a photo of cross stitch panel that we learned was part of world-wide movement called Torah Stitch by Stitch.
Started by well known fibre artist Temma Gentles, more than 1400 stitchers of all faiths in 27 countries are cross stitching the first five books of the Bible, four verses at a time. Its size at completion — the length of a football field — would make it theoretically possible for people to walk amidst Scripture.
“I’m not the strongest cross stitcher, and while I’ve done a few panels, I’ve also been working with the organization to justify the letters, shrinking or stretching the panels,” explains Amy, adding that she believes there are a number of others local people working on the project.
According to its website, Torah Stitch by Stitch has been invited to present “Tapestry of Spirit” from June 12 to October 27, 2019 at the Textile Museum of Canada in Toronto, occupying all 10 of the museum’s upper-level galleries. It will feature the entire books of Genesis and Exodus, along with the final third of Deuteronomy.
To place the Creation theme in dialogue with the other Abrahamic faiths, the exhibit will also include selected passages from the Scriptures in Greek and the Qur’an in Arabic.
New stitchers are still welcome and can sign up online. Fundraising for the project is also continuing.
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