‘Textile diary’ goes on display in Schull

A TEXTILE diary of 366 hand-stitched pieces by Julia Zagar will be showcased in the Blue House Gallery in Schull from August 11th to 30th. 

In 2019, Julia Zagar embarked on a creative challenge – vowing to stitch one textile piece every day. Keeping up her commitment during the pandemic, Julia found upcycled and donated fabrics to create a hand-stitched visual diary of her surroundings. 

‘As the world reeled from the onslaught of Covid and national lockdowns, I found I had a focus,’ she said. ‘By March I had slipped into the daily habit of retiring to my studio at around 4pm.’

Julia hand-stitched postcard-sized pieces inspired by her immediate surroundings - the garden, the sea and her local walks. She said the practice became a vital part of her day giving her focus and purpose in an otherwise chaotic time. It was a ‘beautiful anchor and compass’ for her at this time, she said. Julia documented the process on Instagram, sharing her ideas and inspiration for each piece. Her unique craft encompasses elements of painting and collage through stitching. 

The collection of small intricate works of vibrant colour combinations and stitch explorations can be enjoyed at the exhibition, alongside Julia’s new work which revisits her favourite themes, fabrics and stitches.

The exhibition can be visited each day during gallery hours from 11am to 5pm. Julia’s work can be found on her Instagram account @juliazagartextileart.