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The Nettle Dress
Feature Documentary Showing
Saturday 28th September, 11am
‘Exquisite, beautiful and inspiring’ Sir Mark Rylance
THE STORY
Textile artist Allan Brown spends seven years making a dress by hand, using only the fibre of locally foraged stinging nettles. This is ‘hedgerow couture’, the greenest of slow fashion and also his medicine. It’s how he survives the death of his wife Alex, which leaves him and their four children bereft, and how he finds a beautiful way to honour her. ‘Grasping the Nettle’ is at the heart of this story.
The challenge of making zero-carbon clothing means relearning ancient crafts: foraging, processing, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing. Making a dress this way becomes devotional and healing. ‘While making the dress over all these years, I felt like I was being transformed by the nettles rather than the other way around, ’ says Allan. ‘When Alex was ill and going through chemotherapy, as soon as I began spinning yarn, I felt calmer. It became much more than just a piece of cloth; it’s been woven with the stories of people who know and love you.’
The dress is made up of 14,400 feet of thread, each one representing hours of loving attention. Finally, the dress is worn in the woods where the nettles were picked, by Oonagh, one of Allan’s daughters. Director Dylan Howitt says: ‘This is a story about the deep value of creativity and imagination and a slow, mindful craft that is more in tune with the natural world.
THE NETTLE DRESS a feature documentary UK 2023 / 68 minutes / BBFC 12A PRODUCED, DIRECTED, FILMED AND EDITED BY DYLAN HOWITT FORAGED, SPUN, WOVEN AND SEWN BY ALLAN BROWN
EVENT INFORMATION
Saturday 28th September, 11am
Space2, Ground Floor
Tickets £9
BOOK ONLINE
Suitable for ages 12+. Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult
EXTRA EVENT
Stinging Nettle Textile Workshop
Saturday 28th September, 2pm – 4pm
Space2, Ground Floor
Tickets: £45
BOOK ONLINE
Suitable for ages 14+. Under 16s to be accompanied by an adult
COMBINATION TICKET
Join us for a fun-filled day and learn all about stinging nettle fabric. This event will begin with a film showing of The Nettle Dress by Dylan Howitt from 11am – 12.10pm followed by refreshments from 12.30 pm – 2pm – Refreshments are included with this ticket only. Following the screening, historic textile artist Katie Sawyer will guide you through creating your own stinging nettle thread from 2pm – 4pm.
Combination Ticket: £60
BOOK ONLINE
THE NETTLE DRESS from Dylan Howitt on Vimeo