Slow Stitched Talismans: Acts of Gentle Dissent
Rosalie Rose
12 November 2026
Day + Time | Thursday | 5.30-8:00pm
Location | Craft + Design Canberra, Level 1 North Building, 180 London Circuit, Canberra, ACT, 2601
Entry | General Public Ticket $80 | Members $65.00 | Bookings Essential
Access | Wheelchair access, accessible toilet, companion card accepted, assistance animals welcome
In a fast-paced world, slow stitching becomes a quiet yet powerful act of dissent. This workshop invites you to create a small hand stitched fabric talisman, filled with dried flowers and a handwritten message that is personal and meaningful to you. Through the act of making, you are invited to choose slowness over imperfection and speed. The talisman, long considered an object of protection and strength, becomes a small and tender thing to keep and cherish, bestow or put to use.
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WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING
You will begin with an introduction to slow stitching and the tradition of the talisman before moving into the design and making of your own piece. You will select your fabric, reflect on what dissent means to you personally, and write a message or word to place inside your talisman. You will then begin stitching with Rosalie on hand to guide you through techniques suited to your level of experience. To finish, you will stuff your talisman gently with cotton and dried flowers, securing your message inside before sewing it closed. -
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO BRING
All materials are provided including fabric, needles and thread, dried flowers, paper and pencils and beads and shells.
THIS WORKSHOP IS BEST SUITED FOR
Adults and young people (16+). No prior stitching experience is required.
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Rosalie Rose is a textile artist currently living in Canberra, Australia. Her creative life prioritises the process of slow stitching, botanical dyeing and weaving. Rosalie holds workshops for children and adults and solo exhibitions of her slow stitched pieces. When working independently, Rosalie enters a space where repetition and mark making bring about a soothing state and the artworks she creates are often a meeting of her relationship with the earth and the honouring of something ancient. Rosalie endeavours to restore beauty in its natural form using natural fibres, hand-stitched fabric off-cuts, botanical dyes, rocks, shells and shapes that offer the reminder that we are of this earth. The rhythm and repetition of slow stitching provide a strength that is only found in patience and a pace that defies the instant gratification of this modern life.
SEE ARTIST WEBSITE HERE
Images | Rosalie Rose | Talisman Series 2025 | Photos courtesy of the artist