Map of the Month Jul 09 - Haddington Embroidery Map

The previous Map of the Month – Horizonless Manhattan, featured the latest hi-tech computer mapping and visualisation techniques. This month’s map uses one of the earliest media forms – embroidery. Belinda Kane combined her cartographic, needlework and craft skills to produce the stunning map of Haddington. She describes the map and how it was created.


Click on the map to enlarge

You would think when I stop working on maps at the end of the day I would do something completely different to relax. Embroidery can be just as detailed and as hard on the eyes, but I find I can lose myself in the stitchery and plan at least three more designs while working on the one at hand. Plus I can put off the housework for a bit!

This map came about in response to a challenge called ‘Townscape’ as part of my local Embroiderers’ Guild exhibition, held during the Haddington Fair in East Lothian. The deadline was the key factor in my mind (thinking of work again) so I couldn’t tackle a large piece, hence the finished size is 19 x 17 cm, including the frame. The county town itself seemed an ideal place to try and represent as a map in stitch.

The background fabric is hand-dyed, which I did some time ago. The shaded threads I bought on holiday in Cape Town – cheap, light and small to pack (the air miles must be tremendous as the undyed thread originated in France)! The gold threads, forming the road network, are couched down on the surface of the work, as are the blue metallic threads of the river Tyne. Fortunately the scale prevented me from having to tackle the slip roads and roundabouts off the new A1 bypass. Generalisation is a wonderfully elastic concept!

I made the frame as well and I felt I was back in an episode of Blue Peter. Using plastic canvas cut to size, you then stitch the building shapes with thin string, creating a 3-D effect by covering with tissue paper soaked with PVA glue. When dry it is painted with acrylic paints and highlighted with gold.

Not surprisingly it was the only map entry and drew lots of comments which included the inevitable ‘my road is not on’!

So, what’s next? I’m now working on a map of the world, using the unusual Atlantis projection, the completion is some way off – it depends on how much free time I get!

Belinda Kane
Freelance Cartographic Editor