Canada Notes: Kneeler Needlepointers

The next time you visit St. Thomas, in Kingston, Ont., check out the newly hand-stitched altar-rail kneelers and think of the hands who laboured over them for hours on end.

Mary Anne Wright said the inspiration for the needlepoint kneelers came from a booklet about kneelers made by the Artisan Guild of St. Peter’s Church.  Upon receiving the blessing of the church’s rector and parish council, she recruited seven other women for the project.

“From the beginning, we made all decisions jointly – on size, number, colour and theme (the church seasons throughout the year),” she wrote in Dialogue, the newspaper of the diocese of Ontario. “We wanted the work to reflect simplicity and openness, while incorporating nature.”

The rector, Archdeacon Bill Clarke, contributed the wording for six of the kneelers. Unused wool was obtained from St. Peter’s Artisan Guild, and other parishioners helped with measurements and drawings.

“It has been a wonderful journey. Not only will these kneelers serve a purpose, they will enhance our worship space and last for many years,” said Wright.