Knitted Heritage

The Knitted Heritage project offers a series of free craft workshops to a community organisation in Pointe-Saint-Charles that works with people in vulnerable situations. Participants experience every stage of the traditional process of creating a woolen piece, guided by professional craftswomen: carding (brushing), spinning, natural dyeing and knitting. The pieces are then assembled to create a collective work.

Objectives

To provide a positive introduction to Quebec’s heritage, traditional crafts, the Maison Saint-Gabriel and the history of the neighbourhood for an audience that too rarely has access to culture;
To introduce participants to traditional skills in a friendly setting that celebrates the knowledge of women from the era of New France to the present day, in particular by highlighting the time required to create knitted garments;
To build bonds within the group and with the Museum, break down isolation, foster creativity, and promote the independence and empowerment of participants.

The first edition of the project took place in autumn 2024, in collaboration with Saint-Columba House. The project was repeated in autumn 2025 with members of the Madame Prend Congé women’s centre.