September 16, 2012

Fine Cell Work

Do you know about Fine Cell Work? It’s sort of a play on words, because the cells involved are prison cells, and the fine work is the knitting, sewing, embroidery and other needlecrafts done by the inmates.image

Fine Cell Work’s mission is thus:

Fine Cell Work trains prisoners in paid, skilled, creative needlework undertaken in the long hours spent in their cells to foster hope, discipline and self esteem. This helps them to connect to society and to leave prison with the confidence and financial means to stop offending.

imageMore than 75% of the prisoners involved in this project are men, and the studies have shown that those participating in the FCW project have significantly decreased incidents of violence, aggression and other negative behaviours. The work is of the highest quality, as the prisoners are taught by members of the Embroiderers and Quilters Guild. The prisoners are paid for each project they complete, learning a skill and helping to support their families. image

Organizations and individuals as diverse as the Metropolitan Police Department, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince of Wales have all commissioned pieces from FCW.image

For a limited time, FCW will have a pop-up shop in Mayfair in London. One of the innovative projects during this shop will be a “monograms-while-you-wait” program. In by 3:00, pick-up by 6:00!image

Recently, big-name craft designers including Nicky Haslam, Cath Kidston and Daisy de Villeneuve have created projects specifically for the FCW workers to stitch up. imageFCW has recently received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  All of the teachers at FCW are volunteers, and many have been with the program for its full 15 years of existence.

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In this Olympic year, there was a tie-in to FCW, when one of the prisoners worked for more than a year on a quilt to present to one of the competing countries as part of a project where each country received a hand-made quilt. imageHe fashioned his quilt in the tradition of the American Gee’s Bend quilts, and it was given to the Spanish flag-bearer.

I think that FCW is an incredible project, and a win-win for both the prisoners and the recipients of their fine handwork. I’d love to see something like FCW in the USA.

18 comments:

  1. Prisoners should grow vegetables or roses. Training should be in the ag sciences If they want to raise sheep then card the wool shorn and spin then weave blankets so be it. But if prisons are run by a privatized entity would the CEO see such a enterprise of training clients profitable. They would want re offenders

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    1. The main prison in Baltimore isn't really equipped to do any sort of Ag Science, as it's in the middle of the city. But needlework would fit.

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  2. There's a local program at Jessup, though not nearly at this level, called knitting behind bars. Was featured in the Sun not too long ago.

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  3. I was just pulling out the business card for Knitting Behind Bars when I saw the above comment. I met the two women who organize this program. Their mission statement is "A program to bring the Zen of knitting to make inmates at the Jessup Pre-Release Unit (JPRU) in Maryland. http://knittingbehindbars.blogspot.com/

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    1. Wish I'd known this before I donated all of my yarn to the goodwill!

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  4. What a wonderful program! As a knitter, I can see why these projects would decrease violence. There is something soothing about working with your hands this way.

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    1. My mother used to say that idle hands are the devil's workshop. So this needlework program makes perfect sense.

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  5. FYI-Pilots in the "ready room" work on hand projects, needlepoint, knitting. Calms the nerves. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com

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  6. What a great program. I've heard of teaching battered and homeless women in shelters to knit but never prisoners. I love that FCW involves so many men. Is this a challenge? If it is, I'm in. I'm afraid of actually going to a prison or working directly with prisoners, but maybe conquering a fear would be good. In the meantime, I'm certainly willing to donate supplies. Maybe something could be done to piggy back off of the Jessup program, but bringing inspiration to those who are not a release track seems even more worthwhile. I understand that those are the prisoners who need the most help because they have very little to look forward to or to give them hope.

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    1. I wonder if they do something at the women's prison. Remember Martha made a poncho while she was in federal prison.

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  7. I totally agree: incredible and win win for all! I read some of the comments above....never heard of Knitting Behind Bars in Jessup. Will ask Tom's brother and sister in law as they live nearby. xoxo, Loi

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  8. I do believe the poncho was gifted to Martha Stewart by a fellow cellmate--- lions brand yarn generated a similar pattern to meet the demand

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  9. What a terrific project. People need to be involved in something creative to be truly human.

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