Fine Cell Work: handmade in prison

‘As surprising as it may seem, in prisons all across the UK inmates are filling their hours embroidering highly-crafted cushions and quilts.

Fine Cell Work‘s volunteer-led workshops teach the craft to prisoners and supply them with the materials they need.

The prisoners are paid for their work, which is then sold around the world as well as to organisations such as V&A and English Heritage.

Craftwork in prison can help prisoners discover a more constructive and reflective side to themselves. They can learn new skills and help support their families with the money they earn. More importantly, they can become real contributors with a sense of pride and self worth.’

Fine Cell Work help over 400 prisoners each year and every month new prisons request their involvement.

I have known about their work for some time and fortunately got to see the products in person at The Dock during London Design Festival 2010 and it has taken me this amount of time to actually sit and write about their work.

I picked upon the Johnny Cash cushion with the lyric ‘Because you’re mine, I walk the line’ stitched on to the front of the cushion. This lives with me in the bedroom and is a beautiful cushion, made incredibly well.