Tricia Marwick to finish world’s longest tapestry

Holyrood Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick will today sew the final stitch on what will be the world’s longest tapestry.

Tricia Marwick will add the final stitch. Picture: Greg Macvean

A team of 1,000 volunteers have been sewing for the equivalent of 24 hours a day for six years to produce the 143-metre long piece.

The artwork is due to go on display in the Scottish Parliament in September, with Ms Marwick due to mark the end of what has been one of the world’s largest community art projects when she puts the last stitch on to it.

As she does so she will be joined by the artist and designer behind the project, Andrew Crummy, as well as stitchers who worked on one of its panels.

More than 300 miles of yarn were used in the making of the piece, which portrays 420 million years of Scotland’s past.

The Great Tapestry of Scotland depicts the history of the country, finishing in 1999 with the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament. It has a total of 160 panels which feature key moments from history, science, culture, industry and politics.