Brenda Dryden’s 204needlepointkneelers sit proudly in Christ Church Cathedral.
It started with stitching a few crosses and grew into a tribute to Newcastle’s community.
Brenda Dryden’s legacy has been at the centre of Christ Church Cathedral for more than 30 years.
With over 204 hand-stitched kneelers, Brenda has captured both her life and the history of Newcastle through her art.
Each kneeler is made from high density foam with a wooden backing, measured and cut by Brenda’s husband, Fred, while she painted and stitched each design.
Every kneeler tells a story, from the series showcasing the development of the Cathedral, to tributes to the armed services in the Warrior’s chapel.
“I decided to go to the RSL in Newcastle to see if they would sponsor these kneelers [in the Warrior’s chapel]. And that started a whole new chapter because after that, most of these kneelers have been sponsored,” Brenda says.
These kneelers act as a highlight reel for our community and include tributes to loved ones and key moments of history.
Brenda was a guide at the Cathedral for many years and says her tours would provide great inspiration.
“I decided to do this series of kneelers to help guide me so I could talk about each church and show them a picture. It tells us a story,” she says.
“It means everything to me – I love the Cathedral; I’m very upset about not being able to guide anymore and tell them all the stories I’ve learnt over the years. I loved it.”
Although Brenda is no longer a guide at Christ Church Cathedral, her kneelers will continue to tell our stories for generations to come.
With a kneeler taking roughly two weeks to complete, Brenda has dedicated nearly 70,000 hours to weaving stories into the fabric of the Cathedral.
“I am one of those people that can’t leave things alone once I’ve started them, I have to keep doing them,” she says.
“I sometimes sit and look at them myself and think I don’t know how I ever did them.
“It’s amazing because you start with a blank canvas; I did all my own drawings and everything.
