Creative interdisciplinary geographies in practice: Stitching sphagnum moss

How might we get to know moss on more intimate terms? This paper outlines a creative stitching workshop as a method for facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration and for encouraging slowly paced, tactile ways of noticing and getting to know plants – in this case, sphagnum mosses. We reflect on MossWorlds, a project bringing together artists and academics from a variety of disciplines in the social and physical sciences and humanities. Via a series of experimental and playful interventions, the project investigates the historical, contemporary and future importance of mosses in Greater Manchester. Our ‘Moss Stitch’ workshop, held in the University of Manchester’s geography laboratories, invited participants to get to know (sphagnum) moss more intimately by stitching it. This task required focused attention and tactile engagement with mosses and materials, opening a space for knowing mosses otherwise. Drawing together reflections from workshop participants we consider what it means to carry out creative, cultural geographic practice in geography laboratories – spaces traditionally reserved for physical geographers and the ‘hard’ environmental sciences. We ask how performing soft forms of textile making might subvert these spaces and norms.