Stitching Stories: The Fabric of Britain Heads to Exeter

Next month, I’m thrilled to be heading to the University of Exeter to speak at Stitching Stories, a symposium that marks the culmination of The Art of Fiction project, led by Dr Patricia Zakreski and Dr Alex Gushurst-Moore. This incredible initiative has explored women’s creative identities through the language of textiles, featuring the creation of The Patchwork Object - a collaborative artwork that beautifully embodies the collective power of storytelling through fabric.

The Patchwork Object entitled Women’s Work (2024), was created by artist Ruth Broadway. It began with a call for contributions, inviting participants to send a 10x10 cm fabric patch along with a story reflecting on women's creativity, whether inspired by female friends and family, passed-down craft traditions, or personal experiences as creative women. Once submitted, contributors relinquished control over their patches, trusting in the process as they became part of a larger whole. This act of surrender - of allowing one's individual artistic expression to be woven into something beyond oneself - mirrors the way stories, skills, and traditions are passed down through generations.

When I first connected with Dr Zakreski, I immediately saw the parallels between The Patchwork Object and my own work with The Fabric of Winchester and The Fabric of Britain. Both projects are rooted in the power of textiles to tell stories, to connect communities, and to reframe how we understand creativity, craft, and heritage. I am honoured to be invited to share my work at the symposium and to introduce The Fabric of Winchester within the broader vision of The Fabric of Britain.

The opportunity to present at Exeter is an exciting step in growing this project beyond Winchester, weaving it into the wider national conversation on textiles, history, and storytelling. By the nature of their size and scale, and commitment to rigorous and informed pedagogy, developing fruitful and strong partnerships with universities can be a lengthy process to undertake, but early conversations suggest there is real potential for academic collaboration in expanding The Fabric of Britain into new regions, an exciting prospect for the future.

I can't wait to share more after the symposium, but for now, I’m preparing my talk, looking forward to meeting fellow makers, thinkers, and storytellers, and reflecting on the extraordinary power of fabric to connect us all.

Maddie Cowell

Founder & Director, The Fabric of Britain