Information regarding returning your quilt square including the address is all in the document below. Thank you
collaborative quilt return form
CLOSED!
Thanks for your interest but I’ve now had over 100 people register which already makes an enormous quilt!
I am hoping to re-open this later in the year for exhibitions in 2019, so please keep in touch by signing up to my mailing list, following this blog or my social media including Criminal Quilts Twitter
Would you like to make a piece of a quilt inspired by the Criminal Quilts stories of Victorian women in Stafford Prison? This will be shown at Festival of Quilts in August 2018 and in future Criminal Quilts exhibitions where possible.
Basics
Design your your own 6″ square of embroidery, patchwork or print (plus seam allowances) inspired by the data and information about women prisoners (research data will be provided)
Must be sent back to me to arrive by 9th July 2018. International entries are welcome but please bear in mind the postage cost / time. I am in the UK!
You will need to provide your own fabrics and pay for return postage.
Your square will not be returned – the whole quilt will be raffled at the end of the project to benefit a women’s charity.
You will need to send 50 words explaining how you have used data to create your design
It may not be possible to include all entries. If yours is not used it will be returned.
Read the notes below thoroughly and then register using the form at the end of the page
I look forward to seeing your amazing contributions!
Detailed brief
Size, fabrics
The piece you make must have a finished area of 6in square with 1in seam allowances all around (total finished size of 8inches square).
Natural fabrics must be used
Techniques: you can use hand embroidery, machine embroidery, patchwork of any style, hand or machine quilting or print techniques.
The finished piece must be suitable to join together with other squares so please make sure it is not too thick or bulky and where possible, leave the seam allowances as plain fabric.
The back will not show but must be neatly finished with seams trimmed and no loose threads or excessive bulk.
The colour palette must be followed.
Design
The design must interpret the data in some way. This project is not about the purely visual aspects of the photographs but is more about how to interpret and explore information and to find new ways to generate ideas and visual work from less obvious sources. The following examples may help you work out an idea of your own:
Numbers of married, single, widowed in an aged group (e.g. women in their 30s, percentage married, single or widowed) – use different shades or patterns to identify each and use stripes or patchwork pieces according to the numbers
Eye colour – numbers with each eye colour and use this to create a pattern
Length of prison sentence for particularly crimes – use these numbers
You could also use visual data from the photographs e.g. numbers wearing shawls or amount of buttons showing in garments. Numbers wearing aprons. Use that data to create repeats or details
You can use the images for source material such as details, patterns, shapes but not the whole image for copyright reason.
Do not use the full names of any of the women in your piece
Access to data
When you register you will receive a set of photographs and a spreadsheet of data from a group of 99 women from 1877-1881 on Google sheets / docs.
Ruth Singer 
Really interesting…wish I’d seen it in time to register!
Operate a waitlist???
I know, I am sorry. It has surprised me. However, don’t give up – there’s a good chance I’ll do another collaborative quilt this winter for another show next year. Thanks for your interest
Also very interested. What a wonderful project. Best of luck & please add me to your waiting list (if there is one!)
Vicky King
Vixen Leather
Hi,
I am not holding a waiting list but please do keep an eye out for further opportunities later this year and next. thanks so much for your interest in my project!
I thought I had signed up but received no info so haven’t made my piece.
Sorry about that. I have contacted everyone I had details for so the message must have not gone through. Next time maybe? Thank you for your interest though.