Textiles in Lockdown

Textiles in Lockdown

Discovering stories of how textile making has helped us through the pandemic

Two years on Ruth Singer revisits the 2020 Textiles in Lockdown project in her Making Meaning podcast series, with a follow up interview with GTC's Director Charlotte Steels.


Click on the image to access the podcast on Ruth's website.


Share Your Story

You can still contribute a new or updated story to the archive, use the links below to access a form to download. Once completed return it to: info@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk 

Textile Professional Questionnaire


Hobby Maker Questionnaire


Textile artist Ruth Singer created an ebook and podcast exploring textile making during the pandemic lockdown in 2020.

“Lockdown gave me time to think and develop a new direction for my work. It’s strange to think that such a traumatic period in our lives has produced something so positive for me.” JC, Textiles in Lockdown participant

The community around textiles is truly unique. This community is built upon our passion for cloth, thread and fibre and meeting in gatherings, collective making and events where we share, talk, touch and experience textiles in all their forms. No other craft form is shared by so many in varied ways. 

Lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, isolation and the closure of the spaces we normally gather in has been painful and challenging to many of us, particularly for those who normally make textiles in groups and social settings. We have missed that welcoming space of sharing, making and connecting through textiles. This research project explores and celebrates the power of textile making to soothe and replenish and to bring people together separately but in collective spirit. 

Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, as a museum of textiles, felt that it was important to capture and record the impact of the pandemic on individuals and organisations involved in textile art and craft. 

As part of a grant received from the Arts Council England Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund, textile artist Ruth Singer was commissioned to gather experiences and thoughts of textile makers. Through surveys and conversations, Ruth has created a digital archive, an ebook and a podcast sharing some of the many stories of hope and challenge experienced by textile hobby makers and textile professionals. There are tales of creative block and inspiration, making PPE and collaborating remotely on joint quilts and shared projects, as well as reflections on mental health and wellbeing reflected in our textile making. We have recorded the struggles of businesses and workshop leaders to continue to trade while we are unable to come together.

During August 2020 Ruth created surveys to delve into the stories of textile making practice over the months of lockdown. 180 hobby makers and over 120 textile professionals responded to our survey to share their stories. These textile makers are just a sample of the millions of knitters, dressmakers, embroiderers, weavers, stitchers and more in the UK, both professional and amateur, who make up the vibrant textile community. As this is a global pandemic we also welcomed responses from across the world, all contributing to this incredible digital archive.

We would like to thank everyone who has taken part in the research. The full archive will be stored by GTC as part of the Textiles Collection and will be made available for research purposes. 
Image: Lara Hailey, Sewn Antidote

Available in Print

To order your copy in print visit our online shop using the button on the left, or use the links below to view the resources online.


Share Your Story

You can still contribute your story to the archive, use the links below to access a form to download. Once completed return it to info@gawthorpetextiles.org.uk 


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