Blanket Coverage is an exhibition of contemporary woven blankets curated by Laura Thomas, an award-winning Welsh artist, designer, curator and educator, involving makers from across Wales, the UK and internationally.

Featuring work by: Llio James, Beatrice Larkin, Angie Parker, Eleanor Pritchard, Sioni Rhys Handweavers, Catarina Riccabona, Margo Selby, Maria Sigma, Wallace Sewell, Meghan Spielman, Laura Thomas & Melin Tregwynt.

Their interpretations of the blanket push the boundaries of traditional hand weaving, designing for commercial production as well as addressing issues of sustainability. Traditional skills such as weaving are in danger of being lost as demand for them falls in the digital age. The threat to these skills, which once might have been learnt at home or at school, is having a detrimental effect not only on the creative industries; even medical professionals are reporting that they are seeing a decrease in the physical skills that are vital in surgery.

The makers in this exhibition are ensuring that traditional crafts continue to not only survive but thrive, both celebrating and innovating the rich tradition of woolen blanket production. The skills, traditions and symbolism wrapped up in blankets make them a prized procession in every home, providers of comfort and warmth, which are passed from generation to generation.

Laura’s passion for weaving can be seen in her own work and also in her championing of fellow weavers.

The Tailor’s Tale brings together artistic responses to the famous Wrexham Tailor’s Quilt, created by James Williams between 1842 and 1852. The quilt, now housed permanently at St Fagan’s Museum, is actually a single layer patchwork coverlet made up of 4,525 individual pieces of woolen cloth.

Adam Jones is Wrexham born, London based fashion designer; a contemporary tailor who has been commissioned by Tŷ Pawb to recreate a Wrexham Quilt for 2022. Adam’s quilt is exhibited alongside garments from his own collection.

Painter and printmaker Mark Hearld created a range for Tate Shop inspired by the Quilt, a piece that he has known and loved for many years. The product range is shown here alongside Mark’s original sketchbook and artwork.

Judy Fairless, Anne Gosling, Barbara Harrison and Helen Lloyd are members of the Quilter’s Guild of the British Isles. Exhibited here are their responses to the Wrexham Quilt, created for Llangollen Quiltfest 2017,

Sarah Burton, Creative Director of the fashion house Alexander McQueen, found inspiration for her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection whilst visiting St Fagan’s Museum. Shown here are ‘paper doll’ patterns used within the design process and images from the catwalk show, alongside items from the ready to wear collection.

This exhibition was conceived and realised by the grace and drive of Ruth Caswell, the Award winning costumier and fashion designer, lecturer and enthusiastic supporter of Tŷ Pawb. We dedicate The Tailor’s Tale to Ruth’s memory.

Image: © Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

Every Saturday from 10am-12pm we will have an artist-led session for children and their families to explore our galleries and develop imagination and making skills. This session is a family drop-in, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Participation in Welsh or English is welcome.

£3 per child. Free tickets are available for children in receipt of free school meals, just email heather.wilson@wrexham.gov.uk to request a voucher. Booking is advised to prevent disappointment.

Local History Patchwork Quilt

Create your own square of a patchwork quilt inspired by the local history of Wrexham and North Wales. Take inspiration from archival photos, old newspaper cuttings, or from myths, legends and stories! By the end of the session, each participant will have used fabric gluing, stitching and painting to create an A3 sized ‘patch’ of a tapestry.

BOOK NOW

Family Art Club

Every Saturday from 10am-12pm we will have an artist-led session for children and their families to explore our galleries and develop imagination and making skills. This session is a family drop-in, children must be accompanied by an adult.

Participation in Welsh or English is welcome.

£3 per child. Free tickets are available for children in receipt of free school meals, just email heather.wilson@wrexham.gov.uk to request a voucher. Booking is advised to prevent disappointment.

Bedwyr Williams Inspired Football Scarf

Inspired by Bedwyr Williams’s ‘Wrexham is the name’ football scarves, we will be designing and creating our own football-inspired scarf. In this workshop, we will be working from the design to production stage, with each participant leaving with a design drawing and wearable scarf.

We’re delighted to announce a very special evening of live music from The Innocent and Igloo Hearts on Friday 29th July from 7pm.

The Innocent started life in 2010, playing original music and garnering praise for their exquisite harmonies and evocative and mesmerising live sets. Since then, they have toured their original music across Europe and America and have had main stage slots at numerous festivals. They have supported acts as diverse as The Feeling, Example and Po’Girl, as well as some of their personal heroes in the indie-folk world such as Gregory Alan Isakov and Polly Paulusma. In 2011, Adam was one of just 100 songwriters in the country to be selected to attend BBC Radio 1’s inaugural Musician’s Masterclass at Abbey Road. ​

In 2019, their original song Thirteen Hysterics was featured on indie movie The End of All Things and their song The Game was voted one of the top 3 songs of the year by BBC Radio Shropshire. Their latest album, The Rapture, which was funded by Arts Council England, was released in May 2021. In summer 2021 they were one of a handful of bands to perform as part of BBC’s Virtual Festival BBC Airwaves, and later headlined the BBC Introducing Stage at Hay Winter Festival in late 2021.

Igloo Hearts are an acoustic male and female duo from Wrexham. James and Katie MacGregor perform a stripped-back fusion of intimate harmonies and melodic folk pop, with beautiful, clear vocals and intricate guitar and keyboard playing.

This event is free to attend but donations are welcome.

Blanket Coverage is an exhibition of contemporary woven blankets curated by Laura Thomas, an award-winning Welsh artist, designer, curator and educator, involving makers from across Wales, the UK and internationally.

Featuring work by: Llio James, Beatrice Larkin, Angie Parker, Eleanor Pritchard, Sioni Rhys Handweavers, Catarina Riccabona, Margo Selby, Maria Sigma, Wallace Sewell, Meghan Spielman, Laura Thomas & Melin Tregwynt.

Their interpretations of the blanket push the boundaries of traditional hand weaving, designing for commercial production as well as addressing issues of sustainability. Traditional skills such as weaving are in danger of being lost as demand for them falls in the digital age. The threat to these skills, which once might have been learnt at home or at school, is having a detrimental effect not only on the creative industries; even medical professionals are reporting that they are seeing a decrease in the physical skills that are vital in surgery.

The makers in this exhibition are ensuring that traditional crafts continue to not only survive but thrive, both celebrating and innovating the rich tradition of woolen blanket production. The skills, traditions and symbolism wrapped up in blankets make them a prized procession in every home, providers of comfort and warmth, which are passed from generation to generation.

Laura’s passion for weaving can be seen in her own work and also in her championing of fellow weavers.

The Tailor’s Tale brings together artistic responses to the famous Wrexham Tailor’s Quilt, created by James Williams between 1842 and 1852. The quilt, now housed permanently at St Fagan’s Museum, is actually a single layer patchwork coverlet made up of 4,525 individual pieces of woolen cloth.

Adam Jones is Wrexham born, London based fashion designer; a contemporary tailor who has been commissioned by Tŷ Pawb to recreate a Wrexham Quilt for 2022. Adam’s quilt is exhibited alongside garments from his own collection.

Painter and printmaker Mark Hearld created a range for Tate Shop inspired by the Quilt, a piece that he has known and loved for many years. The product range is shown here alongside Mark’s original sketchbook and artwork.

Judy Fairless, Anne Gosling, Barbara Harrison and Helen Lloyd are members of the Quilter’s Guild of the British Isles. Exhibited here are their responses to the Wrexham Quilt, created for Llangollen Quiltfest 2017,

Sarah Burton, Creative Director of the fashion house Alexander McQueen, found inspiration for her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection whilst visiting St Fagan’s Museum. Shown here are ‘paper doll’ patterns used within the design process and images from the catwalk show, alongside items from the ready to wear collection.

This exhibition was conceived and realised by the grace and drive of Ruth Caswell, the Award winning costumier and fashion designer, lecturer and enthusiastic supporter of Tŷ Pawb. We dedicate The Tailor’s Tale to Ruth’s memory.

Image: © Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales

Join us on Friday 12th August 2022 for an evening of stand-up comedy from some of the UK’s best touring comedians!

Harry Stachini

Jordan Ducharme

Kevin Caswell-Jones

+ MORE!

Tickets £10 – Eventbrite

Doors: 7.30pm

First act: 8.00pm

16+

Blanket Coverage is an exhibition of contemporary woven blankets curated by Laura Thomas, an award-winning Welsh artist, designer, curator and educator, involving makers from across Wales, the UK and internationally.

Featuring work by: Llio James, Beatrice Larkin, Angie Parker, Eleanor Pritchard, Sioni Rhys Handweavers, Catarina Riccabona, Margo Selby, Maria Sigma, Wallace Sewell, Meghan Spielman, Laura Thomas & Melin Tregwynt.

Their interpretations of the blanket push the boundaries of traditional hand weaving, designing for commercial production as well as addressing issues of sustainability. Traditional skills such as weaving are in danger of being lost as demand for them falls in the digital age. The threat to these skills, which once might have been learnt at home or at school, is having a detrimental effect not only on the creative industries; even medical professionals are reporting that they are seeing a decrease in the physical skills that are vital in surgery.

The makers in this exhibition are ensuring that traditional crafts continue to not only survive but thrive, both celebrating and innovating the rich tradition of woolen blanket production. The skills, traditions and symbolism wrapped up in blankets make them a prized procession in every home, providers of comfort and warmth, which are passed from generation to generation.

Laura’s passion for weaving can be seen in her own work and also in her championing of fellow weavers.

The Tailor’s Tale brings together artistic responses to the famous Wrexham Tailor’s Quilt, created by James Williams between 1842 and 1852. The quilt, now housed permanently at St Fagan’s Museum, is actually a single layer patchwork coverlet made up of 4,525 individual pieces of woolen cloth.

Adam Jones is Wrexham born, London based fashion designer; a contemporary tailor who has been commissioned by Tŷ Pawb to recreate a Wrexham Quilt for 2022. Adam’s quilt is exhibited alongside garments from his own collection.

Painter and printmaker Mark Hearld created a range for Tate Shop inspired by the Quilt, a piece that he has known and loved for many years. The product range is shown here alongside Mark’s original sketchbook and artwork.

Judy Fairless, Anne Gosling, Barbara Harrison and Helen Lloyd are members of the Quilter’s Guild of the British Isles. Exhibited here are their responses to the Wrexham Quilt, created for Llangollen Quiltfest 2017,

Sarah Burton, Creative Director of the fashion house Alexander McQueen, found inspiration for her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection whilst visiting St Fagan’s Museum. Shown here are ‘paper doll’ patterns used within the design process and images from the catwalk show, alongside items from the ready to wear collection.

This exhibition was conceived and realised by the grace and drive of Ruth Caswell, the Award winning costumier and fashion designer, lecturer and enthusiastic supporter of Tŷ Pawb. We dedicate The Tailor’s Tale to Ruth’s memory.

Image: © Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales