THE Two Itinerant Quilters - Joanna Wright and Lenka Clayton – are set to visit Ceredigion Museum and approach visitors with the proposition of cutting a diamond-shaped piece of fabric from the clothes they are wearing.

The project takes its inspiration from the long-lost profession of the 18th century travelling quilters who would stay with families in order to create patchwork quilts from old clothing, rags and sacks found at each home.

On August 4-5, Joanna and Lenka will set up a temporary tailor shop at the museum in Aberystwyth and invite passers-by to allow them to take their scissors to a piece of the clothing they are wearing that day.

The artists will cut a diamond-shaped piece of fabric from the person’s clothing. When this is done, the garment will be immediately repaired by hand, with a contrasting piece of fabric sewn in place.

The collected diamonds will be sewn together to create a quilt made of the clothes of all sorts of people from all sorts of places, which will grow as the project tours the world.

Museum curator Carrie Canham said, “This is a wonderful opportunity for absolutely anyone to contribute to a piece of art. We’re thrilled to have Joanna and Lenka joining us in the museum for two days.”

As well as donating a piece of fabric, each participant contributes a story, remark or comment linked to the clothing, with the collection of stories growing online as the physical quilt expands.

The aim is to connect people via those stories and their garments but also to create the possibility of people, sporting clothes with a very visible and distinctive contrasting patch, bumping into each other on the street.

Joanna Wright said, “We are very interested in the value that people place on particular pieces of clothing and also the history, emotions and stories wrapped up in the fabric of the clothes people wear.

“Two Itinerant Quilters is all about finding a new way to tell stories and build connections between people. So far, more than 300 people have taken part at two events in the USA and our quilt is beautiful and spreading!

It will be fascinating to see the responses of the UK public and to find out whether they are more or less inclined than their US counterparts to meet us half way, as we approach them with scissors and needle and thread!”