Take part in Leighton-Linslade ‘Corona Quilt Project’ and create historical record of pandemic

Susanna Booth, 42, is asking ‘LU7’ residents to embroider a square of fabric with a message or picture that captures 2020-21, whether it be their own personal experience or a broader representation, such as the NHS rainbow.

The squares will then be joined together to create a patchwork quilt that will form a historical record for Leighton-Linslade, a record which can be put on display.

Susanna told the LBO: “I’m now trying to encourage as many people to take part as possible. There’s a lady who has done a felted rainbow, and another lady has embroidered one with a plane, a ship and an island with a line through them to signal that she couldn’t travel. A friend of mine has made one with Amazon, Netflix and eBay.

“You don’t need to be amazing at sewing. This is about creating a memory.”

Susanna, a marketing specialist, used to edit The Arts Society Magazine (previously known as National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies), and she remembers the society providing funding for and encouraging community art projects. She added: “I think that is what inspired me - I just woke up one morning with the idea!”

Susanna has suggested some theme ideas for the 2020-21 squares, including: a memorial to someone; a message of hope; poetry or other text; things that you value or miss; memories of lockdown; things that signify this strange time for you; a single word.

Squares should be posted to the Leighton-Linslade Town Council office by the end of April. Designs need to have a lightweight woven fabric as the backing.

Susanna added: “I am looking for volunteers to help sew a section. It would be in the summer months. We will then sew all the sections together.”

>The main design should be 15cm sq with a 2.5cm border; the overall size of the square should be 20cm sq