Fabric World: A Collaborative Sewing Installation

We are creating what we hope will be one of the largest collaborative sewing installations of its kind. Fabric World will be an immersive exhibit inside The Sewing Do Museum, made by sewists from anywhere and everywhere. Together, artists will create a world of fabric — part nature, part city, part home and family — hovering somewhere between the realistic and the imaginary.

Visitors will be able to walk into this Fabric World and feel surrounded by the creativity, skill, and imagination of sewists from all over.

All participating artists will be paid for their completed work, honored on our Artist Wall inside the museum as well as receiving a complimentary ticket to the museum. Below, you can choose an item you would like to create for the exhibit and see the payment offered by the museum upon completion and approval.

Project Guidelines

Dimensions
Please keep your finished piece within 6 inches of the listed dimensions for the item you choose.

Closed Seams
Please avoid open seams whenever possible. This helps us keep a consistent look and reduce wear over time. If you feel an open seam adds to the piece, please let us know first so we can discuss it.

Durability
Please create pieces that are made to last. Fabric World will be walked through and viewed by many visitors, so items should be sturdy, secure, and able to hold their shape over time.

Style
Pieces can be realistic, playful, unusual, colorful, or imaginative. We'd love to have items (besides wall quilts) as 3D as possible, but are open to different 2D/3D styles. Fabric World is meant to include a mix of styles, reflecting the many textures and realities of our world.

Materials

You are welcome to use supportive materials inside the piece, such as foam, batting, thin wood, wire, or other structure as needed. However, the outer-facing surface should be entirely fabric. The finished piece should be durable and safe for visitors to be around and touch.

Payment
Each listed project includes the amount The Sewing Do Museum will pay you (you will not be charged anything during this process) once the finished piece is received and approved.

Timeline
Currently, all projects are due on July 1st, 2026. Please update us on progress if you think you might need more time.

Delivery

Please let us know when your piece is finished. Please give a preference if you would like to drop off in Chicago, have a pick up arranged in the Chicagoland area, or send in your piece from anywhere in the world. We will work with you on the best way to get it to the museum.