The best places for quilting and patchwork inspiration in Manchester

One of my main sources of inspiration in Manchester is Nexus Art Cafe. It’s a lovely little cafe in the Northern Quarter that sells Pie Minister pies. It also does free wifi and good hot chocolate. The chairs are mish mash of vintage styles and there is a constant array of artwork on the walls. Definitely a little creative source to check out!

The Whitworth Gallery in Rusholme has a lovely collection of textiles and has had some amazing textile exhibitions in the past include Cloth and Culture Now.

For great textile inspiration head no further than the Gallery of Costume, in Platt Fields, Rusholme, open Wednesday-Saturday 1.30-4.30pm.

The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is close to my heart, as it’s when my husband and I had our wedding reception! There’s a large section on the textile industry around Manchester, including daily presentations of the working machines.

The Manchester Craft and Design Centre is a lovely place full of studios containing all sorts of handmade goodies, including textiles.

Quarry Bank Mill is a National Trust property in Wilmslow, about 25 minutes away from Manchester. There’s a working cotton mill and demonstrations which show how cotton is made into cloth. I visited again recently and loved watching the machines actually working and producing fabric, which you can buy in the gift shop there. It’s well worth a visit.

And how could I not include the Quilt Museum in York! Your number one stop for quilting inspiration if you want to travel out of Manchester.

Where are these inspirational places?

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Where’s your favourite inspiration for patchwork and quilting in Manchester?