Porty Pride Community Quilt
To celebrate Porty Pride’s fifth anniversary in 2026, we’re inviting our community to get involved in a collaborative quilt-making project.
Inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt, we’re aiming to tell the stories of Porty Pride, and celebrate the diversity of people and organisations who are part of it.
We’ll be making and collecting patches throughout the spring, summer and autumn of 2026, aiming to launch our completed quilt during Porty Pride 2027.
You don’t have to be an artist or sewing expert to create a patch for our quilt.
Each patch will be unique, and whether you’ve marched in the dog walk, partied at the ball, organised an event or waved a flag on the beach, everyone - of all ages - is welcome to get involved.
Your prompt for creating your patch is…
“What does community mean to you?”
Design Your Patch
Get Inspired!
Set your imagination free - all kinds of designs are welcome! Decorate your patch however you choose!
You might, for example, make a patch that shows a:
Group or club that you’re part of
Place that’s been particularly special to you
Phrase, quote or song lyrics that reflect this theme for you
Moment or occasion when you felt a strong sense of community and belonging.
Submission Criteria
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Your design must be in-keeping with Porty Pride’s ethos as an intergenerational, intersectional, accessible community-run pride
“We see community as a positive tool of activism and community-building as a powerful solution to social injustices. Our community includes LGBTQ+ communities and their allies because it needs all of us to bring about the world we want to live in. All those involved in Porty Pride are trans inclusive and trans allies, and we are committed to working towards the elimination of all forms of discrimination including but not limited to gender, gender identity, race, sexuality, disability, faith, or age. Porty Pride is committed to doing the work of decolonization, de-centering whiteness and anti-racism work”. re -
Each patch should be created on a piece of fabric measuring 8x8 inches.
Leave a 1 inch blank border around each side of this patch, to create a 6x6 inch square for your design (we use this blank border to attach the patches together).
We recommend not placing any key design elements too close to the edge of your patch.
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Use a medium-weight, non-stretch fabric for your patch (like an old pillowcase, shirt or teatowel).
Using recycled fabric is encouraged!
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Please make sure that your design is firmly attached, not too delicate or fragile, and won’t damage other items on the quilt
You can use many materials or techniques decorate your patch.
You can use many different materials or techniques to decorate your patch.YES- paint, marker pens, needlework, iron-on transfers, appliqué, attached trinkets and small mementos
NO: Sharp items, delicate or fragile items or puff paint.
We may make small practical tweaks to submitted patches where necessary, for example to make sure everything is firmly secured.
Submission Deadline: 31st August 2026
Submit in Person
Craft Night on Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Come along, get inspired and make your patch on the night with others. Lots of free fabric and supplies provided! This event is free but registration required which will open soon.
Porty Town Hall, 5th-7th June
Porty Library, May to August
There will be a drop box available
Submit by Post
Contact Quilt Co-Ordinator, Kathryn Welch to recieve the postal address
hello@kathrynwelch.co.uk
Sadly we are unable to cover postage costs
Include With Your Submission
You must include a copy of this statement with your submission:
“I confirm that I agree to hand over permanent ownership of my Patch to Porty Pride, who may use it for exhibition, advocacy, archive or other purposes.”
We invite you to submit the following optional, additional information:
Your name and pronouns
Tell us a little bit about your patch
Alternatively, you can print a submission slip
Any Questions?
Email quilt coordinator, Kathryn Welch, with any questions or ideas
hello@kathrynwelch.co.uk