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Are you looking for sewing events or fabric shows to visit? Unique sewing workshops or fashion exhibitions? Check out our sewing calendar of social sewing events and creative festivals throughout 2020. We’ve also included fashion and textile exhibitions across the UK and beyond.
If you are a part of a local sewing group or fancy a day out with your sewing friends, then a visit to a fashion exhibition can be fun. There are lots of museums around the world that put on regular exhibitions that focus on fashion, textiles and sometimes even sewing. Both the Victoria and Albert Museum and Fashion and Textile Museum in London have year round exhibitions and workshops for followers of fashion.
A great part of being involved with the sewing community is all the meet ups you can attend throughout the year. Sewing events happen throughout the year, across the country and are organised by other makers. It’s a great way to meet other people who sew and talk about patterns, new independent designers and fabrics. Meetings often include a visit to fabric shops and some have the space to do a bit of sewing. Take a look here for a list of local sewing groups or our top tips for setting up your own local group.
Sewing shows are a good opportunity to stock up on supplies and also a fun day out where you can buy fabrics, patterns and haberdashery. Craft shows and festivals also host sewing workshops, talks and demonstrations you can take part in. If you are part of a local sewing group, makers will often travel to the show together and make a day of it.
Take a look below at our curated list of fashion exhibitions, sewing and craft shows and community meet ups. Don’t forget to have a look at our annual event, The Sewing Weekender, a sewing weekend away in Cambridge UK. Share social events, exhibitions and meet ups you are attending with other makers in our Facebook group.
2020
January
Exhibits:
- Zandra Rhodes: 50 Years of Fabulous – 27 September 2019 – 26 January 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Norman Hartnell – A Tribute: 27 September 2019 – 26 January 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Tim Walker: Wonderful Things – Until March 2020 at the V&A Museum, London
- Mary Quant – Until 16th February 2020 at the V&A, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- The Creative Craft Show – 30 JANUARY-1 FEBRUARY 2020 · EVENTCITY · MANCHESTER
Community Meet Ups:
- Sew Leicester Meet Up – 18th January at 12pm, Crafty Sew and So, Leicester
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Dressmaker Anonymous Belfast – 27th January, Fabric Swap at 8pm – Brew & Bake Cafe, Belfast
- Cuckfield Sewday – Sat 25th Jan at 10.30am, Cuckfield Baptist Church, Haywards Heath
- Sew CH4 – Sat 25th at 10am Jan at St Mary’s Without-the-Walls in Chester
February
Exhibits:
- Curator Talk – Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild – Friday 14th Feb at 1pm, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Tim Walker: Wonderful Things – Until March 2020 at the V&A Museum, London
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Mary Quant – Until 16th February 2020 at the V&A, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- The Stitch Festival – 27th Feb-1st March at The Business Design Centre, London – We’ll be there AND we’ve got a discount code to get £2.50 off you tickets with the code: TFL2020
Community Meet Ups:
- Like Sew Amazing Birthday Party – Saturday 1st Feb, Like Sew Amazing , 204 North St, Bristol
- London Stitchers Meetup – Saturday 1st Feb, 2pm at the London Sewing Machine Museum
- Sew Over 50 meet up – Saturday 22nd Feb, 2pm at the Village Haberdashery, London
- Norwich Sewcials – Meet Up – 11th February at 6.30pm, Cafe Bar Marzano in Norwich
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Sew 2gether – 8th February, 10am in Beechwood Hall, Lewes, East Sussex
March
Exhibits:
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Curator Talk – Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild – Friday 14th Feb at 1pm, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Tim Walker: Wonderful Things – Until March 2020 at the V&A Museum, London
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
-
Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – until 21st June – V&A Museum, London
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Unbound – Visionary Women Collecting Textiles – 25th January – 19th April – Two Temple Place, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- The Creative Craft Show – 5-8 MARCH 2020 · SEC · GLASGOW
- The Creative Craft Show sewing for pleasure – 19-22 MARCH 2020 · NEC · BIRMINGHAM
Community Meet Ups:
- Cambridge Frocktails – Saturday 14th March, 7.30pm at the Tamburlaine Hotel, Cambridge
- Sew CH4 – Sat 28th March at 10am Jan at St Mary’s Without-the-Walls in Chester
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Fancy Frockails Wales – 21st March – Cornerstone – Cardiff
April
Exhibits:
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – until 21st June – V&A Museum, London
- Unbound – Visionary Women Collecting Textiles – 25th January – 19th April – Two Temple Place, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- The Creative Craft Show – 24-25 APRIL 2020 · EXCEL · LONDON
- Spring Quilt Festival – 03 Apr to 05 April – Exeter
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Plymouth Frocktails – 25th April at 7pm, Royal William Yard in Plymouth
- Belfast Frocktails – 4th April – Chlesea Winde Bar, Belfast
May
Exhibits:
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – until 21st June – V&A Museum, London
- Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street – 6 May 2020 – 6 September, Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- Quilts UK – 14 May to 17 May -Three Counties Showground, Malvern
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Kent Frocktials – Saturday 16th May, location TBC
- Dorset Sewers Meet up – Saturday 9th May 2020 | 10 – 4pm – Blandford, Dorset
June
Exhibits:
- Out of the Blue: Fifty Years of Designers Guild: 14 February – 14 June 2020, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk – until 21st June – V&A Museum, London
- Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street – 6 May 2020 – 6 September, Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- Thread Festival – 13-14th June at Farnham Maltings in Surrey
- The Creative Craft Show – 26-28 JUNE 2020 · NEC · BIRMINGHAM
- Springfields Quilt Show -05 Jun to 06 Jun – Springfields Events Centre, Spalding
- National Quilt Championships – 19 Jun to 21 Jun -Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
July
Exhibits:
- Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture – 3 July – 4 October, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street – 6 May 2020 – 6 September, Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
August
Exhibits:
- Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture – 3 July – 4 October, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street – 6 May 2020 – 6 September, Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
September
Exhibits:
- Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture – 3 July – 4 October, Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street – 6 May 2020 – 6 September, Design Museum, London
- Prada. Front and Back – Starts September – Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- The Handmade Festival – 11-13 September – Battersea Park, London
- GREAT NORTHERN QUILT SHOW – 4 September to 6 September – Harrogate
- Great Northern Needlecraft Show – 4 September to 6 September – Harrogate
- Kent Quilt Show – 11 Sep to 12 Sep – Kent Showground, Detling
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
October
Exhibits:
- Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture – 3 July – 4 October – Fashion and Textile Museum, London
-
Chintz: Cotton in Bloom – 23 October 2020 – 24 January 2021 – Fashion and Textile Museum, London
-
Prada. Front and Back – Starts September – Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- THE KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW – 08 – 11 October – ALEXANDRA PALACE
- Autumn Quilt Festival – 16 Oct to 18 Oct – Three Counties Showground, Malvern
- Autumn Quilt Festival – 23 Oct to 25 Oct – Imperial War Museum, Duxford
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Sew Social Newham – 1st Saturday of every month, 11 am – 4 pm, 3 Freemasons Road, London E16 3AR
November
Exhibits:
- Chintz: Cotton in Bloom – 23 October 2020 – 24 January 2021 – Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Prada. Front and Back – Starts September – Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
- THE KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW – 12 – 15 November – RDS Dublin
- THE KNITTING & STITCHING SHOW – 26 – 29 November – HCC Harrogate
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Sew Social Newham – 1st Saturday of every month, 11 am – 4 pm, 3 Freemasons Road, London E16 3AR
December
Exhibits:
- Chintz: Cotton in Bloom – 23 October 2020 – 24 January 2021 – Fashion and Textile Museum, London
- Prada. Front and Back – Starts September – Design Museum, London
Sewing and Craft Shows:
Community Meet Ups:
- Brighton Sewing Group – Last Wednesday of every month, 6.30pm at the Hangleton Community Centre, Brighton
- Sew Social Newham – 1st Saturday of every month, 11 am – 4 pm, 3 Freemasons Road, London E16 3AR