A Stitch in Space Time…saves 80 years for posterity
21 May 2025
Join Jodrell Bank’s community art project, Cosmic Threads, celebrating its 80th anniversary.
Jodrell Bank Observatory – our world-famous space research centre, home to the iconic Lovell Telescope – marks 80 years of discovery, exploration, and connection with the universe this year.
Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, it has played a crucial role in space exploration, including tracking the launch of Sputnik and the first moon landing since Sir Bernard Lovell and his team built it in 1945.
As part of its 80th anniversary celebrations, the public are invited to join in a very special project, Cosmic Threads – a community quilt inspired by the celestial marvels that Jodrell Bank has uncovered.
Working with textile artist Anne Kelly, this project encourages participants to share their personal connections to the wonders of the cosmos, with the finished art piece joining our permanent collection.
The Creative Challenge
Individuals and groups can create a 23 cm x 23 cm (plus a 2cm border for piecing) textile panel that reflects the themes of Jodrell Bank’s extraordinary history and its ongoing contributions to our understanding of the universe.
Each square will become a part of the larger quilt, embodying the spirit of Jodrell Bank’s 80-year journey.
The squares must be submitted by Sunday, 31 August, either by dropping them off at the gift shop or mailing them to Jodrell Bank.
The completed community quilt will be ready for viewing from December 2025.
Get inspired
For inspiration and further information, visit:
Or visit the Jodrell Bank exhibition, A Stitch in Space Time – open until Tuesday, 24 June.
It showcases various pieces including the one-of-a-kind parachute dress made from the exact fabric that transported NASA’s Perseverance Rover to Mars and the RAS Bicentennial Quilt.
You can see this for free with your regular Jodrell Bank entry ticket.
For further details, visit: