Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month Through Fabric and Community

South Asian Patch Project at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

This South Asian Heritage Month, Reinvntd brought stories to life, one patch at a time.

From 21st - 22nd July 2025, the Utopia Lounge at the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton, was transformed into a vibrant hub of colour, creativity, and connection.

In collaboration with Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Reinvntd hosted a two-day workshop, 'South Asian Patch Project', inviting the local community of all ages and skill levels to come together to create a community quilt using recycled South Asian textiles. Think pre-loved sarees, richly dyed block prints, intricate embroidery and heritage fabrics.

No sewing experience? No problem.

With all materials provided and simple guides to get started, attendees let their creativity shine through beading, embroidery and fabric layering.

Even the youngest creatives joined in

Children as young as three years old proudly contributed their own colourful patchwork squares. It was a joy to see little hands exploring fabric textures, threading beads, and adding their own unique touch to the quilt.

Around a large central table, local residents and community members came together, not just to stitch, but to share. Conversations flowed as easily as the thread, stories about family traditions, memories of garments worn during special occasions, holidays in India and the pride of cultural heritage passed down through generations. It was a space of warmth, learning, and connection.

One participant, 68-year-old Margaret, a lifelong sewer, said:

“Seeing the younger generation try it [sewing] for the first time makes me so happy. It keeps the tradition alive.”

Across the table, 6-year-old Sienna, learning how to do a running stitch for the first time, beamed as she shared:

“I love sewing. It is so fun!”

The result? 

A growing quilt made of individual expressions that together reflected a collective tapestry of culture, identity, and imagination.

But this wasn’t just about art. It was about sustainability too. Guests brought along old clothes to donate to Reinvntd CIC, supporting local upcycling efforts and helping fund free creative workshops for the community. It was beautiful to see how something as simple as an old outfit could find new purpose and new life.

Another attendee, 55-year-old Hema, shared:

“This is more than sewing. It is storytelling and community. I never imagined doing something like this in the theatre, but I’m so glad I came.”

Thank you to everyone who came, created, and contributed. Whether you added a single stitch or stayed all afternoon, your presence helped turn fabric into something far more powerful: a celebration of heritage, community, and connection.

The quilt continues…

This is just the beginning. As part of our mission to complete the full patchwork quilt, we’ll be bringing it to other venues across Wolverhampton throughout South Asian Heritage Month. Each stop will invite new hands, new stories, and new stitches.

By the end of the journey, this quilt will be more than fabric, it will be a visual diary of our shared heritage, crafted together in real time, across the city.

Keep an eye out on our Instagram page for updates on where we’ll be popping up next, and come along to sew your story into the patchwork

Let’s keep stitching our stories together.

#SouthAsianHeritageMonth #SouthAsianPatchProject #GrandTheatreWolverhampton #DIYQuilt #UpcycledStyle #StitchYourStory #CreativeCommunity #ReinvntdCIC