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Meet Matt Wilding: Pushing the Boundaries of Quilting
Behind the Stitches, Annual Online Retreat - 13th October 2026
From learning to quilt during recovery from a serious injury to creating a two-metre quilted sphere, Matt Wilding's journey is anything but ordinary. This January, he joins The Quilters' Guild Online Retreat to share his passion for three-dimensional quilting.
Finding creativity through adversity
For Matt, quilting began at a particularly difficult time in his life.
After breaking his back, he found himself searching for something that could support both his physical recovery and his mental well-being. Quilting became that lifeline.
Teaching himself from books and patterns, Matt gradually developed his skills, choosing projects that pushed him a little further each time.
What began as a means of recovery soon developed into something much bigger: a passion for exploring what quilting could become beyond the traditional two-dimensional format.
Matt Wilding | Wings of Pride
Taking quilting into another dimension
Matt's first visit to the Festival of Quilts in 2023 proved to be a turning point.
Seeing the competition quilts opened his eyes to the creative possibilities of the medium. Inspired by what he saw, he returned the following year with his first competition entry, Wings of Pride, combining his love of sculpture with textiles.
Although the work attracted considerable attention, an overheard dismissive comment about its LGBTQ+ themes prompted Matt to push his creativity even further.
In 2025, he returned with Wear Your Wings With Pride, a spectacular wearable sculptural quilt celebrating identity, movement and resilience.
Stepping onto the Festival of Quilts wearable fashion show in his creation was a personal milestone, and the piece went on to win first prize in the Quilt Creations category.
But Matt wasn't finished challenging himself.
7,080 pieces. 900 hours. One extraordinary quilt.
In 2026, Matt unveiled Pride Around the World, an enormous two-metre quilted sphere constructed from 7,080 individual pieces.
Taking more than 900 hours to create, the work was his most technically ambitious project to date.
The sphere was designed to be experienced from every angle, inviting visitors to walk around it and explore its intricate construction and colourful geometric patterns.
For Matt, the work carries a meaning beyond its impressive scale. It represents queer identity, community and resilience, creating a space in which people from across the world can see themselves represented.
The piece won first prize in the Quilt Creations category at the 2026 Festival of Quilts, marking another remarkable achievement in Matt's quilting journey.
Matt Wilding | Pride Around the World
Sharing the possibilities of 3D quilting
Alongside his competition work, Matt has developed a growing passion for teaching.
He now designs three-dimensional quilting patterns, delivers workshops and runs full-day Academy Workshops at the Festival of Quilts.
He aims to encourage other makers to experiment, build confidence, and discover new possibilities in quilting.
And although his award-winning creations might seem daunting, Matt is keen to show that three-dimensional quilting can begin with something much simpler.
Matt Wilding
Join Matt at our January Online Retreat
Introduction to 3D Quilting — with Matt Wilding
Ever wondered how to turn a flat piece of patchwork into a three-dimensional object?
During this workshop, Matt will introduce participants to the principles of 3D quilting, demonstrating how a simple polygon can become the starting point for a unique quilted creation.
And don't worry, you won't be expected to construct a two-metre sphere!
It's an opportunity to explore a different approach to quilting and learn from a maker who has taken the craft in some truly unexpected directions.
Matt's workshop is part of The Quilters' Guild January Online Retreat.
People & Places | 23rd & 24th January, 2027 | Member Only Event
Tickets go on sale November 1st. Grab yours here.
What's next for Matt?
With another Festival of Quilts on the horizon, Matt is already sketching ideas for his 2027 competition entry, working out how his latest vision might translate into fabric and stitch.
He's also developing new talks and workshops to introduce more people to three-dimensional quilting.
Matt is currently accepting bookings for talks and workshops with guilds and quilting groups.
You can find out more about his work at www.mattwilding.co.uk or follow him on Instagram at @mattwilding.
And one final thing you might not know about Matt...
He shares his sewing room with four cocker spaniels: Pluto, Louis, Herbie and Artie.
We can only imagine how much help they offer when he's working on his next giant creation!
More From Behind the Stitches
Meet the Maker: Liz Coleman – Why the Little Details Matter
Meet quilter and quilt judge Liz Coleman, and discover why hanging sleeves and quilt labels matter ahead of The Quilters' Guild January Online Retreat.
Meet Jan Bevan: A Life in Textiles and a Workshop Called Florence
Meet textile designer and quilter Jan Bevan, discover her creative journey and explore Florence, her travelling sewing caddy workshop for Guild members.
Meet Matt Wilding: Pushing the Boundaries of Quilting
Discover textile artist Matt Wilding's extraordinary 3D quilting, from giant quilted sculptures to wearable art, and his creative journey into quilting.
