Self Care Squares
Self Care Squares is a collaborative community artwork created through shared moments of creativity, reflection, and care.
Funded by the UK Government, the project has brought together more than 300 participants, who contributed in many different ways to a shared patchwork artwork. Using a wide range of creative techniques — including stitching, textiles, mixed media and other making practices — participants added their voices, skills, and ideas to a growing collective piece, shaped by the community and brought together as a patchwork quilt.
The project was designed and led by the community, with participants influencing the themes, materials, and creative direction throughout. Self Care Creatives facilitated the process, creating gentle, accessible spaces for people to come together, share skills, and make side by side.
At its heart, Self Care Squares is rooted in a simple idea: that small, caring acts — when combined — can become something powerful. The project centres process over perfection, values contribution over output, and shows how creativity can support wellbeing, connection, and a sense of belonging.
This page brings together ways to explore the project more deeply, including audio descriptions, digital resources, artwork-inspired merchandise, and our silent auction — all helping to share the story of Self Care Squares and support future creative wellbeing work.
From £1 to Win a One-of-a-Kind Quilt
& Support Community Creativity
The patchwork artworks have been imagined, designed, and created collectively by members of the community, shaped through shared creative sessions and guided by local artists and specialists as part of the Self Care Squares project.
The patchwork quilts are available to win via a raffle, making it possible for anyone to own a piece of the artwork from as little as £1.
All profits are reinvested to help us continue delivering accessible, creative wellbeing workshops for the community.
Creative Wellbeing Guides
You’ll also find a collection of gentle, creative guides created as part of the Self Care Squares project — full of simple, feel-good activities designed to support everyday wellbeing. These include easy-to-follow ideas for colouring in, super-simple calligraphy, watercolour tips, doodling, embroidery, and lots of other creative ways to slow down and take a moment for yourself.
You can join our mailing list to receive a free digital copy, or, if you’re a community venue in Stockport (such as a community centre, GP surgery, dentist, library, or wellbeing space), you can request one complimentary printed copy to share with your community.
Printed copies are very limited (one per venue) and offered on a first-come basis, but venues are also very welcome to print additional copies from the digital version, making it easy to share the resources in whatever way best supports the people you work with.
The Story of Self Care Squares: A Patchwork of Positivity
This audio description shares the story behind Self Care Squares: A Patchwork of Positivity, a community artwork created through shared creativity, conversation and connection. It has been created to make the exhibition more accessible, offering an alternative way to experience the work and the stories held within it.
Through descriptive storytelling, the recording explores how the quilts were made, who took part, and the meaning woven into each stitched square. Bringing together many individual contributions, the project reflects a collective expression of care, resilience and belonging — created by our community, for our community, with accessibility at its heart.
The audio description can be accessed via YouTube. Subtitles and captions can be enabled within the video settings if helpful for your access needs.
Own a piece of the
Patchwork of Positivity
Items will be available to preorder and made to order by local Stockport small business Kitsch Republic, featuring artwork created, designed, and edited by the community during the Self Care Squares project, with all profits reinvested to help us continue delivering creative wellbeing workshops for the community.