‘Dress of Wales’ project could inspire new community collaboration

The response to a collaborative ‘dress of Wales’ stitched by communities across the country could inspire a major new textile project.

Menna Buss, the creator of the Calico Dress Cymru textile project, was so inspired by her first visit to Wonderwool Wales 2026 that she is planning a collaborative venture with the show organisers.

The dress was one of the star attractions at the 20^th anniversary show, which attracted a record number of exhibitors and visitors to the Royal Welsh Showground, Llanelwedd, from 25 to 26 April 2026.

Calico Dress Cymru is the first ‘daughter dress’ of the internationally-renowned Red Dress, a 14-year collaborative embroidery project by artist Kirstie Macleod with contributions from 380 artists from 51 countries.

Commissioned by Amgueddfa Cymru, the Calico Dress Cymru celebrates Welsh identity, heritage and creativity by inviting individuals from across the country to add their own embroidery to its fabric.

More than 279 people from all over Wales, including Women’s Asylum Seeker Support Group, Chinese in Wales Association, Valleys Kids, and Swansea PRIDE have already contributed to the Calico dress, sharing stories of Wales past, present and future.

In April 2025, the dress started a new phase of her journey at the Swansea Waterfront Museum with an indigo dip dye and woollen ‘betgwn’ jacket, an ode to Welsh folk costume and tradition, complete with a Het Gymreig. 

After the makeover, it was transformed in over 30 workshops with Menna, as contributors embroidered various designs including castles, dragons and daffodils onto the white and blue fabric.

Even an embroidery club in Brittany, France, which has Celtic connections to Wales, has contributed a hand-stitched Welsh alphabet to the dress.

 

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Menna has so far only taken the project across south Wales but plans to visit west, mid and north Wales in the next few years and is keen to hear from groups wishing to get involved.

At the end of the project, the Calico Dress Cymru will become part of the public collection at the Museum of Welsh Life, St. Fagans, Cardiff. 

Wonderful 

Over the Wonderwool Wales weekend, five embroiderers, at each of two sessions daily, also contributed under Menna’s guidance.

Following its exhibition at Wonderwool Wales 2026, Menna said: “It was wonderful to be able to attend Wonderwool Wales, which was an absolutely brilliant weekend and we had some great embroidery added to Calico Dress Cymru reflecting what Wales means to people.”

“I can’t believe how much energy and positivity there was at the show. Everybody feels so much better by gathering and making things together.”

Menna now hopes to develop a collaborative project with Wonderwool Wales for next year’s show to create with communities and invite people to participate throughout the show weekend.

“I am thinking of designing something, possibly with a similar community feel, where people across Wales come together and participate,” she revealed. “The contacts I made at the show have been amazing for me.”

Chrissie Menzies, Wonderwool Wales director, said she is keen to collaborate with Menna on a Wales-wide community project for next year that could also involve schools.

This year’s record-breaking show sold around 1,000 more tickets online than last year, attracted in excess of 230 exhibitors and visitors from America, Holland, Portugal, Sweden, Ireland and across the UK.

Wonderwool Wales covers everything from the start to the end of the creative process. Exhibits of sheep, raw and hand dyed fibres, yarn for knitting and crochet, embellishments, equipment, dyes and books can be found alongside examples of finished textile art, craft, clothing and home furnishings.

The event also features Sheep Walk fashion shows, Wool-school craft workshops, demonstrations and have-a-go sessions hosted by exhibitors. More information is available here.