Margo Selby Weaves a Centenary at Blackburn Cathedral
Cloth has a way of holding optimism. It begins as a series of separate threads, and through the slow logic of weaving becomes something purposeful, resilient, and shared. At Blackburn Cathedral, this transformation feels especially resonant as the building marks its centenary with a new commission by Margo Selby—one that binds past, present and future into a single, unfolding narrative.
Blackburn Cathedral Centenary Vestments and Unity artwork. Margo Selby. Image credit: Blackburn Cathedral
Selby’s response is both ambitious and deeply considered: twelve handwoven vestments, created as chasubles and dalmatics in green, purple, red and gold. Designed to move through the liturgical year, these garments are living textiles activated by wear, gesture and ritual. Their making required a return to heritage processes, with every element woven and constructed by hand, echoing the craftsmanship of historic ecclesiastical pieces.
That duality—respect for tradition alongside a confident contemporary voice—runs through the work. Colour becomes a guiding force, not only visually but symbolically within the liturgical calendar:
Left: Dalmatic in green. Right: Dalmatic in purple. Margo Selby.
Green, representing hope, life and growth, is worn during Ordinary Time—the long, unfolding seasons between Easter and Advent, and between Christmas and Lent—bringing a sense of continuity and renewal.
Purple, associated with penance and preparation, marks Advent and Lent, its depth reflecting periods of introspection, anticipation and quiet spiritual focus.
Left: Dalmatic in red. Right: Dalmatic in gold. Margo Selby.
Red carries the weight of sacrifice and is worn at pivotal moments such as Passion Sunday, Good Friday, Pentecost and the Feast of Martyrs, its intensity signalling courage, devotion and the cost of belief.
Gold, radiant and celebratory, appears at the great feasts of Christmas and Easter, embodying joy, light and shared celebration.
Woven details from the Fabric of Faith exhibition, Blackburn Cathedral
Presented and blessed on 26 March 2026, the vestments now form the centrepiece of Fabric of Faith: A Century of Vestments. Shown alongside archival pieces, they enter into a dialogue across time—threads linking generations of makers and wearers, skill and devotion carried forward, each piece carrying traces of touch, labour and intention.
Alongside them, Unity extends the conversation into the architectural space. This large-scale handwoven installation brings all four liturgical colours into a single cloth, where intersections are visible and intentional. Suspended within the cathedral, it reads as both textile and metaphor: a reflection on community, on the strength found in connection, and the resilience of shared making.
Unity textile installation on the loom. Margo Selby for the Blackburn Cathedral Centenary
Supported by the Friends of Blackburn Cathedral, the commission also reconnects to Blackburn’s own textile heritage, where weaving once defined the rhythm of daily life—its mills, looms and skilled hands echoing quietly through Selby’s work, reimagined here in a contemporary, contemplative form.
-
Further Information:
The Blackburn Centenary Vestments and Unity woven installation are on show now at Blackburn Cathedral until Friday 24th April 2026.
-
-
Image Credits:
Lead: Unity Art Installation on loom (detail). Margo Selby
All further images as credited in captions.