Original version

BBC World Service Online

Migrated podcast image for: Outlook

Outlook

Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

Outlook: The astronaut who made a quilt in Space

Magazines & Reviews

Dr Karen Nyberg in 0 gravity with her quilt square in space station

12/04/2022 GMT

The astronaut who made a quilt in Space

BBC World Service - Outlook, The astronaut who made a quilt in Space

Astronaut Dr Karen Nyberg launched a sewing project from the International Space Station

When astronaut Dr Karen Nyberg created a quilt square on the International Space Station in 2013, she sparked a worldwide sewing project involving over two thousand quilters.

Dr Karen Nyberg has many talents. She's an engineer and astronaut, but she's also an avid quilter, so when she joined the International Space Station in 2013, she took her sewing kit with her. She created a nine-inch, star-themed quilt square in orbit which inspired over two thousand other quilters to do the same. Karen tells Jo Fidgen about the challenges of quilting in zero gravity and of leaving her three-year-old son and husband - also an astronaut - behind on earth. She's now designed a collection of fabrics called Earth Views based on photographs she took from Space.  

A group of elderly women in the town of Carpi in nothern Italy have become stars on social media. They'd all had a tough lockdown, cut off from family, and were feeling lonely and miserable until staff at the day care centre they all attended had an idea - get them into TikTok, the app where you can make and share short videos. Outlook's Dany Mitzman went to meet the so-called TikTok grannies and the staff who helped them at Residenza Stella's day care centre. 

Presenter: Jo Fidgen

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

(Photo: Dr Karen Nyberg with her quilt square in space. Credit: NASA)

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Outlook

The astronaut who made a quilt in Space

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service