What is a Community Quilt Day?

Do you make or own quilts? Would you like to learn about quilts made in your community and hear from quiltmakers who live and work near you? Would you like to learn more about the history of vintage or antique quilts that you own? Do you label the quilts that you make?

The nonprofit Quilt Alliance and community partners will present a free series of Community Quilt Days in Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky from March-May, 2023. Activities will include a quilt talk and open house, hands-on quilting for beginners, tips and demos from quilt labeling to care and storage. Quilt Documentation Sessions will be offered at each site and all quiltmakers and quilt owners are invited to bring in their quilts to be photographed, videotaped and labeled. Quilt historians/educators will be on hand to access the pattern, likely origin and age of quilts. 

Support for this project is provided by South Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council and contributions from quilt lovers like you. 

Would you like to volunteer to help handle quilts, take notes or assist with quilt labeling at a Community Quilt Day event? Contact Quilt Alliance staff if you would like more information about volunteering.

Event dates and registration links:

Registration links for each site will be posted as they become available.
We look forward to meeting you in your community! 

Sylva, NC:

Watch quilt stories from North Carolina

March 4, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and open house
Jackson County Public Library
310 Keener Street, Sylva, NC 28779

March 25, 12:00 – 4:00 pm:
Quilt documentation session
Jackson County Public Library
310 Keener Street, Sylva, NC 28779

Cherokee, NC:

Watch quilt stories from North Carolina

March 18 (National Quilting Day),

10:00 – 12:00 pm ET:
Quilt talk and open house
Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual
645 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719

1:00 – 4:00 pm ET:
Quilt documentation session
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC 28719

Dillsboro, NC:

Watch quilt stories from North Carolina

April 1, 10:00-2:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
Appalachian Women’s Museum
100 W. Hometown Place, Dillsboro, NC 28725

Leicester, NC:

Watch quilt stories from North Carolina

April 23, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET:
Quilt talk (12:30-2:00) and quilt documentation session (2:00-4:00)
Sandy Mush Community Center
19 School Rd, Leicester, NC 28748

April 30, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
Sandy Mush Community Center

19 School Rd, Leicester, NC 28748

Jonesborough, TN

Watch quilt stories from Jonesborough

May 6, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and open house
The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School
103 Franklin Ave., Jonesborough, TN 37659

May 13, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School
103 Franklin Ave., Jonesborough, TN 37659

Hazard, Kentucky

Watch quilt stories from Hazard

May 27, 10:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and quilt documentation session
Appalachian Quilt and Craft
1133 North Main Street, Hazard, KY 41701

What is a Community Quilt Day?

Do you make or own quilts? Would you like to learn about quilts made in your community and hear from quiltmakers who live and work near you? Would you like to learn more about the history of vintage or antique quilts that you own? Do you label the quilts that you make?

The nonprofit Quilt Alliance and community partners will present a free series of Community Quilt Days in Western North Carolina, Eastern Tennessee and Eastern Kentucky from March-May, 2023. Activities will include a quilt talk and open house, hands-on quilting for beginners, tips and demos from quilt labeling to care and storage. Quilt Documentation Sessions will be offered at each site and all quiltmakers and quilt owners are invited to bring in their quilts to be photographed, videotaped and labeled. Quilt historians/educators will be on hand to access the pattern, likely origin and age of quilts. 

Support for this project is provided by South Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council and contributions from quilt lovers like you. 

Would you like to volunteer to help handle quilts, take notes or assist with quilt labeling at a Community Quilt Day event? Contact Quilt Alliance staff if you would like more information about volunteering.

Event dates and registration links:

Registration links for each site will be posted as they become available.
We look forward to meeting you in your community! 

Sylva, NC:

See videos from Sylva events below!

March 4, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and open house
Jackson County Public Library
310 Keener Street, Sylva, NC 28779

March 25, 12:00 – 4:00 pm:
Quilt documentation session
Jackson County Public Library
310 Keener Street, Sylva, NC 28779

Cherokee, NC:

See videos from Cherokee events below!

March 18 (National Quilting Day),

10:00 – 12:00 pm ET:
Quilt talk and open house
Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual
645 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC, 28719

1:00 – 4:00 pm ET:
Quilt documentation session
Museum of the Cherokee Indian
589 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee, NC 28719

Dillsboro, NC:

See videos from Dillsboro event below!

April 1, 10:00-2:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
Appalachian Women’s Museum
100 W. Hometown Place, Dillsboro, NC 28725

Leicester, NC:

Video links coming soon.

April 23, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET:
Quilt talk (12:30-2:00) and quilt documentation session (2:00-4:00)
Sandy Mush Community Center
19 School Rd, Leicester, NC 28748

April 30, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
Sandy Mush Community Center

19 School Rd, Leicester, NC 28748

Jonesborough, TN

Video links coming soon.

May 6, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and open house
The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School
103 Franklin Ave., Jonesborough, TN 37659

May 13, 12:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt documentation session
The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School
103 Franklin Ave., Jonesborough, TN 37659

Hazard, Kentucky

Watch quilt stories from Kentucky

May 27, 10:00 – 4:00 pm ET
Quilt talk and quilt documentation session
Appalachian Quilt and Craft
1133 North Main Street, Hazard, KY 41701

Watch a Go Tell It! video with Connie Brown talking about the Wheel of Fortune quilt that inspired our Community Quilt Days logo. Go Tell It! is one of the quilt documentation projects that the Quilt Alliance uses to preserve the stories of quilts and their makers.

Below: Quilter Norma Bradley of Asheville, NC recording the story of her quilt, “Quilt Memories,” that celebrates the life of a friend.”

Watch Quilt Stories from Community Quilt Days