Quilts have always told stories.
From family heirlooms and community quilts to historic works that have documented moments of change, textile art has long reflected the hopes, challenges, and values of the people who create it. Now, quilters and fiber artists across the country are being invited to become part of a new nationwide collaborative art initiative called United We Stitch.
What Is United We Stitch?
United We Stitch is a grassroots community art project that invites people from all walks of life to create a 3′ x 5′ textile panel—the size of a flag—that answers one thought-provoking question:
“Imagine the Future of Democracy.”
Participants are encouraged to work in whatever textile medium inspires them, including:
- Quilting
- Embroidery
- Fiber art
- Knitting or crochet
- Mixed media
- Fabric collage
- Weaving
- Yarn and thread work
- Found and handcrafted materials
Every piece will represent a unique vision of hope, community, and the future.
A Nationwide Exhibition
Thousands of individual textile panels will come together in a nationwide exhibition on September 20, 2026, in recognition of the International Day of Peace. The exhibition aims to celebrate creativity while encouraging conversation, connection, and community through the shared language of textile art.
Why Textile Art?
For generations, quilts and textile art have captured history in ways few other art forms can. From suffrage quilts to the AIDS Memorial Quilt, fabric has been used to preserve memories, inspire dialogue, and give voice to important moments in our nation’s story. United We Stitch continues that tradition by inviting today’s makers to share their own hopes for America’s future.
Learn More
If you’d like to participate or simply learn more about the project, visit United We Stitch at unitedwestitch.com.
Whether you create quilts, garments, embroidery, mixed media, or other fiber art, your work has the power to tell a story—and perhaps inspire others along the way.
