National Quilt Project

Calling all textile enthusiasts!

Here's an idea that can help repair our torn social fabric.

Visualize an enormous quilt laid across the lawn of the Washington D.C. mall, a quilt with squares from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.Our quilt will represent the rich mosaic of our country, expressing our histories, identities, and our common ideals of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.Everyone is invited to participate! No sewing experience needed.How might we accomplish this project?• First, share the idea through as many channels as possible to alert quilters, teachers, church and community groups. Download the flier!• Start working to create unique fabric squares within families, communities, regions, then states, broadening the reach each year.• The National Quilt Project will officially launch on July 4th, 2026 on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Organizers will spread out a small selection of early quilt squares from around the country upon the National Mall.As this collective art project develops, more displays will follow, leading to a target final exhibition date in DC in 2030.

Textiles are intimately essential to human life through cultural clothing, flags of pride, shrouds for mourning, baby quilts to welcome new life. Textile art can help heal divisions: there are quilters across the political spectrum! Through this creative project, we can move from despair towards a sense of hope, community, and love for our country.Let's re-weave our National Cloth towards a more perfect union!

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
(Rev. Martin Luther King)A united America can be a super-power of love.
(President Jimmy Carter)

How To Get involved

Tell your friends!
Download the flier
Share the Video

Start creating a 18-inch square!
You don’t need to be a fabric artist.
Everyone is encouraged to contribute a quilt square in the spirit of unity. This is a non-partisan project aimed at healing the polarization in our country.
View the Quilt Size template
View examples of Quilt SquaresBecome a coordinator!
The success of the project depends on a large grassroot effort. Community as well as state coordinators will be needed.
Please consider stepping forward to help in anyway you can!
Send us a message

More information

Make your SQUARE

Let’s
Stitch
America
Together
Again!

Quilt Size Template

Make your quilt piece 18 inches square.

* On a piece of fabric 18" x 18", create any design you wish* Feel free to use a variety of techniques on your fabric square such as quilting, applique, embroidery, painting, knitting, crochet, or any other media* Add 8-inch ties to the corners to attach adjacent quilt pieces.Or simply add ties to a favorite piece of cloth!

Sample Quilt Squares

For the story of each square
visit our instagram page

MORE INFO

Do I have to be a quilter to join?
Not at all! Anyone can contribute a square. We welcome work from beginners, seasoned quilters, artists, community groups, and schools alike.What are the quilt square dimensions?
The quilt pieces need to be 18 inches square. At each corner, sew an 8" tie to connect to adjacent quilt squares.
Download a PDF of the flier to printWhat do I do with my finished quilt square?
Hang on to it for now. Please fill out this form with your name, city, and a clear photo of your square for our upcoming digital gallery. We’ll connect you with the closest regional coordinator to your area.Do I need to identify my panel?
You’re welcome to put your name and/or any description on your panel (front or back) to identify it, but this is not required. What is important is that you include your information on the form submission so we can connect you with the right regional coordinator.What is the role of a regional coordinator?
Coordinators will collect squares, organize local exhibitions, and get them to DC for the 2026 launch and the 2030 final exhibition date. If you’re able to volunteer as a coordinator, please note that on the form!Will I get my quilt square back?
This is up to you and your regional coordinator. In most cases, squares will stay with the project rather than being returned. The intention is for early squares to be part of local exhibitions and actions, building momentum toward the final exhibition in 2030.
Can groups or classes make squares together?
Yes! Excellent idea! Community groups, sewing circles, classrooms, and clubs are encouraged to create squares together. Just submit one form per square so we can track them all.Who can I contact if I want to become more deeply involved?
Do you want to help organize quilters? Can you see yourself as a coordinator for the National Quilt Project? Would you like to offer your skills in other ways? We welcome your participation!
Please write to us at [email protected] or use our contact form below.Do you have a permit to display this in Washington, DC?
We have submitted a permit for the 2026 July 4 launch, and will do the same for 2030. Permits with the National Park Service are accepted no more than one year in advance.

What are some other examples of quilting and activism?
Previous examples of large-scale textile activism include:The Peace Ribbon Around the Pentagon
Wound 15 miles through Washington in 1985 with
27,000 connected fabric panelsThe AIDS Memorial Quilt
Displayed in 1996 on Washington D.C. mall
40,000 panels honored 110,000 who died of AIDS

Who started the National Quilt Project?
Mary Milne is a textile artist living in central New York. She participated in the 1985 Peace Ribbon Around the Pentagon project and was profiled in "Sew to Speak: The Fabric Art of Mary Milne" You can see some of her more recent work in this photo album.Mary launched the idea for the National Quilt Project in response to the social divisions within the United States. She is looking for collaborators from across the country.