Stitching our Stories: Threads of Self, Community and Future

Time: Feb. 28, 2026, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Location: Onondaga County Central Library, 447 S. Salina St. Syracuse

Organizers from the College of Arts and Sciences, iSchool, College of Visual and Performing Arts, School of Education, and Hendricks Chapel Quilters team up to present a series of "sew-in" workshops to make quilt blocks reflecting on different topics for inspiration.

Built upon the foundational idea of creativity as uniquely human, session participants will learn to use textiles in creative ways to record the history of self, place, community, and imagined futures. Doing this in communion with friends, neighbors, and other community members, helps build a sustained network of fellow creatives. The practice of care and liberation through quilting reminds us that even in difficult times, creative expression remains a refuge; where joy, resistance, and empowerment endure.

• Each sew-in is structured as an open 4-hour sewing session held at the Makerspace at Central Library in Downtown Syracuse, with a light lunch provided.
• Organizers begin with group reflection on the theme, offering guiding questions, texts, and educational resources.
• For each “sew-in," participants are invited to bring a textile that represents “threads of self” in connection with the day's respective theme (see below).
• Organizers provide all other necessary materials: fabric, thread, rotary cutters, sewing machines, irons, and sewing instructions.
• No previous sewing or quilting experience is required.
• While attendance at all 4 events is encouraged, it is not mandatory.
• By the end of each sew-in, participants will have one square block created in community. If participating in all four sew-ins, participants will have four blocks and materials to stitch them into a finished quilt.

Workshop themes:

October 4th - Person (Who am I? What shapes me? How does creativity reflect my identity?) Rochele Royster leads this workshop.

November 1st - Place (Where am I? What histories shape this place? How do they impact belonging?) Nicole Fonger leads this workshop.

January 24th - Community (Who is my community? How do creative practices sustain connection?) Rachel Ivy Clark leads this workshop.

February 28th - Imagined Futures (What do I envision for a more just and liberated future? How can I express my dreams for the future?) Liz Lance leads this workshop.

The series culminates in a celebratory panel discussion and reception on March 21 featuring guest quilters Valerie Goodwin and Rachel Wallis.

How to participate:

Advance registration is required, as space and materials are limited. Register here!