“Stitching Life Stories” Project
About Stitching Life Stories. The Warren County Memorial Library is pleased to invite you to participate in the Stitching Life Stories Project. The Stitching Life Stories Project is a series of events that will focus on story writing and quilting. The project features quilt exhibitions, gallery talks, and seeks diverse participation. It also showcases a series of writing workshops and narrative quilt artists’ presentations. All project activities are free and open to the public. However, the writing and quilting workshops have limited space and participant selection will be based on the quilters’ stated interests.
Project Description. There are three components to the stitching life stories project: story writing, narrative quilt development, and a final narrative quilt exhibition. Participants are expected to engage in all three of the activities and should have quilting experiences. Another round of writing and narrative quilt development workshops are to be scheduled in early 2016.
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Story writing: The two writing workshops, facilitated by renowned writer and experienced writing coach Jane Ball-Groom, will help participants to generate new text and stories. Ms. Ball-Groom is a published author and in her writing seeks to engage her readers, artfully texturing and weaving into her stories the dreams, passions, and principles of her characters’ lives, the history of the their times; and the indomitable strength of the human spirit.
The writing workshops are scheduled in the library’s community room for Saturdays. The dates and times for the three sessions are as follows: November 21, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, November 21, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, and December 5, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. By the end of the workshops, participants will have a short story to serve as the basis for their narrative quilt development.
Narrative Quilt Development. A self-taught fiber artist, Sauda Zahra uses quilting to translate her inner thoughts, personal experiences, historical themes, and events into original works of art. Her quilts – varying in design, style, materials, and techniques – stitch together narrative, commemorative, and improvisional artwork that conveys the artist’s creative voice.
Ms. Zahra will facilitate the narrative quilt development workshops by presenting a conceptual framework for designing and making story quilts. This workshop is scheduled on Saturday January 30, with one from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM and another from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Each participant will have an opportunity to use an aspect of their short story and translate it to cloth using basic quilting techniques. Quilters will leave the workshop with a framework and enough information to complete their quilt at home.
Ms. Zahra’s narrative quilt exhibition will open to the public Saturday, January 23, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, with a gallery talk at 11:00 AM. Her quilts will exhibit in the library’s community room through January 30.
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Narrative Quilt Exhibition. The Stitching Life Stories Project will culminate with a final exhibition of narrative quilts at the Warren County Memorial Library during National Library Week in April 2016.
For more information about participating in the Stitching Life Stories Project or if you have more questions, contact: Cheryl Reddish, Warren County Memorial Librarian: CherylReddish@warrencountync.gov or Jereann King Johnson, project coordinator: jereking@ncol.net or 252-257-1274.
Click on the link below to download the application form:
Stitching Life Stories Application
Biographies
Hassie Boddy refers to herself as a “free-spirit” quilter. Born in Rockland County, New York, sewing has always been a part of her life. However, upon relocating to Granville County in 1988, Mrs. Boddy began serious quilting. She started with traditional quilting and soon moved to more creative and interpretive expressions. She began felting wool cloth for piecing quilt tops and appliqué designs. She taught herself reverse appliqué techniques and produced masks, human figures, and abstract designs in quilts.
Hassie has made a lot of quilts, several of which she donated to the Granville County Extension Agency to raise money for scholarships. All of her work is hand quilted. Her quilts have been widely exhibited and have won numerous blue ribbons and prizes. Hassie is also a gifted teacher and motivator.
Warren County Memorial Library, with support from the North Carolina Arts Council and assistance from the Heritage Quilters, presents this exceptional exhibition of Hassie Boddy’s Quilts.
The Heritage Quilters
Organized in 2001, the Heritage Quilters are a diverse group of women and men based in Warren and Vance Counties, whose mission is to support, encourage, and document quilting traditions and activities. It is the underlying principle of cooperative work embedded in quilting traditions that contributes to the quilters’ interest in and understanding of community and community building, making the group much more than a quilting club. In 2009 and 2011, the Heritage Quilters worked in collaboration with Warren County Memorial Library to document Warren County Quilts. The quilters have staged quilt exhibitions biennially since 2002 and hosted quilt displays and programs in schools, community settings and in conjunction with Preservation Warrenton. Currently, the quilters support a giving circle to strategically address community issues using their talent, time, and treasure.
This project was supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
