Sacred Threads Quilts
In 1999 a small group of women gathered together with a vision of a "new" type of quilt exhibit. At that time topics such as spirituality and inspiration were not always understood or welcomed at traditional quilt shows, and all-medium liturgical art exhibits generally featured few if any quilts. There was no "safe" or welcoming venue for quilters who saw their works as a connection to the sacred and/or as an expression of their own spiritual journey. Often the meaning behind these works was missed or misunderstood because the artist did not have the opportunity to share their sources of inspiration with the viewer.
Founder Vikki Pignatelli and the other committee members wanted to create a dignified exhibit of artwork that would touch all those who viewed it on both spiritual and personal levels. We wanted to share the experiences of quilters whose stories would be a source of healing and strength for others by allowing the artist to submit a statement which would be exhibited with the artwork that described the meaning or inspiration for the piece.
In a hectic era when people are searching for meaning and spirituality in their busy lives, we felt this concept would be accepted and welcomed. Our hopes have been fully realized and each of the Sacred Threads Exhibits (in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017) has been well received. The show does not emphasize any particular religion or theology but conveys the spirituality, healing and inspirational messages that transcend all people.
For the exhibit, quilts are divided into categories based on theme. These are Expressions of Joy, Spirituality, Inspiration, Grief, Healing and Peace/Brotherhood. The artwork themes provide thought-provoking insights, encouragement, inspiration and healing responses to grief and human hardships. It has attracted a wide array of visitors and has proved appropriate for all ages from young teens to seniors. The exhibit is a positive influence on the human spirit, giving joy as well as addressing concerns of the soul and mind.
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Join us today, Wednesday, December 14th at 2 pm Eastern for a FREE Textiles Talks virtual event featuring quilt stories from around the world, submitted by YOU! We asked and the Textile Talks community delivered stories about connection, creativity, ingenuity, and the places we call home. I hope you can join us or catch the recording!
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The Quilt Show.com with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims
Meet us this Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 2pm ET for a new Textile Talk! The link to register for this free talk is below. We'll present a QSOS oral history interview with Quiltville's Bonnie K Hunter recorded last week as she was preparing for the big reveal of the first clue for her annual Mystery Quilt (to be released on Black Friday). We'll screen Bonnie's interview with Frances O'Roark Dowell and talk about the QSOS project, the largest collection of its kind in the world (and one every quilter should know about).
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Coming to Textile Talks on November 30! Sacred Threads, Expressing Life's Journeys.
Lisa Ellis discusses this unique exhibit that explores textile artists' most personal stories of healing, grief, spirituality, peace, joy, and inspiration. Hear the moving story of founder Vikki Pignatelli's encountering the need and creating Sacred Threads. View some of our favorite artworks over the twenty years and watch some first-hand video recordings of artists sharing their stories.
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Textile Talks stream on Zoom every Wednesday at 2PM ET. They are ALWAYS free and open to everyone! Our Textile Talks partners are Quilt Alliance, Surface Design Association, and International Quilt Museum. Join us each week for an hour of art and inspiration.
www.saqa.com/textiletalks
Join us on Wednesday at 2pm EDT for this week’s Textile Talk, a QSOS interview with Suzy Williams, founder of , conducted by Quilt Alliance Co-President Laura Hopper. Register here for this free talk:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k8MtzYvRQdKR0ZIok2ungg
Textile Talks are free thanks to these sponsors and donors like you—thank you!
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Don't forget to sign up for today's Textile Talk presented by the International Quilt Museum. At 2:00 PM ET, tune in to hear Ardis B. James Curator of Collections Carolyn Ducey and New York quilt collector Jack Walsh discuss Water FEATURED, an exhibition of commissioned quilts in his collection by well-known quilters now on view at IQM.
Find registration and info on future and recorded talks are on our website:
https://quiltalliance.org/events/textile-talks/
Textile Talks are presented each Wednesday by Quilt Alliance, International Quilt Museum, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. and Surface Design Association.
Textile Talks are free thanks to these sponsors and donors like you—thank you!
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Moda Fabrics United Notions
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The Tourville Family
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Alegre Retreat
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C&T Publishing
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Quiltmania
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Thanks for sharing your quilt story at Sacred Threads Quilts, Luana!
Two of my little 12”x12” art quilts, “Earth Spirit” and “Warning” have been hanging in the Harmony exhibit at Broadway Galleries in Alexandria, VA which closes at the end of August. Some of the pieces from that exhibit, including these two, will then be shipped to UChicago Medicine to be on exhibit until the end of the year. This hospital was one that hosted Sacred Threads Quilts, which was also a sponsor of Harmony, and said they would love to have the Harmony exhibit there. I love it when my work gets to travel—even if I don’t!
Looking for a new podcast to love? Don't miss tomorrow's Textile Talk! HollyAnne Knight, founder of String & Story will be interviewed by professor and quilt historian Janneken Smucker for the fourth season of Running Stitch, a QSOS podcast produced by the Quilt Alliance. Join us to talk about technology, the evolution of HollyAnne's career, and of course, quilts!
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TO0vcBEVQleHuEZb_Msbdg
Textile Talks are presented each Wednesday by Quilt Alliance, International Quilt Museum, San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, Studio Art Quilt Associates, Inc. and Surface Design Association.
Textile Talks are free thanks to these sponsors and donors like you—thank you!
Premium level
Moda Fabric
Silver level
Aurifil
Equilter
The Tourville Family
Quiltfolk
Bronze level
Alegre Retreat
American Quilter's Society
Artistic Artifacts
C&T Publishing
Empty Spools Seminars
Mistyfuse
The Modern Quilt Guild
Nine Patch Fabrics
Quiltmania
Sacred Threads Quilts
Schiffer Publishing
SCHMETZneedles
YellowDog
Unanimous
My quilt is now home safe and I want to thank you for the careful way you wrapped and boxed my ALMA. I have found this not aways to be the case in other quilt shows. It has been a pleasure to show my quilts with your Sacred Threads team. Thank you and best of luck with your future endeavors.
I got my book in the mail yesterday and it is wonderful as always. Such wonderful photos and stories. It is fun to see people I know represented and of course it is always an honor to see one of my own pieces in the book. I am amassing a wonderful collection of these books and I love them.
It was so exciting to attend a beautiful reception with at the Broadway Gallery in Alexandria Virginia celebrating the Harmony exhibition in partnership with Sacred Threads Quilts It was such a unique, vibrant, diverse and exciting collection of fiber art. There were lots of artists in attendance and I was delighted to talk with friends and meet lots of new people. Artistic Artifacts provided delicious food and drink. (They also did a live gallery tour that I think you can watch on their page.) My art quilt collages Waking Up and Turning In are both included. Each piece in the exhibition had to be square and measure in increments of 12" which allowed for this super cool display reaching up the dramatic walls, along the stairway and in the upstairs gallery space. My pieces are 24x24". I enjoyed exploring the landscape composition as a symbol for personal growth and harmony. These pieces are available for purchase from Broadway Gallery, a great opportunity to add to your collection.
I had an amazing weekend at Sacred Threads Quilts with Kristin LaFlamme. I am honored my art quilt collage, Cuts and Bruises, was included in the Healing section of the exhibition. We saw so many powerful and amazing quilts. What a singularly unique, special and important exhibition. We also were thrilled to see the *still* quilt by Chawne Kimber at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum with Lyric Montgomery Kinard and so fun to fun into a new quilter friend Quilty Guy while admiring the Bisa Butler masterpiece. We saw more fiber art in the form of Kusama’s infinity room at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Seeing all kinds of art, sharing it with others and talking about all the many details is totally inspiring.
I’ve spent much of my time over the past two weeks at Sacred Threads Quilts taking in the visual treat of over 200 quilts along with absorbing the very personal stories behind each one. I know it will take me awhile to process the images & stories but wanted to share this walk through I did with Judy Gula yesterday.
I am SO thankful for the photos and videos. We had our hotel reservations and so looked forward to coming, but problems related to COvid caused us to cancel. And I'm SO sad.
Is there a book available, as in previous years? If so, how can I order one?
Judy Gula was live at Sacred Threads Quilts this morning for a brief tour of the exhibit. She was joined by Lisa Ellis & Barbara Hollinger, curators of the exhibit.
Welcome to the reception at Broadway Galleries for the ‘Harmony’ quilt exhibit curated by Lisa Ellis & Barbara Hollinger for Sacred Threads Quilts.