Together We Grow

The visual story of the fabrication of a tapestry created through the collaboration of 63 All Peoples Volunteers.

Facilitated by Pat Sturtzel and Lori Sargent

Appliqued Quilt 2015-2017, 102” x 110”

Collection of All Peoples UU Congregation

The following slides show the 18 processes that took place to construct this beautiful tapestry that is on display in the sanctuary.

“Together We Grow” All Peoples Quilt Facts

  • The quilt was designed in a 2015 Winter Open Campus class taught by Pat Sturtzel and continued during a 2016 Winter Open Campus class. Additional mini-workshops and steps were completed by individuals and small groups.
  • Pat Sturtzel taught all the processes used to make the quilt.
  • Lori Sargent coordinated volunteers.
  • 63 volunteers worked on the quilt, including adults, youth and children.
  • 49 different bird stamps were made for printing the birds + 3 insect stamps
  • The quilt includes:
    • 293 birds and 14 insects
    • 97 quotes about All Peoples which were written during March 2015 pledge drive
    • 1 1/2 miles of thread were used for quilting (2596 yards, or about 7800 feet)
  • Hours to quilt: 12 hours

We used about 18 processes – (listed in approximate order)

  1. Theme and design created during Open Campus class
  2. Fabric coloration with Dye-na-Flow (for glue gel resist)
  3. Soy wax resist, glue gel resist used for All Peoples  priceless quotes
  4. Low water immersion dyeing with ProcionMX Fiber Reactive Dyes (for soy wax resist and background for bird stamps and nature printing)
  5. Bird stamps designed and created using adhesive backed craft foam
  6. Birds and insects printed on dyed fabrics
  7. Tie-dyed fabrics created for background for nature prints (ProcionMX Fiber Reactive dyes)
  8. Items from nature (leaves, plants, flowers) were used as printing tools to create the garden added at the base of the tree.
  9. Sun printing used items from nature (Dye-na-Flow dye)
  10. Details added using embroidery to quotes, leaves and flowers
  11. Fusible webbing was applied to all fabrics printed with birds, insects, leaves, flowers and tree bark.
  12. Birds, Insects, Flowers and leaves were all cut out
  13. ProcionMX dyes were used in ice dyeing for the quilt front background and tie-dye for the backing fabric.
  14. A small group of members designed the tree trunk, using sewing machines to sew quotes together.
  15. Placement of all the parts completed the final composition, ironing to fuse to the background.
  16. Machine quilted with long-arm machine.
  17. Binding and sleeve added.
  18. Selected a title from 21 suggestions, and hung the quilt.