Quilt the Southern Jewish Experience
Want to have your own quilt patch on a museum display? Be a part of the Stitched Apart, Sewn Together project, an homage to Jewish-Southern heritage and identity.
Kids ages 4-14 can create quilted squares and learn craft skills at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans. The family workshop is the launch event for the MSJE community quilt Stitched Apart, Sewn Together project. It will be held on Sunday, May 19 from 1-2:30 p.m.
The MSJE quilt serves to commemorate the historical exhibit of the 1885 "Crazy Quilt" created by the Ladies Sewing Circle of Temple B'nai Israel in Canton, Mississippi. This 140-year-old quilt illustrates the ways Southern Jewish people have woven themselves into the fabric of their communities.
As with the Ladies Sewing Circle's quilt, MSJE's contemporary collaborative effort serves to stitch the Southern Jewish community into history. Once finished, the quilt will be an exhibition at the museum.
The project encourages participants, along with all quilters from the southern region, to submit one 9" x 9" cotton patch that represents their Southern Jewish identities. Up to three patches may be submitted by communities, schools, synagogues, and organizations.
The patch submission must be accompanied by a donation form that provides contextual information about the quilt block like stories, themes, or motifs. Participants can submit a 9" x 9" detailed patch and attach a photo with their submission.
New Orleans quilting consultants will stitch together all accepted patches to be a part of the permanent collection item. The quilt will be preserved at the museum for continuous interpretation.
The cost is $10 for non-MSJE members and $5 for members. The 1.5 hour workshop aims to connect kids, families, and communities with the Southern Jewish experience while encouraging valuable creative craft skills.
All submissions are to be mailed to the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience by Oct 15, 2024. More information can be found on the MSJE's website.
