Bates Legacy Center Quilting Project – September Update

The Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center invites the public to participate in the Bates Legacy Center Story Telling Quilt Project! The Center is developing six Documentary Story Quilts as part of a project funded in part by a FY2023 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) Grant. There have been five quilt planning sessions to date, at the Bates Legacy Center, 1101 Smithville Street, Annapolis (see below). All are invited to participate! Bring your memorabilia to share, and have it scanned!

Update from Mr. Joseph Butler: Lyndra Marshall has determined they need a lot more content for the 1930’s since there were no yearbooks during that period of time.  We may have to rely on the internet for this content. Lyndra has also indicated they need content for the 1940’s from 1947 – 1949.  For the 1950’s, we still need to cover the years 1957 and 1959.   For the 1960’s, we still need 1961, 1963, 1965 and 1966.  Lyndra discussed the next steps in the quilting process after research and scanning which are  content selection, fabric printing, panel design, sewing and stitching, embellishing and finishing.

They have announced  the team assignments.  “Each team will help us by  focusing on one quilt rather than six at a time.  Hopefully, we will make more progress doing this. Our next quilting meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 9/27/23 at 3 pm.“

Remember if  you are not able to attend our meetings, you may bring items to the Center Monday – Friday from 11 am  to 4 pm or email copies to [email protected].  Please share this email with all of our interested partners.  We hope to see you next week.”

The six quilts planned will group graduating classes together by decade (1930’s, 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s), as well as a quilt about the life of Wiley H. Bates, and a thematic quilt about the Underground Railroad.

For more information, please contact Isaac Vineyard at [email protected]