Image Courtesy of Shannon Downey
Visit This Exhibit
January 7-March 28, 2021
Open Wednesday – Sunday
11 AM – 4 PM CST
Accessibility
This exhibit is located on the first floor, and is wheelchair accessible.
Rita’s Quilt
Bringing Women Together
On display January 7-March 28, 2021
On September 17, 2019, Shannon Downey stumbled upon an unfinished quilt at an estate sale in Mt. Prospect, IL. Shannon purchased the unfinished quilt for $6 in the hopes of finishing it to allow Rita Smith to rest in craft peace. It became a viral sensation throughout the stitching community.
The quilt features a hand embroidered map of the United States, 50 hexagon blue stars, and 50 hexagons of states’ official state birds and flowers. When Shannon discovered the quilt only the map had been completed. She knew she would need some help. Within 24 hours of putting out a call for volunteers on Instagram, over 1,000 volunteers had signed up to help finish the quilt. Within three months the work was complete.
Now Rita’s Quilt is coming the the Neill-Cochran House Museum, and will be on display through the month of January 2021. Additionally, Shannon Downey will be here at the museum to give a talk about the inspiring experience of putting this quilt together and to present two embroidery workshops! Don’t miss this exclusive chance to see how one quilt brought together women from across the country.
Events Featuring Shannon Downey
About Shannon Downey
Image Courtesy of Shannon Downey
Shannon Downey better known as Badass Cross Stitch, is a community organizer disguised as a fiber artist and craftivist. She blends her politics, activism, and art into projects that are designed to inspire others to take action, think, discuss, engage with democracy and their community, and find some digital/analog balance. She currently lives in her RV full-time and is traversing the country bringing community and art activism to the country she still believes in.
She is the instigator behind #RitasQuilt and @BadassHerstory and is on a quest to teach 1 million people to embroider and invite society to rethink how we categorize and value craft and art.
Her life motto is: Make Art. Smash Systems.
