Stitched States is a quilt exhibition celebrating all 50 U.S. states and the five main U.S. territories through fabric, pattern, and design. Each quilt reflects a state’s unique cultural identity, historical roots, and defining industries from agricultural and manufacturing to music, migration, and innovation. Together, these quilts form a textile map of the nation, revealing how diverse stories and traditions are bound into a shared American narrative. We are selecting one quilt per state to be displayed at the International Quilt Festival 2026 in honor of the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation. Enter as a group or individual and represent your state!

HOW TO ENTER YOUR QUILT:

20 Perspectives is an international group of fiber artists from Australia, U.S., Canada, and Europe. Their challenges reflect their cultures and worldviews, and the theme here is “nature.” Works run the gamut from the grand scale from humans and animals to insects and plants.

Whether it's rock or pop, country or blues, gospel, jazz, or classical, soul or R&B, or rap or heavy metal, songs have always inspired both people and artists working in all sorts of mediums. They can also come wrapped in memories, instantly transporting the listener to a specific place and time in their life. In this challenge, artists will submit a quilt with the same title as a song, and then interpret that tune or their feelings about it in fabric.

How to Enter Your Quilt:

Alex Is Crafting is an award-winning cosplayer based in New York City. The have been making costume and yarn work and are a co-director of Anime NYC's Masquerade and Vice President of the NYC Crochet Guild. They also design their own patterns, host panels and workshops about yarn cosplaying, and compete in the cosplay convention circuit in their yarn costumes. Alex can be found online as AlexIsCrafting, and on Etsy at MooreWarmth.

Art is an excellent way to express emotions. For this exhibit, artists depict how they, a family member, or a friend celebrated a loved one’s wedding, birth, birthday, or memorial. Colors, patterns, traditional blocks, or abstract drawings can be combined or used alone to convey a range of emotions from happy to sad. Share your emotional art with others!

Art is an excellent way to express emotions. For this exhibit, artists depict how they, a family member, or a friend celebrated a loved one’s wedding, birth, birthday, or memorial. Colors, patterns, traditional blocks, or abstract drawings can be combined or used alone to convey a range of emotions from happy to sad. Share your emotional art with others!

How to Enter Your Quilt:

This exhibit will showcase Princess Feather and Feathered Star quilts. Quilters have long associated feathers with the 19th and 20th Centuries. The earliest documented use of the Princess Feather design was found on a quilt dated 1818, by Mary Summerville, and donated to the Spencer Museum. Feathered Star quilts began appearing in the 19th Century, as well, intricately pieced and time-consuming to construct. Modern sewing methods and machines make quick work of these two cherished designs. You may enter antique, modern, recently made, inherited, or purchased quilts in these two styles.

Artists from around the world incorporate influences from their own cultures into the design and technique of their quilts. This prestigious, long-running international showcase includes recent quilts by some of these international artists.

Artists from around the world incorporate influences from their own cultures into the design and technique of their quilts. This prestigious, long-running international showcase includes recent quilts by some of these international artists.

How to Enter Your Quilt:

Just as quilters create beautiful art with fabric, florists and gardeners cultivate works of beauty from the soil. This exhibit showcases floral-inspired quilts from across the spectrum in lush color and splendor.

Just as quilters create beautiful art with fabric, florists and gardeners cultivate works of beauty from the soil. This exhibit showcases floral-inspired quilts from across the spectrum in lush color and splendor.

How to Enter Your Quilt:

Contemporary quiltmakers often look to the art form’s rich tradition and history for inspiration in their own work. This exhibit features recently made quilts incorporating traditional blocks, styles, and/or techniques.

Contemporary quiltmakers often look to the art form’s rich tradition and history for inspiration in their own work. This exhibit features recently made quilts incorporating traditional blocks, styles, and/or techniques.

How to Enter Your Quilt:

The IHOC is the creation of Chicago-based duo Preeti Samraj and Jade Carrico, fiber artists whose collaborative work explores storytelling, play, and humor through crochet. Together, they transform the art of crochet into a world of playful abundance through their ongoing series of installations. For this exhibition, they reimagine the classic dinner party in yarn, a vibrant feast for the senses and imagination with a candlelit table scene brought entirely to life by crochet.

From valleys and volcanoes to mountains and monuments, landscapes often inspire artists, including many in the quilt world. This exhibit showcases many stunning geographical wonders.

From valleys and volcanoes to mountains and monuments, landscapes often inspire artists, including many in the quilt world. This exhibit showcases many stunning geographical wonders.

How to Enter Your Quilt:

Modern quilts often take traditional blocks and reinterpret them by using solid-colored fabrics or give them a new twist by using negative space, minimal repeats, improvisational piecing, and gridding for quilting. A modern quilt can be pieced or appliquéd. Share your interpretation of a modern quilt based on a traditional pattern with us!

Modern quilts often take traditional blocks and reinterpret them by using solid-colored fabrics or give them a new twist by using negative space, minimal repeats, improvisational piecing, and gridding for quilting. A modern quilt can be pieced or appliquéd. Share your interpretation of a modern quilt based on a traditional pattern with us!

How to Enter Your Quilt:

The Guild is dedicated to preserving and promoting the craft and art of crochet for current and future generations. They accomplish this by raising awareness and appreciation of the art of crochet and through teaching, and giving back to the community by donating crocheted items to charitable organizations. The Octo-Maid and the sea creatures were made by amigurumi artist Lara Castle. The Maid’s wig was done by cosplay knit/crochet artist Alex Is Crafting. The seaweed shawls were made by fiber artist Rachel Moore, and the coral reef by Eden Castle, Andrea Giattini, Alex Moore, Willena Nanton, Myrian Primera, Paul Stark, and Shari White.

Do you think quilts made with only one color are boring? No! In fact, they can be visually exciting. These artists proved this in the beautiful exhibit. Each quilt in this exhibit begins with a single color and truly showcases the color challenge by incorporating various shades, tints, tones, and value from light to dark. Each artist created a stunning and beautiful monochromatic piece with depth and visual interest.

For over a decade, the Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation has made a difference in the lives of children and adults by giving them the tools they need to become proficient readers. Quilts in this exhibit illustrate a favorite book, tells a story of its own, or encourages someone to read. The exhibit also serves as a tribute to the late former First Lady of the United States herself.

The mission of this Sugar Land, Texas-based group is to keep the needle arts alive through smocking, embroidery, and heirloom sewing. They support their community by providing Wee Care gowns to area hospitals and parents of babies who have passed away. The group strives to provide programs that are educational, interesting, and just plain fun!

Buildings have a long history of inspiring the creative designs of quiltmakers. In the 19th century, American quilters developed classic architectural blocks and patterns such as Log Cabin, Schoolhouse, and Brick Wall. This annual juried exhibit challenges quiltmakers to create works based on architectural themes and inspirations. The quilt style may be traditional, modern, or art.

Buildings have a long history of inspiring the creative designs of quiltmakers. In the 19th century, American quilters developed classic architectural blocks and patterns such as Log Cabin, Schoolhouse, and Brick Wall. This annual juried exhibit challenges quiltmakers to create works based on architectural themes and inspirations. The quilt style may be traditional, modern, or art.

How to Enter Your Quilt: