In July 2021, quilters nationwide were invited to celebrate the opportunity for Washington, DC to become the 51st state. The small quilts created celebrate the natural, historic, visual, and ethnic richness of the future Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and speak to the challenge that DC residents continue to face to achieve full representation and the full rights of US citizenship. Generations of American quilters have used the needle arts to be their voice to speak to their passions and positions, and so too Quilts4DC Statehood makers have been inspired to express their ideas through fabric.

The quilts have been displayed in many venues and an auction fundraiser was held to raise funds for LWVDC by selling the quilts. Please see the flyer below for more details and scroll down to the Quilt Gallery to see all the entries read the inspiration statements, and enjoy!

QUILT GALLERY

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

51!

I was inspired to use some log cabin orphan blocks to symbolize DC's diversity. This quilt is machine pieced and machine quilted.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

51ST STAR

My inspiration was the map of the District of Columbia and its unique angles. I loved the material that Joann Fabrics designed that highlighted many of the features of DC that my husband and I love so much. I've never appliqued anything in my life, and so this was a learning experience as well. While I love to piece, this challenge made me stretch out and try new ways to think of quilts. The arthritis in my hands makes hand quilting a real challenge. I did hand sew the binding on the back. For me quilts take a village, as I don't always trust my sense of color and patterns. I'd like to recognize the ladies at Hen Feathers in Wichita, KS, as they helped me hunt for just the right fabric to complement the colors in the feature fabric. There are stars embroidered in the border. I had planned to make it bigger with a larger border, but my husband talked me out of it.

Dolores Goodson

Lovettsville, Virginia

DC PLACEHOLDER

I was born in Alaska a couple months after it became our 49th state. A few months later Hawaii entered the Union - that's 62 years since we added a new State. It's time for the District of Columbia to be next. I had wondered what the flag would look like adding a new star and of course a few keystrokes later found it had already been designed. Hand quilted and tied using upcycled shirts, jeans and upholstery fabrics, I created an unfinished flag with the DC placeholder. State abbreviations have been embroidered on the stars in order of entry into the Union starting with Delaware and hopefully soon DC. May it not be the last.

Sheryl Whitmore

Auburn, Maine

MAP OF DC

This quilt is a map of the DC lands. The tree branches represent the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. The cherry blossoms represent the rebirth from harder times. The design is my creation. It is hand and machine stitched. A sleeve for a rod is sewn on the back for display purposes.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

NO TAXATION

As a kid I can remember learning about the Boston Tea Party and how important it was that the US have a representative government. This quilt is more traditional than my first one. I wanted some addition to this quilt that included pictures of people, as well as the highlights of Washington. So the message on the "people" square is No Taxation Without Representation. The ribbon trim around the squares is added to highlight each individual square and tie the themes together. On the cherry blossoms of the pictures of Washington are embroidered clasp stitches, and French knots are sprinkled throughout. I downloaded one of the proposed 51 star configurations as the last square. Here's the website I got it from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/51st_state#/media/File:US_flag_51_stars.svg

Linda McKenzie

Washington, District of Columbia

AMERICA'S 51ST

Since Uncle Sam became known as an early symbol of the United States of America, I was inspired to use the hat as a "nod" to Washington DC as a state. This quilt, my own design, is a combination of machine piecing and applique.

Debbra Murphy

Live Oak, California

DC STATEHOOD

Flying into National Airport (Reagan) when I see the national monuments on the Mall, I always get this calming and heartwarming sensation. Even now after 14 years of living in California it's nothing like coming home to DC.

Joanne Fitzgerald

Fairfax, Virginia

Source Image: Government of District of Columbia - Office of Planning, Proposed State of Washington, DC October 2016

DC - THE 51ST STATE

I used the fusible applique technique for this quilt. I started working in DC for the Federal government in 1978 and spent most of my career working in DC. I benefitted from all the sights, sounds, parks, restaurants, and entertainments of the District. The Federal Government enclave is such a tiny part of DC. The residents deserve full voting rights. This was just my attempt to return the favor to DC for all it has done for and meant to me.

Lynda Detling

Irvine, California

STARS AND STRIPES WITH A CHERRY ON IT

My inspiration was a patriotic design with hints of the cherry trees that ring the Tidal Basin. I used traditional pattern ideas and hand-quilted the piece.

Priscilla Godfrey

Philomont, Virginia

ROAD TO DC STATEHOOD - 51 OR FIGHT

I was inspired by my collection of red, white, and blue fabrics, 51 or Fight! The blocks represent the many roads we have to take to statehood.

Aynex Mercado

Frederick, Maryland

51 - 52

I am from Puerto Rico and I know what it feels like to not enjoy the same rights as state citizens. Let's fight for our rights and make DC the 51st US state and Puerto Rico 52nd!

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

KILL THE FILIBUSTER

I used New York Beauty orphan blocks to form a sunburst over the DC flag. Then I added wording acknowledging the District of Columbia as the upcoming 51st state. The quilt is machine stitched, appliqued, and machine quilted.

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

DC - WE ARE AMERICA

Using four African print orphan blocks arranged so that the white center could accommodate "51" to symbolize DC as the nation's 51st state. This quilt block is the companion to 51! that used a different background. Both celebrate DC's racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. Our big tent includes international embassies, free museums, parks, Go Go music, jazz venues. You name it, we've got it in DC!

Ruth Smith

Aptos, California

JUSTICE = DC STATEHOOD

Having passed the vote for statehood in the House of Representatives by more votes than ever, this quilt celebrates a hopeful trajectory toward giving full rights and representation to the people of Washington, DC, as we await the Senate to make up its mind. Central to the quilt's design are traditional emblems of the District - the American Beauty Rose; the motto "Justitia Omnibus" - Justice for All; and the red and white flag with 3 red stars, based on George Washington's coat of arms. Hands are reaching for that justice, for an equal vote in Congress, for equal representation, for that 51st star. The variety of African fabrics throughout are used to convey the rich cultural identity of the nearly 50% of the DC population that is Black. The quilt is machine stitched and quilted, with hand embroidery.

Ann Fielder

Newport, Michigan

GENERATIONS AND CHERRY BLOSSOMS FOR THE 51ST STATE

My grandson, a DC resident, and I created our Quilts 4 DC Statehood quilt. Spring is a beautiful time in DC and we enjoy our walks along the Tidal Basin when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Hence the reason we chose cherry blossoms for the back fabric and the center with "51" appliqued on it. The red, white, and blue fabrics represent our favorite holiday ~ Independence Day. We are so grateful for our freedom. In each of the four corners of the red, white, and blue fabrics is a quilted "cherry blossom". Hand quilting was done with patriotic colors to coordinate with our quilt.

Julie Katz

Columbia, Maryland

DC 51

My husband has been working in DC forever. It is about time for statehood. The quilt was quilted by CrabbyQuilter of Annapolis, Maryland.

Julie Katz

Columbia, Maryland

DC FOREVER

My inspiration was my belief that statehood for DC is long overdue. The quilt was quilted by CrabbyQuilter of Annapolis, Maryland.

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

MY TOWN

My Town is about the seven hundred thousand residents of DC who pay federal taxes but who have no voting representation in Congress. Now is the time to secure statehood. We might not get another chance in my lifetime. I wanted to highlight some of DC's famous residents and places of interest on a vivid, multicolored pieced background symbolizing My Town's vitality. This work is machine pieced and machine quilted with hand written names and places.

Dale Chambers

Washington, District of Columbia

BACK TO THE FUTURE

I tried to integrate the fact that the Capitol was built by the enslaved, and as we look forward to becoming the 51st state, our past should remain part of our present.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

51 STARS

This is my third entry, and I think it ties the best parts of my prior entries together. I included 50 pop beads for the current states and a felt DC star for the 51st. The pop beads are emblematic of the sometimes unruly nature of independence. They all seemed to want to go their own way. After sewing all 50 on, I got better at corralling them.

Donna Fitzgerald, Kristin Sliwicki, Pam Nelson, Patricia Young, Diane Bailey, Theresia Yakes, Sharon Collias (North Shore Chapter DAR, American Heritage Committee)

Lake Forest, Illinois

BLOSSOMING OF DC STATEHOOD

We are honored to submit our quilt interpretation of the quest for Washington DC Statehood. We are a group of seven women, including two quilters, three quilt-familiar sewers and two who have not sewn since grade school. We used the Washington Pride fabric and made outline stitching come to life. Embellishing the cherry trees with pink beads was the favorite task, and it turned our dedicated group into full-fledged quilters for life. The Pledge of Allegiance fabric background supporting the historic buildings, and the cherry trees and parks proudly displayed in our quilt, inspired the patriotic plea for the "Blossoming of DC Statehood" hence the name of our quilt. A shiny "51st" star brightly emphasized the challenges still present in attaining statehood. We will continue to sew in perpetuity!

Read the Full Artist Statement

Jocelyn Herbert Allen

Daytona Beach, Florida

CELEBRATE

I wanted to use a recognized building in DC, so I chose the Capitol. I also included the shape of the District of Columbia and the American Beauty Rose, the official flower, I drew all the images. I cut out all the shapes and letters and stitched them with red thread. The 51 is fabric covered with silver glitter. I wanted the quilting to look like fireworks exploding. My inspiration was calling the District of Columbia my home for 50+ years.

Sandra Ealy

Temple Hills, Maryland

51ST

I was born and raised in Washington DC. For the past 10 years, I have been living in Temple Hills, Maryland, but I always consider myself a Washingtonian. Visiting with family, friends and in fact everything I do is done in DC. DC is in my blood.

Charlene Marshall

Washington, District of Columbia

MOVE FORWARD DC

My inspiration for this quilt is the way DC has been persistent in fighting for statehood. The techniques I used are appliqué and patchwork.

Mittie Theobald Quinn

McLean, Virginia

FROM CHAINS TO 51 STARS

This piece was inspired by living in and around DC for the past 40+ years. I love our city for its inspired architecture, its symbolism, and the people who are drawn to live here. For this piece, however, I was inspired by recent acknowledgement that much of that architecture and symbolism was created and constructed from the blood, sweat, and tears of enslaved persons, many of whom were brought here from Africa. The quilt blocks at the bottom are “chain link” pattern, created from a variety of kente cloths to represent the people who worked endlessly to create a city of beauty. The images in the middle represent the Washington Monument, the US Capitol, and cherry trees, just a few of the iconic images of our city. And to top the piece, I chose red, white, and blue Stars and Stripes - and 51 to represent the addition that the “state” of DC would represent. Techniques used include traditional piecing, applique, and machine quilting. The “51” numbers are added with fabric ink to represent the modern day addition that DC would make to perfect our Union.

Shirley Royal

McDonough, Georgia

MELTING POT

I used hand piecing, embroidery, and a little creativity to describe the flavor and mood of the different areas of DC.

Janice Ewing

Yonkers, New York

UNITED WE STAND

The spiral list of states in the order of entry into the United States appears in the stars section. The bargello flag represents both fractures in our country and the unity we aspire to, especially after January 6, 2021. Residents of DC deserve full representation, a Congressperson and two Senators to protect and represent their interests. Taxation without representation demands Statehood for the residents of DC, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, in 2022.

Marilyn Hamilton Jackson

Springfield Gardens, New York

WELCOME DC TO STATEHOOD

Washington D.C. is considered a beacon when one mentions it anywhere in the United States; the District of Columbia should have been granted statehood a long time ago. When I heard that Quilts4DC was offering a challenge to create a quilt to support statehood, I felt honored to contribute. I created an original design and utilized photos I took when I came to DC in 2018, especially eager to visit The National Museum of African American History and Culture. Using 100% cotton fabric, I machine pieced the quilt together and appliqued the four photos onto it. Then, I machine quilted it using a domestic machine. Welcome DC to Statehood!

Mindy Wexler-Marks

New York, New York

VOTE

I used four popular images of DC landmarks, photos in the public domain, and created quilt using crazy quilt design techniques.

Patricia Kelly

Lemon Grove, California

Source Image: Bria Goeller

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR DC

When I saw this portrait by artist Bria Goeller with Vice President Kamala Harris walking with the shadow of Ruby Bridges leading her, I thought of the many women who fought for women's rights, including the woman's right to vote. These courageous women made Kamala Harris' election possible. The artist has granted me permission to use this image for this quilt.

Diane Larrier Collier

Jamaica, New York

FULL CITIZENSHIP

The irony of "taxation without representation" and "Black Lives Matter" is not lost on the citizens living in our nation's capital. According to the 2020 census, almost half of the region's population is African-American. The lawmakers who are responsible for maintaining the status quo are in the unique position to change it. We call on them to recognize that the residents of the District deserve to experience all of the rights and privileges that come with statehood.

League of Women Voters Gunnison Valley Quilt Team: Ellen Harriman, Lyda Mary Hardy, Shary Templeton, Rochelle Needham and Sharon Cave

Gunnison, Colorado

TRIBUTE TO DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH

The League of Women Voters Gunnison Valley Colorado Quilt Team completed this original multi-block design to help draw attention to legislation pending to make Washington, DC the 51st state called Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. We appreciated the opportunity to lend our support to this effort that is exciting for all Americans. We support this timely legislation. Five makers created the display quilt consisting of 9 individual blocks that are meant to be hung together as shown in this entry. The individual quilt blocks are displayed and described separately in the entries that follow. The blocks are all constructed of cotton fabric secured by hand quilting, and borders on each block to add stability and continuity. The three larger center blocks (12” by 30” each) are from the top: “Washington DC Monuments” by Ellen Harriman, “DC Gets It Done” by Shary Templeton, and “Washington DC Neighborhood Row Houses” on the bottom by Lyda Mary Hardy. The six smaller 12” by 12” blocks use traditional quilt techniques using the pattern Washington Sidewalks for the corners, by Lyda Mary Hardy, and the embroidered Red Oak Leaf designs commemorating the Washington DC Official Tree for the outside centers, one each by Rochelle Needham and Sharon Cave. Each block uses predominantly red and white, to commemorate the Washington, DC flag. We are very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to celebrating with you when Washington DC citizens are fully realized voters of the USA and members of the 51st state, Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.

Lyda Mary Hardy

Gunnison, Colorado

GEORGETOWN ROWHOUSES

As our League Quilt Team began to research the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge, there were many images we considered using in our designs. To me, the most striking images were of the colorful Georgetown houses, first built between 1889 and 1892. With their common walls, these rowhouses create high density housing in the city, making for the walkable neighborhoods that the District of Columbia is known for. I have always loved buildings, including artwork and quilts that depict houses. It was easy for me to envision a quilt block using the rowhouses as inspiration. I printed many pictures of Georgetown rowhouses and used them as inspiration as I worked, and kept my palette of red, white, and blue muted so that they would fit into the over all look of our quilt installation. My design, featuring five houses, is my own inspiration. The red fabric on the left is starred, evoking the DC flag. Some of the other fabrics suggest bricks. The tops of the three center buildings represents the decorative stone tops of some of the row houses. I used a variety of window and door styles. The wavy black bottom border represents either a street or the Potomac River, which some of the row houses face. The quilt back is the same muted denim of the center house, and the piece is bound in black. I quilted in black around the houses, windows, and doors, and put some waves into the street at the bottom.

Shary Templeton

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

DC GETS IT DONE

I am an author and artist and a member of LWVGV. I co-chair the Legislative Committee and am a member of the Recording, JEDI and Quilt Teams. In 2020 LWVGV made a Suffrage Quilt with hand embroidered names of 25 Suffragists. That resulted in a book about the quilt and those historic leaders, as well as a National Presentation at the May 2020 LWVUS Community Meeting. The earlier teacup design quilt sold as a fundraiser for our local League. We were honored to help review the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge as it was being developed, and in doing that, got very excited about participating. This block started with my original drawing and is a mixed media Art Quilt including beads, athletic iron-on fabric fused to cotton quilting fabric, with pieces sewn on to a white background to complete the design. The block is hand quilted and uses the Washington, DC flag colors and design in a deconstructed manner. The red and white with black accents and border, lends continuity to the larger 9-block quilt. The explosion of fireworks and chaos on the left imply the herculean effort that has been spread over decades, in order to secure the vote for Washington DC, remembering the barriers that arose over and over. The “Imagine 51” with fireworks design bursting forth is meant to draw attention to our 51st state celebration and to embrace the concept, still being debated. Then, the fabric Art design settles into the actual Washington DC flag with “Votes for DC” in words filling the right. This quilt contest was a wonderful educational opportunity and we of LWVGV are fully in favor of Washington DC Statehood. Thank you for this opportunity. It was a joy to work on. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Ellen Harriman

Gunnison, Colorado

WASHINGTON MONUMENTS

I have a lifelong interest in quilting and owned a quilt fabric shop for over a decade. In my sewing career I have completed many quilts from wall hangings to full size quilts, and it has felt very natural to combine my commitment to the mission of the League and my longtime craft by collaborating with other quilters in support of League efforts. In 2020 LWVGV created a Suffrage Quilt that was highlighted at the May LWVUS National Community Meeting, and that quilt was sold to support the work of our local League. We LWVGV quilt crafters are excited to support Statehood for DC by participating in the Quilts for DC Statehood Challenge. We created 9 separate pieces that each meet the size limitations. Each is a separate quilt that illustrates different elements of Washington DC and make quite a statement for statehood when displayed separately or together. My quilt block is composed of a white background fabric with machine appliquéd drawings of historic monuments and buildings in Washington DC. The Seminole patchwork border recognizes the many peoples who have lived in the District. DC residents deserve to be fully empowered voters. The words “Votes” and “Statehood for DC” support the theme of statehood. The machine quilting outlines the buildings and the black bindings help to unify the overall design.

Rochelle Needham

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

EMBROIDERED RED OAK TREE LEAF #1

LWV Gunnison Valley supports DC Statehood and we look forward to the day when the eligible citizens of our 51st State are fully enfranchised with the vote. This initiative and the sustained struggle is why we decided to enter the Quilts4DC Quilt Statehood Challenge. My block is one of two hand embroidered Red Oak Leaf pattern obtained from an on-line drawing. It commemorates the Washington DC Tree. The piece is hand embroidered on a white on white patterned cotton quilting fabric using DMC Embroidery Floss color #321. The black cotton fabric border lends continuity and was used for anchoring our many-pieced original design. The curved lines are reminiscent of the twists and turns of this lengthy Votes for DC sustained effort. My block was hand embroidered during our lovely summer, often outdoors, in the mountains of Crested Butte, Colorado. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Sharon Cave

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

EMBROIDERED RED OAK TREE LEAF #2

I enjoy and participate in a large variety of crafts. I was taught to embroider by my grandmother and finished a few pieces as a child. I then took a break from this skill for many years until LWVGV started the Quilt Team. I worked on both the Suffrage Tea Cup Quilt ant this Tribute to Douglass Commonwealth. I am a member of the LWVGV and enjoyed working on this quilt block, because the Red Work style embroidery dates back to the 1870’s and was often used in quilts during those years. Because of the historic nature of this technique, it reminds me of the lengthy struggle Washington DC has engaged in to secure the vote. We at LWVGV support DC Statehood and were very pleased to learn more about this struggle and participate in the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge. This block is one of two of this same design in our LWVGV larger piece, Tribute to Douglass Commonwealth, which is 9 blocks total. The design I sewed was obtained from an on-line hand drawing enlarged slightly to fit the 12” by 12” quilt block. With the Red Oak Tree representing Washington DC, I was interested in including this block using red and white, to remember the Washington DC Flag. The block was made using a white on white patterned cotton background quilting fabric and DMC Embroidery Floss color Red #321. This block is embroidered and then hand quilted. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Lyda Mary Hardy

Gunnison, Colorado

WASHINGTON SIDEWALKS (FOUR 12"X12" BLOCKS)

The block with the red crosses is a very old pattern named Washington Sidewalks. When I begin to think about a piece, sometimes I consult my Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns to see what traditional blocks were named after an area, or object, or theme. The Washington Sidewalks block is documented by the Ladies Art Company, the first mail order quilt pattern company, as pattern number 175, which dates it between 1889 and 1895. The pattern certainly evokes the numerous, varied neighborhoods in the District of Columbia. I used a red starred cotton fabric on a white background, mirroring the DC flag. Another bright red fabric is used for the back, and the square is bound in a black to frame it. The piece is 12” by 12”. The block is quilted in two continuous lines, which represent how the neighborhoods in what could become our newest state are bound together. One line goes around the center of the square, and the other outlines the edges.

Carolyn Burgess

Greensboro, North Carolina

DC FOREVER

My inspiration is my belief that DC should have statehood!

Sandy Bright

Laurelton, New York

DOUGLASS’S WEALTH

I was inspired by the stars in the fabrics I selected.

Barbara Mims

Bronx, New York

JUSTICE FOR ALL

After retirement, I joined a quilting guild and found an outlet for my creative spirit, and also the large stash of fabrics I had accumulated over the years. I started with traditional quilting and later found joy in manipulating fabrics into a piece of art. Today art can effectively be used to influence thoughts. I hope this quilt will make the audience recognize, contemplate, and be influenced to correct the injustice of taxation without full representation.

Antonia Manuela

New York, New York

THE PAST IS HERE

The Idea of the flag as reflective and not symbolic prompted the title of the quilt, "The Past is Here". We are living in the time of conversations. And, as a black woman I do not only want conversations, but I want to be the voice of my own narrative. Using fabrics found in my home with machine stitching, quilting, and tying I created my reflective flag with a broken chain and a large star that will illuminate the voices of DC residents in their new state.

Laura Worby

Washington, District of Columbia

DC 51ST STATE

I used images commonly used to promote DC statehood, including the DC flag, the outline of the map of DC, and the number 51. I used blue for DC and 51 since DC is largely Democratic. The overall combination of red, white, and blue reflects the fact that DC statehood is consistent with US stated values of one person, one vote, and no taxation without representation.

Jeanne Creekmore

Alexandria, Virginia

51 STARS

I have lived or worked in DC for 32 years, and would like to see the residents of DC get the right to vote, the right to govern themselves, as well as equal funding for programs benefiting its citizens. This quilt incorporates the colors and pattern of our American flag with 50 stars along the edges to represent the current states. The central blue shape shows the outline of DC and it is quilted with the main streets of the city. The stripes are quilted with contrasting patterns to represent the opposites contained within our city: Democrats and Republicans, buildings and nature, water and land.

Julianna Price

Alexandria, Virginia

2039

This flag quilt was made with love for my dear friends' newborn, Jack. In 2039, Jack will be old enough to cast his first ballot in a DC election. We cannot let another generation of Washingtonians come of age without full Congressional representation. May we get there before Jack walks through the doors of his local precinct! This quilt was machine pieced and quilted with applique stars, and bound by hand.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Columbia

DC - STATEHOOD 51

This quilt is inspired by the District of Columbia flag. I added the shape of DC, the number 51 and the slogan "DC Statehood" to identify DC as the 51st state of the United States of America. This is a traditional quilt, quilted on my home sewing machine.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Columbia

DC51 USA

This quilt is inspired by the United States flag. Statehood for DC will allow the residents of DC to experience full citizenship in this country. I decided to do this quilt in liberation colors - red, black, and green to signify the liberation of DC residents. This is a traditional quilt, quilted on my home sewing machine.

Lola Chaisson

Concord, Massachusetts

REPRESENT!

I kept it fairly traditional. Using piecing and raw edge applique did make the process faster. If you count the squares in the rows of lettering, there are 17 per row to equal 51. Working on it made me aware of, and able to share some statistics about the potential state.

Valerie Dibble

Kennesaw, Georgia

WASHINGTON 51

My grandmother used to work in DC and we loved visiting her and the city itself. I love the way the streets were designed, and the monuments and all the history that happened there was so enthralling. I wanted to include the first president and the city map of the beautifully designed streets. The number 51 was a significant visual I wanted to include as well. It is weird to me to think of having more than 50 states but I feel it is only right when you consider taxation without representation and the citizens of DC deserve the representation. It may be obvious, but I wanted to include red, white and blue and stars!!

Julie Hochsztein

Cooper City, Florida

XIAO QI JI

The National Zoo's "little miracle," Xiao Qi Ji, brings joy to tourists and Washington DC locals alike.

Julie Hochsztein

Cooper City, Florida

VOTE!

Washington DC residents should have a voice and a VOTE in Congress!

Janice Ewing

Yonkers, New York

VOTING RIGHTS FOR TAXPAYING AMERICANS

My grandchildren helped draw these images as we discussed the issue of statehood for DC. They had a hard time understanding why DC was not duly represented in Congress like the rest of us.

Marlene Clark

Silver Spring, Maryland

THE TIME IS NOW

My inspiration for this quilt is my belief that we all need to stand in solidarity with the people of DC for DC statehood. The residents of Washington, DC deserve the same rights as residents in the other 50 states. The quilt was designed by me and the technique I used was raw edge applique.

Barbara Garlock

Washington, District of Columbia

DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH, THE 51ST STATE

I was inspired by the life story of Frederick Douglass (1817 - 1895). When DC becomes Douglass Commonwealth, we will be honoring a transformational figure in world history - and a Washingtonian. Born into slavery and self-taught, Douglass was an author, journalist, and orator, and achieved international fame as an outspoken abolitionist. Considered the father of the Civil Rights movement, Douglass was, remarkably, the most photographed American of the 19th century. Someday, I hope we all immediately recognize his portrait, as we now do those of Washington and Lincoln. The daguerreotype is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Rubel Collection (public domain) and the quote is from Douglass’ second autobiography, My Bondage and My Freedom. The font is Douglass Pen™ ©2011 by Brian Willson / Three Islands Press / www.oldfonts.com.

Carolyn Campbell-Flowe

Laurel, Maryland

TYRANNY RULES

It wasn't until I relocated to the Washington, DC area that I heard the quote "taxation without representation" and learned what it means in the District of Columbia. So, when the opportunity to make a pro-DC statehood quilt, I jumped into action. We must do what is needed to right this wrong by making DC our 51st state. I began quilting about 16 years ago when I moved to the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia). "Tyranny Rules" is a scrap quilt, as are all my American-themed quilts. For me, scrappiness represents the diversity of American cultures, genders, races, religions, nationalities and the many ways Americans differ. As always, I want my quilts to be thought provoking and to conjure emotions viewers. For this quilt, all fabrics, thread and batting are cotton. Seed beading, blanket and backstitches are used in the embroidery and some lettering is painted using acrylic paints and fabric pens.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

EQUAL TREATMENT

My sister, Bianca Ralston, was visiting from California, and she got me excited about doing another quilt. So with her input, I put together this quilt referring to the 14th Amendment. Her idea was to represent the 50 current states with a border of red with white stars and blue alternating squares. Then DC is represented by its flag.

Carol Berman

Bethesda, Maryland

HOPE

My inspiration was asking myself a question about making DC the 51st state: “Given the opportunity today, how would our past presidents, who are so powerfully present on the DC Mall, vote?" I concluded they would all surely and emphatically be in agreement. The hat of the number five represents the Lincoln Memorial and the belly, the Jefferson. The numbers’ tall stature encourages us to stand tall with this issue. The reflecting pool symbolizes how fluid we all must be to make things happen. The jagged edges of the VOTE thread illustrates the hardships the country is facing with voting legislation. The clear blue sky depicts clarity in voting YES. The green elements: trees, binding and back reflects my hope that Congress men and women will govern for a financially secure and greener future for our country.

Lisa DuCoing

Carson City, Nevada

STARS ON PARADE

I used my crazy quilting to create a parade of 50 stars to symbolize the current states and "51" to symbolize DC as the 51st state on central silk star.

Laura Worby

Washington, District of Colombia

WASHINGTON DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH 51ST STATE

This quilt honors Frederick Douglass for whom the new state will be named. I used a log cabin block set as a diamond to reflect the shape of the new state, with a rose at the center to highlight the DC state flower. The colors reflects the many skin tones that make up DC's racially, ethnically, culturally diverse population. Techniques include machine piecing, applique, embroidery, and hand-quilting.

Carolyn Burgess

Greensboro, North Carolina

WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS THE 4TH OF JULY?

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass was invited to address the citizens of his hometown, Rochester, New York. Whatever the expectations of his audience on that 76th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Douglass used the occasion not to celebrate the nation's triumphs, but to remind all of its continuing enslavement of millions of people.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Colombia

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AMERICAN PROPHET

This quilt was made in support of Statehood for Washington, DC, and in honor of the production of "American Prophet", a musical depicting the life of Frederick Douglass, to be staged at Arena Stage in Washington, DC during the summer of 2022. May the District of Columbia soon become Douglass Commonwealth.

CHECK OUT LWVDC’S BARBARA GARLOCK ON NBC4 DISCUSSING THE IMPACT OF QUILTS4DC STATEHOOD!

Aynex Mercado

Frederick, Maryland

51 - 52

I am from Puerto Rico and I know what it feels like to not enjoy the same rights as state citizens. Let's fight for our rights and make DC the 51st US state and Puerto Rico 52nd!

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

KILL THE FILIBUSTER

I used New York Beauty orphan blocks to form a sunburst over the DC flag. Then I added wording acknowledging the District of Columbia as the upcoming 51st state. The quilt is machine stitched, appliqued, and machine quilted.

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

DC - WE ARE AMERICA

Using four African print orphan blocks arranged so that the white center could accommodate "51" to symbolize DC as the nation's 51st state. This quilt block is the companion to 51! that used a different background. Both celebrate DC's racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. Our big tent includes international embassies, free museums, parks, Go Go music, jazz venues. You name it, we've got it in DC!

Ruth Smith

Aptos, California

JUSTICE = DC STATEHOOD

Having passed the vote for statehood in the House of Representatives by more votes than ever, this quilt celebrates a hopeful trajectory toward giving full rights and representation to the people of Washington, DC, as we await the Senate to make up its mind. Central to the quilt's design are traditional emblems of the District - the American Beauty Rose; the motto "Justitia Omnibus" - Justice for All; and the red and white flag with 3 red stars, based on George Washington's coat of arms. Hands are reaching for that justice, for an equal vote in Congress, for equal representation, for that 51st star. The variety of African fabrics throughout are used to convey the rich cultural identity of the nearly 50% of the DC population that is Black. The quilt is machine stitched and quilted, with hand embroidery.

Ann Fielder

Newport, Michigan

GENERATIONS AND CHERRY BLOSSOMS FOR THE 51ST STATE

My grandson, a DC resident, and I created our Quilts 4 DC Statehood quilt. Spring is a beautiful time in DC and we enjoy our walks along the Tidal Basin when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Hence the reason we chose cherry blossoms for the back fabric and the center with "51" appliqued on it. The red, white, and blue fabrics represent our favorite holiday ~ Independence Day. We are so grateful for our freedom. In each of the four corners of the red, white, and blue fabrics is a quilted "cherry blossom". Hand quilting was done with patriotic colors to coordinate with our quilt.

Julie Katz

Columbia, Maryland

DC 51

My husband has been working in DC forever. It is about time for statehood. The quilt was quilted by CrabbyQuilter of Annapolis, Maryland.

Julie Katz

Columbia, Maryland

DC FOREVER

My inspiration was my belief that statehood for DC is long overdue. The quilt was quilted by CrabbyQuilter of Annapolis, Maryland.

Sandy Hassan

Washington, District of Columbia

MY TOWN

My Town is about the seven hundred thousand residents of DC who pay federal taxes but who have no voting representation in Congress. Now is the time to secure statehood. We might not get another chance in my lifetime. I wanted to highlight some of DC's famous residents and places of interest on a vivid, multicolored pieced background symbolizing My Town's vitality. This work is machine pieced and machine quilted with hand written names and places.

Dale Chambers

Washington, District of Columbia

BACK TO THE FUTURE

I tried to integrate the fact that the Capitol was built by the enslaved, and as we look forward to becoming the 51st state, our past should remain part of our present.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

51 STARS

This is my third entry, and I think it ties the best parts of my prior entries together. I included 50 pop beads for the current states and a felt DC star for the 51st. The pop beads are emblematic of the sometimes unruly nature of independence. They all seemed to want to go their own way. After sewing all 50 on, I got better at corralling them.

Donna Fitzgerald, Kristin Sliwicki, Pam Nelson, Patricia Young, Diane Bailey, Theresia Yakes, Sharon Collias (North Shore Chapter DAR, American Heritage Committee)

Lake Forest, Illinois

BLOSSOMING OF DC STATEHOOD

We are honored to submit our quilt interpretation of the quest for Washington DC Statehood. We are a group of seven women, including two quilters, three quilt-familiar sewers and two who have not sewn since grade school. We used the Washington Pride fabric and made outline stitching come to life. Embellishing the cherry trees with pink beads was the favorite task, and it turned our dedicated group into full-fledged quilters for life. The Pledge of Allegiance fabric background supporting the historic buildings, and the cherry trees and parks proudly displayed in our quilt, inspired the patriotic plea for the "Blossoming of DC Statehood" hence the name of our quilt. A shiny "51st" star brightly emphasized the challenges still present in attaining statehood. We will continue to sew in perpetuity!

Read the Full Artist Statement

Jocelyn Herbert Allen

Daytona Beach, Florida

CELEBRATE

I wanted to use a recognized building in DC, so I chose the Capitol. I also included the shape of the District of Columbia and the American Beauty Rose, the official flower, I drew all the images. I cut out all the shapes and letters and stitched them with red thread. The 51 is fabric covered with silver glitter. I wanted the quilting to look like fireworks exploding. My inspiration was calling the District of Columbia my home for 50+ years.

Sandra Ealy

Temple Hills, Maryland

51ST

I was born and raised in Washington DC. For the past 10 years, I have been living in Temple Hills, Maryland, but I always consider myself a Washingtonian. Visiting with family, friends and in fact everything I do is done in DC. DC is in my blood.

Charlene Marshall

Washington, District of Columbia

MOVE FORWARD DC

My inspiration for this quilt is the way DC has been persistent in fighting for statehood. The techniques I used are appliqué and patchwork.

Mittie Theobald Quinn

McLean, Virginia

FROM CHAINS TO 51 STARS

This piece was inspired by living in and around DC for the past 40+ years. I love our city for its inspired architecture, its symbolism, and the people who are drawn to live here. For this piece, however, I was inspired by recent acknowledgement that much of that architecture and symbolism was created and constructed from the blood, sweat, and tears of enslaved persons, many of whom were brought here from Africa. The quilt blocks at the bottom are “chain link” pattern, created from a variety of kente cloths to represent the people who worked endlessly to create a city of beauty. The images in the middle represent the Washington Monument, the US Capitol, and cherry trees, just a few of the iconic images of our city. And to top the piece, I chose red, white, and blue Stars and Stripes - and 51 to represent the addition that the “state” of DC would represent. Techniques used include traditional piecing, applique, and machine quilting. The “51” numbers are added with fabric ink to represent the modern day addition that DC would make to perfect our Union.

Shirley Royal

McDonough, Georgia

MELTING POT

I used hand piecing, embroidery, and a little creativity to describe the flavor and mood of the different areas of DC.

Janice Ewing

Yonkers, New York

UNITED WE STAND

The spiral list of states in the order of entry into the United States appears in the stars section. The bargello flag represents both fractures in our country and the unity we aspire to, especially after January 6, 2021. Residents of DC deserve full representation, a Congressperson and two Senators to protect and represent their interests. Taxation without representation demands Statehood for the residents of DC, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, in 2022.

Marilyn Hamilton Jackson

Springfield Gardens, New York

WELCOME DC TO STATEHOOD

Washington D.C. is considered a beacon when one mentions it anywhere in the United States; the District of Columbia should have been granted statehood a long time ago. When I heard that Quilts4DC was offering a challenge to create a quilt to support statehood, I felt honored to contribute. I created an original design and utilized photos I took when I came to DC in 2018, especially eager to visit The National Museum of African American History and Culture. Using 100% cotton fabric, I machine pieced the quilt together and appliqued the four photos onto it. Then, I machine quilted it using a domestic machine. Welcome DC to Statehood!

Mindy Wexler-Marks

New York, New York

VOTE

I used four popular images of DC landmarks, photos in the public domain, and created quilt using crazy quilt design techniques.

Patricia Kelly

Lemon Grove, California

Source Image: Bria Goeller

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS FOR DC

When I saw this portrait by artist Bria Goeller with Vice President Kamala Harris walking with the shadow of Ruby Bridges leading her, I thought of the many women who fought for women's rights, including the woman's right to vote. These courageous women made Kamala Harris' election possible. The artist has granted me permission to use this image for this quilt.

Diane Larrier Collier

Jamaica, New York

FULL CITIZENSHIP

The irony of "taxation without representation" and "Black Lives Matter" is not lost on the citizens living in our nation's capital. According to the 2020 census, almost half of the region's population is African-American. The lawmakers who are responsible for maintaining the status quo are in the unique position to change it. We call on them to recognize that the residents of the District deserve to experience all of the rights and privileges that come with statehood.

League of Women Voters Gunnison Valley Quilt Team: Ellen Harriman, Lyda Mary Hardy, Shary Templeton, Rochelle Needham and Sharon Cave

Gunnison, Colorado

TRIBUTE TO DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH

The League of Women Voters Gunnison Valley Colorado Quilt Team completed this original multi-block design to help draw attention to legislation pending to make Washington, DC the 51st state called Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. We appreciated the opportunity to lend our support to this effort that is exciting for all Americans. We support this timely legislation. Five makers created the display quilt consisting of 9 individual blocks that are meant to be hung together as shown in this entry. The individual quilt blocks are displayed and described separately in the entries that follow. The blocks are all constructed of cotton fabric secured by hand quilting, and borders on each block to add stability and continuity. The three larger center blocks (12” by 30” each) are from the top: “Washington DC Monuments” by Ellen Harriman, “DC Gets It Done” by Shary Templeton, and “Washington DC Neighborhood Row Houses” on the bottom by Lyda Mary Hardy. The six smaller 12” by 12” blocks use traditional quilt techniques using the pattern Washington Sidewalks for the corners, by Lyda Mary Hardy, and the embroidered Red Oak Leaf designs commemorating the Washington DC Official Tree for the outside centers, one each by Rochelle Needham and Sharon Cave. Each block uses predominantly red and white, to commemorate the Washington, DC flag. We are very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to celebrating with you when Washington DC citizens are fully realized voters of the USA and members of the 51st state, Washington, Douglass Commonwealth.

Lyda Mary Hardy

Gunnison, Colorado

GEORGETOWN ROWHOUSES

As our League Quilt Team began to research the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge, there were many images we considered using in our designs. To me, the most striking images were of the colorful Georgetown houses, first built between 1889 and 1892. With their common walls, these rowhouses create high density housing in the city, making for the walkable neighborhoods that the District of Columbia is known for. I have always loved buildings, including artwork and quilts that depict houses. It was easy for me to envision a quilt block using the rowhouses as inspiration. I printed many pictures of Georgetown rowhouses and used them as inspiration as I worked, and kept my palette of red, white, and blue muted so that they would fit into the over all look of our quilt installation. My design, featuring five houses, is my own inspiration. The red fabric on the left is starred, evoking the DC flag. Some of the other fabrics suggest bricks. The tops of the three center buildings represents the decorative stone tops of some of the row houses. I used a variety of window and door styles. The wavy black bottom border represents either a street or the Potomac River, which some of the row houses face. The quilt back is the same muted denim of the center house, and the piece is bound in black. I quilted in black around the houses, windows, and doors, and put some waves into the street at the bottom.

Shary Templeton

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

DC GETS IT DONE

I am an author and artist and a member of LWVGV. I co-chair the Legislative Committee and am a member of the Recording, JEDI and Quilt Teams. In 2020 LWVGV made a Suffrage Quilt with hand embroidered names of 25 Suffragists. That resulted in a book about the quilt and those historic leaders, as well as a National Presentation at the May 2020 LWVUS Community Meeting. The earlier teacup design quilt sold as a fundraiser for our local League. We were honored to help review the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge as it was being developed, and in doing that, got very excited about participating. This block started with my original drawing and is a mixed media Art Quilt including beads, athletic iron-on fabric fused to cotton quilting fabric, with pieces sewn on to a white background to complete the design. The block is hand quilted and uses the Washington, DC flag colors and design in a deconstructed manner. The red and white with black accents and border, lends continuity to the larger 9-block quilt. The explosion of fireworks and chaos on the left imply the herculean effort that has been spread over decades, in order to secure the vote for Washington DC, remembering the barriers that arose over and over. The “Imagine 51” with fireworks design bursting forth is meant to draw attention to our 51st state celebration and to embrace the concept, still being debated. Then, the fabric Art design settles into the actual Washington DC flag with “Votes for DC” in words filling the right. This quilt contest was a wonderful educational opportunity and we of LWVGV are fully in favor of Washington DC Statehood. Thank you for this opportunity. It was a joy to work on. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Ellen Harriman

Gunnison, Colorado

WASHINGTON MONUMENTS

I have a lifelong interest in quilting and owned a quilt fabric shop for over a decade. In my sewing career I have completed many quilts from wall hangings to full size quilts, and it has felt very natural to combine my commitment to the mission of the League and my longtime craft by collaborating with other quilters in support of League efforts. In 2020 LWVGV created a Suffrage Quilt that was highlighted at the May LWVUS National Community Meeting, and that quilt was sold to support the work of our local League. We LWVGV quilt crafters are excited to support Statehood for DC by participating in the Quilts for DC Statehood Challenge. We created 9 separate pieces that each meet the size limitations. Each is a separate quilt that illustrates different elements of Washington DC and make quite a statement for statehood when displayed separately or together. My quilt block is composed of a white background fabric with machine appliquéd drawings of historic monuments and buildings in Washington DC. The Seminole patchwork border recognizes the many peoples who have lived in the District. DC residents deserve to be fully empowered voters. The words “Votes” and “Statehood for DC” support the theme of statehood. The machine quilting outlines the buildings and the black bindings help to unify the overall design.

Rochelle Needham

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

EMBROIDERED RED OAK TREE LEAF #1

LWV Gunnison Valley supports DC Statehood and we look forward to the day when the eligible citizens of our 51st State are fully enfranchised with the vote. This initiative and the sustained struggle is why we decided to enter the Quilts4DC Quilt Statehood Challenge. My block is one of two hand embroidered Red Oak Leaf pattern obtained from an on-line drawing. It commemorates the Washington DC Tree. The piece is hand embroidered on a white on white patterned cotton quilting fabric using DMC Embroidery Floss color #321. The black cotton fabric border lends continuity and was used for anchoring our many-pieced original design. The curved lines are reminiscent of the twists and turns of this lengthy Votes for DC sustained effort. My block was hand embroidered during our lovely summer, often outdoors, in the mountains of Crested Butte, Colorado. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Sharon Cave

Gunnison, Colorado

Quilted by: Ellen Harriman

EMBROIDERED RED OAK TREE LEAF #2

I enjoy and participate in a large variety of crafts. I was taught to embroider by my grandmother and finished a few pieces as a child. I then took a break from this skill for many years until LWVGV started the Quilt Team. I worked on both the Suffrage Tea Cup Quilt ant this Tribute to Douglass Commonwealth. I am a member of the LWVGV and enjoyed working on this quilt block, because the Red Work style embroidery dates back to the 1870’s and was often used in quilts during those years. Because of the historic nature of this technique, it reminds me of the lengthy struggle Washington DC has engaged in to secure the vote. We at LWVGV support DC Statehood and were very pleased to learn more about this struggle and participate in the Quilts4DC Statehood Challenge. This block is one of two of this same design in our LWVGV larger piece, Tribute to Douglass Commonwealth, which is 9 blocks total. The design I sewed was obtained from an on-line hand drawing enlarged slightly to fit the 12” by 12” quilt block. With the Red Oak Tree representing Washington DC, I was interested in including this block using red and white, to remember the Washington DC Flag. The block was made using a white on white patterned cotton background quilting fabric and DMC Embroidery Floss color Red #321. This block is embroidered and then hand quilted. The quilting was done by Ellen Harriman.

Lyda Mary Hardy

Gunnison, Colorado

WASHINGTON SIDEWALKS (FOUR 12"X12" BLOCKS)

The block with the red crosses is a very old pattern named Washington Sidewalks. When I begin to think about a piece, sometimes I consult my Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns to see what traditional blocks were named after an area, or object, or theme. The Washington Sidewalks block is documented by the Ladies Art Company, the first mail order quilt pattern company, as pattern number 175, which dates it between 1889 and 1895. The pattern certainly evokes the numerous, varied neighborhoods in the District of Columbia. I used a red starred cotton fabric on a white background, mirroring the DC flag. Another bright red fabric is used for the back, and the square is bound in a black to frame it. The piece is 12” by 12”. The block is quilted in two continuous lines, which represent how the neighborhoods in what could become our newest state are bound together. One line goes around the center of the square, and the other outlines the edges.

Carolyn Burgess

Greensboro, North Carolina

DC FOREVER

My inspiration is my belief that DC should have statehood!

Sandy Bright

Laurelton, New York

DOUGLASS’S WEALTH

I was inspired by the stars in the fabrics I selected.

Barbara Mims

Bronx, New York

JUSTICE FOR ALL

After retirement, I joined a quilting guild and found an outlet for my creative spirit, and also the large stash of fabrics I had accumulated over the years. I started with traditional quilting and later found joy in manipulating fabrics into a piece of art. Today art can effectively be used to influence thoughts. I hope this quilt will make the audience recognize, contemplate, and be influenced to correct the injustice of taxation without full representation.

Antonia Manuela

New York, New York

THE PAST IS HERE

The Idea of the flag as reflective and not symbolic prompted the title of the quilt, "The Past is Here". We are living in the time of conversations. And, as a black woman I do not only want conversations, but I want to be the voice of my own narrative. Using fabrics found in my home with machine stitching, quilting, and tying I created my reflective flag with a broken chain and a large star that will illuminate the voices of DC residents in their new state.

Laura Worby

Washington, District of Columbia

DC 51ST STATE

I used images commonly used to promote DC statehood, including the DC flag, the outline of the map of DC, and the number 51. I used blue for DC and 51 since DC is largely Democratic. The overall combination of red, white, and blue reflects the fact that DC statehood is consistent with US stated values of one person, one vote, and no taxation without representation.

Jeanne Creekmore

Alexandria, Virginia

51 STARS

I have lived or worked in DC for 32 years, and would like to see the residents of DC get the right to vote, the right to govern themselves, as well as equal funding for programs benefiting its citizens. This quilt incorporates the colors and pattern of our American flag with 50 stars along the edges to represent the current states. The central blue shape shows the outline of DC and it is quilted with the main streets of the city. The stripes are quilted with contrasting patterns to represent the opposites contained within our city: Democrats and Republicans, buildings and nature, water and land.

Julianna Price

Alexandria, Virginia

2039

This flag quilt was made with love for my dear friends' newborn, Jack. In 2039, Jack will be old enough to cast his first ballot in a DC election. We cannot let another generation of Washingtonians come of age without full Congressional representation. May we get there before Jack walks through the doors of his local precinct! This quilt was machine pieced and quilted with applique stars, and bound by hand.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Columbia

DC - STATEHOOD 51

This quilt is inspired by the District of Columbia flag. I added the shape of DC, the number 51 and the slogan "DC Statehood" to identify DC as the 51st state of the United States of America. This is a traditional quilt, quilted on my home sewing machine.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Columbia

DC51 USA

This quilt is inspired by the United States flag. Statehood for DC will allow the residents of DC to experience full citizenship in this country. I decided to do this quilt in liberation colors - red, black, and green to signify the liberation of DC residents. This is a traditional quilt, quilted on my home sewing machine.

Lola Chaisson

Concord, Massachusetts

REPRESENT!

I kept it fairly traditional. Using piecing and raw edge applique did make the process faster. If you count the squares in the rows of lettering, there are 17 per row to equal 51. Working on it made me aware of, and able to share some statistics about the potential state.

Valerie Dibble

Kennesaw, Georgia

WASHINGTON 51

My grandmother used to work in DC and we loved visiting her and the city itself. I love the way the streets were designed, and the monuments and all the history that happened there was so enthralling. I wanted to include the first president and the city map of the beautifully designed streets. The number 51 was a significant visual I wanted to include as well. It is weird to me to think of having more than 50 states but I feel it is only right when you consider taxation without representation and the citizens of DC deserve the representation. It may be obvious, but I wanted to include red, white and blue and stars!!

Julie Hochsztein

Cooper City, Florida

XIAO QI JI

The National Zoo's "little miracle," Xiao Qi Ji, brings joy to tourists and Washington DC locals alike.

Julie Hochsztein

Cooper City, Florida

VOTE!

Washington DC residents should have a voice and a VOTE in Congress!

Janice Ewing

Yonkers, New York

VOTING RIGHTS FOR TAXPAYING AMERICANS

My grandchildren helped draw these images as we discussed the issue of statehood for DC. They had a hard time understanding why DC was not duly represented in Congress like the rest of us.

Marlene Clark

Silver Spring, Maryland

THE TIME IS NOW

My inspiration for this quilt is my belief that we all need to stand in solidarity with the people of DC for DC statehood. The residents of Washington, DC deserve the same rights as residents in the other 50 states. The quilt was designed by me and the technique I used was raw edge applique.

Barbara Garlock

Washington, District of Columbia

DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH, THE 51ST STATE

I was inspired by the life story of Frederick Douglass (1817 - 1895). When DC becomes Douglass Commonwealth, we will be honoring a transformational figure in world history - and a Washingtonian. Born into slavery and self-taught, Douglass was an author, journalist, and orator, and achieved international fame as an outspoken abolitionist. Considered the father of the Civil Rights movement, Douglass was, remarkably, the most photographed American of the 19th century. Someday, I hope we all immediately recognize his portrait, as we now do those of Washington and Lincoln. The daguerreotype is from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Rubel Collection (public domain) and the quote is from Douglass’ second autobiography, My Bondage and My Freedom. The font is Douglass Pen™ ©2011 by Brian Willson / Three Islands Press / www.oldfonts.com.

Carolyn Campbell-Flowe

Laurel, Maryland

TYRANNY RULES

It wasn't until I relocated to the Washington, DC area that I heard the quote "taxation without representation" and learned what it means in the District of Columbia. So, when the opportunity to make a pro-DC statehood quilt, I jumped into action. We must do what is needed to right this wrong by making DC our 51st state. I began quilting about 16 years ago when I moved to the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia). "Tyranny Rules" is a scrap quilt, as are all my American-themed quilts. For me, scrappiness represents the diversity of American cultures, genders, races, religions, nationalities and the many ways Americans differ. As always, I want my quilts to be thought provoking and to conjure emotions viewers. For this quilt, all fabrics, thread and batting are cotton. Seed beading, blanket and backstitches are used in the embroidery and some lettering is painted using acrylic paints and fabric pens.

Leanne Chase

Wichita, Kansas

EQUAL TREATMENT

My sister, Bianca Ralston, was visiting from California, and she got me excited about doing another quilt. So with her input, I put together this quilt referring to the 14th Amendment. Her idea was to represent the 50 current states with a border of red with white stars and blue alternating squares. Then DC is represented by its flag.

Carol Berman

Bethesda, Maryland

HOPE

My inspiration was asking myself a question about making DC the 51st state: “Given the opportunity today, how would our past presidents, who are so powerfully present on the DC Mall, vote?" I concluded they would all surely and emphatically be in agreement. The hat of the number five represents the Lincoln Memorial and the belly, the Jefferson. The numbers’ tall stature encourages us to stand tall with this issue. The reflecting pool symbolizes how fluid we all must be to make things happen. The jagged edges of the VOTE thread illustrates the hardships the country is facing with voting legislation. The clear blue sky depicts clarity in voting YES. The green elements: trees, binding and back reflects my hope that Congress men and women will govern for a financially secure and greener future for our country.

Lisa DuCoing

Carson City, Nevada

STARS ON PARADE

I used my crazy quilting to create a parade of 50 stars to symbolize the current states and "51" to symbolize DC as the 51st state on central silk star.

Laura Worby

Washington, District of Colombia

WASHINGTON DOUGLASS COMMONWEALTH 51ST STATE

This quilt honors Frederick Douglass for whom the new state will be named. I used a log cabin block set as a diamond to reflect the shape of the new state, with a rose at the center to highlight the DC state flower. The colors reflects the many skin tones that make up DC's racially, ethnically, culturally diverse population. Techniques include machine piecing, applique, embroidery, and hand-quilting.

Carolyn Burgess

Greensboro, North Carolina

WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS THE 4TH OF JULY?

On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass was invited to address the citizens of his hometown, Rochester, New York. Whatever the expectations of his audience on that 76th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Douglass used the occasion not to celebrate the nation's triumphs, but to remind all of its continuing enslavement of millions of people.

Gwendolyn Jackson

Washington, District of Colombia

FREDERICK DOUGLASS, AMERICAN PROPHET

This quilt was made in support of Statehood for Washington, DC, and in honor of the production of "American Prophet", a musical depicting the life of Frederick Douglass, to be staged at Arena Stage in Washington, DC during the summer of 2022. May the District of Columbia soon become Douglass Commonwealth.

For more information about QUILTS4DC, please contact Barbara Garlock at trustee3@lwvdc.org.