At the 2001 International Quilt Festival held just weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, an idea for a three-year collaborative fabric art project was born.
A group of quilt makers from Japan made 10-inch quilt blocks in 2001 expressing their condolences and support for the United States. By late 2004, quilt makers from the San Antonio area had sewn the 139 quilt blocks into 40 finished quilts.
This slide show represents a selection of those quilts, which are part of the Reflections on 9/11 Quilt Collection at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, a research center at the university.
The project was a healing experience for many of the participants, according to the Briscoe Center. The designs and messages printed, stitched and embroidered on the quilt blocks express hope, sympathy, love and peace.
The quilts are preserved and made available for research at the Briscoe Center, located in Sid Richardson Hall.
Read more about the 9/11 quilts and project participants on the Briscoe Center’s Web site.
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