Fabric of Appalachia
Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently launched a fun nation-wide quilt-a-long, stitching together American history one quilt block at a time. This wonderful celebration called Fabric of Appalachia honors 250 years of American independence while exploring the fabric, both cultural and literal, of Appalachia. Just as local Appalachian traditions drew from music, stories, and foods of Indigenous, enslaved and free African Americans, and European immigrants in the region, regional quilts were also influenced by this “confluence of cultures.” Through introducing a variety of traditional quilt block patterns, the National Parks team shares quilting’s connection to history.
How to Join the Quilt-A-Long
On the Park’s website, you’ll find a supply list along with patterns and instructions for how to make each quilt block. So far, patterns for Nine Patch, Churn Dash, Double Pinwheel, Schoolhouse, Log Cabin, Virginia Reel, and Road to Tennessee have been posted, with more on the way. New blocks will be released weekly through September 18, 2026. You’ll need about 3.5 yards of fabric for the full top, plus batting and backing. The park's own version uses a scrappy mix of deep purples with yellows and oranges.
Detail of a nineteenth-century quilt nine patch quilt, acm1991.0097.0001. Photo courtesy of the Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution nineteenth-century quilt.
Here's the fun twist—the final quilt design is a mystery. The park's teaser photo hides it behind a big purple question mark, and you can either peek at the reveal or sew along blind and let the pattern unfold week by week.
Whether you hand piece or run them through a machine, making the quilt blocks is a sweet way to stitch a little mountain history and celebrate American history, too.
Check out this National Park video to learn more about the project and how you can participate.
And here’s something so special: PieceWork’s Winter 2026 quilting issue—we’re putting the final touches on it now for an October release—just might have a quilting project with its own tribute to the Great Smoky Mountains. Stay tuned!
Happy quilting,
Karen