The Appalachian Mountains hold secrets in the morning haze, quiet bones in the dark soil, and murmur songs in the whispering hemlocks. But for the mountain people, scraps of fabric have held their secrets, struggles, and stories for decades. 

Quilting for Community Recovery is a project hosted by professors from NC State University, Appalachian State University, and Universidad de los Andes (Bogotá, Colombia). The project is brought to areas affected by Helene, and came to the Watauga County Library October 4. 

Individuals of all ages, quilting experience, backgrounds, and languages came to heal and share their stories of the hurricane through the physical artistic process of sewing a quilt square. Many techniques are used on the squares, such as hot glue, hand stitching, markers, and safety pins, but the squares all represent a unique memory from Hurricane Helene. At the end of the session, the squares are collected and will be combined into a quilt to exhibit at national museums. 

Below is a digitally compiled quilt with squares from both the workshop in Boone and one held in Asheville. To explore three personal stories of Helene represented by quilt squares, click on the tabs at the top of the website.