STORY QUILT - Testimonies of ICE Resistance Specifications

The Testimonies of
ICE Resistance
Story Quilt
Specifications

Note: This quilt follows an open, improvisational structure, where each panel stands as its own testimony and the whole becomes a shared record of lived experience.

Quilt Specifications

Size & Scale

Finished Quilt Size

108″ × 110″ (274.32 × 279.4 cm) — King size
This is the maximum intended size for each individual quilt.
- If submissions exceed capacity, additional quilts or alternative installation formats may be explored.

Quilt Panel Size

Submitted: 10½” × 10½” (26.67 × 26.67 cm) to allow a ½” (1.25 cm) seam allowance on all sides
Finished: 10″ × 10″ (24.5 × 24.5 cm)

Please measure carefully

Blocks that are too small cannot be enlarged during assembly.

Materials

Core Materials:

Fabric
Thread
Fabric paints (such as those found here)
Printed fabric text
Quiltable mixed media

New materials are not required, nor is 100% cotton. There is absolutely no need to purchase fabric in order to tell your story.

Recycled & Lived‑In Textiles

Contributors are encouraged to use recycled or repurposed textiles — worn clothing, scraps, inherited fabric, or remnants from past projects. These lived‑in materials carry their own histories, adding depth and resonance to the collective quilt.

Charm Kits (optional)

We understand that some contributors may not be able to access fabric locally, or travel to purchase supplies.
To help remove barriers to participation, a member of the Patchwork of Resistance collective has made available a limited number of pre-cut charm kits in their Etsy shop at cost + plus shipping.
Further charm kits will be added to their shop soon. Keep an eye out for “Patchwork of Resistance” in the listing title.
These kits are offered purely to support participation. No profit is made from their sale.

Notions & Haberdashery

Must Have: Thread, Needles,
Optional, but nice to have: Threader, thimbles, sewing machine, etc.
We will add a list of supplies we can’t live without to the Resources & Inspiration page soon.

Embroidery & Embellishment Guidelines

Participants may embroider or embellish anywhere on their block, provided that:

All embellishment remains low-profile and flexible. Nothing should protrude more than approximately 2–3 mm above the fabric surface.
No beads, buttons, charms, sequins, shells, wire, or other hard or rigid materials are used.
Avoid heavily padded stitches, trapunto, or dense layered appliqué that creates noticeable height or bulk.
The quilt will be long-arm quilted, and quilting stitches may run directly over embroidered areas.

In short: Please keep all embellishment soft, flexible, and close to the fabric surface.

Long-Arm Safe Requirements

A long‑arm quilting machine is the equipment we’ll use to join all the blocks together in the final quilt. It stitches through many layers at once, so it needs materials that can move smoothly under the needle. Anything too rigid, sticky, bulky, or hard can damage the machine or prevent your block from being quilted. If you stick to fabric, thread, and soft, stitchable materials, you’re absolutely fine.

All materials must be safe for machine and long‑arm quilting during final assembly.

Important:

All materials must be safe for machine sewing.
Please do not use glue or rigid materials such as acrylic or oil paint.
Submissions made with unsafe materials may not be included in the finished quilt(s).

Please Do Not Use:

Glue or adhesives
Rigid materials
Heavy dimensional objects
Beads, metal, or plastic
Thick or layered elements that could damage quilting equipment or interfere with stitching

Submissions that are not long‑arm safe may not be included in the finished quilt.