Bar Harbor Historical Society’s “Community Threads, Stitched Together” Celebrates Textile Makers in Our Community
BAR HARBOR—Join the Bar Harbor Historical Society for “Community Threads, Stitched Together” on Friday, May 15, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, May 16 and May 17, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The program celebrates historic and contemporary textiles and the people who made them.
This pre-season weekend is free and open to all, thanks to the Hattie A. and Fred C. Lynam Trust. There will be speakers, yarn spinning, and cordage making demonstrations, community weaving projects, and more. BHHS is honored to accept a donation of COVID-19 Community Masks made by Cristy Benson.
“From the time I could pick up a needle, I have always loved working with fibers. During the isolation of the pandemic, I made about 650 masks. The fabrics inspired me to make a quilt to honor all those making masks in our community,” Benson said.
This quilt is pieced together with the mask fabrics donated by seven local mask makers during the height of the pandemic and represents a fraction of the local handmade masks produced in 2020.
Benson explained, “I made two copies of this quilt. The other was donated to the Maine CDC and hangs outside Dr Shaw’s office.”
Quilts and other textiles record family history, narrate local and world events, and translate the world’s natural beauty. Historically, women have created utilitarian textiles that told stories of family and community. Contemporary quilting crosses gender lines and often focuses on social justice issues. Moser says, “ This exhibition is as much about family and community stories as it is about textiles.”
Events include:
Saturday 12:30-2:30 p.m. Demonstrations by the Wednesday Spinners, Susan Barrett Merrill, and the Community Loom
Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. “Quilt Talk” by Sarah Ann Smith, and 12:30-2:30 p.m. Cordage making with Bonnie Chase
The Bar Harbor Historical Society is a community and institutional leader that welcomes residents and visitors alike to discover the past in order to understand the present, and to take pride in community connections. It is a dynamic, bustling regional center for research, dialogue, and learning where stories are told through multiple media daily. Its mission is to effectively display, preserve, and interpret Bar Harbor’s rich past through our unique collections ensuring access, enjoyment, and educational opportunities for all.
For more information, please visit https://barharborhistorical.org/ or follow the Bar Harbor Historical Society on Facebook or Instagram. The Society is located at LaRochelle at 127 West Street, Bar Harbor, Maine.