During the mid 19th century, a uniquely American quilt began to appear across the United States of America. Traditionally beginning with a red central square representing the warmth of a hearth or chimney, the quilt blocks are pieced together from thin strips of fabric layered in a pattern that mirrored the construction of a basic frontier structure: the log cabin.
Log cabin quilts have a complicated history. Initially, they represented a romantic view of colonization of North America where the log cabin was a symbol of the settlers who forced native populations off of their ancestral lands. However, they also symbolized the abolitionist movement: the red hearths signified the houses along the Underground Railroad, and log cabin quilts were routinely auctioned to support the Union army and the abolitionist cause.
Today, there are many different forms of log cabin quilts and seemingly infinite permutations of the design. Textile artist and scholar Elliot Rockart will walk students through three basic types of log cabin quilt block construction and how they can be used to create both quilts and other forms of pieced textile arts.
Date
Friday, August 28th, 2026
Time
12:00-2:30 pm ET
Location
Zoom, a link will be sent to participants the day before class
Cost
$75
Recording
All Hand Sewn Quilting Series sessions will be recorded. A link to each recording will be emailed to all registrants following the live session. Each link is live for three months after the live session.
Class Materials:
- 10-15 Fabric strips, at least 2 inches in width, ranging from 2 to 12 inches in length
- Scissors
- Sharp needle, size 5-8
- Thread
- Fabric pen or tailor’s chalk
- Ruler
About the Hand Sewn Quilting Series
Under the guidance of contemporary textile artists, participants of all levels will engage with various quilting techniques. Beginners will gain confidence and a deeper understanding of quilting foundations, while experienced makers will expand their skills and textile knowledge beyond the basics.
Bundle Discount
When four Hand Sewn Quilting classes are added to your cart, a 25% off code will be automatically applied. All classes must be in a single order to qualify for the discount.
Scholarships
We have one scholarship seat available for this workshop. To be considered for a scholarship, please fill out this scholarship application form.
Our Teacher
Elliot Rockart is a nonbinary textile artist, writer, and FIT master’s candidate in the Fashion and Textile Studies department. They combine their love of history and textiles through creating historically inspired knitted, crocheted, embroidered, sewn, woven, hooked, spun, tatted, and appliquéd art. Through this hands-on approach to history, they seek to understand through embodiment the lived experiences of people and collectives who have created textiles across history. Today, their work is primarily inspired by the history of material culture and their own process of medically and socially transitioning as a transmasculine person. You can find them on Instagram @myweeklyarn.