Weave Across America - Thousand Islands Arts Center

Calling All Weavers!

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Thousand Islands Arts Center’s Weave Across America project seeks to encourage weavers and fiber artists to consider the symbolism of the American flag. What does the flag mean to you today, and how might you express these feelings in a textile? As the Home of the Handweaving Museum, we invite weavers to submit your interpretation of what the American flag means to you in the language of handwoven cloth. Make your voice heard! This is an opportunity to become part of handweaving history for future generations.

Additionally, the contributions from 50 weavers, one from each state, will be selected and assembled into a contemporary coverlet. The completed coverlet will be displayed in the Thousand Island Arts Center’s new facility throughout the summer and fall of 2026. At the conclusion of the exhibition, the Weave Across America project and resulting coverlet will be accessioned into the permanent collection at the Thousand Islands Arts Center~Home of the Handweaving Museum.

We hope you will consider our invitation to be part of this time capsule in handweaving history!

Deadline: President’s Day, 2026 (February 16)

THE CHALLENGE:

Weavers and fiber artists are encouraged to create their own interpretation/representation of the American flag in an 8” x 8” square. Selected pieces will be assembled into a finished coverlet, which will be added to the Thousand Islands Arts Center~Home of the Handweaving Museum’s permanent collection. The piece will be displayed in the new Thousand Islands Arts Center facility throughout the summer and fall of 2026 and will be available as a traveling exhibition to interested organizations beginning in 2027.

GUIDELINES:

The finished piece should be 8”x8”, with an additional 1” plain selvedge in white for seam allowance (so the piece should be 9”x9” total).
Only the colors red, white, and blue should be used.
While the weave structure and technique is up to you, the finished piece should have the weight and feel of new denim or canvas. No light-weight or lacy weaves will work in this project.
Additional fiber techniques (applique, crochet, felting, quilting, etc.) are welcome, but the finished piece must be at least 80% woven.
Do not include materials in your piece that will disintegrate, are overly fragile, or could contaminate the collection.
Please no interfacing, but 100% muslin backing is acceptable to help firm up thinner textiles.
While we encourage you to represent the flag however you would like, we ask that you refrain from using profanity or explicit content.
A panel will be displayed alongside the coverlet listing each weaver, state, weave structure/materials, and a short description submitted by the artist.

SUBMISSION DETAILS:

Fiber artists whose work is selected for inclusion in the coverlet will receive a $250 honorarium for their contribution.
There is no fee for submission, and weavers are welcome to submit more than one piece for consideration.
In addition to your contact information, please provide the following with each submission:
- 3 photos of your completed piece(s) that clearly show the front, back, and a detail of your work
- Information on the weave structure
- Fibers/materials used
- A short artist’s statement
The artist releases digital images and artwork itself for use in promotional materials as deemed fit by TIAC (including but not limited to television, internet, and print). The artist maintains ownership of the copyright on their images.

Note: If your piece is not selected for inclusion in the finished coverlet, we still encourage you to send it to the Arts Center! These pieces will be collected and added to a book that will be displayed alongside the coverlet. The book will travel with the coverlet when on loan, and will be added to the Museum’s collection.