WHAT ARE WE DOING?
In celebration of the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Trisha Hickey and I are launching a new community quilt project that celebrates and informs about a critical section of this historic American document, and that (we are somewhat embarrassed to admit!) were quite ignorant about until recently: The 27 Grievances.
WHAT ARE THE 27 GRIEVANCES?
The 27 Grievances is a section from the U.S. Declaration of Independence, listing the grievances with the actions and decisions of King George III with regard to the colonies of the United States – the reason the Declaration was composed in the first place, and the lines Congress worked over most obsessively. In the words of Samuel Adams, they represented a “catalog of crimes of the deepest dye.” They made the American case, in the most concrete terms, that King George III was guilty of every kind of abuse of power.
Many apply to what we are experiencing with U.S. leadership today.
Here are just a few sources to learn more:
- The Conversation: Why the colonists’ grievances are surprisingly relevant, 250 years later.
- New York Times: What Would the Nation’s Founders Think of Trump? 250 Years Later, Here Is the Answer
- The27Grievances.org: Then and Now: Are We Still Free?
- Wikipedia: Grievances of the United States Declaration of Independence
WHAT ARE WE CREATING?
We plan to make a community quilt featuring each of The 27 Grievances using simple, modern-day text as noted in the27grievances.org . The quilt will finish at approximately 75”x80”. Text will be applique, using the same process, materials and stencil size as The Forbidden Words Quilt. Fabric will be repurposed shirting that is predominantly red, white or blue. The layout will look something like this:
The grievances are grouped into three thematic categories: 1) Abuse of Executive Power (blue) 2) Conspiracy with Parliament (white), and 3) Open Acts of War (red). The block background colors will help the viewer better understand these groupings.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
We seek 25 creators to make blocks of text of each of The 27 Grievances.
WHAT’S NEXT?
- On a first come, first served basis, select the Grievance you will create at this link: 27 Grievances SignUp Genius.
- Note: If all slots are filled, put your name on the “waitlist slot” on the SignUp Genius list. We will contact you if spots open up to make a block.
- In the coming two weeks, we will follow up with the group who have signed up and provide specific how-to instructions (fabric recommendations, how to make the text tutorial, where to send it, etc.)
- We have set up two Zoom calls to review the process and answer questions. These will be recorded and shared with the group. The dates for these are:
- Sunday, July 19, 9-10am, Pacific Time
- Thursday, July 23, 5-6pm, Pacific Time
- Zoom links to both will be shared with the SignUp Group.
- Blocks must be completed and sent to us by September 15th so that we can complete the quilt by Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
FORBIDDEN WORDS QUILT UPDATE
The Forbidden Words Quilt has wrapped up its first leg in San Francisco, and will next be traveling to Richmond, Virgina, September-October 2026, as part of the Central Virginia Modern Quilt Guild’s “Censored” exhibit. If you you are interested in supporting projects like this, please consider donating to our nonprofit project to help pay for the quilt’s travel expenses so that more people can see this expression of the First Amendment!
https://www.every.org/forbidden-words-quilt-project
We are looking forward to this next project and partnering with those interested!
In the meantime, have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July celebration with your friends, family and community!
Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Sincerely,
Lorraine Woodruff-Long & Trica Hickey
