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Adriane Pereira

Quilt Club @ City Neighbors Hamilton

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) students organized a Quilt Club at City Neighbors Hamilton (CNH) K-8 School in the spring semester of 2024.  Under the mentorship of Dr. Adriane Pereira as their professor, MAT preservice teachers developed a unit plan guiding middle school students to create a quilt based on an impactful memory.  The Quilt Club took place on Thursday afternoons with the support of the school’s art atelier Hannah Cohen (MICA BFA ‘12/MAT ‘13).  Andrea Gomez MICA BFA’24 started off the unit by teaching sewing machine techniques and safety. Mayali Geyling BFA ‘24, followed up by teaching the young quilters how to piece together different fabrics.  Terra O’Rourke BFA ‘24 led the group in a reflective strategy identifying a significant memory to commemorate through color and pattern in their quilts. Finally, Aqsa Ansari BFA ‘24 led the final segment teaching the participants how to finish the binding on their quilt. 


Through this experience MICA preservice teachers gained experience planning a multi week unit plan, developed rapport with middle school students, and learned the medium of quilting. For most of the middle school students quilting was a new experience. They shared how family members had taught them to sew by hand and how to use a sewing machine. They were eager to build on what they already knew. The middle schoolers arrived at the quilt club ready to work on their quilts as they gained confidence and improved their skills and techniques.


The Quilt stories included memories of: light reflecting on a lake from a family vacation, a cherished uncle who passed away, a first visit to the beach, and the commemoration of a family pet.  By sharing these memories through quilting, the middle schoolers build on their concepts of metaphor and symbolism through color and pattern.


MICA MAT was invited back next year to continue the quilt club.  We look forward to the next iteration of the quilt club in 2025 for beginner and intermediate sewists.*


  • artist + person who sews = sewist




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