The Community Story Quilt is an in-process, naturally dyed, hand sewn and embroidered quilt made from organic hemp, cotton and linen. It features stories, experiences, sentiments, love, and memories gathered from nearly 20 hours of interviews and story circles with impacted community members. The quilt is being made in patches, which once put together, will span a distance of 30” by 30’. The patches are made intuitively and slowly.

The intention for the quilt patches and their subsequent stories is to be buried and offered to the ground with sewn pockets of locally cultivated Indigenous Microorganisms and seeds of succession. Planted on top of the buried quilt will be native tree saplings. These patches will treat the Earth as the “quilt” and so, will be buried or “stitched” into the soil throughout the 350,000 acre range of the burn scar in various locations. Stories along with beneficial microorganisms and native plant species will quantify the impact of this community effort towards restor(y)ing soil, land, and communities.

Each participant of the Community Story Circles and volunteer hosts for Labor of Love will receive one of these patches as well as a succession kit containing native saplings, local compost and protective fencing. Succession Kits will be delivered in the fall of 2023.