PATCH will bring quilts to Corktown Park

First-ever such exhibition in the neighbourhood green space will celebrate the craft, the city and connections within the quilting community. 

Corktown Park will be transformed into an outdoor art gallery this Sunday when more than 30 Hamilton quilters display their handiwork on the fence of a basketball court.  

According to event organizers: “PATCH: Hamilton Quilt Show is inspired by the quiet creativity of quilting — often a solitary act — and the power of gathering to share that work in public. It’s about transforming a personal craft into a shared experience, inviting connection and curiosity.”

They were inspired by a quilt show at Kingsessing Tennis Courts in Philadelphia, where neighbours come together to drape fences with handmade quilts — each one a story, a memory, a patch of identity. They decided to try to bring that same sense of community, creativity, and storytelling to Hamilton.

“The idea grew from seeing how quilts, which are often private, personal objects, could transform a public space,” organizers and quilters Michael Gracie, Marin Hudson, Erin McPhee, Kristy Woudstra, and Paige Boersma said in response to questions from HAMILTON CITY Magazine.

“Hamilton, too, is a patchwork — of cultures, neighbourhoods, histories, and creative traditions. This project mirrors that. It celebrates both individuality and collective identity through an accessible, outdoor exhibition. Many of the quilts will be made using materials that already exist — scraps, fabric remnants, personal textiles — adding another layer of meaning and sustainability to the event.”

The organizers have not worked together on a project like this before, and only loosely knew each other through social media. The opportunity for an outdoor quilt show arose out of a submission for a Downtown Hamilton Creative Placemaking Grant, which the project received.

“By bringing quilts into a public park, we shift the way people experience that space: the fences become galleries, the ground becomes a meeting place, and the park becomes a canvas for storytelling,” the organizers said.

While many quilt shows are juried or judged, the goal of this show is to welcome all quilters and simply celebrate quilting in Hamilton, without any sense of competition.

“Quilting has always been about more than stitching fabric — it’s a way of stitching people together. With PATCH, we aim to honour that spirit of creative community, while reimagining how a familiar public space can be seen, used, and felt.”

Corktown Park was chosen because the fence around the basketball court mimics an art gallery and it’s a central and accessible location that brings both intentional visitors and casual passersby.

Selected participants were asked how their entry expresses a connection to Hamilton. In some cases, that is symbolic and in others, it’s through storytelling.

“Some quilts use imagery from Hamilton, the steel industry, nature, even a detailed map of downtown. Others express the connection through materials, such as fabric bought at local stores or dyed with local plants.”

Tania Denyet used fabric printed directly from Hamilton Waterworks sewer covers. Painter and muralist Kayla Whitney made a quilt out of her drop-cloths. Andrew McPhail embedded the words PHEW and YUCK, “both valid yet different reactions to living in our city.”

Liz Simpson quilted a tribute to Ulrich Nitka, the man who single-handedly laid more than 300 stone steps so that people in east Hamilton had a way to climb up and down the Niagara Escarpment. Now called Uli’s stairs, they are the lasting legacy of the former steelworker who died last year. Fittingly, Simpson used a variation of a traditional log-cabin block, aptly called bricklayer, to create her quilt.

Many of the event’s participants — some producing their first quilt and others who have practised the craft for decades — work in front of screens all day, so quilting is an immersive escape.

“To see hundreds of pieces come together as a finished work is quite rewarding. A quilt can be used in so many ways — to keep us warm, to decorate, to bring joy to someone’s life, to learn skills, and so much more. Each of us knows the value of the craft itself and have a deep appreciation for the end result: a handmade quilt.”

The organizers said they hope PATCH creates connection between local quilters.

“Quilting is a solitary craft and this project is a way for people with the same passion to meet one another. Participation this year surpassed our expectations and we hope this event becomes an annual tradition.”

PATCH is happening at Corktown Park (175 Ferguson Ave. S.) on Sept. 28 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Follow social media updates here.