History Outside the Box Quilting by T Carter

05/18/2026

2027 calendar is filling up! Dates open in March, April, May, June, July & Aug. only. Please schedule soon!

05/13/2026

Indigenous lecture at Village Piecemakers, Poolesville, MD. Oh, my—what a fun guild!! Thank you so much for your hospitality, an interesting discussion/Q&A and our delish meal at Bassett’s (Maryland crab cakes!!! 🦀).

04/16/2026

On the rode again—today we gave an extended version of our Indigenous program to Village Quilters of Catonsville, MD. We shared quilts, told stories, laughed, shed a couple tears, sang, danced and enjoyed a magnificent homemade feast. What a wonderful day with lovely quilters! Many thanks.

04/15/2026

We crossed the bridge over the beautiful Rappahannock River this morning on our way to the Uptown Quilt Guild. What a delightful and talented membership! We enjoyed presenting our Dreispitz program. Thank you for your hospitality and kindness.

03/24/2026

Eclectic Embellishing lecture at Stafford Piecemakers tonight. Guild members, Joe and I embellished my Marie Antoinette, Let Them Eat Cake quilt—LIVE! What fun!! Thank you for a spectacular evening.

03/07/2026

Delighted to be back at The Jefferson today for my third History Outside the Box program! I adore this community. A big thank you to my dear friend (and award-winning photographer) Judith, who organized this event and took professional photos of my “Lydia of Dreispitz” quilt.

03/04/2026

Words cannot express the joy and gratitude we have in our hearts about my Dreispitz quilt program and family reunion this weekend. The Sew Sisters quilt group, which my dear cousin Gail is a member, put on an event like no other!!! (Please check out the photos.) I’m still reflecting about the creativity of the food, especially the quilt made of sugar cookies. What a spectacular surprize!!! Joe and I will remember their attention to detail and kindness forever. ❤️Thank you to the Sew Sisters for organizing this event for the community, to my wonderful and fun cousins for their support, to cousins Gail & Rod for their hospitality and love (& fabulous food!), to my truly phenomenal “twin” Cherri for soooo much effort put into this program, to the other area quilt guilds and historical society for attending and kind words, and to absolutely EVERYONE who shared the day with us. 🤗😍

02/09/2026

My Stitching Together History quilts. 🦅🦅

“Finally Federally Recognized: Indigenous Nations of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
(Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Monacan, Nansemond, Pamunkey, Rappahannock, Upper Mattaponi)”
The Pamunkey became the first tribe in Virginia to be granted federal recognition in 2016. Then, in 2018, an Act of Congress recognized the Chickahominy, Eastern Chickahominy, Upper Mattaponi, Rappahannock, Monacan & Nansemond as sovereign Nations. It took over 400 years to recognize the people who welcomed the first colonists to their shores!
“We were part of the welcoming party that greeted the first English settlers in May 1607. We had the mental acumen, the efficacy of the bow and arrow. We could have taken those settlers out on the first boatload… “Chief Stephen Adkins, Chickahominy. Instead, they traded with the colonists and showed them how to grow corn.
Federal recognition is certainly something to celebrate, as it restores land justice and uplifts sovereignty. It also provides protection through the 1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act, 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act & 1990 Native American Graves and Repatriation Act.
Other tribes continue to fight for federal recognition.

“Tauxenent/Doeg: The Land Has Memory”
In order to tell the truth about history, it is imperative to tell the full story by including many voices. In doing so, we create a pivotal paradigm shift that corrects and completes the official narrative.
It’s important to acknowledge the land now called the Commonwealth of Virginia was inhabited and thriving long before the English colonists arrived. The Doeg people lived in a prominent town called Tauxenent, located in present-day Northern Virginia, along the Occoquan River by Mason Neck. The Virginia militia led an extermination campaign against them and seized their ancestral lands in the late 17th century. Doeg survivors converged with Pamunkey, Rappahannock, Piscataway and other local tribes. Although they did not survive as a nation, they are still here.

02/09/2026

With profound gratitude, I'm sharing that two of my quilts were selected for Stitching Together History: 250 Quilts Commemorating the Commonwealth of Virginia, a major project with the Virginia Quilt Museum. The book is now available for purchase, and the quilts will be part of a traveling exhibition opening at the Virginia Quilt Museum on July 4, 2026 (more details to come). My quilts—“Finally Federally Recognized: Indigenous Nations of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed” and “Tauxenent/Doeg: The Land Has Memory”—are grounded in the understanding that Indigenous peoples are of this land long before it was called Virginia, and remain here today. I designed and created these art quilts with deep research, consultation, and permission from the tribes represented, and with great respect for sovereignty, survival and truth-telling. And with love. One quilt addresses federal recognition; the other honors the Doeg (Tauxenent), a Nation that did not survive intact but whose people are still here. By being included in this project, these quilts help ensure that Indigenous presence is part of the main narrative, not just a footnote. I am especially grateful to Rose Powhatan for her words, “We are still here,” and to all the Indigenous Nations of the Chesapeake Bay watershed who gave their time, knowledge and trusted me with their stories. I'll share links to the book (Virginia Quilt Museum and Amazon) and larger images of the quilts so their details and voices can be fully seen. ✊🏼🌿🦅

https://a.co/d/0bUmd8DE
(Amazon)

Stitching Together History Book

12/09/2025

Our 2027 calendar is now open!! Schedule a program today! 🤩
(2026 completely booked)