I am in the process of developing a quilting class with prisoners at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. Starting March 2022 (if Covid levels are low enough) with a small group of initial quilters, we will work on developing basic sewing and quilting skills and create quilts to donate to local community groups and/or sell as a source of income. With time, I hope to grow the class and bring in additional volunteer instructors, and, in collaboration with the students, develop a fiber art project that can help tell their stories to the wider community. 

In my experience teaching and working with incarcerated students, quilting can provide a space where students can bring beauty and color into their lives, process relationships with their family and loved ones, and make decisions and exert creative control in a setting where they control very little about their daily lives. While quilting alone is not going to bring about a world without prisons, it can bring some joy and creativity to students on the inside, while helping to tell their complex stories to the broader community. 

I am currently seeking both material and cash donations to outfit a sewing studio with machines, tools, and supplies for 6 students. Cash donations can be made through Go Fund Me and there's a list of material donations we're seeking below. 
 
Material Wish List
Sewing Machines in good working order
Walking and quarter inch feet
Rotary Cutters, cutting mats, and quilting rulers
100% Cotton quilting fabric, 1 yard pieces or larger
Full or mostly full spools of thread
Quilting books and patterns

For more information or to donate supplies contact Rachel.a.wallis (at) gmail.com