Tag Archives: Water Quilt

Event, On the Blog

A Community “Water Quilt” Comes Together

Blossburg – On June 30, the Blossburg Memorial Library came alive with bright colors and big ideas during Part 1 of the Water Quilt project. This special event was part of the Rivers, Coal & Crafts series from the Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy (NPC) and partners. The hands-on workshop invited kids to learn about rivers through a story and an art project. 


Julie Weaver, a retired teacher and NPC Board Member, leads the creation of the community “Water Quilt” at the Blossburg Memorial Library.

Julie Weaver, a retired teacher and NPC Board Member, led the workshop. She began by reading a river-themed story that encouraged children to imagine the sights and sounds they might encounter while traveling down a river. As they listened and shared, they also learned about the Tioga River—how it has been affected by Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) pollution in the past – and how people are working together to help it recover. After the story, the kids brought their ideas to life by drawing river-inspired scenes on sandpaper.

Their designs have since been transferred onto fabric squares using an iron, and those squares have been pieced together into a quilt top! 

Children gather to listen to a river-themed story and then create their own artwork to add to the community Water Quilt.

The “Water Quilt” Continues: Join Us for Part 2

Now it’s time to finish the quilt together! On Monday, July 28 at 1:30 PM, we invite you to return to the Blossburg Memorial Library for Water Quilt (Part 2). This free event is open to everyone. You do not need to have attended Part 1 to join. 
 
Julie will read a new river-themed story, then new participants will have the chance to create their own sandpaper artwork to be ironed onto a Rivers, Coal & Crafts t-shirt. Afterward, everyone will work together to tie the final knots and complete the Water Quilt. We’ll be using yarn from the Blossburg Company Store’s Tioga River yarns, adding a special local touch to the project. Once finished, the quilt will be displayed at the Blossburg Memorial Library.

A Stitch in a Larger Story: Restoring the Tioga River

The Water Quilt project is part of the ongoing Rivers, Coal and Crafts series, made possible by grant funding from the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), the Jones Foundation, and Friends of the Blossburg Memorial Library.   

The series – coordinated by NPC, Tioga County Conservation District, and the Blossburg Memorial Library – celebrates the Blossburg community and shares information about the Tioga River’s ongoing restoration. 

Through hands on workshops, craft projects, and storytelling, participants of all ages are learning about the decades-long impacts of AMD on the Tioga River, and how local partnerships are working together to restore the health of the river and its surrounding landscape.