A young Washington man stopped in Victoria Friday evening as part of his ongoing of North America.
William Stich-Smith, 20, of Acme, Washington, started quilting in early 2020, when the pandemic kept him home from high school.
“I didn’t really have anything going on at home,” he said. “And I thought this would be a really good way to bond with my mom.”
With help from his mom, Candice, he set out to create a pandemic-themed quilt, complete with “vaccine” and “mask up” embroidered emblems.
“I had never really machine sewn before,” he said. “It was fun to learn how. I did put a needle through my hand a couple times, but that’s all part of the process.”
Just over two years later, Stich-Smith has taken his finished masterpiece on a U.S. tour, visiting 38 states and a plan to reach all 50. He even created a smaller, replica quilt which he gave to the U.S. Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta.
“It was originally about spreading awareness about COVID,” he said. “And then it turned into showing what you can do if you’re determined.”
Victoria was his first stop in sa国际传媒 — a convenient stop on the way to Alaska. He hopes to take his quilt to the capital of each province.
“I should be done by 2025,” he said. “I want to scratch off all of North America.”
After a brief break, Stich-Smith’s next stop is Tennessee.
