ONLINE | Quilt Along: Block 4 by Nicolette “Nikki” Corbett

Reflect on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the ever-evolving nature of the country, communities, and future we share through a Native lens by participating in a free Quilt Along hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

This five-month, mystery-style quilt along invites quilters and anyone interested in quilting to sew along. You don’t need to be an expert quilter to participate. Each month from June to October 2026, the museum will release a new block pattern, followed by a border pattern and finishing instructions, to create a commemorative wall hanging. Learn more and sign up for updates.

The fourth block pattern is designed by Nikki Corbett. Corbett's block theme addresses the time period of Our Shared Future, 2026 and beyond. The pattern will be revealed on the museum's Quilt Along page and social media channels at 10 AM ET. Join the conversation on Facebook (link to come) to share your tips and tricks or learn from experienced quilters as you complete your blocks.

Nikki Corbett is an artist, cultural educator, sewing instructor, wife, mother, and grandmother from Southwest Alaska, with family roots in Nunapitchuk and Bethel. She is the founder of Sew Yup’ik, a cultural arts initiative dedicated to revitalizing traditional Yup’ik sewing practices and passing knowledge to future generations. Her work centers on qaspeq (a hooded overshirt with large front pocket) making, nasqurrun (a Yup’ik woman’s dance headdress) revitalization, and traditional design elements that reflect ancestral teachings while engaging contemporary audiences. Her approach blends practical skill building with storytelling and emphasizes that Indigenous knowledge systems are living, evolving, and deeply relevant.

Image: Individual quilt squares commissioned by the NMAI and assembled into a single quilt for the 1997 To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions exhibition. 26/9621

This project received funding from the Smithsonian’s “Our Shared Future: 250,” a Smithsonian-wide initiative supported by private philanthropy and created to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary and advance the Smithsonian vision for the next 250 years.