Quilting with astrophysicists

“The astrophysics quilt project is an initiative to better connect the whole astrophysics community through a collaborative, non-academic, and hands-on project,” says Swati Ravi, graduate student at the MIT Kavli Center for Astrophysics.

During the 2025 Independent Activities Period (IAP), Ravi took Jane Halpern's Foundation Paper Piecing class, an MIT MAD IAP offering taking place in the Metropolis makerspace. The following term, Ravi brought her new passion for the craft to her community at Kavli where the medium lends itself to collaboration and personal expression.

“I like this side of incorporating something creative about science. It can be easy to forget that it’s a creative discipline,” says Ravi.

Students, post-docs, research scientists, faculty, alumni, and friends of the astrophysics community participated in workshops to design a piece of a collaborative quilt “that reflected their personal or professional personality.”

“These blocks will eventually all be sewn together to make a single community display quilt. The program also included beginner workshops on hand sewing, appliqué sewing, and embroidery to teach the fundamentals skills needed for decorating a quilt block and empower participants to learn and pursue new creative skills.”

A MIT School of Science Quality of Life grant helped provide fabric and supplies for the community.