“Go the Distance”

Boston Marathon Polyptych Quilt

THE CONCEPT

"Go the Distance" is a collaborative polyptych quilt project, conceived of by the Marathon Quilt Guild as part of its 30th anniversary quilt show. The project is comprised of 8 individual panels - one for each town along the Boston Marathon route. In January, 2025, the Marathon Quilt Guild issued an open invitation to quilt and textile guilds and artists across the state to participate. Our goal was to celebrate 130 years of Marathon history and local culture in each of the 8 towns on the course, and to provide an inclusive, collaborative community experience for the participants. Over 40 artists from across the state collaborated on this project, which was completed in January, 2026.

THE LOGISTICS

Each panel group was provided with:

• Fabric for the Marathon route (Hoffman Fabrics )
• Fabric for the backing (Timeless Treasures GM-C2889 Grey)
• The "Entering ____" bookleaf sign for their town or city (Spoonflower)
• A stencil of their town/city name (Hoffman V5325, color 48 Gray; Stencils Online Highway Gothic); stenciled by Nancy Sullivan of Phillipston, MA
• Quilters Dream Poly batting
• Quilters Hangup Pleated Quilt Sleeve
• A draft course route for each town, created by local watercolor artist and Marathon runner, Mary Holden, Hopkinton, MA. The route is designed to reflect the runners journey, and is not to scale.

THE GUIDELINES

Each panel group was asked to:

• Create a 24" x 60" art quilt panel of the Boston Marathon route, history, and culture in their assigned town.
• Ensure that Marathon route enter and exit each panel as indicated on the course design.
• Represent any/all Boston Athletic Association related buildings, statues, milestones, etc. in each town.
• Finish the panels with a facing, rather than a binding, so that the course route runs seamlessly through all panels.
• Meet via zoom and in person to share progress and ensure accuracy.
• Keep a photo log of panel design, construction, and progress.
• Write a Companion Guide for their panel, documenting the artists, the design and construction details, imagery used, and local culture. Links are provided below.

Professional photography provided by Evelyn Dow, Ev Dow Photography.

For additional local Marathon history, please refer to author Paul Clerici's website:  HOME

THE RESULT

The Marathon Quilt Guild is indebted to the artists who participated in this collaborative project. The Boston Marathon is unique amongst the Abbott World Majors, in that it runs through so many individual communities - each with their own rich history and Marathon traditions. The artists fully embraced this concept, and their creativity, skill, and precision is beyond measure. The results far exceeded our wildest hopes, as did the experience of working with - and learning from - so many artists across the state.  

We also extend our deep appreciation to the Boston Athletic Association and the 26.2 Foundation for their interest and support of this project. We hope we made them proud.

The "Go the Distance" Quilt Project will be exhibited in local, regional and national museums and quilt shows, before finding its final home in the International Marathon Center, in Hopkinton, MA. The International Marathon Center - 26.2 Foundation. A complete list of shows and exhibitions will be maintained on this website.

For more information regarding this project, please contact Project Coordinators, Jean Bertschmann (JBBertschmann@gmail.com), or Nancy Burdick (nancyb88@hotmail.com).