On September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene flooded our Studio, leaving a waterline nearly 11 feet up our walls. Two years later, to the day, our community is turning that mark into something lasting, beautiful, and shared.
The Helene WaterLine Project is a permanent, collective installation made entirely of fiber art contributed by our community — a continuous line encircling the Studio at the exact height the water reached.
THE STORY
When Hurricane Helene flooded our Studio, we lost thousands of hours of member work under a thick layer of mud — looms destroyed, furniture overturned, artwork ruined. As Local Cloth retail chair Beth Sellars told WLOS News 13, "to be walking on people's product was pretty heartbreaking." Thanks to generous members and grant support, we were able to put the Studio back together and reopen last September, a little better than before.
Now our community is turning that hard chapter into something shared. The Helene WaterLine Project is a continuous, collective installation made of individual works of fiber art — each piece becoming part of a single line that runs along the exact height the water reached, nearly 11 feet up our walls.
This past weekend brought that story to life: our WaterLine Make & Take on Saturday, August 8 drew a great crowd to the Studio for Second Saturday in the River Arts District, with makers of all skill levels dropping in to create their own piece for the installation.
Create. Make a 2" × 6" piece of fiber art, in any fiber-based material or technique. Your piece may include a literal waterline — or not.
Drop off. Place your piece in the designated box under the Retail Shop desk at Local Cloth, with your name and email included.
Deadline: September 1, 2026
Share your story (optional, but encouraged). Tell us what inspired your piece, where your materials came from, or your personal experience of Helene — through our digital form or in the WaterLine Project notebook in our Cozy Corner.
Questions? Email info@localcloth.org
THE DEDICATION
Helene WaterLine Project Dedication Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 5:30–7:30pm | Local Cloth Studio, 408 Depot Street #100, Asheville
Two years to the day since Helene flooded our Studio, we'll gather to dedicate the finished installation, honor the stories woven into it, and celebrate the resilience of our fiber community. More details on the evening's program to follow. Click the link below to RSVP.
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