presented in cross-stitch form. That same year, Downey created a project to complete a quilt, which they found partially completed at an estate sale in the Chicago area. The United States' themed quilt was started by 99-year-old Rita Smith, who died before completing the project. Downey recruited crafters from across the country to finish the project. The completed quilt was displayed in December 2019 at Women Made Gallery in Chicago. The project, titled "Rita's Quilt", was chosen as one of the "top feel good stories" by The Guardian for 2019. Downey finds inspiration in the work of Pearl Dick, Judy Chicago, Matthew Hoffman, Natalie Boyett, Shawn Smith and Francine Turk. Personal life Downey lives in Chicago, Illinois. References External links Official website for Badass Herstory Living people People from Weymouth, Massachusetts Artists from Massachusetts American feminists American embroiderers University of Massachusetts Amherst College of Social and Behavioral Sciences alumni Aurora University alumni Year of birth missing (living people) American LGBT artists DePaul University faculty Columbia College Chicago faculty Artists from Chicago 21st-century American women artists American nonprofit businesspeople LGBT people from Massachusetts LGBT people from Illinois American women academics