Quilt club celebrates 40 years

Relationships are made. Friendships are made. Certain lives are made better. Memories are made. All of that is because quilts are made.

The Patches and Pieces Quilt Guild celebrates its 40th anniversary this year although the concept for the organization is a few years older. According to club records, Liz Porter began teaching quilting classes in either 1979 or 1980 at Karen Argotsinger’s fabric store on Adams Street. As the classes and interest grew, Porter suggested creating some sort of quilt club.

“Quilting was big in the 1970s,” said member Cinda Long. Member Barb Parrish said the country’s 200th birthday in 1976 gave quilting a “resurgence.”

Quilter “reunions” were held in October 1982, January 1983 and April 1983 in Creston, including discussions to create a formal quilter’s group. These meetings had 111 people in attendance. On Jan. 10, 1984, the name Patches and Pieces Quilters was approved as the name of the group. Pat Waibel was named the first president followed by Nancy Powell and Ruth Baudler in ensuing years. Attendance ranged from 18 to 78. The purpose of the club was for “learning, sharing and promoting quilting ideas. Meeting locations moved from the Creston Co-op, Restored Depot and are now in the O’Riley Center.

Attendance and interest in the club started to wane until the club was given some energy in October 1994. A meeting at Knits & Other Notions on Montgomery Street had 25 members. The word “guild” was added to the club name. Barb Hudson served as leader of the group and Kathy Fiala was named treasurer.

Hudson said the word “guild” may be intimidating to others thinking the group may be only for highly skilled quilters. Hudson said that is not the case as the word means a group of people with a common interest.

“That’s how we get better,” Long said as ideas, tips and tricks quilting are shared among members. Meetings typically include some sort of presentation or a speaker, a show-and-tell by members of their work. Member fees pay the speakers’ expenses, when necessary.

Nearly 50 years later, quilting still has a place. The quilt club is a place for everyone, regardless of their quilting skills. The guild has 45 members and usually have about 30 at their meetings.

“We have beginners and those with experience,” Long said. Members range in age from the 20s to one who is 90. The group has taken advantage of technology and the internet with quilt videos and patterns. A longarm quilting machine acts like a large sewing machine and it uses a rail system that lets the machine move back and forth. The device can also make the user see quilt top and quilt back by rolling it over.

Club members said hand quilting was the only way to do it until the development of those machines for quilt production. Club members said machine quilts have become the norm.

Members and their work have shown up in quilt magazines, county fairs and state fairs.

The club has done various projects for other organizations. Every year, the club holds a raffle for a quilt with the proceeds benefiting Greater Regional Health’s cancer treatment services for fuel gift cards and donations to food pantries. A raffle for a quilt is held the Saturday after Creston’s annual lighted Christmas parade. The quilt group also benefits Sleep in Heavenly Peace which uses volunteers and donated material to build beds for children without.

Club members have made quilts of valor. Quilts symbolizing a veteran’s time in the service is donated to the veterans as a gift of appreciation and thanks. Quilts for younger generations can incorporate the front of sentimental T-shirts giving the quilt a theme. During COVID, club members sewed masks for Greater Regional Health making 703 masks in 10 days.

The club also has its own yard sale of quilting supplies with proceeds paying for club needs.

The club meets at 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of the month at the O’Reilly Pantry Event Center in Creston. The club usually does not meet in December. For more information about joining, contact Parrish at (641) 202-1310.