Come have fun with us!
The Quiet Valley Quilters Guild is an organization for those interested in the art of quilting. We are an incredibly active guild formed in 1984 and are located in Bennington, VT.
Our aims are to promote and develop an appreciation for this art form, provide an opportunity for the education of our members through workshops and guest lecture programs, and serve as a resource for the community. We are a nonprofit corporation.
Monthly guild meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the
Second Congregational Church on 115 Hillside Street, Bennington, VT
The meeting and monthly featured program begins at 6:30 pm, although members assemble any time after 6:00 pm in a more social mode. New members, guests and friends are always welcome!
Each month, the Guild sponsors a Block of the Month. The individual blocks that the Guild members make are used to make quilts for charity.
The website has a calendar for all meetings and events with up to date event calendars which includes lots of information about each of our monthly programs and workshops. We also post the monthly meeting and workshop information on our group Facebook page.
Smaller focus groups also meet throughout the month focusing on hand quilting, Dear Jane quilts, creating our raffle quilt construction and also a relaxed gathering just to sew together.
Some of the panels our Dear Jane group are working on.
General Information
The Quiet Valley Quilters Guild is an organization for those interested in the art of quilting. Our aims are to promote and develop an appreciation for this art form, provide an opportunity for the education of our members through workshops and guest lecture programs, and serve as a resource for the community. We are a not-for-profit corporation.
Membership
Annual dues are $25, payable October 1st. A reduced rate is offered for those joining after April 1 in their first year. Interested in becoming a member? Contact our Guild representative or download the membership form.
Please tell us a little about your interests in quilting so we can make sure that we can introduce you to members who can help you. Our group has straight beginners to experts and everyone helps each other to succeed. We would love to meet you.
Workshops
Workshops are held monthly, usually on a Saturday, with the exception of the months of September and December when there are no workshop. In recent months the Guild has offered workshops in Studio 180 techniques, machine quilting with templates, quilted clothing, and various methods for making scrap quilts. The workshop topics are varied so as to appeal to all levels of quilters. They are terrific fun! Lots of work getting done and lots of laughter! Upcoming workshop listings are in the Calendar section and include detailed information.are
Community Service Projects
The Guild members are highly motivated to be of service to the community and put considerable effort into providing quilted items for those in need. The premier service project for QVQ is the “Quilt Cupboard,” where members make and stockpile quilts that are then donated to families who need quilts for physical and psychological warmth; for example, after a fire has destroyed their home. In 2010 we donated 25 quilts to Rose Lane, the memory care wing of Village at Fillmore Pond in Bennington. We have donated more than 300 quilts so far. In addition, we provide lap quilts for cancer patients at the Southern Vermont Health Center. We also make Teddy bear quilts with bags in coordination with the Bennington Child Advocacy Center. Please see our Charity Projects page for more information.
History
The Guild’s inaugural meeting was in 1984 when twenty-six die-hard quilters gathered to organize in the art room at Catamount School. Membership grew rapidly and necessitated the move to larger quarters. The first effort to raise funds for this group was a raffle quilt, and the Guild has sponsored a raffle quilt each year since.
The Guild published its first newsletter in 1987, an effort to keep members informed of the various activities and programs. The Guild held its first quilt show, now known as the Bennington Quiltfest, in 1994 to celebrate its 10th anniversary. We have held our Quiltfest every year for the last 26 years.
Bennington Quiltfest
In 1994, to celebrate our 10th anniversary, the Quiet Valley Quilter’s guild held out first quilt show now knows as the Bennington Quiltfest. . At the first Quilt Show, which was held at the Ramada Inn in Bennington. Vermont, 76 quilts were displayed, and nine vendors sold quilting-related supplies. The show was such a success that it has become an annual event.
Quilt Show dates were chosen to coincide with Bennington’s Antique Car Show, which was held on the second weekend after Labor Day. In 1995, the show was moved to Mount Anthony Union High School, a larger venue offering more room for quilt exhibits, vendors, classes, and lectures.
With over 200 quilted items on display, 19 vendor spaces, a consignment shop, a featured quilter and lecturer, demonstrations, and the spectacular raffle quilt, Bennington Quiltfest has grown into one of the area’s most popular events. The show gives the public the opportunity to view quilts ranging from the homespun, traditional variety we grew up with to fascinating contemporary works of art.
The show was moved again in 2010 to the Mount Anthony Union Middle School, a much newer facility with yet more room for the Quiltfest displays and activities.