The Prairie Hearts Quilters’ Guild is back to in-person meetings and hopes to see their membership and activities rise this year.
The guild meets on the first and third Thursday of each month, September to May, at the Masonic Temple at 1755 Main Street North.
Meetings are fairly informal, although there is a bit of a program, said president Lizanne Knox-Beam. “It’s more about the community itself, supporting each other and being there, and the friendship. The commonality of loving quilting, I guess, is the major thread of it all.”
The guild’s overall membership has fallen slightly due to the pandemic, but Knox-Beam estimates they still have about 60 members this year. They are always ready to welcome more.
“Membership after the end of October is $60 for the year,” Knox-Beam told MooseJawToday.com, “Otherwise, it’s $50 for the year. And we did have some new members that came out this year, who we are so glad to welcome.”
Meetings usually have about 35 members, who share coffee and baked goods, and bring what they are working on and what they’ve finished to show to the group.
The guild also takes part in local charity work. “We do pillowcases for the hospital and for the dialysis ward,” Knox-Beam said. “And for the hospice here in town. At Christmastime, we always make placemats that we donate to Meals on Wheels, the hospital, and the care homes in the area.”
Last Christmas, Prairie Hearts Quilters broke their record by making and donating close to 400 placemats.
In addition, they make comfort quilts that are available to anyone in crisis. Recently, the guild gave comfort quilts to the children of a family whose house had burned down.
Knox-Beam said that any local organization in need can contact her, and the guild will arrange for comfort quilts to be donated.
The next public Quilt Show is scheduled for April 2023.
Prospective members can find more information about the guild and how to join by visiting their website or Facebook page.
