Sue Bart

Many members of Desert Threads participated in the Arizona Quilters Guild (AQG) show held March 21-23 at the Mesa Convention Center. The Quilt Show is a most important event organized and created by AQG every year. More than 300 exquisite quilts displayed a variety of techniques, colors, styles, and sizes of quilts. Many members entered quilts and volunteered to help staff the show with various functions at this successful Quilt Show. Volunteers assisted at the raffle basket table, assisted the vendors, greeted visitors and helped sell tickets, and helped collect, hang, take down, and distribute quilts to owners. Many Desert Threads members also volunteer to chair different committees of AQG during the year. Desert Threads is a Chapter of AQG, along with 28 other chapters from around Arizona.

Four Desert Threads members received ribbons for outstanding quilt entries. Professional judges identified the best of the best at the show. MaryJo Jerrow won gold for her exquisite quilting on a whole cloth quilt. Amy Fitzgerald won blue for her beautiful stars quilt. Terry Allen got a red ribbon for her delightful “Poppies” applique quilt. Pam Elliot won red for her colorful flowers quilt. Congratulations to all of the winners and those who entered the large number of beautiful quilts. Everyone did a job well done. All of the quilts showed a labor of love with lots of talent and effort. “AQG is back” after the long COVID-19 years with new and returning members from around the state.

The April meeting featured a guest quilter, Loretta Moyer, with a trunk show of many applique quilts. Loretta explained the methods, materials, and patterns she uses to do beautiful raw-edge applique of animals and nature. Desert Threads offered many interesting classes for members to attend this winter. We learned to make purses and bags with zippers, techniques for fabric collage, how to do curved piecing with different patterns, how to restructure traditional block designs into new designs, and more. Desert Threads members also benefited from the lectures and classes provided by AQG over Zoom live sessions.

Desert Threads’ next meeting is Wednesday, May 8, starting at 9:30 a.m. (9 a.m. socialize and registration). This is the annual meeting at which the past year’s activities are reviewed and new officers are elected to start in July. There will be an interesting trunk show from some members of their quilting accomplishments. For more information, send an email to [email protected] (note the two “T”s). You are encouraged to check the AQG website at www.arizonaquiltersguild.org.