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Who We Are
Chino Valley Quilters is a group of friends, neighbors, acquaintances and newcomers based in Chino Valley, Arizona. We are fortunate to be one of several wonderful quilt guilds in the area, and many of our members come from Prescott, Prescott Valley and other neighboring communities.
We hold group meetings on the second Tuesday of each month, giving members a chance to get to know each other and welcome guests. Meetings typically include quilting programs, workshops, volunteer opportunities and Show & Tell, when members present and discuss their current quilting projects. Meetings are open to all –– please come by! Our biennial Chino Valley Quilters Quilt Show is a two-day public exposition of quilts and projects by our members. Attended by local, regional, national and international visitors, the show includes workshops, raffles, awards, a boutique and a vendor fair. Our members also create an Opportunity Quilt, an exceptionally crafted quilt that is raffled off to raise funds for our educational and community programs. Anyone can purchase tickets for a chance ("opportunity") to win this one-of-a-kind, collectible, handmade quilt. Learn more about Chino Valley Quilters special programs:
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Monthly Meeting Activities
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Our guild meetings usually begin with announcements from our Chairman and various committee volunteers. Mid-way in the meeting, a break for coffee and snacks provides the chance to visit with other members and to get to know guests. After that, the agenda may include one of these typical group activities.
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An educational quilting program is usually presented after the break, followed by a workshop. It may be presented by a guest speaker or one of our own members. Presentations often include information about quilts, quilting history, and techniques. Programs also sometimes include a Trunk Show. In place of a workshop, we may hold a sew-in to make our donated Comfort Quilts.
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A volunteer member staffs a Mentors Table at the monthly meeting to demonstrate fun and new quilt-making techniques. Mentors learn shortcuts, tips and tricks, and more, then share this knowledge with other quilters. Mentoring is a volunteer position that runs for one to two years (term is up to the volunteer). Mentors teach and inspire us, and get us more involved.
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The Show & Tell portion of the meeting is usually our last order of business before we adjourn. A popular and important part of every meeting, Show & Tell lets group members present their own quilt projects to the group to discuss the quilting process. Show & Tell gives quilt guild members an opportunity to show off their work and share their techniques and ideas.
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Our Story
Our 2005 Quilt Show honored the work of long-time member Elsie Robinson, who learned to quilt at age 70.
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In 1998, a small group of friends in Chino Valley, Arizona, got together in the home of Portia Call, who asked if they would like to start a quilting group. They shared a common love of quilting and a desire to share skills and learn new ones. They also shared friendship.
That day, Portia, Roberta, Lois, Theda and Diane formed the Chino Valley Quilters with the intent to preserve the art of quilting while enjoying learning and teaching. This remains our mission today. |
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Chino Valley Quilters meeting in our latest home, the spacious gym of a local church.
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This friendly group of five quickly outgrew Portia’s house. They welcomed eight new members (some still members today) and moved their meetings to the Fire Station. At the turn of the 21st century, membership continued to grow, so meetings were moved to the Chino Valley Senior Center, then to a local church.
Today, Chino Valley Quilters has more than 70 active members. Even so, our guild continues to enjoy the warm and friendly spirit that has always distinguished it. Many early members remain active in the guild. Thanks to their sharing, vision and hard work, plus enthusiastic new members, we continue to succeed in our original mission. |
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Inspiring and teaching others remain important goals for Chino Valley Quilters.
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It is important to Chino Valley Quilters not only to foster the art of quilting and friendship but also to support our community. We work hard to help fill an ongoing need for our warm and lovely Comfort Quilts. We pass on the love of quilting to young people. We provide a little comfort to animal friends. We support our local Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations.
We are pleased and proud to hold events and biennial quilt shows, teach the art of quilt making to others and preserve quilting’s long and continuing history. |