The 2024 Great River Quilt Show thanks its visitors, vendors & volunteers!
Classes & Skill Builder & Community Involvement Information
It's what we do.
You'll find general Class & Skill Builder and Community Involvement information on this page. Classes & Skill Builder information is in the first section followed by the Community Involvement further down the page. So scroll and consider joining the Guild to be a part of all the exciting things offered by the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild (MVQG). For information regarding specific classes, please see our Upcoming Classes page.
Classes & Skill Builder
Classes
Skill Builder
Skill Builder
The MVQG offers classes and program lectures featuring regional and national speakers. The classes are offered on either the days before or days after the Tuesday regular Guild meeting day.
The cost of an all day class (instructed by a MVQG member) is $35 for members. If the class is not full, it will be open to non-members for $40. Class/workshops fees by regional and/or national speaker varies depending on their class rates.
Signup sheets are available at the regular Guild meetings. Class signups begin three months prior to the class. A class alternate list is kept if the class if full.
Payment for each class is due when you sign up. Checks are held until the class takes place. Please bring cash or a check with you to all the guild meetings so if you want to sign up for a class you have what you need to hold your place. (Policy updated 10-10-2017)
Please contact the Program Chair, Diana Engelbrecht, for more information on classes and check out the MVQG Blog for updates about Programs & Classes. If you are not yet a member of the Guild but are interested in attending a class, you may send an email to program@mvqg.org. We generally reply within 48 hours.
Skill Builder
Skill Builder
Skill Builder
The MVQG also offers Skill Builder Workshops taught by Guild members. Quilters can learn new skills like free-motion quilting, paper piecing or even how to make a quilted postcard.
The cost of an all-day workshop is $15. Half-day workshops are $10. If the workshop is not full, it will be open to non-members for $20 (full day) or $15 (half day).
Signup sheets are available at the regular Guild meetings. Skill Builder Workshop signups begin three months prior to the workshop. A workshop alternate list is kept if the workshop is full.
Payment for each workshop is due when you sign up. Checks are held until the workshop takes place. Please bring cash or a check with you to all the guild meetings so if you want to sign up for a workshop you have what you need to hold your place. (Policy updated 11-17-2014)
Please contact skillbuilder@mvqg.org for more information on Skill Builder Workshops or check out our latest newsletter. Questions are generally replied to within 48 hours.
learn to quilt
You’ve come to the right place if would like to learn to quilt or better your existing skills. The Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild is home to quilters of varying skill levels, so you’ll fit right in whether you’re a newbie or if you’ve won a few blue ribbons. Contact mvqg@mvqg.org for help finding the right fit for you!
The Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild offers classes and program lectures featuring regional and national speakers. The Guild also offers Skill Builder Workshops taught by members where quilters can learn new skills like free-motion quilting, paper piecing or even how to make an apron.
Beginners are also welcome to attend Charity Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month at the Deere-Wiman Carriage House 817 11th Ave., Moline, IL. Email inquiries to charityprojects@mvqg.org. We are happy to teach any new quilters who volunteer to make quilts for our charitable projects.
Welcome to our Community Involvement Section
Be Involved
The MVQG is operated entirely by volunteers. The Guild sponsors and participates in many projects that benefit the Quad City community. Members generously donate their time, talent and materials for the following groups. Scroll down to read details of each group.
The MVQG current membership consists of 200+ women and men. In fiscal year 2019/2020, our members volunteered approximately 7400 hours of their time to the Guild and its programs. Fiscal year 2020/2021 totals was 3722 hours, which were lower due to pandemic restrictions, resulting in fewer meetings (where charity work occurs, e.g. cutting, piecing, delivering, etc.) and the 2020 Great River Quilt Show being cancelled. As an example, it took more than 4000 hours to organize and present the 2022 Great River Quilt Show. Wow!
Scroll down to read details about our involvement in the community and click the file below for a printable one page reference guide for Community Involvement (Projects).
Community Involvement - Group Details
charity quilts
The Charity Quilts group meets the second Thursday of each month to cut, sew, bind and tie lap quilts, baby quilts, and bed quilts for local organizations. Many Guild members work for this group at home, preparing tops, sewing on binding, and tying or quilting the quilt. 192 quilts have been donated so far in the 2023-2024 fiscal year beginning September 2023! Below are some examples of organizations who have received quilts over the years.
Active Day for Seniors
Beacon of Hope
Bethany for Children & Families
Birthright
Christian Care
Davenport Lutheran Home
Family Resources
Head Start
Human Resources
Humility Homes & Services
In Touch Adult Day Care
New Hope for Women
One Eighty
Pregnancy Resources
River Crossing Nursing Home
Unity Point/Cancer Care Hospice
VA Outreach
Women’s Choice Center
World Relief
Sizes:
Baby Quilt : 39” x 40” Toddler 45" x 50"
Adult Day Care: 40” x 54”
Twin (the most common size given away): 63” x 87”
Lap quilt: 40-50″ x 54-60″
Wheelchair: 36” x 45”
If you'd like to assist with making projects for Charity, email the Guild at charityprojects@mvqg.org.
doll quilts
The Doll Quilt group meets monthly to cut and sew doll/teddy bear quilts. These child-sized quilts are donated to Head Start classes in December in the Quad Cities (both Illinois and Iowa). Guild members also work for this group at home or in sit and sew groups.
In 2023, the group made and donated over 1000 doll/teddy bear quilts for both boys and girls in the QC Head Start and Title programs …including Early Learning Centers in East Moline, Moline, Rock Island and Milan, and Davenport sites at Annie Wittenmyer and the Family Y.
Sizes:
Doll Quilt: 24” x 24” approximately (square or rectangle)
The Doll Quilt group gladly accepts donations of batting (large scrap ok) and good quality bright kid friendly fabric.
Meetings are the third Tuesday of the month at the Deere Wiman Carriage House. Contact: Margaret P. If you have doll quilts to donate or want to help make them, email the Guild at president@mvqg.org and the President will forward your request to the Chairperson(s).
habitat for humanity
This group provides 1 or 2 quilts for each Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities house at the time of occupation. If you have a quilt for piecing, binding, or quilting, please email the Guild at president@mvqg.org and the Presidentwill forward it to the Chairperson(s).
Volunteers are needed to quilt and bind quilt(s). If you are interested in piecing quilts, fabric will be provided. We appreciate that your time is valuable and any help is much appreciated. There is no time frame to complete most of this work. Please let us know if you can help in any way. Thank you in advance.
quilts of valor
The Quilts of Valor project is sponsored by The Quilts of Valor Foundation. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.
This quilting group meets monthly to create quilts for veterans in the Quad City Area. Many of our members participate in this project at the QofV monthly meeting, as well as sewing or quilting at home. Members with long-arm machines donate the quilting. Non-members of the MVQG are invited to attend and participate in this project.
In 2021, the Quilts of Valor group awarded 262 quilts with more than 2,000 volunteer hours donated! 206 quilts were awarded in 2022 with 2,400 volunteer hours donated. In total so far our QoV has awarded 2101 quilts.
Here are more fun facts:
- QoVF awarded 300,000 quilts by spring 2022.
- Mrs. Terry Austin, the local chapter Coordinator, has served this group for over 10 years! Way to go Terry! While there are many hands involved to achieve the amounts of awarded quilts stated here, it certainly takes a special person to keep it all organized and understands how special each quilt is to the veteran recipients.
Sizes:
Pillowcases: Standard size
Quilts of Valor (please see http://www.qovf.org for further instructions)
60” x 72” (minimum 55” x 65”, and maximum 72” x 90”)
Quilts of Valor meets on the first Wednesday following the regular Guild Meeting at Heritage Church, 4801 44th St, Rock Island, IL.. Contact Terry Austin for more information.
quilt show charity boutique
Instead of the traditional auctions, the 2024 Quilt Show will feature a charity boutique. There will be table runners and table toppers, as well as quilted purses, Christmas tree skirts, quilts, etc. All items have been made specifically for the auction and donated by MVQG members. In addition, all President's Challenge items will be donated to the boutique. Like it? Want it? Buy it! No need to come back to the show for an auction at a time that is inconvenient to your schedule!
Proceeds from 2022 Great River Quilt Show auctions were distributed to:
Quad City Quilts of Valor
Pregnancy Resources
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