Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild celebrates 40th anniversary

Forty years ago a group of quilters got together in a church basement to form a new quilting group for Libby. 

The group, named the Kootenai Valley Quilt Guild, was dedicated to contributing to the growth of the knowledge of quilting through education and collaboration. 

This year, the group is celebrating its 40th anniversary and everyone is invited to join the celebration this weekend at the Memorial Center in Libby.

The guild sponsors and supports quilt making, encourages new quilt making techniques and quilt collecting and promotes the appreciation and knowledge of fine quilts. The guild participates in a number of community service projects throughout the year, including presenting Quilts of Valor to area veterans, providing quilts to people undergoing chemotherapy. making baby quilts for Families in Partnership, providing quilts and support materials for children in foster care, making Burn Out quilts for people that have lost their homes to a fire and others. 

The Guild offers regular educational opportunities to adults and children in our community.

The group’s primary outreach activity has always been the annual quilt show, which attracts participants from throughout northwest Montana. The quilt show will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at the Memorial Center and will showcases quilts of all types and sizes. 

This year a special exhibit of ruby quilts will celebrate the guild’s 40th anniversary. In addition, our Quilter of the Year, Kriss Jeresek, an original member of the guild, will display a selection of her quilting projects that showcases changes in quilting and fabrics over the last 40 years. 

Tickets for the Guild’s annual raffle quilt, which support many of our activities throughout the year, will be available. The winner of the raffle quilt will be announced on Saturday afternoon at about 3 p.m.