54-40 Quilters Guild of Virginia

A Stitch in Time

2009-04-06T13:42:00.005-04:00

Prior to our trip to Wakefield, VA for our retreat week end we went to the opening of our latest quilt show in Portsmouth, VA. The show is at the Courthouse Galleries at 420 High Street. It is scheduled to be on exhibit until June 14, 2009. Our show is quite good. Please visit if possible.

http://www.courthousegalleries.com/hours.html

A STITCH IN TIME: 54-40 Quilters Opening Reception: Friday, April 3, 2009, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.Founded in 1993 by eight African American women, the 54-40 Quilters Guild from Hampton, Virginia have increased their membership and continue to gather, share and teach their quilting traditions and designs for all to share. The exhibit will offer a selection of their quilts and appliqued wall hangings.

Week end at Wakefield, VA

2009-04-06T12:59:00.011-04:00

Over the past week end (April 3-5 2009) there were sixteen guild members who traveled from the Tidewater area to Wakefield, VA for a week end of quilting fun, relaxation and to celebrate our sixteenth anniversary as a quilt guild. Darryl Randolph (digital Darryl) taught us a computer class on Digital pattern making. We also completed thirty-five juvenile patterned pillow cases for a local shelter for victims of domestic violence. We all had a great time.

Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival

2009-02-24T10:42:00.002-05:00

The Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival begins on Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. This year the 54-40 will again have a quilt display as well as a raffle quilt. Please visit our display. There will be many colorful quilts and Wearable Art for you to enjoy.

Save the Dates

2009-02-20T18:42:00.002-05:00

April 15-18, 2010

Our biennial Retreat will again be at the newly renovated Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Conference Center in Portsmouth, VA. The papers have been signed and it’s official. Look for classes, workshops, and other activities related to quilting. We are planning now. You will be notified when to start the registration process. We will not accept payments until the registration is officially in progress. Registration and payments will only be accepted by mail through the US Postal service. Look for more information during the late spring or summer.

Karen Boutte' teaches class to 54-40

2009-02-12T13:35:00.002-05:00

In 2008 just prior to Thanksgiving Karen Boutte' tought us a Jacket class. Here is a group shot of the attendees.

Karen Boutte's class

2009-02-12T13:13:00.001-05:00

Delores and Karen

2009-02-12T13:11:00.000-05:00

2009-02-12T13:10:00.000-05:00

We are getting losts of good tips from Karen Boutte'

Karen's class

2009-02-12T13:08:00.001-05:00

Here we are getting instructions from Karen

Robert and Karen

2009-02-12T13:01:00.001-05:00

Karen presented a trunk show at the home of one of our members the night before the class. Here she is with Robert

Loss of our dear member

2009-02-01T23:47:00.003-05:00

All of us in the 54-40 AAQG family were saddened and shocked at the sudden death of our member and fellow quilter Eva Purcell Washington. She died on January 14, 2009 and was a long time member of 54-40. She was an active supporter of 4H and served as a leader, volunteer and coach. Her memberships included other local quilting and beading guilds. She was also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Eva leaves her devoted husband Darwin along with their son Daniel, other family members and a host of friends.

The funeral services were held January 23, 2009 in Newport News, VA with burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Eva will surely be missed.

Juanita Yeager Class

2009-01-30T22:29:00.001-05:00

Juanita Yeager class

2009-01-30T22:20:00.003-05:00

Here we are taking a class from Juanita Yeager. All of our guild was present and accounted for during this two day class.

2009-01-30T09:43:00.004-05:00

This is a recent picture of us. However, some members were missing at the time and now we have more members so we must get a new group shot.

Members at a meeting/workshop

2009-01-27T15:00:00.001-05:00

Some members of our guild at a meeting and workshop

About Us

2009-01-26T14:23:00.001-05:00

Our guild was formed with eight founding members in March of 1993. We now have 28 members. Our quilts have been featured in shows in Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Missouri, and Kentucky. We have had quilt shows at the Newsome House Museum in Newport News and several at the Frances Land Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Our guild was one of many African- American quilting groups to be featured in Roland L. Freeman's book entitled "A Communion of the Spirits." One member's quilted wall hanging is featured in Carolyn Mazloomi's book entitled "Sprits of the Cloth."
We participate in community projects and teach workshops and classes. Each member must teach one class during the year at a guild meeting. Our community involvements include speaking to groups about the art of Quilting and dispelling the myth of what African American Quilting really is. Members made quilts for the residents of a nursing home in Hampton, quilts for a shelter for unwed mothers, and at present we are making quilted walker/wheelchair bags for patients in nursing homes.