The mission of the Muskogee Area Quilters Guild is to promote the Art of Quilting
MONTHLY MEETINGS: The M.A.Q.G. Meets the second Thursday of the month at the First Presbyterian Church at 6:30 PM. Dues are $15 per year, payable in June.
MEMBERSHIP CARD: Your card identifies you as a member and you receive discounts from local stores and quilt shops.
WORKSHOPS: Workshops are scheduled several times a year, normally the Saturday following the monthly meeting. The instructors teach us new techniques while we have fun and fellowship.
S.E.A.M.S.: This is our monthly Newsletter that keeps you informed about our members, workshops, quilt shows in our area and opportunities for the month.
GUILD MEETINGS6:30 pm 2nd Thursday each Month
First Presbyterian Church, 500 West Broadway, Muskogee, OK 74403
CONTACT US: M.A.Q.G., P.O. BOX 365, MUSKOGEE, OK 74402-0365
ANNUAL QUILT SHOW: The Guild sponsors a spring quilt show in April every year in conjunction with the Azalea Festival in Muskogee, OK. This is a great show to spark community interest in our art, and is the biggest fundraiser we have. We also have a quilt display at the Muskogee Library in March.
STITCH GROUPS: Within the Guild there are several groups that meet in the homes of members and work while they enjoy lunch and fellowship.
REACHING OUT: This group meets the 1st Saturday of the month. Friends and quilters come together to make quilts for children in crisis and in need.
LIBRARY: We have a library at the monthly meetings funded by the Guild that offers a wide selection of books for members to check out.
Muskogee Area Quilters Guild History:
The Muskogee Quilt Guild began when an energetic young woman named Melony Martin put an advertisement in the local newspaper, stating that anyone interested in the “art of quilting,” should meet at the Muskogee Public Library. Twelve women came to the first meeting. The second meeting was held in someone's living room. Officers were elected and a Quilt Guild was born.
These meetings consisted of a short business meeting, program, and a work time, where the ladies brought needle and thread and worked on projects. The first “Quilt Show” was held in the spring of 1984, during the Azalea Festival in the Muskogee Public Library. Proceeds from the Quilt Show was used to help the Kelly B. Todd Center and OETA, our local Public Television Studio, to ensure that Quilting Programs remained on the air.
The members started a “Guild Library” to make quilting books available for the members to check out at no charge.
In 1985 or 1986, a group of four or five ladies had been driving to Tulsa to attend the “Green Country Guild” each month. They decided they had enough people to start their own “Guild” in Muskogee.
They met in a home and worked up a set of bylaws and called themselves “The Muskogee Area Quilters Guild.” They wanted to include quilters and others in the area surrounding Muskogee who were also interested in quilting.
They met for a long time at the Muskogee Public Library, but didn't like to leave at 9:00 pm. Many times they were firmly but politely escorted from the building. They then moved to a church in Fort Gibson. They approached the “Muskogee Quilters Guild” about combining the two “Guilds.” The two groups merged and became one.
The first combined “Quilt Show” was in 1987. Since then the Quilt show has become an annual event and draws hundreds of quilters from the surrounding area as well as out of town visitors. The show is held in conjunction with the Muskogee Area Azalea Festival. Normally the Quilt Show is held at St. Paul United Methodist Church, but we have also held events at First Baptist Church, and St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
We have met in several places as the needs of the Guild members have changed over the years, and currently meet at the First Presbyterian Church at 500 West Broadway, Muskogee, OK.
In the 24+ years since the Guild began we have grown to over a hundred (100) members. We invite everyone who is interested in quilting, by either involvement, or appreciation of the art, to join our Guild.
