Route 66 Traveling Quilt Show Rolls Up to Red Cedar Inn

The Mother Road just got a whole lot more colorful! Art Bits quilters were invited to help celebrate the opening reception for the Route 66 Centennial: Art Quilt Project on Sunday, July 12th, at the Red Cedar Inn Museum & Visitor Center in Pacific, MO. Visitors enjoyed free admission to view 66 unique 24″ x 24″ art quilts, each depicting a beloved stop along the historic highway — from Ted Drewes to the Blue Swallow Motel.

Husbands of R66

Husbands of R66

Guests got to meet the talented quilters behind the pieces, have them sign their Exhibit books, snap photos, and even grab a treat from the Snackin’ Safari ice cream truck parked out front.

   

R66 Art Quilts

The exhibit will be on display through September 15th, 2026 — mark your calendar for a visit!

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A Celebration of Craft, Color, and Community

Fanfare of Quilts 2027 Update

The countdown continues! As of July 13, 2026, we are just 243 days away from opening the doors to Fanfare of Quilts 2027 on March 13, 2027. The time is flying by, so be sure to spread the word to your family, friends, neighbors, quilting buddies, and anyone who enjoys creativity and craftsmanship. And don’t forget to mark your calendars—you won’t want to miss it!

New Committee Chairs!

I’m excited to announce that we have now filled all but two of our Committee Chairs!  We are still looking for a person for organize our Demonstrations (someone is considering it but don’t hesitate to reach out just in case!) and someone to organize our Public Display Cases.

A special thank you goes to Lisa Marsden for volunteering as our Indoor Signs Coordinator. If you are planning a special exhibit or display for the show, expect to hear from Lisa as she works to coordinate signage throughout the venue.

I’d also like to thank Barb Tucker for stepping into the role of Outdoor Signs Coordinator. We appreciate everyone who has volunteered their time and talents to help make our show a success.

Who Will Be Our Featured Quilter?

One of the highlights of every Fanfare of Quilts is our Featured Quilter exhibit, and it’s almost time to begin that selection process! We will be accepting nominations for a guild member to be our 2027 Featured Quilter. Nomination forms will be distributed in August and accepted at the September Guild meeting. Finalists will be introduced at the October meeting, followed by a guild vote, and we plan to announce our Featured Quilter that evening. Be sure to join us for this exciting tradition!

Behind the scenes, committee members are busy reviewing details and fine-tuning plans to make this our best show yet. Quilt entries will also open in September, so now is the perfect time to put those finishing stitches in your projects and get them ready for submission!

Spread the Word About the Show

Finally, keep an eye—and an ear—out for opportunities to help spread the word about our show. We’ll be looking for members to distribute publicity materials to other quilt guilds, quilt shops, and community locations. Your help promoting Fanfare of Quilts 2027 is one of the best ways to ensure another outstanding show.

Thank you for your enthusiasm, your support, and your willingness to help make Fanfare of Quilts 2027 a wonderful celebration of craft, color, and community. We’re getting closer every day! – Darla Gibson

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A Message from our President

Dear Guild Members,

I would like to give a huge shout out to our Vice President Barb Nagel and Previous Vice President Debbie Reynolds for discovering and scheduling our dynamic June Speaker, Lorelai Kuecker!

Loralai

A big part of the role of the Vice President is to find and schedule our monthly presenters. Sometimes these are scheduled over a year in advance…as was this one. Thank you, Debbie, for finding this young creative quilter! And thank you, Barb, for making it happen!

I am so excited for our Annual July Salad Supper (“Twas the Night Before Christmas… In July”). It is always such a nice break in the middle of the year to get together and enjoy each others’ company. Good Food! Good Friends! Great Fun! The event is being hosted by the “Quilt with heART” mini group for the second year in a row. Thank you Quilt with heART mini group! So put on your favorite “ugly sweater” or Christmas PJ’s! Bring a salad or dessert and an unwrapped gift for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. Don’t miss the fun!

Don’t forget to save your Show ‘n Tell for August … no business meeting or Show ‘n Tell this month.

Until then, keep quilting and keep cool! – Patti Moreland

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New Bits Members: Start Your Machines!

Photo by Karen Grogan

New Member Co-Chairs Karen Grogan and Beth Roehm threw open Karen’s home this month for the second annual New Member Happy Hour — and what a gathering it was! Newbies who’ve joined Bits since July 2025 mingled with guild veterans over good conversation about quilts and ate lovely snacks. Our newest stitchers in attendance were:

Jane Talley
Ann McDonald
Lisa Schrock
Nancy Mietzner
Kim Luberda
Gina Hammerschmidt
Ellen Baker
Kandi Ruffner
Jan Nolting
Laura Ludwig

New Bits Member Welcome Happy Hour

Photo by Patti Moreland

“We had a delightful evening getting to know these newbies to our guild!” Karen said. These long-time members turned out too, swapping stories and guild wisdom:

Mary Miller
Patti Moreland
Jane Dodge
Priscilla Kosednar
Chris Williams

Photo by Karen Grogan

Other new members include:

Linda Ruschoff
Cheryl Amos
Vicki Marx
Marla Mohan
Sandy Rekowski
Lori Miller
Lori Niediewski
Marilyn Nicka
Hassie Watkins
Cathy Hudson
Kate Sander
Emma Dolley

Photo by Karen Grogan

Here’s to old friends and new! 🧵

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August Workshop: Improv Arches

Joyce Franklin of Piece Works Quilt Shop in Winterset Iowa, will be presenting her workshop, “Improv Arches” in August. The workshop is sold out and there’s a waiting list, but if you enrolled, here is the info.

Date: August 26, 2026

Time: 9:30am – 3:30pm. Doors open at 9:00am

Location:  Salem Methodist Church, 14825 Manchester Rd, Ballwin, MO 63011

Supply List:

  • Sewing machine
  • iron and extension cord
  • cutting mat
  • Lots of fabric
  • Basic sewing supplies
  • Bring a lunch
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Quilting Runs in the Family

Mothers & Daughters Quilt Exhibit

Most of us learned to quilt at the knee of a parent or grandparent: threading needles before we could reach the pedal, absorbing fabric wisdom one stitch at a time.

So when that same love of quilting gets passed down and both generations end up with quilts on display together, it’s a full-circle moment worth celebrating.

In a past Fanfare of Quilts Show, we celebrated several mother-daughter quilter combos and featured quilts from that very special quilting experience. Scroll down to see their beautiful work.

Bernice Dodge and Darla Gibson

Lisa Marsden and Laura Khoury

The 2027 Fanfare of Quilts is coming up on March 13-15, 2027.🧵💕

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