Honoring Judy Humphrey

Judy Humphrey

Judy Humphrey

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our dear friend and fellow quilter, Judy Humphrey, who passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 22, 2026.

Judy was a beloved member and past president of our Guild and served for many years as chairperson of our Honor Flight Quilts Committee. She poured her heart into this work, organizing the making and presentation of quilts to veterans traveling with Greater St. Louis Honor Flight. Through her leadership, hundreds of veterans received a handmade expression of our gratitude one flight at a time.

The photo above was taken at the April 2026 Honor Flight “Pick Up Your Packet” Day. Judy is presenting a quilt from our Guild to 104-year-old Bob Schultz, the oldest veteran on that flight. Her smile says so much about the joy she found in honoring those who served.

This year alone, Judy presented 93 Honor Flight Quilts in April, followed by more quilts in June. She was already prepared to present another 90 completed quilts for the September flight.

At our last guild meeting, Judy told us that Honor Flight had requested 90 more completed quilts by October for its November flight. She asked—somewhat doubtfully—whether the guild should pass on the request.

The answer from our members was a resounding and unanimous “No!” We assured her that we could meet the goal.

Now those quilts will mean even more.

Let us complete all 90 in Judy’s honor. Every quilt we finish will carry forward the compassion, dedication and love she gave so freely. It will be our way of thanking Judy for her years of service—and of continuing the work that meant so much to her.

Judy will be deeply missed, not only for everything she did, but for the friend and fellow quilter she was. Her caring spirit will remain part of our guild and will live on in every veteran wrapped in the warmth of a Bits ’n’ Pieces Honor Flight Quilt.

Let’s do it for Judy.

Visitation and Funeral Services
Russell Colonial Funeral Home
530 East Springfield Avenue
St. Clair, Missouri

Visitation:
Sunday, July 26, 2026, from 3:00–8:00 p.m.
Monday, July 27, 2026, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Funeral service:
Monday, July 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

Burial will follow at Crestview Memorial Park in St. Clair.

Memorial contributions may be made to Greater St. Louis Honor Flight.

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Every Finish Deserves a Celebration (and a Prize!)

It’s not too late to start a UFO list or add to your existing one. You’re probably already working on that quilt that’s going into the quilt show anyway, you may as well take advantage of joining the UFO challenge.

You’ll have the opportunity to win one of our fabulous prizes a) when you join and b) when you finish! Remember, every time you stop and see us at a Bits meeting, you get another chance to win! We love celebrating your finished gems. – Rita and Jane

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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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