A meeting of 23 weavers on March 5, 1988 in St. Louis became the foundation of what has now become the statewide Missouri Basketweavers Guild. On December 1, 1988 steps were taken to organize a Missouri Basketweavers Guild in St. Louis. An official guild meeting was held March 5, 1989 and in December 1989 the following officers were elected.
President: Bonnie Schreckengast
Secretary: Pat Moritz
Treasurer: Denise D'Alto
Program Driector: Carol Brandon
Refreshment Chair: Aelen Aschinger and Barb Carr
Librarian: Jean Bodenburg
The transition to a statewide guild and convention began with the vision coming to fulfillment in late 1990. Laury Kramer, Paula Gulley, Pat Moritz and other members of the St. Louis Missouri Basketweavers Guild were instrumental in joining forces with Ann Clark, Paula Harrison, and Sandy McCormick from the Kansas City area. In December 1990, an important decision was made by the St. Louis guild to create a statewide guild and local chapters to form in affiliation. Other weavers wanting to establish chapters were invited to join. The St. Louis guild became known as the Eastern Chapter (later Gateway Weavers Guild). Woven Circle Guild in the Kansas City Area was formed with 13 original members. These chapters became an affiliate of the Missouri Basketweavers state guild.
The statewide meeting in Hannibal June 1-2, 1991 became the first official statewide guild convention and meeting. Frances Wight of Somerset, Iowa taught a pineneedle basket to those in attendance and state elections were held. The following officers were elected:
President: Ann Clark of Kansas City (Woven Circle)
Vice President: Betty Jo Lloyd of Canton (Eastern Chapter)
Secretary: Pat Moritz of St. Louis (Eastern Chapter)
Treasurer: Sarah Coats of Columbia (Eastern Chapter)
1989-1990 Bonnie Schreckengast
1991-1992 Ann Clark
1993-1994 Sandy McCormick
1995-1996 Pat Moritz
1997-1998 Pat Walden
1999-2000 Sue Chatfield
2000-2001 Carol Matteson - Jan Coonce
2002-2004 Mary Ann Allen
2004 -2008 Doris Hynes
2008-2013 Mona Hartzler
2013-2017 Beverly McKenna
2017-2021 Leanne Nielsen
2021-2023 Leanne Nielsen & Susan Brandon
2023- Cindy Peck
June 1-2 1991 1st State Meeting & Classes
Hannibal, MO
June 13-14, 1992 MO Basket Sampler
Holiday Inn, Kansas City, MO
Co-chairs: Pat Moritz & Vickie Leftwich
June 11-13, 1993 MO Basket Sampler
Henry the VIII, St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Ann Clark & Vickie Leftwich
June 10-12,1994 MO Basket Sampler
American Hotel, Kansas City, MO
Chair: Valerie Bland
June 9-11, 1995 MO Basket Sampler
Henry the VIII, St. Louis, MO
Chair: Pat Moritz
June 7-9, 1996 MO Basket Sampler
Benjamin Ranch Ramada Inn, Kansas City, MO
Chair: Sue Chatfield
June 6-8, 1997 Sharing a Woven Heritage
Benjamin Ranch Ramada Inn, Kansas City, MO
Chair: Sue Chatfield
June 12-14, 1998 Woven in Heartland
Henry the VIII, St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Wendy Reary & Carol Matteson
June 4-6, 1999 Handwoven in the Heartland
Park Place Hotel, Kansas City, MO
Co-chairs: Doris Hynes & Susan Ratliff
June 2-4, 2000 Preserving the Past
Regal Riverfront Hotel, St. Louis, MO
Chair: Carol Matteson
June 7-9, 2002
Woven Together – Heritage, Community, Artistry
Regal Riverfront Hotel
St. Louis, MO
Chair: Shirley Albrecht
August 1-3, 2003
A Woven Heritage
Park Place Hotel
Kansas City, MO
Co-chairs: Marilyn Margrave & Mona Hartzler
August 5-7, 2004
Expanding Horizons
Hilton Garden Inn Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Doris Hynes & Susan Ratliff
August 4-7, 2005
Show Me Weaving 2005
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Doris Hynes & Susan Ratliff
August 3-6, 2006
Show Me Weaving 2006
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Marilyn Margrave & Mona Hartzler
August 2-5, 2007
Gateway Gathering
Holiday Inn – Southwest
Viking Conference Center
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Sharon Plumpe & Lynn Touchette
August 7-10, 2008
Weave Me in St. Louis
Holiday Inn – Southwest
Viking Conference Center
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Martha Kay Larsen & Leanne Nielsen
August 6-9, 2009
Show Me Weaving
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Doris Hynes & Susan Ratliff
August 5-8, 2010
Weaving MO Madness
Holiday Inn –
Southwest Viking Conference Center
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Leanne Nielsen, Beverly McKenna & Pat White
August 4-7, 2011
Weaving Traditions
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Chair: Deanna Waddell
August 2-5, 2012
Weaving Friendships
St. Louis Marriott West
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Susan Brandon & Sandy Hertel
August 1-4, 2013
Missouri Parade of Baskets
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Mary Ann Allen & Deanna Waddell
July 31-August 3, 2014
Fantastic Baskets
St. Louis Marriott West
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Susan Brandon & Sandy Hertel
July 30-August 2, 2015
Carnival of Baskets
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Mary Ann Allen & Carmella Mongold
August 4-7, 2016
Weave the World
Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel
Clayton, MO
Co-chairs: Leanne Nielsen & Edie Romvari
August 3-6, 2017
Weave Across Missouri
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Mary Ann Allen, Mona Hartzler & Marilyn Margrave
August 2-5, 2018
Weavin' on Route 66
Holiday Inn St. Louis SW - Route 66
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Susan Brandon & Sandy Hertel
August 1-4, 2019
Come Weave with Us
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Debora Renken & Pam Watson
"The Convention that never was" Cancelled (COVID-19) pandemic
July 30, 2020 - Aug. 2, 2020
Weaving with 2020 Vision
Holiday Inn St. Louis SW
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Leanne Nielsen & Eunice Peterson
August 5-8, 2021
Circle Back To Weavin'
Hilton Garden Inn
Independence, MO
Co-chairs: Leanne Nielsen & Pam Watson
August 4-7, 2022
Woven State of Mind
Holiday Inn St. Louis SW
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Cheryl Johner, Edie Romvari & Jena Baumgarten
August 3 - 6, 2023
Weavin' is Believin' 2023
Hilton Garden Inn, Independence, MO
Convention Co-Chairs: Cindy Peck, Dianne Crowl-Ventura & Pam Watson
August 1-4, 2024
Get Your Weave
on Route 66
Holiday Inn St. Louis SW
St. Louis, MO
Co-chairs: Cheryl Johner, Susan Brandon & Vicky Frayne
July 24-27, 2025
For the Love of Weaving
Stoney Creek Hotel Independence, MO
Co-Chairs: Emily Brown, Dianne Crowl-Ventura,
Benita Hendrickson
July 30 - Aug 2, 2026
If Baskets Could Talk
Kenneth Cowan Civic Center
Lebanon, MO
Co-Chairs: Vicky Frayne & Laura How