Our History!

One of the advantages of belonging to the Columbine Quilt Guild is the learning we receive from guest speakers and each other at every meeting.

Did you know that in April 2002?

Columbine had Jeanne Wright of Longmont, Colorado, present a one-hour lecture titled “Amish quilts: An Historic Perspective.” Jeanne came as a quilt historian, lecturer, collector, and appraiser. As one of the largest private collections in the region, she brought her knowledge from researching, caring, and studying the quilt history of making reproduction quilts. She explained the difference between Pennsylvania Amish and Midwest Amish quilts. She examined quilt styles created by other Germanic groups in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Her Lecture included a fabulous trunk show of historic quilts.

The following month, May 2002,

Columbine members enjoyed themselves as Elsie Campbell of Dodge City, Kansas, presented her lecture” Innovations and Renovations: Scrap Quilts. She followed it up with a workshop entitled “Happy Endings.” A workshop that taught how to finish edges.

With COVID, Columbine turned to Zoom for many speakers, which opened our world to more Quilting artists. As we learn, our craft grows.

Throughout Columbine’s history, our Chair of Programs continues to be a gift to our guild.

From 2008 Columbine Cookbook: 

From Linda:

When I read the email asking me to write something about my guild presidency, I just smiled.  I enjoyed being president so much and it whipped by so quickly. 

My first year I was quite nervous and lived with an inordinate number of lists.  List of who to call on at Board meetings, list of what order to run the general meeting, list of to dos such as writing an article for the newsletter.  Inevitably, something falls through the cracks. At the beginning of my second year I realized I had forgotten to have the Mystery Quilt the year before!  No one had said a word or questioned when it was happening.  It just slipped through a big crack. 

However, I had the most supportive, compassionate board, especially my first year.  I think they enjoyed my quirks, such as I printed the agenda on recycled paper from when I taught history.  Some of them seemed more interested in reading the handout or test on the other side than the meeting agenda!  And when I confessed I had forgotten the Mystery Quilt, they said, oh well.

Board members can truly make the position less demanding and  stressful.  As past president, Chris Pennel was only a phone call away and could put everything into perspective. Jan Hepp, as treasurer, was a lifeline.  She knows where all the bodies are hidden or in my case, where the church key is, the code to the kitchen and the wifi password.  And Gretchen Hugen was a fabulous secretary with detailed, prompt minutes but also the voice of reason and objectivity.  I came to rely on these women and realized they supported me.

Along with them I had great membership chairs in Debi Grundmeier and Sue Ryman.  I put a lot of pressure on them, demanding members wear name tags, but these two ladies stepped up like guards at Buckingham Palace. Caryl Thompson was program chair, and I never gave a second thought to who was speaking since she was organized and on top of this most important part of the meeting.

Of course, there are many more chairs who help run the guild and our activities, but my point is that I did not serve alone.  I came to make some very dear friends.  Rhonda Cratty was librarian, and again, I never had to give it a thought.  To this day she reminds me that the point of the guild is to have fun.  We are just people who like to sew and share. 

As a natural introvert I must push myself into positions outside my comfort zone because I know it’s good for me and/or because I see a job I am interested in doing.  That was the guild presidency.  I enjoyed greeting and meeting people at the meetings, I loved trying to get people to know the names of other members, I delighted in sharing with my board.  I relished getting to know people through a role that allowed me to step out of myself and have a purpose.

Thank you for two years of letting me guide this guild. 

Linda Kennedy

President  2022-2024

Columbine Quilt Guild has had the best speakers:

Jeananne Wright 2002:

In the Columbine Quilt Guild’s April 2002 meeting, they had Jeananne Wright of Longmont, Colorado, present a one-hour lecture, “Amish Quilts: An Historical Perspective.” Jeanne talked as a quilt historian, lecturer, collector, and appraiser. She spoke with the most extensive private collection in the region, spending several hours a day researching her quilts and their makers, caring for and studying quilt history, making reproductions of quilts, and writing magazine articles.

Jeananne exhibited her quilts in museums and quilt shows and frequently loaned them to authors of books and magazines. A former 4th-grade teacher at the time, Jeanne had given over 75 lectures in 8 years on topics that included pre and post-Civil War quilts, the history of textiles and quilts dating fabric, and stories of her quilts.

In 2008 the Columbine Quilters Published their own Cookbook. They filled it full of yummy treats, tips, and memories. Below is the introduction and cover.