By Elonie Ward
When six women met on April 20, 1983, they had one thing in mind, and that was to form a National Quilting Association Chapter right here in central Pennsylvania. The founding members were Cindy Houlch, Cindy McNab, Jody Crust, Dorothy Milhelic, Jean Smith and Gloria Braun, as well as Violet MacMillan, who could not attend that first meeting.
The name Centre Pieces was suggested, and today the Centre Pieces Quilt Guild is celebrating its 40th anniversary as Chapter 238 of the national organization. Centre Pieces has come a long way since its humble beginnings, and it remains an organization dedicated to promoting an appreciation of quilts and quilting through sharing, teaching and fellowship.
Centre Pieces promotes personal growth and creation through keeping the ancient craft alive for future generations. As an active chapter of the National Quilting Association throughout the years, there have been countless events held to uphold the guild’s mission statement, including demonstrations at community events and locations (festivals, bookstores, malls, etc.), visiting elementary schools and even teaching youth sewing classes. Since 1992, the guild has celebrated National Quilting Day every year on the third Saturday of March. In its observance, the guild hosts quilting demonstrations in public spaces—most recently at the Nittany Mall—for all to enjoy.
For the State College centennial in 1996, the guild created a commemorative quilt featuring area landmarks which hangs in the municipal building.
CPQG continues to thrive and currently has a historical list of 672 members (and still counting) from 1983-2023, twenty-eight of whom have served as president.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge for an organization built around in-person fellowship, but adjustments were made to continue functioning safely. When the Mount Nittany Middle School library closed to the public, in-person meetings came to a halt. But that didn’t stop Centre Pieces from working through the limitations imposed upon them.
“We missed each other and emailed to keep in touch; we agreed to learn Zoom and to buy a license for the guild,” member Becky Shirer recalls. “We gradually figured it out, and it allowed us to resume our monthly meetings and actually invite speakers to lead some programs.”
Even now that in-person meetings are back, the guild still holds Zoom meetings in the winter months to avoid bad-weather cancellation. Virtual meetings also allow the group to have speakers from anywhere in the country and members to join from around the globe.
Centre Pieces has remained strong due to its members’ willingness to fill positions, take on leadership roles and bring new, enthusiastic perspectives to the organization. “It is the camaraderie and support the guild offers that is important enough to keep us going,” Shirer says. In recent years, there have been updates in keeping with the times, such as learning Zoom, adding new and younger members and having individuals serve in pairs (co-president, co-vice president, etc.).
As Centre Pieces historian, Shirer has preserved much of the guild’s history through the creation and preservation of scrapbooks, newsletters, historical articles, directories and more. Of course, the organization’s history is also preserved through members’ memories, accomplishments and community impact.
Shirer recalls joining Centre Pieces in 1983. “I was relatively new to quilting, but I was mentored and encouraged by my sister-in-law. [The guild] is important to me as a social connection, creative outlet, inspiration, encouragement to try new things and moral support in all areas of life.” She has particularly enjoyed making wedding quilts for her children and baby quilts for her grandchildren. She likes using traditional, simple patterns in new ways, along with non-traditional arrangements or exciting modern fabrics.
Visit the guild’s official website, centrepiecesguild.org, to learn about Centre Pieces history, the newsletter, membership applications, Comfort Covers (for nursing home residents, children with special needs, etc.), quilt shows, other events and more. Evening meetings are usually 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month. Various member groups hold work sessions throughout the year, and the guild also brings in professional designers for workshops.
When looking toward the future of CPQG, Shirer says she hopes it will be of interest to more young people, as CPQG prides itself on remaining friendly and open; keeping fresh ideas flowing; making contributions to the community; and being a welcoming space to share the fun.
“As a guild, we’d just like people to know we are a friendly, open, welcoming bunch of quilters who love to learn new things and share them with others,” Shirer says. “We enjoy each other’s company and are happy to welcome new members anytime.” T&G
Town&Gown intern Elonie Ward is a broadcast journalism major at Penn State with a minor in global health studies.
