In the early days of this guild (1989), the "Block of the Month" was called a “Round Robin”. Here’s how it worked. To participate you bought the common fabric that came with a block pattern for 75 cents. You followed the rules of the pattern and made the block and turned in the finished block at the next meeting (from Fall-Winter Newsletter 1990). The information in the newsletter was for a pine tree block – no pattern found. Tracey doesn’t know how long the guild ran the “Round Robin” like this but it was a small fund raiser for the guild. Over the years the “Round Robin” became the “Block of the Month” (per Fall 1996 Newsletter). A pattern was provided and guild members made a block to win the blocks.

As our Historian looked back through past newsletters she’s seen a lot of changes in the guild, but most of all she’s seen the constant promotion of quilting knowledge and friendship.

Our  first quilt show was held on September 22, 1990 for one day at the Congregation Church Parish Hall in Hanover, we had 47 quilts, 18 challenge quilts and Genevieve Grundy of Duxbury was our featured quilter with 17 quilts. Joyce Archer was our first viewer’s choice winner. We had two quilt vendors (Quilter’s Delight and Tumbleweeds). Our membership was 41 quilters and Jewel Box was or raffle quilt.

We currently have our show every other year on the even year. We showcase the many quilting talents of our guild members. Our show includes over 200 member quilts, challenge quilts, vendors, silent auction, bed turning and more.

The logo of our guild was designed by Rose Perry. After our first show in 1990 the guild decided to have a logo pin made. Tracey Mackenzie found a company called “The Pin Place” that made custom pins. The guild members selected white for the background and blue and green for the letters. We ordered 200 pins and sold them for $3.00 each as a fund raiser for the guild.

In 1994 we had to reorder our pins so we selected an Amish color theme of black, pink and turquoise to match our Amish friendship sampler raffle quilt.

In 1996 a new set of pins were ordered. This time we ordered two different sets of pins – off-white, red and green known as the Christmas pin and gray, dark turquoise and cranberry to match our gray and cranberry sampler raffle quilt. Most of these pins were sold out, but ask Membership if some are still available.

Our current guild pin was ordered after the 2008 quilt show. The colors are a lilac background with yellow and orange letters. They are available from Membership for $5.00. Please support the guild and buy and wear a HRQG pin.   

When this guild formed in February 1989, a badge was designed from our logo. The badge was to be made by our guild members to be worn as our name tag. The original 4 colors for the badge were: muslin for the background so that your name can be printed in the name space and 2 solid colors (no prints) of the quilter’s choice for the H&R and crossover for the fish. We selected solids so that the design is clear. The borders of the badge are also the quilters’ choice, but it had to be a blue print to represent the waters of the Herring Run. Early badges had the same look, but each quilter chose her own solid colors and blue print for a unique looking badge.

And that’s a small bit of history of our guild. Please support our guild and buy a new guild logo pin from membership. The pins are available at the check-in table at guild meetings for $5.00.

When this guild was formed in 1989 we met at the Lydia Drake Library in Pembroke. One of the first projects this guild worked on was a raffle quilt for the library. We made a shoo fly with 9 patch blocks, lap size quilt that was tied. The quilt was donated to the library and they raffled it off to raise money to buy new books. We have come a long way since then. See if you remember the following past raffle quilts:

Hand quilted by members:

1990 - Jewel Box

1992 – Tennessee Waltz

1994 – Amish Friendship Sampler

1996 – Gray and Cranberry Applique Sampler

1998 – Mountain Paint Brush

2000 – Millennium Star

Machine Quilted on a Longarm:

2004 – Morning Star

2006 – Scrappy Lighthouses

2008 – Poppies

2010 – New York Blues (New York Beauty)