Our History

The initial idea to establish a Fort Wayne guild for African-American women came from Amy Powell in March of 1999 when she observed the relative absence of African-Americans at the Annual Gathering of Quilters, a regional Quilt Show.  Soon afterwards, the seven founding members:  Frances Campbell; Denise Jordan; Bertha McLemore; Amy Powell; Jacquei Seals; Helen “Gwennie” Stewart; and Michelle Williams chose the guild name “Sisters of the Cloth Quilting Guild, Inc”.  They also chose the Crazy Heart as the Guild Logo.  Early on, it was decided that as a condition of membership, every member would make at least one charity quilt each year.  Those with quilting experience willingly shared their knowledge and this led to the adoption of our Motto, “Each One Teach One”.  In addition to monthly meetings, the Guild started meeting one Saturday a month just to sew. On these “Sister Saturdays”, everyone brings food to share and members can get help with difficult projects and show off new stuff.

Currently, there are 30 members including 6 members who now live out-of-State.  The Guild reflects diversity in age, status in life and quilting experience.  As women of color, we tend to choose designs, colors, and patterns which reflect our collective culture and shared experiences.  Additionally, we reach out to others, especially African-American young people, in the hope of continuing the art and craft of quilting.

2019 Christmas Party

July 2004 Tea Party