Guild History

Picture

The Belknap Mill Quilters Guild, Inc., was founded in May of 1978, and incorporated in 2001. ​The Guild started with 22 members and has grown to over 100 today. Members come from over 20 towns/cities in and around the Lakes Region. 

A full-size, hand stitched quilt hangs framed on the third floor of the Belknap Mill. This quilt was handmade by the Guild’s founding members, as a gift commemorating the close relationship between the Belknap Mill and Guild. 

The first quilt show was presented in 1978 on Columbus Day weekend. Though the show no longer takes place on the holiday weekend, the Guild’s tradition continues as it presents its annual quilt show the weekend before Columbus Day. 
​
The Guild is governed by Officers and an Executive Board.  Non-profit in nature, quilt show funds generated by the Guild are used to fulfill our educational and charitable goals.  These goals are to present teaching workshops, classes and demonstrations to provide its members with basics of quilting, as well as the newest techniques and art forms available. 

In addition to making Comfort Quilts for the local area, our members volunteer their services for many agencies, some quilt related and some not. They include but are not limited to: Girl Scouts, Lakes Region United Way, church committees, county and state prisons, the Lakes Region Hospital Auxiliary, Hospice Care, food pantries, community clothing shops, “Breathe NH”, Foster Grandparents, pet therapy at the Veterans Home, local public libraries, sewing and repairing quilts for the Veterans Home, sending quilts to Walter Reed Army Hospital, and working on the ever changing quilt display at the Taylor Home. Our Guild members are very busy and volunteer all over New Hampshire.