Our Blog

If you have a topic suggestion or would like to write a blog post, email  bloggers@gaaqg.com.

Susan Schwandt

Come See the Showstoppers at the GAAQG 2022 Quilt Show

By Lori Rhode 2022 Quilt Show Chairperson   Come see the showstoppers! These are the beauties hung at the GAAQG in-person quilt show that make viewers stop and stare. Two stunning showstopper quilts are featured in prime spots of our upcoming biennial Celebrate the Quilt Show on July 30 –

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Behind the Scenes…What Does It Take to Put on a Quilt Show?

Premiering July 30 will be the 17th Biennial GAAQG quilt show, “Celebrating the Quilt 2022.” This two-day extravaganza highlights quilts, art, and hand-made items from guild members. What goes on behind the scenes to make this event happen?   There must be quilts to hang and people to make them.

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Did Sunbonnet Sue Survive COVID-19? The Answer Revealed!

By Henya Rachmiel, Annette Tolley and Susan Schwandt NOTE:  The Sunbonnet Sue COVID quilt and many, many beautiful quilts will be available for public viewing during the GAAQG Quilt Show, July 30-31at Washtenaw Community College. The idea for making a Sunbonnet Sue COVID-19  quilt evolved from the Greater Ann Arbor

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Laudable Labels

By Camie Roper How’s that quilt entry coming along? By this point, we hope you have at least chosen a design and fabric. Take a step outdoors, breathe in that almost-spring air, and use the earlier-sunrise and later-sunset hours to make progress on your creation. Quick quiz: How many creators

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Binding as a Counterbalance to Your Quilt

By Camie Roper Counterbalance:  a weight that balances another weight. Each quilt has a certain substance or weight. Binding helps balance that weight. Keep this in mind when planning your quilt entry. A quiet binding can calm down a very colorful quilt. Other quilts very clearly incorporate their design into

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Quintessential Quilting: “A Thing of Beauty is a Joy for Ever”

By Camie Roper John Keats must have had quilts in mind when composing the romantic poem Endymion. A quilt is the perfect combination of art and function. Its quilting holds three layers together, and adds beauty, motion and texture. First-timers entering the 2022 GAAQG Quilt Show have many options when

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Out-of-the Blue Quilt Backs

By Camie Roper Are you entering your first quilt in a quilt show or your hundred-and-first? Did you know that you can get double exposure by adding an alluring back? Think about it and get stitching! Consider the back of your quilt a blank canvas for even more creativity. Use

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Planning for a Different Kind of Perfection

By Camie Roper The expert quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama are remarkable. Their sense of dignity is palpable and their unusual quilts are not what many expect. They are quite self-sufficient, raise their own food and enjoy a tight-knit community. Their quilts reflect their spirituality, resourcefulness, pride and grace. Maris

Read More »
Susan Schwandt

Taming Your Textiles

By Camie Roper   “I made the quilt on my bed with paper I got from the craft store! It was a breeze to cut and the pieces went together perfectly,” said no quilter ever. That first wash would be a doozie! Bias edges and even cross-grain edges can stretch

Read More »