Stitched Together:

Inside Missoula’s 200-Member Quilting Guild — and Their Biggest Show Yet

There’s a quiet kind of magic that happens when 200 people gather around a shared passion. For the members of the Missoula Quilters’ Guild, that magic happens every second Wednesday evening from September through May — needles threading, fabric folding, stories trading hands just as freely as scraps of cloth. But this month, that magic goes fully public, and the whole community is invited.

 

The Missoula Quilters’ Guild has been a cornerstone of the local creative community for years, built on a mission that’s as warm as the quilts themselves: to promote the appreciation of quilting as an art form, to foster friendship and fellowship among people who love the craft, and to grow the collective knowledge and expertise of quilt making in Missoula and beyond. With a membership of 200 strong, they’ve built something that’s far more than a hobby club — it’s a genuine community institution.

 

More Than Beautiful Quilts

 

What sets the Missoula Quilters’ Guild apart isn’t just the craftsmanship — it’s the giving. The Guild runs several active community service programs that quietly make a big difference across Missoula and the surrounding region.

 

Through Missoula Quilts 4 Kids, handmade quilts find their way to children who need comfort and warmth. The Quilts of Valor program honors military service members and veterans with quilts made specifically to thank them for their sacrifice. Camp Mak-A-Dream recipients receive pillow cases as part of a broader effort to bring joy to seriously ill children and young adults. And through their Comfort Quilts program, quilts are donated to people facing hardship or loss.

 

None of this happens without the community’s support. The Guild is quick to acknowledge the Missoula residents who generously donate their time and fabric so these service goals can be met. It’s a true loop of community generosity — locals giving to the Guild so the Guild can give back.

 

The 2026 Quilt Show Is Here

 

Every two years, in even-numbered years, the Missoula Quilters’ Guild throws open the doors and puts their work on full display. This year’s Quilt Show is shaping up to be their best yet — and if you only make it to one local event this spring, this might be the one.

 

  Friday, April 24th — 10 AM to 7 PM

  Saturday, April 25th — 10 AM to 4 PM

  Missoula County Fairgrounds

Admission is $10 for a single day or $15 for both days. Children 12 and under get in free.

 

The show features over 300 quilts on display — a stunning floor-to-ceiling showcase of color, pattern, and artistry that has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Whether you’re a lifelong quilter, a textile art enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates the kind of craft that takes real patience and skill, walking through this show is an experience.

 

Meet This Year’s Featured Quilter: Joyce Auer

 

Each Quilt Show highlights a featured quilter, and this year that honor goes to Joyce Auer. Joyce brings not just her quilts but an interactive display booth designed to engage visitors of all ages — making it a great stop whether you’re coming solo, with a friend, or bringing the kids.

 

Raffles, Food Trucks, and All the 

 

Good Stuff

 

The show isn’t just about the quilts — though honestly, 300 quilts alone is worth the trip. This year’s raffle prizes include a sewing machine and iron, both donated by A Clean Stitch Sewing Center, making it a genuinely exciting draw for anyone who sews or has been thinking about starting.

 

🍽️On the food side, four local food trucks will be on-site to keep you fueled:

 

Cowboy Cattle Coffee — your caffeine fix, handled

Blackfoot Picnic Basket — local favorites done right

Smiles for Miles — bringing the good vibes and good food

The Wild Weenie — a Missoula classic

 

It’s a full afternoon (or two) out — art, food, community, and the chance to win a sewing machine. Not a bad way to spend a spring weekend in Missoula.

 

Get Involved Beyond the Show

 

If the Quilt Show sparks something in you, the Guild meets September through May on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM

 at Revive Church on Latimer Street. With 200 members already, there’s clearly room for more — and whether you’re an experienced quilter or someone who’s never touched a rotary cutter, the Guild’s emphasis on fellowship and shared learning makes it a welcoming place to start.

 

You can learn more, explore membership, and stay up to date at www.missoulaquiltersguild.org or write to them at P.O. Box 2016, Missoula, MT 59806.

 

Come See What 200 People Have Been Making

 

When asked what inspires the Guild to keep going, the answer was simple: “To be inspired to create.” That’s the spirit that fills every quilt donated to a sick child, every stitch made in fellowship on a Wednesday night, and every piece that will hang at the Fairgrounds this weekend.

 

Come see it for yourself. The 2026 Missoula Quilters’ Guild Quilt Show is this Friday and Saturday, April 24th and 25th, at the Missoula County Fairgrounds.

 

Bring the family, grab some food truck grub, try your luck on the raffle, and let 300 quilts remind you what this community is capable of when it comes together.