About US
We are a group of Central New Yorkers dedicated to sharing our love of quilting. See more about us below.
Mission
The mission of the Towpath Quilt Guild is to promote awareness and provide educational opportunities in the art of Quilting.
Membership
The only requirement for membership is a love of quilting and an interest in furthering the future of quilting. All levels of quilters are eligible to join, from beginners to experts. To learn more, visit our membership page.
Service Projects
The members of the Towpath Quilt Guild are very generous in sharing their commitment to the community by participating in service projects. Over the many years of the guild, area agencies have been recipients of these caring members. To name just a few of the offerings of members- placemats for Meals on Wheels, pillowcases for Elm Crest Children’s Center, over 300 quilts to children in the Onondaga County Foster Care system, over 400 quilts or fleece blankets for children involved in the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Quilts for Alzheimer’s clients, Francis House, quilts designed by children and their families at the Cystic Fibrosis Center at Upstate as well as capes made for the children, lap quilts for the patients at the Syracuse Veterans Hospital, and small cloth bags for the children of Golisano Children’s Hospital to hold their beads of courage. Many members also donate their time and quilts to their personal charities or have continued to donate quilts to the many agencies on their own. During the COVID-19 p,andemic many members raided their stashes, found elastic, and researched patterns for cloth face coverings. Members made many, many cloth masks and donated them to numerous area places of work, businesses, family, and friends. It is a pleasure to be part of this giving group of quilters.
2024-25 Ronald McDonald House will be this year’s main recipient for quilts and also burp cloths. Soft quilts are great for newborn and infants to cuddle and keep warm. The smallest will be 30x30” up to lap quilts for older kids. Burp cloths made out of flannel are fun and easy to make and so useful.
2023-24 This year’s service project is for Hospice and Palliative Care’s Quilts of Comfort program. Jerry Plows, Volunteer Coordinator explains, “Quilts of Comfort are given to our pediatric patients and to children who are grieving the loss of a parent, grandparent, sibling, or other significant person in their life. The quilts support a healthy grieving process and help to remind the youth that they do not walk this journey alone.”
Towpath donated over 180 quilts to this cause and filled up their shelves.
In addition to our service project, members also continued to make quilts for past recipients including, McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy, Onondaga Foster Care, Ronald McDonald house and various senior organizations.
2022-23 The 2022-2023 Towpath January Service Project charity was Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS (sponsored by Quilters Dream Batting Company). The project was chosen to honor our Co-president Suzy Tankersley who suffered from Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and upon diagnosis was presented with a quilt by this wonderful organization. The co-chairs (Berta, Gay, Nancy and Jeannine) received numerous fabric donations from members as well as non members; and inspired by Donna Robertson’s books, we made “3 Yard Quilt” kits with the fabrics and purchased batting for distribution back to the membership. January 10th was service day and members as well as guests had a fun time sewing together; many completed whole quilt tops that day! Finished quilts were collected at the June 13th Towpath meeting; the response was overwhelming, with a total of 96 quilts collected! What a great cause; what a great guild full of generous members!
Towpath won 1st Place in the SEW GENEROUS Guild category for the 2022-2023 Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge.
Marilouise M. delivering quilts to the YMCA Men’s Residence
2019-2021 We are excited to be creating warm blankets for the Downtown YMCA Men’s Residence as our Service Project for not only 2019-2020 but also 2020-2021. The recipients are homeless adult men, many of whom are veterans, who have found shelter at the YMCA. There are also 30 senior adults in a separate facility. We provided approximately 140 quilts and/or fleece blankets over the 2 year time frame.
Towpath Quilt Guild Board Leadership 2023-2024
Co-Presidents: Berta Keeler and Jeannine Lloyd
Co-Vice Presidents: Deb Greenspan and Marilouise Mattson
Recording Secretary: Christine Lotto
Corresponding Secretary: Joyce Woodson
Treasurer: Jane Stopher
Past President: Carol Holladay and Vicki Swanson
History
Our guild celebrated the 40th anniversary in the spring of 2021 so let’s spend some time learning about the beginnings of the guild. Here is an excerpt from our historian files: History
Bylaws
The bylaws govern the quilt guild, and you can read them here.
Standing Rules
The standing rules are here.
Job Descriptions
Our members have various roles. Read the job descriptions here.