Utah quilters connect with their pioneer heritage while volunteering

SALT LAKE CITY — As pioneers settled the Salt Lake Valley, they brought with them more than grit and determination — they carried traditions that stitched communities together. One of those traditions was quilting, a skill that has not only endured but flourished in Utah.

Today, quilting is far from a lost art. It's a vibrant, meaningful practice that connects generations and serves the community.

Inside a bustling room filled with fabric, thread and laughter, Virginia Lee reflects on her journey.

"I was a seamstress," she said. "And then I started piecing fabric. It saved my life."

For Lee, quilting became therapy — a way to find peace and connect with the women in her family who came before her. She held up a quilt made of blocks her grandmother stitched decades ago.

"My grandma made all these blocks," she said. "She was a giver."

Lee's ancestors crossed the plains themselves, and she often thinks about those pioneer women — and the warmth and resilience they passed down through their quilts.

"I've found quilts that are called 'utility quilts.' They made them to stay warm," she explains. "The ancestors taught us that we can do things with little."

That spirit of resourcefulness and generosity lives on in the Holladay Quilt Show and Auction, chaired by Judy Rees.

"These are women who want to give to the community, and they have a talent," Rees said. "We usually raise over $250,000."

Held every other year, the auction features around 70 hand-quilted pieces, each one stitched with care and purpose. But for many, the friendships formed are just as valuable as the quilts themselves.

"Everybody comes because they feel such a deep connection to quilting and also to the cause," Rees said.

Shauna Butler, a board member since 2002 and past president, agrees.

"It's great. I've made such dear, close friends," she said. "It makes you feel a connection to your ancestry and your past."

The group welcomes anyone — whether seasoned quilters or curious beginners. And as they gather month after month, they continue a legacy of warmth, creativity, and community.

"What a difference quilts make to people," Lee said with a smile.

Learn more about pioneer quilts and the stories of the women behind them in an exhibit at the University of Utah.

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