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The Amador Valley Quilters, a nonprofit that serves as a hub for quilters across the Bay Area, recently unveiled its 2026 schedule of speaker events featuring a “diverse lineup of nationally recognized quilting artists”.
The guest speaker events — which are held once a month — will be followed by workshops the following day, according to a press release from the organization.
“Each month, AVQ hosts a guest speaker who shares their quilting journey, techniques, and artistic insights,” AVQ officials stated. “The following day, workshops provide hands-on learning experiences for guild members and guests.”
According to its website, AVQ started over 40 years ago in the early 1980s when 14 women who were interested in quilting got together and formed the organization.
Since its formation, the organization has served hundreds of members and non-members, most of whom live in the Tri-Valley, by offering a wider range of services including “workshops, lectures, community service projects and public exhibitions”.
“We provide a space where quilters can connect with each other, learn from experts and their peers, and gain inspiration for their art,” AVQ Publicity Chair Colette L’Heureux told the Weekly. “Many long term friendships have been made through AVQ.”
The nonprofit also makes and donates hundreds of quilts to various local agencies — including women’s shelters and youth homes — in the Bay Area every year as part of its “Community Quilts” project.
This year, as part of its 2026 calendar of programming, the lineup of speakers includes an expert in Japanese textiles and curved piecing, the author of “Cultural Fusion Quilts” and many more renowned quilters.
The speaker this month, presenting via Zoom on Saturday (Jan. 10) from 1:30-4 p.m., will be Veruschka Zarate, winner of QuiltCon 2025 Best of Show.
The quilters meet every second Saturday of each month for the guest speaker events and the next day (Sunday) for the workshops. According to the nonprofit, the workshops will only be held on certain Sundays after the general meetings.
Some of the workshop topics will range from “paper piecing to improv piecing and fabric collage”, according to the nonprofit. Workshops will be open to both AVQ members and non-members.
According to L’Heureux, AVQ members are required to pay a nominal yearly membership fee but she said the organization recommends newcomers to go to a meeting first before officially joining.
The monthly Saturday meetings will be held either via Zoom or in person at Pleasanton Middle School. The workshops will be held in person at the Bothwell Arts Center in Livermore or via Zoom. Learn more at amadorvalleyquilters.org.
According to the nonprofit, there will not be any meetings in February, due to the organization’s birthday celebration, and in December, which is when AVQ will be hosting its annual Holiday Tea event that features a parade of community quilts.
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