Club Development and Governance 

The Estrella Mountain Stars—later known as the Estrella Mountain Quilters—began around 1995 when a group of women took a beginning quilting class at Estrella Mountain Community College taught by Susan Nixon. While not all the original names are known, early members included Edna DeFord, Nancy Hoth, Kathleen O’Connell, Nancy Treece, Donna Wisnoski, Faith Kalback, Jeanette Martin, Connie Mirkovich, Jinny Pearson, Susan Nixon, Marianne Randall, Jene Hoglund, Barb Collette, Ann Key, Kristina Snyder, Pam Myers, Lucy Gramon, Mary Boyd, Lucy Bramon, Joan Zimmerman, Gretchen Frieberg, Isabella Johnson, Joan Salik, Simone Jacobs, Debbie Thomas, Kim Hill, Nancy Peppard, Barbara Katz, Pauline Kinsley, Evelyn Kaylor, Priscilla Naworski, Kay Wood, Alice Miner, Norma Coats, Rebecca Reissner, Joan Johnson, Illene Hodgedone, Elnora Chugg, Dody Balogh, Sandy Wattawa, and Lil Ogleby.

Wanting to establish a chapter in the West Valley, the group began meeting twice a month at the homes of Susan Nixon and Marianne Randall. By spring 1995, quilters from PebbleCreek joined in, and the group soon moved meetings to PebbleCreek for the larger space and the opportunity to develop a more structured program.

In 1996, the group officially joined the Arizona Quilt Guild as the Estrella Mountain Stars Chapter. Later that year, they changed their name to the Estrella Mountain Quilters after learning that “estrella” already means “star” in Spanish.

Affiliation with AQG provided valuable support—organizational resources, visiting teachers, and collaboration with other guilds. From the beginning, the group offered classes and quilting academies for beginners, participated in quilt shows, donated to charities, and attended events such as Road to California, Tucson quilt shows, and local Phoenix shows. 

Although early records are limited, the first reliable membership count from 1998 shows 35 members. The club continued to grow steadily, reaching over 200 members by 2022, thanks to new‑quilter classes and the expanding PebbleCreek community.

In 2009, the club ended its affiliation with AQG due to HOA rules restricting membership to residents. At that time, the group adopted the name PebbleCreek Quilters Club.

In 2019, Jackie Cameron designed the club’s official logo through a logo contest.

Education

Education has always been central to the club’s mission. Classes for beginners and technique‑focused workshops have inspired members, built friendships, and occasionally caused the kind of frustration that leads to learning. Instruction has come from talented members, guest teachers, and—during the pandemic—Zoom classes.

The first Quilt Academy was held in 2000. In 2009, the club purchased its first longarm machine, and experienced longarm quilter Jeanette Martin trained others to use it.

Through the years, members have embraced all forms of quilting: traditional, modern, art quilts, home décor, totes, and more.

Opportunity Quilts

In 2003, the club partnered with the Knimble Needlers to create its first fundraising quilt. According to Donna Wisnoski, two years of ticket sales raised $4,000—equivalent to nearly $6,200 in 2022.

The annual opportunity quilt tradition continues today, helping fund supplies for the many charities the club supports.

Quilt Challenge

Kathleen O’Connell introduced the first annual quilt challenge. These challenges encourage creativity by focusing on a specific block, technique, color palette, or artistic influence. Kathleen recalls the Crayon Challenge as the most successful—members drew three crayons from a bag and created quilts using only those colors.

Charity

Charitable work has always been a major focus. In 2004, the club appointed its first Community Service Chair, and today the committee includes 13 members.

Over the years, the club has supported many organizations, including New Life Center (1997), Red Cross (2000), St. Jude’s (2003), Head Start (2006–2008), Abrazo (2009), MOAA (2013), Southwest Advocacy (2017), Humane Society (2018), Ryan House (2019), Magdelene House (2022), and Luke Air Force Base (2024). Quilts have also been donated to the Goodyear civic office and the West Valley Health Center.

Veterans Quilt Awards

In 2017, Liz Gray coordinated the first Veterans Appreciation Quilt presentation, partnering with the PebbleCreek Veterans Activities Program. In 2018, Cynthia Schwartz and Activities Director Patty Schultz expanded it into an annual luncheon honoring veterans, their families, and club members.

Quilt Show

The PebbleCreek Arts and Crafts Center opened in 1996. The club held its first quilt show in 2004, which became a biennial event. From 2005–2011, members took a creative approach by decorating PebbleCreek model homes with quilts—displaying them on beds and throughout the homes.

Fellowship (a.k.a. Fun)

Quilters love to have fun together. Over the years, members have taken road trips to quilt shows, retreats, and—of course—quilt shops. Road to California was a favorite annual event, offering classes and inspiration. The club also visited and hosted other guilds.

In 2019, to encourage more member interaction, the club formed small interest groups focused on embroidery, sergers, featherweights, and casual “kitchen table sewing,” reminiscent of old‑fashioned sewing bees. “Show and Tell” has always been a highlight of monthly meetings.

Quilting During the 2019–2020 COVID‑19 Pandemic

During quarantine, with the Creative Arts Center closed, meetings and programs continued via Zoom. Members made thousands of face masks for PebbleCreek residents, hospitals, hospice organizations, and the Navajo Nation. Charity quilts continued as members sewed from home.