What could be better than encouraging the friendship, fun, and learning of quilting in one of the most beautiful locations in California? 
The Sierra Mountain Quilters Association (SMQA) is just that lucky. Located south of Yosemite National Park near Bass Lake in Madera County, the association boasts 120 members and runs a quilt shop in town, encouraging its members and local quilt fans to shop local.
Supporting families in difficult circumstances is the hallmark of SMQA.
They make quilts that are presented once a year to children of inmates at the local women’s prison. They also put together Hand-print Quilts for the Children’s Hospital of Central California. Each of these patchwork quilts includes a blank, 17 inch, bordered square in the middle of each quilt. When a child passes away at the hospital, the association places a hand or foot print of the child in the center of the blank square, and presents the memorial quilt to the parent of the deceased child. Such a wonderful act of service and compassion for those grieving parents.
Each May, SMQA hosts a quilt show when the nearby waterfalls are at their peak and before the summer tourists invade Yosemite. This year, their quilt show, “Mountain Gems,” will be held May 4th and 5th and will include a Country Store, quilt vendors, raffle baskets and the raffling of their opportunity quilt which was displayed at Road to California this past January. 
The Sierra Mountain Quilters Association is proud to represent the beautiful mountain nature that surrounds them in all their quilt creations.
Is there an aspect of nature that inspires your quilting?
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Tags: Bass Lake, Nature, Quilt Guilds, Sierra Mountain Quilt Association, Yosemite
