Starting Saturday, the Surry County Quilter’s Guild will be displaying its handmade works of art on the third floor of the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History.

Matt Edwards, executive director of the museum, said the exhibit is part of a series for visual and heritage arts.

“This is a great combination of the two of those. Quilting has strong traditions, not only in this area, but nationally. This is a great way to focus on the quilting tradition here and how these folks are working to keep that tradition alive,” Edwards said.

Edwards said the Surry Quilters’ Guild has brought in a great body of work for the exhibit.

“It really speaks to the talent and dedication that these ladies have for their art form. I certainly couldn’t do what they do. I am in awe of the pieces in the exhibit. They have some truly amazing pieces,” he said.

The Surry Quilters’ Guild was organized in 1985 by Shirley Jones. The first meetings were held at Reeves Community College before the group moved to White Plains Friends Meeting in 1986. In 2006, the guild moved to the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Airy where it meet the third Thursday night of each month at 7 p.m.

In 1986, the Surry Quilters’ Guild held its first quilt show, which has continued each year during the Autumn Leaves Festival. As a fundraiser, the guild makes a quilt that is raffled away during the festival.

In the past, money from the raffle has been used to help various charitable organizations and to buy eyeglasses for needy school children. The guild has made quilts for families who have lost their home to fires and they make small quilts for local emergency services personnel to give to children when they are transported to the hospital.

Shirley Jones was the first president of the guild. Others who have held that position are Ruby Stanley, Mary Lee Love, Peggy Brintle, Diane Bowman, Lillie Douglas, Gloria Ware and the current president is Debbie Stoltz.

Some of the activities of the guild include hosting three or four yearly workshops taught by well-known quilters or members of the guild, field trips to the Amish Country in Ohio for a quilt auction and visits to fabric stores. The members also attend quilting demonstrations at local schools, the North Carolina Welcome Center and Horne Creek Farm.

The exhibit will continue to be on display until Oct. 2. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults and $3 for senior citizens and students. Admission is free for museum members. Memberships start at $25 for individuals and $50 per year for families.

For more information about the exhibit call the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History at 786-4478. The museum is located at 301 North Main Street.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.