About the NQA

The first quilt show was held in the Greenbelt (Maryland) Public Library in September, 1970. Quilts were first hung to their full length at an NQA show when the location moved to the gymnasium at the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School in Washington, D.C. From these humble beginnings come the NQA Shows of today, which have moved to different locations around the country for years. From east coast to west - Tacoma, WA and Riverside, CA - the show has traveled to quilters far and wide. A new page in NQA's history began with the relocation of the corporate office to Columbus, OH in 2004 and the settling of the show into that city for at least the next several years.

The NQA published its first newsletter, Patchwork Patter in 1973. From a hand collated and stapled mimeographed few pages, the Quilting Quarterly has progressed to a glossy full-color publication.

The NQA has always considered its first responsibility to be service to its members. Thus, many programs have been established over the years to aid the membership. The NQA has certification programs for quilt teachers and judges. A Master's Guild has been established to recognize outstanding quilting achievement. A Grant and Scholarship program was implemented to give monetary assistance to individuals or groups studying or researching the field of quiltmaking. The Education Program has many offerings for continuing education in the quilt world.

From the original seven founders of NQA, we now have a membership of about 5500 in the U.S. and abroad, with over 200 active chapters in 33 states. The annual shows average 400 entries with a steadily growing attendance exceeding 9000. From small beginnings, the NQA continues to grow and change to reflect the interests of its membership.