Our quilting program took off in 1986 when we helped Mrs. Rankin apply to the Mississippi Arts Commission for an apprenticeship grant, which paid her to teach her craft to six apprentices over a period of six months. In the following year, with money from a state grant, we hired her and an assistant to begin teaching quilting to anyone in the community

Crossroads Quilters

who was interested. The quilting classes are now a regular feature of our year round program. Since 1987 we have sponsored a juried quilt contest and show offering cash prizes and a venue for selling completed quilts. We are working on a national marketing program to promote sales of our local quilters' work. Currently our exhibit of quilts and related photographs, Crossroads Quilters: Stitching the Community Together is touring the Southeast under the auspices of the Southern Arts Federation.