Pat Strittmatter didn’t know anyone when she moved to St. Charles, Mo., nine years ago to be closer to one of her daughters. Learning to quilt helped her change that.

“A neighbor invited me at church. I used that as an opportunity to meet people,” Strittmatter said. “Now I lead the quilting group.”

One of the friends she made in her quilting group is Ursuline Associate Mary Teder, who moved to St. Charles four years ago. Each spring, Teder makes the trip to Maple Mount to be part of the Quilting Friends, a group of women who use fabric provided to them to make tops that are machine quilted for the annual Quilt Bingo in September. For the week of February 28 to March 4, 2026, Strittmatter came with Teder for the first time.

“I came for my love of quilting and my friendship with Mary,” Strittmatter said. “Oh, my goodness, I’ve learned so much from other people already.”

Strittmatter’s church group is fortunate to produce eight quilts a year for their local St. Vincent DePaul chapter, she said. She was amazed to learn that there are 100 quilts completed in time for Quilt Bingo in September.

“I’ll come every year,” she said. “I like the camaraderie.”

Katie Raley was attending the Quilting Friends for the second year. She lives in nearby Beaver Dam, Ky., where she attends Holy Redeemer Parish.

“It’s fun. It’s like going shopping and not having to pay,” Raley said.

Ursuline Sister Amelia Stenger is Teder’s sister and organizes the event in Maple Hall every year. She personally invites all the women to come.

“Sister Amelia gave me a kit to make,” Raley said. “The hardest part is picking the fabric and the pattern. We came a month ago and decided that.”

Raley grew up in Daviess County and attended St. Peter of Alcantara School in Stanley, where several of her teachers were Ursuline Sisters. Then others became pastoral associates at the parish.

“It’s such a worthy cause, to help the Sisters,” Raley said. “I appreciate what they did.”

Cindy Murphy, Owensboro, Ky., was also in her second year, part of a large group of quilters from St. Martin Parish.

“Sister Amelia invited us, we can’t tell her no,” Raley said. “She asked me to do a St. Louis Cardinals quilt.”

Raley noted that there are a lot more women attending this year – nearly 30.

“This is enjoyable. We’re close to home, they feed you good, she has all this fabric ready,” Raley said. “You get so many ideas from all the ladies.”

Jean Person has come from southwest Tennessee to the Quilting Friends for 20 years – almost as long as she’s been quilting.

“I had a friend who came up here, she invited me to come,” Person said. “I can’t quit. There’s something new every year. It’s like seeing old friends, I’ve seen some year after year.

She too credits Sister Amelia as the reason she comes back.

“She’s so enthusiastic,” Person said. “And I like to do this.”