Mary Arthur, Kelly Thomalla and Sandi Griepenstroh
Every year, the Nebraska State Quilt Guild presents awards to groups and/or individuals that have made significant contributions to the art of quilt-making in the state.
Hall of Fame
Lifetime achievement and significant contributions to the heritage and lore of quilts and quilt making in the state of Nebraska.
Golden Thread
Consistent efforts and great contributions to the art of quilt-making in the state of Nebraska.
Silver Thread
Recent achievements and contributions to the art of quilt making in the state of Nebraska.
Radiant Star
“Outstanding Deed Well Done”
Variable Star
Celebrates the diversity of quilts in Nebraska and recognizes a noteworthy individual contribution to the heritage of quilt-making in the state of Nebraska.
Friendship Star
Bringing Friends Together! This is an automatic award given to the chairperson(s) of QuiltNebraska and awarded the same year of the convention that they chair; the countless hours of planning and coordinating and an endless list of tasks to make our conventions wonderful and memorable time. No nominations are required.
Outstanding Nebraska State Quilt Guild
This award is designed for a Quilt Guild in Nebraska that performs above and beyond the regular duties of a Quilt Guild. They must perform an ongoing special project(s) or a one-time major project to better their guild and their Community. A nominating Quilt Guild must be in existence for at least 5 years. It can be different community causes supported, but something that is done every year. At least one nomination letter must come from the community group that the Guild is bene ting. Rather than a medal to the winning Quilt Guild, a plaque will be awarded. A Guild may only receive the award once and commit to continuing support to their community.
Click here for the 2022 nomination form.
Previous Award Winners
Hall of Fame
Ernest Haight, Grace Snyder (1986)
Mary Ghormley (1987)
Nebraska Quilt Project (1990)
Louise Howey (1991)
Sara Dillow (1994)
Quilt Preservation Project (1998)
Ardis and Robert James (1998)
Lois Gottsch (2000)
Paulette Peters (2002)
Mildred Parker (2003)
Patricia Cox Crews, Ph.D. (2006)
Brenda Groelz (2008)
Shelly Burge (2009)
Dianne Duncan Thomas (2012)
Sandi McMillan (2013)
Peg Pennell (2016)
Colleene Minnick (2016)
Dr. Carol Falk (2017)
Jan Stehlik (2018)
Sheila Green (2019)
Janice Lippincott (2019)
Kay Grimminger (2019)
Golden Thread
1987
Wanda Dawson
Agnes Kleier
Joan Waldman
1988
Lois Gottsch
Alice Torpin
1989
Paulette Peters
Louise Howey
1990
Dororthy Boettner
Sara Dillow
Jan Stehlik
Patty Kennedy
Carol Uebner
Mildred Parker
1991
Shelly Burge
Sue Volkmer
Bertilla Conroy
St. Joseph Villa Auxiliary
1992
Diane Deahl
Eleanor Hunnel
1993
Sandra Anderson
Marion Fosler
Brenda Groelz
1994
Bea Bauerle
Hazel Meyers
Eleanor Roberts
1995
Dianne Thomas
1996
Joan Waldman
Marjean Sargent
1997
Elinor Peace Bailey
1998
Susan Seidel
Lois Lant (posthumously)
2000
Jean Ang
Jean Ford
2001
Mona Jeanne Easter
Em Jorgenson
Judy McClure
Bonnie Miller
Stella Schaffert
2002
Alice Nekuda
2003
Sandi McMillan
2004
Esther Kleinkauf
Mary Richling
2007
Carol J. Falk, Ph.D.
2008
Sheila Green
Carol Kusek
Pat Sears
2009
Chris Wiegers
Jo Morton
Linda Maloley
2010
Janice Lippincott
2011
Fay Kliewer
Omaha Quilters Guild
2012
Peg Pennell
2016
Nancy Knuth
2017
LaVonne Dunetts
2018
Lois Wilson
2021
LeeAnn Meduna
Silver Thread
1987
Judy McClure
Cheryl Nelson
Chris Dahlman
Judy Zinn
1988
Sara Dillow
Shelly Burge
Diane Harris
1989
Brenda Groelz
Pam Haas
Dianne Thomas
1990
Janee Dlugosh
Mona Jeanne Easter
Mildred Fauquet
Fay Kliewer
Janet Kugler
1991
Janet Phillips
Jenny Raymond
Mary Milligan
Pinky Clemens
1992
June Vogltance
Kathy Murphy
Jean Ang
Janet Bamesburger
1993
Lynn Greer
Katie Wilson
1994
Pat Anderson
Nancy Dissmeyer
Kari Ronning
1995
Bonnie Kucera
Elaine Martin
Peg Pennell
1996
Nan Rippe
1997
The Corny Bunch
Laura Franchini
Sharon Rexroad Ericson
1998
Shirle Chaffin
1999
Janice Lippincott
Denice Henrickson
2000
Jenny Raymond
Julie Prescott
2001
Sara and Byron Dillow
2002
Lana Jo Reffert
Ann Bade
2003
Roxann O’Hare
2005
Leah Sorensen Hayes
2010
Connie Olson
Louisa Renchen
2011
Elizabeth Sterns
2012
Amanda Benz
Jan Hibbs
2015
Dorothy Heidemann-Nelson
2018
Janet Kalinowski
Radiant Star
1990
Frankie Best
Claudia O’Neill
1991
Jean Davie
Judy Lane
Brenda Groelz
1992
Marjean Sargent
Jean Gausman
1993
Zelma Fobben
Corelia Threet
1994
Jo Baxter
Carleen Anderson
Sandy Yoder
Dianne Thomas
1995
Diann Sorenson
Jenny Raymond
1996
Mary Richling
Susan Richling
Alberta Martens
1997
Roni Vapenik
Nancy Dissmeyer
Sandi McMillan
Linda Winter
1998
Cindy Scheinost
Jan Sears
1999
Beatrice Quilters Guild
Sandy Anderson
Kathi Kinnaman
Connie Strope
2000
Mary Richling
Cindy Erickson
Jan Fry
Fay Kliewer
2001
Sue Boyer
Sharon Nejedly
2002
Merikay Gengenbach
Jenny Raymond
Gloria Hanna
Sandy Hanson
Brenda Kincaid
2003
Julie Burgess
Jan Fry
Jamie Scully
Ann Reimer
Jo Morton
Susan Weber
Sara Dillow
Judy McClure
Janet Kugler
Katie Wilson
2004
Katy Miller
Shirley Myris
2005
Janee Dlugosh
Jeane Stark
Diane Neff
2006
Sue Boyer
Alice Nekuda
Ann Walker
2008
Cindy Hansen
Fay Kliewer
Jo Morton
Donna Stratker
Pam Thomas
Gail Zeller
2009
Peggy Bruns
Sandy Kosch
Cindy Scheinost
Sandy Hanson
Barb Engebretsen
2010
Lincoln Quilters Guild
Merikay Gengenbach
Sheila Green
Marie Clark
Emily Snide
Katie Wilson
2011
Sheila Beins
Linda Glisson
2012
The Mother’s Guild of Boys Town
The Quilters Quilt Club
2013
LeAnne Killion
2014
Darice Cecil
2016
Janet Kugler
2017
Terry Paulsen
2018
Jeannine Nelsen
2019
Webster County Quilt Group
2021
Alice Erickson
Variable Star
1990
Ruth Hanson
Minnie Rachow
Ruth Lippincott
Mary Weaver
1992
Marilyn Maurstad
1993
Barbara Herder
Mona Mueller
1994
Joan Biasucci
Roni Vapenik
1995
Esther Kleinkauf
Carole Samples
Chris Wiegers
1996
Rita Lukes
Mary Alyce Grow
1997
Sandi McMillan
1998
Janie Borg
North Platte Valley Museum Quilters
1999
Marilyn Ernst
2000
Dee Augustin
Donna Stratker
2001
Marion Fosler
2002
Rita Jaworski
2005
Burnie Kratky
Arlene Badgley
2006
Marilyn Debban
Eileen Peterson
2008
Diane Swartzlander
2009
Sue Chafee
Cathy Audley
Sharon Clark
2014
Susan Brown
2015
Diane Volk-Harris
2017
Joyce Kingsley
2018
Barbara Shepardson
2019
Deb Bryner
Marilyn Ellner
Friendship Star
QNE 2009 (Lincoln, NE)
Carol Brandl and LeAnn Frobom
QNE 2010 (North Platte, NE)
Fay Kliewer, Shirley LaVene and Barb Hinrichs
QNE 2011 (Kearney, Ne)
Sue Tillemans
QNE 2012 (LaVista, NE)
Patricia Varner
QNE 2013 (Seward, NE)
Sheila Beins, Susan Minchow, Maralee Meyer, and Connie Phillips
QNE 2014 (North Platte, NE)
Terry Heessel, Sharon Nejedly, and Kelly Thomalla
QNE 2015 (Norfolk, NE)
Deb Austin, Gloria Miller, and Sandra Kosch
QNE 2016 (Lincoln, NE)
Bonnie Kucera, Karen Ruwe, and Kathy Murphy
QNE 2017 (Kearney, NE)
Denise Waibel-Rycek, Rita Weber, and Leslie Martin
QNE 2018 (Omaha, NE)
Tammie Will, Terry Paulsen, Janice Lippincott
QNE 2019 (Seward, NE)
Mary Olson, Keri Wheeler, and Sheila Beins
QNE 2021 (Kearney, NE)
Barb Hinrichs, Marty Kleppinger and Kristi Purintin
QNE 2022 (Kearney, NE)
Mary Arthur, Kelly Thomalla and Sandi Griepenstroh
Outstanding Nebraska State Quilt Guild
2017 – Panhandle Quilt Guild
2019 – Plum Creek Quilters Guild
2021 – Prairie Quilt Guild
Special Recognition
Mary Obrist posthumously (1990)