Each year, Guild members are given the opportunity to engage in a quilting-related “challenge”. In general, participation in the challenge is designed to tax the skills or knowledge of the individual and to encourage her to explore ideas, techniques, or patterns with which she may not be comfortable or familiar. Challenges over the years have ranged from constructing “Mystery Quilts” to fabric challenges whereby members were expected to incorporate fabric not to their usual taste into a project, and from colour challenges involving exploring colour theory through fabric and quilt construction to group participation activities that involve shared participation in creating the final product.

As a rule, the challenges involve a deadline for completion and in order to encourage involvement and friendly competition, a small prize is awarded to that person who most successfully “meets the challenge” on a “viewer’s choice” decision by Guild members.