Named after the many bears Spanish explorers saw in the area in the late 1700s, it isn’t a far stretch of the imagination to expect to see statues, business logos, and t-shirts honoring the namesake in Los Osos — bear hugs are another story.
The non-profit Bear Valley Quilters Guild has donated Bear Hugs (quilts) to individuals and organizations since their beginning in 1987.
“The quilts give people comfort like a big bear hug — you can wrap yourself in them,” said Kitty Brunner, president of BVQG. “The time and work that people put into their quilts, it means something for the person who receives them. It’s something handmade, that I think makes people feel special when they receive one. Sometimes they’re pretty down and out, and the quilts give them a little bit of joy and hope.”
The original Bear Hugs were designed for children and given to county nurses so they could encourage families to come in for well-baby visits. That tradition continues with the addition of donating them to the American Heart Association and groups that assist people with Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis as well as chemotherapy patients and families in need throughout the county.
“This is our community outreach program for the guild, Kitty said. “We usually give anywhere from 70 -100 quilts a year. I think this is amazing for such a small guild.” BVQG has more than 35 members and belongs to the Southern California Council of Quilts Guild. Although they are a local group, Zoom meetings allows for a few members from other locales including San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Morro Bay and San Diego.
Kitty says the draw of quilting for her is the creativity it allows as well as the history behind it.

“I’m just learning about new techniques or new styles of quilts that may have been around for years, but I’m always learning new information,” said Kitty, who has been quilting for about 10 years. “It takes you to a different world. You just get into the zone of creating, and it takes you away. It is meditative.”
The group meets twice a month, once for a zoom meeting on the third Sunday of the month and once for an in person sit and sew. They do not meet in December. Adult quilters, fiber artists and sewists of all skill levels are encouraged to get involved.
The Zoom meetings are advantageous because they allow people to work from the comfort of their own home. The non-profit’s meetings, guest speakers, and workshops also promote camaraderie and social time.
“When you are a quilter, you have a lot of stuff, it’s nice not to have to haul it all” Kitty said. “Then once a month, we meet in person where we have what we call a sit and sew. We have an education time that teaches a new project or a new technique. Then people can work the bear hug quilts, or they can work on their own projects. It’s more of a social aspect.”
To help cover the costs of material for the Bear Hugs, the group holds an annual sale open to the public. The Bear Valley Quilters Holiday Boutique takes place Sunday, October 27, from 10 a.m. 4 p.m. at the South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Ave, Los Osos. Attendees are invited to shop for unique handmade items, made and donated by members of the Bear Valley Quilters Guild.
The boutique features more than 20 local quilters’ handmade quilts, fabric baskets, napkins, tote bags, eyeglass cases hair scrunchies, potholders table runners, wall art and holiday and everyday home décor items available for sale.
“We have some very talented artisans,” Kitty said. “Some of them do screen printing, fabric dyeing, tie-quilting, and wall art that is just unbelievable. The possibilities are unlimited.”
For folks looking to take up the art, the Boutique also features a Sewing Corner with working sewing machines, fabric and a quilt rack for sale.
For more information about the boutique or to become a member, go to www.bearvalleyquilters.org or send an email to bearvalleyquilters@gmail.com.