Keeping an old tradition alive is the goal of a quilting shop in McAllen.

Nestled in the corner of a shopping center, off North 11th Street, is Annie's Quilting Corner.

Ann Alexander opened the shop back in December.

"I actually was working previously with the quilt shop that was here, unfortunately they had to close in June," Alexander said.

She's a big part of the quilting community in the Rio Grande Valley, a community she didn't want to see gone.

"The quilting community is so amazing, it's a family. And so when we closed that, I felt like there was a loss. We're really the only quilt shop here in the whole Valley," Alexander said. "I wanted to bring that community back. It was kind of a big loss for us when we lost that quilt shop."

Through this shop, she's passing that sense of community to others. 

"So we have, of course, the higher quality of quilting fabrics for their heirlooms we like to make for babies, weddings, children, whatever. And we also, we will be offering classes. And quilting classes, so hopefully those who are new to quilting," Alexander said.

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This group is also giving back to others. 

"We, as a group, have gotten together, and we make quilts for cancer patients through DHR which we call Stitching Angels," Alexander said. "We have actually been doing that for over a year. We started that at the previous quilt shop. Some of us have already made as many quilts as we're going to for our families, and we wanted to fill a purpose with whatever it was, and so we all started as a group together and decided to come together and start making quilts for the cancer patients."

Alexander said they've already donated over 100 quilts.

"What I love is the sense of community. The fact that we're giving back to the community, and that we're learning. We're learning to do a craft that many of our grandmother's and mothers knew. For a lot of us, it's not passed down these days, and now you have a place where you can come and learn." Alexander said. "I want to make sure that this comes to younger generations so that it will carry on."

Ann Alexander, and Annie's Quilting Corner, Made In The 956.