Programs & Workshops

The programs are the highlight of every meeting. We feature both nationally known and local quilting personalities as guest speakers. (Sometimes, they even fit into both categories; local quilting personalities who have become quilters of national prominence!) The Quilter’s Guild of Dallas is proud to have hosted quilt artists including Elly Sienkiewicz, Harriet Hargrave, Doreen Speckman, Helen Kelly, Mary Ellen Hopkins, and Mimi Dietrich. Some of our local stars have included Karen K. Stone, Anne Colvin Mosher, Gabrielle Swain, and Patricia Campbell.

Workshops

Most of our guest speakers offer at least one workshop. This is a wonderful opportunity for Guild members to learn new techniques and improve their quilting skills with some of the top quilters in the world at a minimal fee. (Compare our price with the fees for the same workshops when they are offered at major shows like the International Quilt Festival!) In addition, the Guild also draws upon the talent in our membership, presenting lectures or workshops with Guild members as instructors.

Besides the website, check QGD Online , the e-newsletter of the Guild, for announcements regarding upcoming programs and workshops. Workshop are generally held the Friday and/or Saturday following the meeting.

Following is a list of speakers and workshops booked for future guild meetings. Where websites with more info on the speaker are available, links are provided. Supply lists are posted as PDF files as available. If the speaker has a website, there will likely be photos of project/techniques to be taught in the classes in their lectures/workshops section of their site.

If you have questions about a given workshop, you may email workshops@quiltersguildofdallas.org
We also ask that you scroll down to review our workshop guidelines (bottom of page.)

Workshop fees are as follows. Occasionally, we will offer special lower pricing for a workshop if the teacher's fees allow.

Coming in 2010!

September 2010 – Sandy Klop (American Jane)
http://www.americanjane.com/

Sandy Klop had her first exposure to the world of colorful patterns while watching Klompen dancers perform. Every year in May her hometown of Holland, Michigan, celebrated tulip time with a vast array of Dutch costumes.

She was first exposed to quilting in 1979 at her sister-in-laws when she returned from teaching in Iran. She went on to teach art in Saudi Arabia for the next four years. She loved the rich colors and patterns in the tiles and carpets of the Middle East. Back in California, Sandy began to make pattern samples for a local quilt store. From there she moved to machine quilting. She has worked at a local quilt shop and taught many quilt classes. In 2000 she published a series of quilt books with Jan Patek under the series title Folk Art Favorites before venturing out on her own as American Jane Patterns. In 2003 at Quilt Market Moda approached her to see if she would like to capture her look in fabric. She has been designing for Moda ever since. “Now I have a new fabric range from Moda every six months and I design quilt patterns to feature my new fabrics. I’m truly living my dream.”

Her creative designs have appeared in several catalogs and many magazines. She speaks regularly on the topic, “The American Jane Story in Fabric”.

September 2 Program:
“The American Jane Story in Fabric”

September 3, 2010 Workshop:
American Jane Pattern

In this workshop, participants may elect to work on any of Sandy’s Patterns that use the Equilateral Triangle Rulers. Choose from Y-Knot, Triple Crown, Flags, See-Saw, Black Diamond, Merry-Go-Round, or Starburst.

Download the September 3 Workshop Supply List here.

October 2010 – Naomi Adams
http://killerbeedesigns.com/

Naomi has been sewing since she was quite small. She remembers sitting for hours under the dining room table with her sisters, surrounded by fabric scraps, making clothes for her doll. These works had a limited life span, as she would immediately rip them apart as soon as she created them in order to make something new! Naomi began quilting in 1996 and has since convinced her super-amazing spouse to give up their master bedroom for her studio. She graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design, magna cum laude, from Washington State University. Naomi was awarded the Yale R. Burge National Portfolio award from the American Society of Interior Designers. Naomi has recently started graduate school in order to pursue an M.F.A. in Studio Arts Fibers at the University of North Texas.

Thursday, October 7, 2010 Program
"Designing and Oganizing Your Quilting Space"

Learn how to assess how you work and your quilting processes. Use this information to reorganize and rethink your quilting space so it is working for you! Gain useful information about storage, organization, and ergonomics as they relate to quilting. Get excited about whatever space you have to call your own and make the most of it.

Saturday, October 9, 2010 Workshop from 9 A.M. – 4 P.M. at First Community Bank Community Room:
Surface Design Exploration

Explore textiles and printmaking in this exciting and dynamic class. Explore many avenues including purchased stamps and stencils, found objects, transfers, and hand-created tools to alter the textile surface. You will learn how to add pattern to cloth with resists, rust, dye, and textile paints. We will have a good combination of your own explorations of techniques and some things that I will demo only due to chemicals/messes/time constraints in a workshop environment.

Download the October 9 Workshop Supply List here.

November 2010 – Covers for Kids

Thursday, November 4, 2010 Program
"Make It, But Don't Take It!"
Presented by Guild Volunteers

This month, we will be having a Covers for Kids Workshop Night! We would like this to be a real "workshop" night. Please bring your sewing machine, extension cord and miscellaneous sewing tools. We will provide you with the rest! If you would rather wander around, and observe, that is ok, too. We may just put you to work ironing, or cutting. There will be 5 - 6 stations, each showing a different technique, and flyers on simple block designs to use for making quilts for our Covers For Kids Program. Who knows, you may learn something in the process! Please plan to come and spend a couple of hours helping us make quilts for needy children. This is your opportunity to help with the Covers For Kids Program!

December 2010 – Don Locke
www.thesupper.net

Don Locke has been practicing general dentistry for 43 years. While working full time he created his version of Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper". The Supper is Don's second quilt. His first quilt was made using the same technical concept and featured himself and his wife Mariyln in the quilted cloth.

Thursday, December 2, 2010 Program:
"The Last Supper Quilt"

Check with the workshop coordinator to find out whether space is available in a workshop you are interested in, and/or where a given workshop will be held. Space is always limited and attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, it is always a good idea to register early! Although we cannot take your workshop registration by email, you can obtain information and send us registration materials by mail.

Workshop fees help to offset the costs that we incur when we host out-of-town guest speakers. They also offer our membership a wonderful opportunity to learn new techniques and improve their quilting skills with some of the top quilters in the world. (And if you compare our fees with the fees for the similar classes at major quilt festivals, you'll see what a great deal you'll be getting!)

Some workshops will be "project" classes, where attendees will work on a specific project that the presenter has designed. Others will be "process" classes, where you learn techniques without necessarily having a project to complete.

Every time you attend a guild workshop, you can have your Quilter's Dozen card punched. After you attend 12 workshops, you'll get one one-day workshop free! What a deal! There is no expiration on these cards - just remember to bring it along or start a new one.

The guild has established guidelines for workshops, as well as some simple "rules of etiquette" to ensure that the workshop experience is enjoyable for everyone. Be sure to take a moment to review these items:

If you have questions about a given guest lecturer, or to suggest future guest speakers, you may email programs@quiltersguildofdallas.org

Quilter's Guild of Dallas