LECTURES

At the end of the pattern, the three hardest words in quilting appear, "Quilt as Desired" dun! dun! dhhhh! Learn how Lucas chose motifs for some of her biggest and smallest quilts, what effect the thread had, and where the surprises are.

The medallion form has been with us since the beginning of Modern quilting, with the oldest known quilt from 1718 being a medallion. This lecture is based on extensive research on understanding the history of the form and includes a discussion and medallion connections between British, Gee's Bend, Hawaiian, Seminole, Amish, Welsh, Swedish, French, and Japanese quilts. Discuss the process of uncovering the history and getting ready for a major exhibit of these works. www.justwannaquilt.com

Enjoy this lighthearted and heartfelt lecture reflecting on the important life lessons learned from the quilting community. Our community is special and this lecture celebrates quilters, creativity, and community found in the quilting world.  www.katiefowler.net

Discover strategies for using color effectively while enjoying a multitude of Lone Star quilts. Each quilt is a lesson in fabric, illustrating how to use value, contrast, gradation, color temperature, visual weight, and more. Apply this knowledge to any quilt pattern or design to make stunning quilts that are out of this world!  www.helenfrostquilts.com

When Judy Chicago's "The Dinner Party," was first exhibited, women were deeply moved. They wanted to contribute to it. The International Honor Quilt was launched with a call for 2 foot X 2 foot X 2 foot triangular quilts, each celebrating a woman, a group of women, or a woman's issue. More than five hundred triangles were made. Learn the stories of some of the triangles—fun, inspiring, and heartbreaking. www.danajonesquilts.com

Pat Yamin has been judging quilt shows for over 30 years. Her background in textiles, history, and quilt patterns and design is well accomplished. She invites you to learn some of the "behind the scenes" tips from the quilt judges. This lecture will be of help to you when you're thinking of entering your next quilt in a show or contest. Yamin will offer great tips and suggestions that will help to take your quilt to the finals. There will be time for questions and answers from the audience. www.comequiltwithme.com

Judith Baker Montano takes you on a journey into the process she uses to make her prize-winning landscapes, seascapes, and underwater art pieces. She shows how to think like a painter and how to use threads, yarns, and fabrics instead of paints, brushes, and canvases. Baker Montano guides you from photography to sketches to pattern making, choosing the materials, and the stitching process. Sit back and enjoy the journey. www.judithbakermontano.com

Use scraps that you never thought you would use again! Gauthier breaks it down into two very simple cutting techniques for using your scraps and provides a trunk show to show the variations of blocks that these cutting techniques can yield. www.bungalowquilting.com

The New York Beauty block can be as versatile as a Nine Patch block. See quilts in traditional settings, modern settings, and whimsical settings...think beach crabs, spiders, butterflies! See how you can change the whole flavor of a quilt simply by changing the orientation of the blocks or the fabrics used. There'll be a lot of laughter as Hahn is a very animated speaker! www.froghollowdesigns.com

Change doesn't mean creativity has to come to a screeching halt. Whether it's due to an unexpected accident, downsizing, or bodily changes, learn how to modify a space with easy and clever workarounds to keep the creative play going for years to come. www.lilobowman.com

Free-motion quilting should be joyful and relaxing, and with a few tweaks, notions, and practice, it can be! This informative lecture is packed with samples and photos to show how you can be more successful at free-motion quilting. Lyon will cover everything from ergonomics to batting, thread, and even how paper towels can help! www.quiltskipper.com

Learn how to classify color themes and how to use color in scrap quilting. This will change how you look at fabric forever. Gauthier breaks it down into four simple techniques to choose color for your scrap quilts. www.bungalowquilting.com

Lisa Thorpe shares her Delightenment workbook and companion Art quilts. The pages from her ongoing workbook break down delightful moments like a walk in the woods or an encounter in the garden into its component design elements—color, value, line, form, and texture. Next, she shares the Art quilt that resulted from that workbook page and discusses design principles—balance, rhythm, pattern, emphasis, contrast, unity, movement, and intent in its creation. An inspirational lecture that maps out both an art and mindfulness practice of observing and honoring the everyday wonders of life through fabric art. Lecture includes handout and resources on how to start your own Delightenment workbook. www.lisathorpe.com

Featherweight sewing machines are an engineering marvel and continue to be the go-to machine for quilters and sewists to this day. Innovative tools continue to be invented that when married to these machines raise the bar on utilizing your Featherweight to its fullest. Learn which tools work and how to use these tools efficiently to increase your Featherweight sewing enjoyment. Learn how to care for your machine so that it gives back for many years to come. www.clearview-designs.com

How do we find time in our busy schedules to create the quilts that reflect the stories of our hearts? Learn to identify obstacles to creativity, find simple solutions and methods to jumpstart the creative force when it is stumped. www.paulagolden.com

Most quilters understand how important it is to practice machine quilting designs on small fabric samples, but they often have trouble applying those designs to an actual quilt. In this informative lecture, Watson will share her secrets for domestic machine quilting success which include adequate basting, choosing the right thread colors, thinking about how to divide and conquer each task, and learning how to create rich texture with little to no marking of the quilt. Watson will also discuss the importance of making a quilting plan, so you can figure out the best path around the quilt with the fewest stops and starts. Once you see how easy and carefree her methods can be, you'll feel empowered to quilt your own quilts!  www.christaquilts.com

Cover a tumultuous period in North American Indian culture, beginning in 1880 when Native lands were taken away, buffalo herds were decimated, forced relocations were happening all over North America, and countless Indigenous children were forced to attend boarding schools. As Western missionary women made their way into the lives of North American Indigenous communities during this time period, they taught quilt making skills and provided fabric and supplies. Women with adept needle skills adopted Western patchwork quilts and eventually made quilts that reflected their own cultural heritage. These quilts provided an outlet for both art and survival. Learn how the eight-point Morning Star became a beloved and repeated pattern. Plus, meet some of the Native American quilters active today and see the Art quilts that share their struggles, their dreams, and in some cases, the stories of their painful past. www.teresaduryeawong.com

Learn to focus your trip to an art museum. Be inspired, not intimidated by the paintings you love and know, and in those new to you. Learn how brush strokes, compositions, and painting techniques can influence and be used in your fiber art. See how Kerttula has used them in her work. www.jillkerttula.com

The story of Boro is one of lives lived in extreme poverty, of people who admired beauty and kept/repaired their valuable textiles—not just for years, but for lifetimes. Tattered clothing and bedding was mended, re-mended, and patched. Examine authentic examples of 80-120 year old indigo-dyed cotton, with Boro patches holding parts of it together. Samples include kimono, futon covers, and modern quilts using the old indigo fabrics. Bring your camera! www.junecolburn.com

Learn how to build a creative place that works for you, your space, your budget, and where you are right now. This lecture offers real studio situations and insights on how to regain control of all the “stuff” that's taking over your playground. It’s time to fall in love with your studio again. www.lilobowman.com

Stunning embroidered creations are no accident! Learn how to plan, design, and stitch your own embroidered masterpieces using techniques taught by an industry expert. Walker will share her secrets for taming difficult to hoop and stitch fabrics, creating large multi-hoop designs and more. Enjoy a trunk show of beautiful embroidered garments and accessories while you take your embroidery knowledge to a new level. www.katrinawalker.com

The color red has such an interesting history. It’s one of passion, and war, of adventure and danger, of violence and seduction. The word for “red” is an ancient one, older than any other color except white and black.

Swan Sheridan explores the creation of quilting concepts that pair with or accentuate the quilt top design. Includes twenty plus examples of quilts and details the process of making decisions that guide the quilter towards the best possible quilting plans, employing the strengths and imagination of the quilter. This process can be applied to both free-motion as well as working with your favorite longarmer to find the best programmable options. www.swanamity.com

Sue Heinz has brewed up a selection of energy-infused and organic, free-motion quilting designs that provide both rich textures and bold backgrounds. Based on her book by the same name, this draw-along-with-me lecture will leave you filled to the brim with designs that are easy to master. Come play—leave caffeinated! www.sueheinz.com

From royal robes to some of our favorite textiles, hand-dyed, wax-resist batiks have an alluring past and an exciting future. Learn about the history and importance of these fabrics in Balinese culture. Explore the workings of a batik “factory” and how expert dyers create the designs and colors we love. The trunk show includes both traditional and contemporary batiks, with examples used in clothing and quilts. www.junecolburn.com

How to take professional looking photographs of quilts for print reproduction or show submission. This lecture covers setting up a budget fitting professional studio in your home, how to balance lighting, types of cameras, what camera settings to use, managing glare, photo editing in software, pixels versus resolution, and more. www.kestrelmichaud.com

In a whirlwind round of interviews with multiple generations of Japanese quilt makers, Dana Jones learned about Japanese fabrics from indigo to taupe and beyond. She talked with master quilters Kuroha Shizuko, Yoko Seito, Reiko Kato, and Keiko Goke. See and feel many of the fabrics. www.danajonesquilts.com

Ever wonder how to plan your custom quilting? Don't know where to start? In this lecture, look at several quilt tops that are begging for custom stitches. Discuss the process of drawing, marking, and deciding on designs to make that custom quilt ever so special. Combining curves, straight lines, background fills, and more will be sure to make a statement! Leave this lecture with inspiration for your next custom quilt! www.seamsdivine.etsy.com

Ever wonder what would this quilt look like if I made it in another color way? In a fun format, compare quilts made in florals versus batiks, reproduction fabrics versus crisp modern prints, brights versus pastels. Gather inspiration and insight into the choices for your next project! www.tamarinis.com

Are you interested in pulling your Art quilts into the third dimension? Join Shannon Conley as she takes you along her journey in making 3-D Art quilts. She’ll share tips, tricks, resources, and materials she uses for making 3-D sculptural quilts using a variety of different approaches. Learn the pitfalls (she learned the hard way) and how to avoid them. https://www.shannonconleyartquilts.com/abstract-and-dimensional-work www.shannonconleyartquilts.com

Incorporate principles of realism design into Art quilt layouts. This lecture covers identifying sightline and type of lens used in a reference photo, combining photos, color versus value, how to incorporate light, simulating atmospheric perspective, choosing appropriate fabrics, incorporating stitching, and more. www.kestrelmichaud.com

Discover all things binding. From traditional to fused, hand sewn to machine, and quilts to clothing. Be inspired by an array of binding styles to finish your edges. www.wendtquilting.com

Ever since I started teaching Free-Motion Mastery in a Month, the question students ask most often is “Now that I can quilt, how do I decide what designs to put where on my quilt?” “Layers & Lines” answers that question. Begin with four concepts—story, layers, lines, and contrast. Work together through a variety of simple, hands-on drawings that will teach how to use these concept to create a quilting design. After “Layers & Lines”, create quilting designs that take your quilt tops from special to spectacular! www.ranaemerrillquilts.com

Neither photo or stitch stands alone in Kerttula’s work. The photo is the underlayer for her work, but it can never stand alone. Let Kerttula show before and after and the processes that take the photo into a textured and layered version of itself. Find out where and how the decisions are made to make stitch and photo play together in a balanced and unique way. www.jillkerttula.com