classes and event

Full title—Class—Nova's Featherweight 221 Maintenance Workshop—Spa Day for your Singer Featherweight 221. A comprehensive workshop in which all aspects of routine mechanical maintenance for your beloved Featherweight are addressed, including motor and foot controller. www.novamontgomery.com

If you are interested in Crazy Quilts and their history, this class is for you. Studying actual antique Crazy Quilts dating from 1885-2024, learn when, how, and why these artistic quilts were and still are popular while creating and embellishing your own design using a pre-pieced block, threads, ribbons, fabric photo print, etc. (all provided in kit). What is the language of flowers? What do spiders and webs mean? Who was Kate Greenway? Why were expositions so influential? Just some of the interesting questions to be answered. Approximate size 13 inch x 13 inch. Will not be finished in class. Prerequisite—knowledge of basic embroidery stitches.

Go wild with crazy prints to make an easy layered portrait that is totally recognizable! No artistic talent or experience needed. Cullen will make a pattern from your own photo and you'll cut and fuse it in class. Lots of fabric choices will be provided in your materials kit. Draw contour quilting lines on an overlay sheet to use later for quilting your portrait. (Process is explained in Cullen's two books, available from Amazon.) www.phylliscullenartstudio.com

This unique and "never before in print as a pattern" block, shared by Elly Sienkiewicz to Dunigan, will be a wonderful addition to your ongoing blocks in progress or the inspiration for a new project! It's breathtaking, filled with glorious color and a multitude of intriguing techniques. Dunigan will show her tiny raw-edge Verbina flowers, bold roses, and buds. Simply create your new beloved basket of beauty. www.kathyduniganappliqueacademy.com

Amazingly, this radiant pieced design is created with just three fabrics! Lots of class samples will show the importance of color and value. Enjoy making these little 2¼ inch blocks. Precision cutting, sewing, and pressing techniques make them perfect. Instructions include the irresistible scalloped edging. www.helenfrostquilts.com

Assemble this beautiful colorful Toucan, using a mix of collage and fused appliqué techniques. Have fun choosing the colors in your feathers and learning about the light and shadow technique. Create your quilt top in just one class. www.marinalandi.com.br

Color this 16 inch x 16 inch embroidered block using tools such as Inktense pencils, watercolor pencils, fabric paints, and tinted fabric medium in large areas. Techniques include using alternatives to paint brushes such as cotton balls, sponges, and makeup brushes, particularly in coloring large background areas i.e., the sky and leaves. www.medinadomarts.com

Via hands-on exercises, learn how to think creatively, the importance of design elements, and the first rule of Kestrel Michaud's personal Art Quilt design formula. Take home a custom Art Quilt design created with her formula and the knowledge of how to turn it into a quilt. https://kestrelmichaud.com

In this fun and easy class, learn Oleson's tips and techniques for “Beach Glass” quilts (no fussing with fusible). Choose from several color options for your “Beach Glass” quilt and finish the project with Oleson's relaxed machine quilting methods. Learn how to add a facing instead of a binding. Expect a fun and relaxing day. Leave with a finished project! www.quiltaholicsanonymous.com

An awesome opportunity to learn another of Claudia Pfeil's award-winning sewing techniques. This is a totally unique class with fearless strip cutting even with difficult material like Dupioni silk, so don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity. Create different strip panels of graduated color variation, based on color theory to create a vibrant happy lap-size quilt. https://claudiapfeil.de

This is a comprehensive class in walking foot quilting. Finish your quilts on a domestic machine while enjoying all the control of your walking foot. Make stitched samples of different styles including Matchstick quilting, grids, combined stitches, and Serpentines. Elevate your technique with beautiful organic curves and learn how to execute sharp turns. Make accurate straight-line polygon spirals, designs reminiscent of string art, and round out the class with super spirals. Along the way, discuss using colored threads and adding hand stitching for maximum impact. Go home ready to turn your tops into quilts. You will soon be planning your quilting before you even start piecing! www.catherineredford.com

The French word appliqué means "applied". Appliqué motifs are cut from one or more fabrics and are laid on top of a larger background fabric. Quilting does not require appliqué, but appliqué can add so much to the design. Finished appliqué quilts are quite beautiful. There are traditionally two methods of attaching the appliqué: 1) carefully turning the edges under to prevent fraying, sewing, usually by hand, using tiny invisible stitches; and 2) sewing around the raw edges with a Blanket stitch or Satin stitch. This technique is sort of a combination of both—the edges are all turned so there is no fraying but instead of being sewn by hand with invisible stitches, these techniques are done with an invisible machine stitch. www.quiltingwithnancy.com

Whatever it is you've thought about machine appliqué up until now, prepare to be surprised. Karen Stone will offer three innovative methods that lead to your creating free-form lines and curves, all with a beautifully turned edge. (While a machine technique, class time is spent on preparation for sewing, which students will complete at home.) www.karenkstonequilts.com

Learn to paper piece the Judy Niemeyer way! The “Starbaby” pattern is fast, easy, and fun! This Lone Star uses only nine strips of 2½ inch wide fabric. The strip sets are cut apart, rearranged, and resewn into a diamond star point! Choose your background fabric and call it done! 40 inches x 40 inches. www.indigobluequilts.com

Full title— Class—Sampler Quilt—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Dive into free-motion quilting shapes and fills along with a good dose of easy and fun straight-ruler ruler work to finish those quilts! Work on a sampler quilt together, one block at a time. This is the perfect way to practice density and traveling through blocks without stopping and starting. All skill levels welcomed. Easily adaptable to your comfort level.

Experience the Japanese craft of Roketsuzome dyeing. Roketsu is a traditional textile dyeing method used in Kyoto, also known as wax resist dyeing. In this method, wax is applied to a cotton fabric to create a design. When the fabric is dyed in indigo, the areas where wax has been applied remains white because the wax blocked the dye. The Roketsu dyeing process involves more than twenty steps if the traditional method is used. Students will create three to four Roketsuzome dyed pieces. Choose from various designs to create an unforgettable art piece. www.sandraleedesign.com

Learn a fabulous new technique, “Decorative Stitch Art” with sewing machine stitches. Many sewing machines come with hundreds of stitches. How fun would it be to create some stitch art designs using all these wonderful stitches? You can custom-stitch art designs to embellish quilts, clothing, home decor items, or as stand-alone pieces of art. Join Proffetty as she shares her creativity and teaches this technique. There will be plenty of oohs and aahs in class! Leave excited to go home and create your own stitch art designs. www.heidiproffetty.com

Full title— Class—Easy Fit & Sew Skort—Serger Hands-On. This knit skort is truly a skirt with super powers! Choose between an A-line skirt or a six-gore skirt to go over the knit shorts hidden underneath. Customize the length of the skirt and shorts for comfort and style. Make a knee length skort to wear running errands or shorten the hem for the perfect gym or swim skort. If you're new to sewing knit garments, this is the perfect project to start with. Learn how to adjust your pattern pieces for the amount of stretch your fabric has and how to get professional results using a serger to construct the seams. www.jsterndesigns.com

Full title— Class—Vamp It Up!—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Start with some basic stencils—waves, feathers, scrolls, wreaths, etc.—and use their simple structure to create elaborate and beautiful free-motion quilting. The same unadorned lines can look totally different depending on the motifs that are added. Later, leave the stencils behind and go for unmitigated improvisation; in other words, free-formed doodling. Don't be afraid to let the creativity flow! One person per machine, limited to 12 students. www.cwaquilts.com

Needle felt a whimsical 8 inch Santa to use as a pincushion or home decor in this fun and easy class. Learn basic needle felting as well as a few special techniques as we make Santa in a way that doesn't take all day. Also wet felt wool beads for Santa's nose and hat, a technique students can use to create wool bead jewelry and more! www.annieskeepsakes.com

Learn the basics of English Paper Piecing (EPP), but go home with a project that is uniquely yours. Work with shapes based on equilateral triangles, hexagons, diamonds, jewels, and more. Instruction will include fussy cutting, basting, hand stitching, and finishing your 4 inch hexagon block as a mug mat. www.seaside-stitches.com

Learn to make this rainbow trout in fabric collage and add some hand stitches to quilt the project. Learn the basics of fabric collage using Haworth's free-form tracing and gluing technique. Work on this simple fish pattern using a few basic stitch patterns. Suitable for all abilities. www.janehaworth.com

A hands-on design class where students will rework a given "mystery" block entirely in scraps based on several different value, color, and fabric type requirements. The importance of contrast and value will be evident in the final reveals, as each block made will have started from the same layout, but will look vastly different. All fabrics for class are pre-cut by students and will be put into a fabric pool to be used by all class members. See supply list for homework details. www.evapaigequilts.com

Over the past 25+ years, MJ Kinman learned ways to approach color with confidence and is delighted to share these methods and ideas with you. This is a hands-on class, full of experimentation to help you gain confidence when working with color choices. There is no sewing required in this class. Start with basic color theory using a standard color wheel. Learn how our brains crave harmony and why certain color combinations satisfy that craving. Kinman then moves beyond basic color theory to explore how a color can "change" simply by being placed near other colors. Using Kona Cotton solid fabric, she will demonstrate how to create sparkle with value contrast and how to make quilts glow with saturation contrast. Kinman will show how to create effective transparencies, understanding how to achieve the illusion of fabrics sliding over and under one another. Finally, she'll show how to change the appearance of a color just by changing its neighboring hue in a variety of ways. www.mjkinman.com

Create an impressionistic fabric collage background for three beautiful iris flowers to float away from the garden background. The iris flowers actually float away in graceful motions. 3-dimensional design is created when three irises are fused to the quilt front and three irises float away. You can finish this beauty in a three hour class. Learn several techniques to create this Art Quilt and enjoy the new processes. www.ritalynnestudio.com

Full title— Class—Let’s Ruffle Some Feathers—Longarm Hands-On. It's feather time! Let's discuss, draw, and stitch feathers that can fill those wonderful spaces. Learn basic longarm feathers, bump-back feathers, sawtooth feathers, and more. Need to fill squares, circles, or odd shapes? We will definitely turn those corners and more. Basic feathers can be enhanced by the simplest methods. Bring your pencil and sketch pad and “Let's Ruffle Some Feathers”! Two persons per machine, limited to 36 students. www.seamsdivine.com

Using a very basic pattern, only two pieces on a pre-printed background, David Taylor will teach you the overlapping, pre-turned-edge appliqué technique he uses to create his award-winning pictorial Art Quilts. If you are afraid of hand appliqué, this fun and informative workshop will help you experience the joy and satisfaction of hand appliqué! www.davidtaylorquilts.com

Diverse and enlightening lecture/demo class with no machines and no sewing. The class covers the topics for Ricky Tims' “LocoMotion”, “Gridified Art Quilts”, “Convergence Quilts”, and “Kool Kaleidoscope”. Participants receive full-color syllabus. www.rickytims.com

Full title— Class—Ruler Work—Borders & More—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Try out a variety of border rulers! Bularz has created a practice quilt panel for use with a few simple and a few complex rulers to create stunning finishes to your quilts. She's sprinkled in a few blocks to work on as well. All rulers are provided for classroom use.

Experience the traditional Japanese craft of Kanoko Shibori. Hear about the six main types of Shibori—Kumo Shibori (Kumo means spider or cloud), Nui Shibori, (Nui means to sew, to stitch, a sewing needle), Miura Shibori, Arashi Shibori, and Itajime Shibori. Each student will have an opportunity to create several dyed fabric pieces. www.sandraleedesign.com

Full title—Class—Yoga, Leggings, or Palazzo Pants—Serger Hands-On. Let's get cozy! Jennifer Stern Hasemann will guide you through making knit pants using “The Easy Fit & Sew Yoga Pants Pattern”. Make custom-fit yoga pants, leggings, or Palazzo pants. Whichever style you choose, learn how to make simple fit adjustments so the custom waistband sits where it's comfortable and the hem is just the right length. Finish up by creating the custom waistband and hemming the legs or adding cuffs. Leave class with your new favorite go-to on cold winter days! www.jsterndesigns.com

Full title—Class—Gridplay Quilting—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Grids are versatile and help to create structured patterns! Using a variety of stencils with either dots or lines for guides, create ten to twelve designs worthy of filling a large space or for background quilting. These patterns look great on Modern Quilts. Tricks for scaling these designs will also be discussed. One person per machine, limited to 12 students. www.cwaquilts.com

Why throw away those colorful selvage edges? Learn how to incorporate them in the ultimate scrap quilt project. Piece together super versatile half-square triangle (HST) units that can be combined in a myriad of ways. Finishing instructions will be provided to complete a 20 inch square table topper. www.seaside-stitches.com

Use your scraps to make a “Colorful Scrappy Chicken” collage. It is an easy and fun collage project transforming a regular hen into something unexpected! The chicken is about 12-15 inches. Have fun choosing a color to work with and using up a few of your scraps. www.janehaworth.com

Create an impressionistic fabric collage of a forest of bright aspen or birch trees and brilliant fall foliage. The trees actually float away from the quilt background creating a great visual experience and big surprise to the viewer. This quilt is easy to create and complete in a three hour class. Everything needed to complete this Art Quilt is in the kit. www.ritalynnestudio.com

Full title—Class—Doodle Mania—Longarm Hands-On. Doodles upon doodles can be fast, fun, and fabulous. Intimidated by not knowing what to quilt where? Inspiration is everywhere if we just know where to look. Let's fill those wide open spaces and fill them creatively. Join Spradlin for some great quilting fun! Two persons per machine, limited to 36 students. www.seamsdivine.com

Learn amazing tips from “Eleven Cool Things Every Quilter Should Know,” the design and construction process for Ricky Tims' award-winning “Rhapsody” quilts (easier than you think), his appliqué method, and a fun and innovative string-piecing foundation method. Multiple design and techniques covered. www.rickytims.com

Learn about textile paints and how to use them while creating a colorful abstract quilt top. Also learn a touch of color theory. No mess, no hassle, and no complicated recipes with paints. Class contains lots of inspiration. Be careful, fabric painting is addictive! Optional reading—Fabric Painting with Cindy Walter, C & T Publishing.

These bindings are quick, easy, and done all by the machine. Learn to apply a binding with a hand-sewn appearance. Plus make a second sample with a faux piped binding to add pazazz to your quilt edges. www.wendtquilting.com

Join Nick Verreos as he takes you on a journey discussing his multi-hyphenated career. Along the way he imparts life lessons to anyone at any age who has a “Passion for Fashion." Also, explore with Verreos behind-the-scenes of the hit show Project Runway, both in front of the camera, and now, behind, as a Consulting Producer of the show. The icing on the “Runway Cake” will be a fabulous fashion presentation featuring some of his one-of-a-kind NIKOLAKI designs that have been worn on some of Hollywood’s most impressive red carpets! Time permitting, there will be an audience Q&A with Verreos about making and fitting the garments! Plus—BERNINA sewing machine and goodie giveways!   Verreos is the Winning Mentor of the show Project Runway: Under the Gunn and his gowns have been worn by celebrities including Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Heidi Klum, Eva Longoria, and Carrie Underwood at the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, Grammys, and SAG Awards. Verreos also has a secondary line, NV Nick Verreos, that has been sold at Lord & Taylor, Nordstrom, and Dillard’s, as well as on QVC UK and QVC Italy.   Besides being the Co-Chair of Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Verreos has been the Red Carpet Correspondent for KTLA, ABC's On the Red Carpet, E! Entertainment, and TV Guide, reporting on the Academy Awards and Emmy Awards. He also enjoys sharing his knowledge with future fashion designers through his four books and very popular YouTube channel “Fashion School with Nick Verreos", that has over 375,000 subscribers and 12 million views. www.NikolakiDesign.com  and www.NickVerreos.com Additional support has been provided by Joe Vecchiarelli/French European, Inc.