Workshops & Lectures

All of my workshops are aimed at perfecting a technique. I worked in a sewing machine shop for twenty years and love machine techniques. It is important to be a good friend with your machine. I will help you solve some of those needle, thread, tension, and machine problems that are often minor but frustrating and keep you from achieving the look you want.

In the mid-eighteen hundreds a sewing machine was a prized possession. When we read articles about American quilting during this time, we will find some type of machine work in the quilt. Machine pieced and appliquéd quilts were being made and displayed in local fairs and contests. By the end of the century machine quilting had lost its favor among fashionable quilters. Harriet Hargrave revived machine quilting and made it the art form it is today. We use our machine needles and threads to sketch intricate quilt designs to give our quilts the elegant hand quilted look in less time.

“Millie & Jean on the Road”

Millie Sorrells, my friend and award winning quilter, and I have combined our efforts to provide a unique program for your guild or as a special exhibit for your guild show. We will talk about our journeys as an award winning hand quilters and machine quilters, our travels and friendship together through many years of quilting. We will show many of our award winning quilts. The lecture-trunk show is approximately one hour in length.

“Getting Out of the Ditch”

(Beginning - Intermediate Machine Quilting Workshop)

During this workshop, you will learn the basics aspects of free motion quilting. I will demonstrate techniques, answer your questions, work on your trouble spots and get you started or into the world of machine quilting. You will practice these techniques on a small pieced project. I have been teaching machine quilting for many years and find a special joy in seeing the progress each beginning student will make in a day.

“Advanced - Intermediate Machine Quilting Workshop”

This workshop outline will be determined more by the needs of the group. I will briefly review basic techniques and solve machine problems. I will cover the use of varieties of threads, needles and battings and the effect each has on machine quilting through lecture and demonstration. Each student will work independently on an individual small project or I will provide directions for a simple pieced wall hanging to use as a practice sample.

Appliqué is the technique of taking one piece of fabric and applying it to the surface of another. It has always been my favorite of quilting techniques. I did hand appliqué for thirty years. During the last fifteen years, like its counterpart, machine quilting, machine appliqué has grown and we see more and more beautifully machine appliquéd quilts today. The methods commonly used in quilting are invisible, straight or smooth stitch, raw edge or zigzag, blanket stitch, broderie perse and reverse appliqué. My workshops are designed for you to learn and enjoy these techniques in your quilting.

“Invisible - Smooth Stitch Appliqué”

This invisible technique most nearly resembles beautiful hand appliqué. It is my favorite of the appliqué techniques. During this workshop you will complete the appliqué for a small wall hanging or block. Sewing machine with infinite width and stitch length on the blind stitch required. Smooth stitch has the same preparation but will use the machine straight stitch.

“Zigzag, Buttonhole & Broderie Perse Appliqué”

Preparation for the three appliqué techniques is the same. During this workshop I will demonstrate the three types and you will choose one or all to work on a block or small wall hanging. Different threads will achieve the surface look you want for these techniques.

“Trapunto by Machine”

Trapunto is the technique of adding surface dimension to the quilt. Traditionally this affect is achieved by making small holes in the back of the quilt before stuffing the designs with batting or yarn then closing the holes. This gives the surface an embossed look but is time consuming and difficult to keep the back from being damaged. My workshop shows you how to do trapunto by machine without opening the back of the quilt. Some free motion quilting is needed for the technique. You will complete a small block that can be made into a wall hanging or added to a quilt.

“My Machine & Me”

This lecture-trunk show is my journey through seventeen years making and quilting quilts by machine. It involves my family, my motivation for quilting by machine (I was a hand quilter for thirty years), how I arrived at names for my quilts and many other bits of quilting information. This program is about one hour in length and I will show many of my quilts in the hour.