Schedule

Current Schedule

Hooray! I'm getting to travel farther afield and do cool new classes and workshops! For descriptions of my classes, please scroll to the section below the solid line. I'd love to come to where you are to teach, too! Contact me by clicking here.
To register for a class here in Maine, contact the store or group where it is held directly. For travel-teaching classes, click on the links to the guild or contact me. I've also added dates when I'm booked but not necessarily teaching, like wrestling season and playing at Quilt Festival!

Current Schedule

To register for a class here in Maine, contact the store or group where it is held directly. I've also added dates when I'm booked but not necessarily teaching, like wrestling season and playing at Quilt Festival!

2010:

July 14-17, 2010: American Quilters Society, Knoxville, Tennessee. Thank heavens for air conditioning!
October 3, 2010: Maine-ly Sewing, Nobleboro (563-8445), Intro to Machine Quilting.
October-November, 2010: Let's go play at International Quilt Festival, Houston, TX!

2011:

February and March: wrestling season
March 22-25, 2011: Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Bayberry Quilters.
April 2011: reserved for possible teaching in Ohio
May 20-21, 2011: Enfield, NH, Northern Lights Quilt Guild.
May, 2011: lecture in Massachusetts
June 2011: Shenandoah Valley Quilt Guild, Harrisonburg, Virginia
July 2011: reserved for possible teaching in Nebraska
September and October: soccer season
November 3-6, 2011: A Quilter's Gathering, Nashua, New Hampshire.

2012:

Now booking for 2012!

Class Descriptions

Please click here to contact me about scheduling workshops for your group, guild, store or show. Class descriptions are listed first, lecture descriptions are at the bottom of the page.

ALERT: if you are taking a class from me at a big quilt show, please check with the VENUE to see if sewing machines will be provided, or if you need to bring yours!

Let's Machine Quilt! An Intro to Machine Quilting:

Machine quilting is fun, and it is more than using your machine to stitch your quilt sandwich together. The first half of the day is lecture to learn what you need to know for hassle-free machine quilting. After lunch practice using the walking foot and the free-motion (darning) foot to machine quilt a sampler of patterns.

Tame Fiddly Fussy Threads for Machine Quilting:

When you are comfortable with free-motion quilting, this class will help you take your skills to the next level. Learn about different types of threads including cotton, polyester, rayon, metallic, flat metallic film, variegated, couched yarns and trims and how to use them to enhance your quilt. Your group can select the specific workshop project, which can be either a a tension sampler for future reference, a small wholecloth feathered wreath quilt or a more contemporary leaf design. The Houston 2009 class will be the leaf project.
Prerequisite: You must feel comfortable with free-motion quilting, and be able to change the walking foot and free-motion foot on your machine without assistance.
Kit fee (usually billed in class) of about $35 covers three spools of specialty threads from Superior Threads and a pre-wound bobbin (The Bottom Line) plus materials.

Quilting Design:

Stumped about how to quilt your quilt top? Have a stencil, but it’s the wrong size? Can’t find anything to go with that stencil? Then this is the class for you – whether you plan to quilt by hand or machine, learn how to choose a design that complements and enhances your quilt top. We will discuss how to choose a design, use a transparent overlay sheet to “test” options, considerations for the design depending on whether you plan to hand or machine quilt, and suitable threads.

Machine Applique Three (and a half) Ways:

Learn three methods of machine appliqué to create a gingko leaf or oval leaf wallhanging in a fraction of the time it would take to do hand appliqué. You’ll learn fusible appliqué with satin stitch, freezer-paper-underneath appliqué, fusible interfacing underneath, and reverse. You should be able to complete three to five blocks during class. This class is suitable both for quilters and garment makers, who may wish to incorporate the blocks into garments, totebags, placemats and other projects.

Decorative Stitch Applique:

Make a small wallhanging or a selection of small blocks which take full advantage of all those decorative stitches on your sewing machine. Using fusible appliqué and an assortment of as many threads as you care to bring and use, you’ll see how versatile a single leaf pattern can be! The embroidery / decorative stitches you use in this class can be adapted to your choice of other appliqué methods; we will use fusibles in class so that you can make a wide selection of appliquéd leaves during the class. The project samples can be used for a quilt, a garment or home dec items.

Fun Fabric Art Postcards:

You can use any technique from traditional to art quilts on a postcard. We will use fusible web to begin two, four or more postcards each in class. Try out various art techniques and supplies as you make Fabric Art postcards. I will demonstrate several art techniques which you may wish to try including painting on fabric, stamping on fabric, using Shiva Paintstiks, using Angelina fibers, couching yarns and more. There is a kit fee for this class to cover the cost of materials I provide, (that way you don't have to spend considerably more on materials you might or might not use again).

Balinese Garden:

This is a project class using fusible web and decorative and utility stitches on your sewing machine to make this small wall hanging, table runner or pillow top inspired by the lush gardens of Bali. This pattern would be stunning in vibrant batiks, a cream-to-toffee elegant color-scheme, a gentle pastel selection, or brights.

Hawaiian Applique by Machine:

Hawaiian quilts are beautiful in symmetry and bold design, but hand appliqué is time-consuming. Learn to create a Hawaiian-style masterpiece in a fraction of the time. Select an 18” block pattern provided by the instructor to begin a pillow top, small wall hanging, or begin a larger quilt.

Fine Finishes--an album of edge finish techniques:

Learn to make a perfect mitered binding straight grain bindings, double-fold bias bindings, bindings with piping, couched yarns and fabric accents, curved bindings, fused bindings, wacky raw-edge squares, and couched-yarn finishes.! By the end of this class you’ll have a “swatchbook” of samples including a wide assortment of styles and techniques to finish your quilts and quilted garments.

Birch Pond Season--an intro to art quilting project:

Learn fusible applique, several techniques for "piecing" with fused fabrics, and how to make your own Birch Pond art quilt. I'll also cover facings as an edge finish and a range of fun ideas that will let you branch out on your own after class. Kit fee ($20) covers the cost of the pattern and one package of white MistyFuse (except when taught in stores; then, please purchase these items from the store).

Lecture Descriptions

With a Dash of Color:

There are many ways to learn how to use color: a favorite sweater, a swatch of fabric, a magazine photo, or the color wheel. Sarah explains them all while showing her progress from first quilt to recent work. Note: currently available only for venues within driving distance of Maine.

The Decorated Quilt: Beads, Embellishments and other Treasures

Beads are for more than making jewelry. Like bed quilts, art quilts are made of cloth, batting and thread, but they are displayed as works of art. Art quilters use beads and other treasures to enhance their quilts, to be a major design element, or even to cover the surface of a quilt. Sarah will share both her quilts and those of other leading art quilters whose styles range from minimalist to encrusted in a digital presentation.

Journal Quilts and Journals:

Journal quilts are for everyone, not just art quilters! Learn how to make your own journal quilts and use a sketch journal to record quilt ideas and practice new techniques—you don’t need to be an artist, just willing to see!