Quilters Calendar & Guild Network

resources for quilt guild volunteers

landscape

Bonnie Langenfeld

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Home: Minnesota & Florida

My dream was to become a painter, but I found that I couldn’t control the media the way I wanted, to create realistic images. Fortunately I had always been involved in sewing as well.

That led me to traditional quilting where I was frustrated by not being able to create my version of realism in fabric. This was in the 1990s when art quilting and a myriad of new tools and fabrics became available. The best ones for me were glues for fabrics, heavy stabilizers, and hand dyed or printed fabrics that allow my imagination to ‘see’ landscape elements in them.

At this time I also started playing with free motion stitching, and invented ways to add details to my landscapes with just two stitches.

My history includes having been shown in galleries, art shows, quilt shows, private commissions, making presentations and teaching (both virtually and live).

I feel very fortunate to have this second career as teacher, having taught primary students for many years, and now can teach my techniques anywhere. Currently I live in Cape Coral, FL in the winter and spend summers in Eden Prairie, MN, close to family!

Virtual Presentation: The Art of Realistic Fabric Art. In this 45-60 minute presentation, the essential art elements and techniques for realism are covered, e.g. using lines of perspective and use of color for depth. It explains much what I have developed over several years specifically regarding fabric choices and stitching techniques, as well as  how to construct a fabric picture, and much more. Many pictures of my in-progress work, and completed pieces are shown. It’s laced with humor and enthusiasm. Audience questions are welcome. A trunk show is included. $350. (March 2021)

Visit Her Website for more about Bonnie because it’s total eye candy looking at her quilts! She has a YouTube Channel here – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC996XR7m7EhW8Qx6gf8l13Q

Please let Bonnie know you found her on The Quilter’s Calendar!

Rachel Derstine

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Home: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rachel Derstine is an award winning fiber artist. Her works are featured in invitational and juried gallery shows and fine art/craft shows throughout the country. Her work has been purchased and installed in institutions such as Epic Corporation in Madison, WI, and the Milton Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA.

Rachel specializes in improvisational piecing, vibrant landscapes, couching (stitching yarn to quilt surface) and teaching of basic design elements. She has experience giving online presentations and classes.

Having grown up in Japan, this influence is evident in her style and use of kimonos, silks, ikats, hand dyed and batik fabrics. She includes traditional techniques of quilting as well as her own innovative materials and methods to achieve her desired designs.

Lecture Topic and Description

From Inspiration to Art Process

PowerPoint lecture presentation on the topic of where I find inspiration for my art: Other artists, photographs, influences from life experiences. I include process photos and discuss how to make effective quilts using art concepts such as limiting color palette, simplifying the background, using repetition of line, shapes, value and color throughout the work.

Workshop – Strata Quilt

We will do curved piecing of coordinated hand dyed and commercial fabrics for the background. Easy free motion and walking foot quilting designs will be introduced. Organza circles will be stitched to the surface with single or double needle applique. Yarns will be couched to the surface for movement and definition. Kit optional – $30.

Workshop – Artful Couching

Learn the art of couching with yarns to create texture, flow and extra pizzazz. This is a full day class. We will first create our quilt sandwich and learn some quilting designs created using the walking foot. We will then focus on mastering couching techniques. Students will bring a striped batik or gradient fabric and coordinating yarn to make this 18″ x 45″ table runner size quilt. This class will show you the many ways to use couching for definition and sparkle, by incorporating a variety of cording, yarn and metallic threads in your work.

Please visit Rachel on her website at https://rachelderstinedesigns.com or for individual online classes visit: https://artfulquiltingandsewing.com

Contact Rachel at rachelderstine @ gmail com and watch her on video on her YouTube Channel – Rachel Derstine
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXbECzO6YvG9Nlhku9Q7i8Q

Please tell Rachel that you found her on The Quilters Calendar!

Patty Sawyer

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Home: Sebago, Maine, USA

Award Winning Quilt Artist & Designer, Experienced Quilt Judge & Coordinator, Inspiring Lecturer & Instructor, Computerized Longarm Quilting Specialist, Quilt Shop Advisor & Consultant, Quilt Retreat Hostess & Facilitator

Spirited artist and instructor, Patty Sawyer has an infectious passion for quilting. Patty’s whimsical approach and playful style of connecting with her students leads to unleashing inhibitions and revealing hidden talents. Her philosophy includes disguising creative play time as a means to mastering basic skills.

She delights in sharing her abundant knowledge of
shortcuts, tips and tools to help enlighten and build student’s confidence. Her goals are not predicated in neurotic perfectionism but rather joy and satisfaction in accurate execution and achievement.

You can find out more about Patty’s workshops and lectures on her website here – https://www.sew-clusion.com/workshops-and-lectures

Patty runs retreats from her gorgeous home in Maine! For more information about them click here – https://www.sew-clusion.com/

Please let Patty know you found her on The Quilter’s Calendar!

Jennifer Houlden

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JenniferHoulden3Home: Barrie, Ontario, Canada

I have been quilting for just over ten years and it all started back in 2002 in Yellowknife, NWT. While living in Yellowknife I was very lucky to be able to take many classes from local instructors as well as from instructors the guild brought in from all over Canada and the USA. With a couple of trips to Quilt Canada and some amazing classes I was addicted to the art of quilting.

I began my designing career in Australia when we lived in the Outback. In 2010 I took several on-line classes with Ruth Blanchett, owner of Arbee Designs. My relationship with Arbee Designs developed from this and I have been designing quilt patterns for Ruth ever since. As well as designing for Arbee I also teach at The Academy of Quilting for them. While in Australia I developed my own label, Quilts by Jen.

Upon returning to Canada my company, Quilts By Jen, has developed and grown allowing me to design, write patterns, teach classes and put on trunk shows for local guilds and shops. Please visit Jen’s Website for more information and booking details.

Please let Jennifer know you found her on The Quilter’s Calendar!

Cynthia England

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Cynthia England Quilt TeacherHome: Dickson, Texas

Cynthia England is a graduate of the Art Institute of Houston and has been creating quilts for more than thirty years. Experimentation with quilting techniques led her to develop her own unique style “Picture Piecing”. Cynthia’s quilts have been honored with many awards, including two Best of Shows at the prestigious International Quilt Association. Her quilt, Piece and Quiet was distinguished as one of the Hundred Best Quilts of the 20th Century.

Cynthia teaches and lectures nationally and internationally. In addition, she is the designer and owner of England Design Studios which is a publishing/pattern company which specializes in the Picture Piecing technique. She has over 50 patterns and two books using this technique. The books include a beginner book called “Picture Piecing Traditional Quilts”, and now in it’s third printing “Picture Piecing Dramatic Pictorial Quilts”, which explains how to take a photo and turn it into a quilt using this process.

Her technique is NOT a foundation or paper piecing technique. Visit Cynthia’s Website for free tutorial videos.