Published in Studios magazine Spring 2011 and Summer 2012, and most recently in Quilter’s Connection magazine in 2017, Brandy explores clearing clutter, organizing your stash, and managing your creative space. She inspires with tips on storage and ideas to make your space a creative sanctuary that brings you more joy and less overwhelm.

Veruschka Zarate of Pride & Joy Quilting, began her quilting journey in 2016, shortly after having her two little boys. After leaving a professional career in University Counseling & Psychology, she decided to dedicate herself to the education and raising of her two precious boys. Along the way, she developed a love of quilting and later a passion for foundation paper piecing.

Wanting to integrate her calling to encourage and empower others, she integrated her background in psychology with quilting by developing a series of pattern books entitled “Em•Pow•HER•Ment: a Quilting Journey of Women who changed the world.” Veruschka is hoping to inspire girls and women of all ages through Foundation Paper Piecing.

At our bonus December meeting, Kim Caskey will provide us armchair travellers with a slide show of her recent trip to Japan and the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival in January 2020.

You are invited to delve into my ‘creative a la mode’ and share my excitement for the inspired process and passion for art quilting.

Dawn will also be hosting two workshops on February 13 and 14, 2021 (more details below).

Come join Cathy to play with your pretty scraps. Making fabric out of nothing!

She will show you how she cuts, sorts and stores her scraps in a rainbow of colour. She will then show you how to use tiny bits of fabric. You will build fabric using your precious scraps with a few poverty piecing techniques shown. The larger blocks will be based on traditional quilt blocks but will have used poverty piecing to add greater interest and texture.

Students can choose the Bouncy Ball block or a Friendship Star block (some students may have time for both blocks).

There will be a one-hour pre-class presentation to give you time to sort through your scraps before the workshop.

Milagro
In Mexico, little wishes are represented by tiny charms called Milagros. The charms are traditionally used for healing purposes and as votive offerings in Mexico. Let the artisans of Chiapas & Oaxaca regions of Mexico be the base of inspiration to you throughout this workshop. Because Mexico is not only margaritas & sandy beaches.

Using Intense Pencil & blocks, applique and thread you will create a keepsake that will make you want to shake your maracas! You will be introduced to the Appliquick method of applique.

Bojagi

Have a fun day creating a one-of-a-kind piece of art. You will spend the day learning design concepts related to composition and colour while using your fabric scraps.

We will focus on the ancient art of Bojagi, a Korean textile technique which roughly translates as “covering” or “wrapping cloth.” Bojagi is traditionally a square piece of cloth skillfully constructed from a variety of leftover scrap fabrics.

Susan Purney Mark, an award winning artist, experienced teacher and an inspiring designer, is our speaker at the February 17, 2021 meeting.

In My Iceland Narrative, Susan describes her experience spending an entire month – halfway around the world – to create her art.

Susan says, “Doesn’t that sound like heaven? Well, actually it was Iceland and I was fortunate to devote myself to exploring a topic that has become a major focus of my work – textile book forms. I’ll share my experiences, thoughts and plans with you and include suggestions on how you can create your own art residency far, far away or in your own backyard. Plus, I’ll show you the results of my creative adventure. It’s a beautiful thing when a passion and a career come together.”

As a textile artist, Susan has embarked on a life transforming journey into the world of colour, design and pattern. Working with textiles has become her method of self-expression and the focus of her methods of communication.

Confused about what needle to use?

What do all those numbers mean on the needle package?
Is changing the needle really important before it breaks?
What needle should I use?

Successful sewing is often about paying attention to the little things – like the needle in your sewing machine.

Get the low-down about how this little piece of steel can solve some very BIG problems, including broken threads, skipped stitches and puckered fabrics.

Your sewing machine is an investment and protection begins by using the very best needle. Sew SCHMETZ!

Travels are inspiring in so many ways. You arrive home with so many thoughts and you really want to make a quilt…..but inspiration drains when you can’t quite get started.

This talk will tell you what inspired me on my travels worldwide, how I organize my thoughts and ideas and then move onto the design process to produce thought provoking and award-winning quilts.

Join me to get a glimpse into my creative process and apply that to your own creativity.

Join me for two mornings of fun and creativity as you plan your own unique Temperature Quilt.

Review many different Temperature Quilts for inspiration and motivation.
Get organized with a journal for daily notes, determine your temperature gauge, and choose your unique block pattern.
Decide on a colour range of fabric for your high and low temperatures of each day and think about background and layout choices.

You’ll be well on your way to proceed with your 2020 Temperature Quilt after this workshop.

Our 2020 Teaching Grant recipient is long-time EDQG guild member and appreciated advertiser (owner of Spools: The Workshop in Leduc), Joanne Flamand. Joanne used her $500 grant award to attend Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s Double Wedding Ring workshop. Although this workshop was held virtually, Joanne has learned a great deal from this master quilter, and she will tell us all about her experience at our May meeting.

“Double Wedding Ring quilts have always tugged at the traditional strings of my quilting heart. I found a Double Wedding Ring quilt top in my mother’s things when she moved to an assisted living facility. I discovered Victoria Findlay Wolfe and her exploration of the Double Wedding Ring in Austin when I attended Quilt Con to learn more about modern quilting. I was hooked! I knew I wanted to explore and experiment with her method of fabric selection and piecing some Double Wedding Ring quilts. Thanks to the generous scholarship from EDQG, I have been doing just that, using Victoria’s templates and her class instruction to guide me during this past year”.

(Victoria Findlay’s website – https://vfwquilts.com/ )