2009 Guest Artist Classes at Accomplish Quilting

Classes | Artist Info

As we enter the new year, we are looking ahead to our new class schedule. We have been working hard to bring some top names in the quilting profession to our studio so that you can take advantage of hands on training at Accomplish Quilting.

Below, you will find a list of our classes with a brief description and the cost of each class. Lunch will be provided. If you have any questions regarding any of the classes, or want to register for a class, please call our toll free # 866-556-2552.

Classes

Feb. 26 — Borders and Backgrounds — Linda Thielfoldt

This class will take you through a bevy of background techniques you can add to your quilting repertoire. Tired of stippling everything? Wish you knew what to put around all that appliqué to enhance the quilt? Stumped on how to make borders look good without taking hours and hours to complete them? Want to jazz up your quilting with some new ideas? If so, this class is for you. Don't miss this opportunity to learn a bevy of beautiful borders and backgrounds.

Not recommended for beginners - students should have good command of freehand use of their machine. Feather class is not a prerequisite for this class. Cost: $225

Feb. 26 — The Business of Quilting Lecture — Linda Thielfoldt

Class is geared to those interested in starting a quilting business as well as those who have already done so, or who are looking to improve their profitability, and productivity. Linda has successfully applied her 25 years of business experience and ownership to the longarm quilting industry. She has owned her own advertising/marketing agency, owns a property management company and runs a successful quilting business; "The Quilted Goose". Lecture includes useful handouts and examples to help you jump start or revitalize your quilting business. Cost: $50

Feb. 27 — Fearless Feathers 2 — Linda Thielfoldt

You have some feathering under your belt and you are ready to explore new ways to use the versatile feather. In this full day hands-on class you will make a whole cloth sampler using several different freehand feather designs. The sampler can be bound and hung in your studio to show off your work. Fearless Feathers I is a prerequisite for this class. Cost: $225

Feb. 28 — Custom Sampler Supreme — Linda Thielfoldt

In this full day hands-on class you will learn many ways to handle the different blocks, sashing and borders. A four-block sampler will be pre-stitched on muslin and ready for students. If, after the class you would like to make a pieced sampler, directions will be available. The sampler can be bound and used as a sample in your studio. Cost: $225

March 19 — Getting the Edge of Rulers — Linda McCuean/MariLee Sei

Imagine pretty, flowing waves, invisible stitch-in-the-ditch, and perfectly placed echoes. Traditional patterns will dance with a new grace across your borders. Learn to layer elements to create designs from simple to sensational with "Off the Edge" rulers. In this hands-on class you will use loads of rulers and learn how to manipulate them to transform a basic sketch into a pretty wholecloth design showcasing your new techniques! We will also experiment with using rulers in combination with stencils to obtain beautifully smooth results. Class kit will include a pre-marked sketch that will be stitched step-by-step. Cost: $225

March 20 — Graphic Gridwork — Linda McCuean

We will learn fun new ways to machine quilt background fill patterns, or, quick and unique overall designs, using a variety of gridded frameworks. Grid marking aids and tools will be discussed. You will leave class with a whole new arsenal of exciting quilting ideas to create visual texture in your quilting! Cost: $225

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March 21 — "A Little Bit of Bella" — Linda McCuean

Stitch a small wholecloth quilt featuring a motif from Linda's quilt "Bella"! Variety and complexity of background quilting creates excitement in a quilt - but who knew it was the fun and easy part too? Class kit will provide fabric already marked with a floral motif and you will add an assortment of unique quilted background textures to complete the sampler. Cost: $225

July 6 — Blooming Background Designs and Allovers — Irena Bluhm

Say good bye to the conventional way of using stippling to fill in negative spaces on any quilt. This very unique, easy to understand and easy to execute, technique will have your creative juices flowing as you add your own twist to Irena's ideas. Many of the background designs shown in Irena's book, "Bluhming Background Designs 2", can be used an an allover design to fill in negative spaces on your own, or your customers' quilts. Actually, this technique, in Irena's opinion is much faster than doing a pantograph. All you need to do is change the quilting density to a larger scale for an allover design. From very dense quilting to allover, this technique is very forgiving and the visual effects are very impressive. Since Irena created many of these unique looking background filler designs, she has been using them exclusively to create her quilts for contests. No planning ahead and no marking of the background designs are required. Cost: $225

July 7/8 — Blank Slate — Original Quilt Design and Execution – Irena Bluhm

A very simple and easy to understand concept of designing a quilt starting with a white piece of fabric makes it possible for everyone to create their own, original whole cloth design if they wish. All participating students will receive a workshop kit including a basic design tutorial with design ideas along, with a package of numerous quilting patterns to choose from. There will be no quilt design like another, no matter how many students participate. Students who finish their class projects or make another, larger project, on their own, are going to be encouraged to share photographs of their quilts on a voluntary basis. Their finished quilts may be used in other books Irena is working on. This workshop incorporates raw edge machine appliqué along with the coloring technique, which will allow a creation of a very interesting and unique quilt design. Cost: $450

July 9 — Whimsical and Funky Feather Designs/Bluhming Bugs — Irena Bluhm

This will be 2 different classes in 1 day! We will be begin with feathers! You will be impressed by how many shapes of feathers you can create by just using Irena's book "Whimsical and Funky Feathers," plus your own creativity and own imagination. After Irena explains this very easy to understand design concept, you will be able to create many quilting patterns of your own, unusual and original looking quilting designs if you wish. After learning these techniques, you will then move into learning how to use Irena's patterns from "Bluhming Bugs Designs" to enhance any quilt design. You can impress your customers by using these unique and unusual creations to enhance their quilts, as they may have never seen anything like these unique and original quilting designs. Cost: $225

Sept. 11 — Freehand Feathers 1 — Linda Thielfoldt

Have you always wanted to learn how to sew feathers freehand? Do you cringe when a customer asks you to do a feather in a border? Have you been quilting feathers freehand but wish you had some more creative ideas when it comes to feathers on quilts? Do the feathers you quilt now fall below your expectations? If so, this class is for you! This class will take the student through all the steps necessary to be fearless with those feathers. Using some time-tested techniques and tricks, Linda will help take the fear out of feathers. Cost: $225

Sept. 12 — Paperless Panto's and Borders — Linda Thielfoldt

Put that laser light away! Go to the front of the machine and get ready to have some fun! In this fast paced class you will learn some great freehand designs that you can use as Pantos, backgrounds and borders - all are quick and easy to do and best of all they look great. Tired of mindlessly following the lines, looking to get more free-hand practice? This class is for you! Handouts will be provided but bring some drawing paper as well. Cost: $225

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The Artists

Linda Thielfoldt

Linda has won a many blue ribbons for her quilted garments in the past few years. These ribbons include the blue in wearable art in national competition at the 2002, 2003 and 2006 Machine Quilter's Showcase. She took a blue ribbon at MQX in 2006 and has also won place ribbons at many other national quilt shows in the past few years. Linda brings over 30 years sewing and quilting experience to her classes. In her early 20's she operated a bridal sewing business making custom wedding gowns and accessories but quilting soon took over as her passion so she closed the bridal sewing business and opened The Quilted Goose. For more than 15 years she successfully owned a Marketing and Advertising agency, Devlin Group Inc., and had many corporate clients who relied on her marketing expertise. She has taught quilting for 11 years and loves to share her knowledge of quilting and sewing. Her classes are taught with enthusiasm in a fun, lively, no-rules environment where you will walk out of her class with new ideas and inspiration! Visit Linda's website at http://www.thequiltedgoose.com

Irena Bluhm

Irena is from rural Oklahoma and took up quilting as a hobby in 2001. Prior to quilting Irena focused on fine art as her hobby. Irena is an award winning instructor who began teaching classes after just one year of learning to quilt. Irena's first whole cloth quilt ever made won 12 awards! Irena focuses on detail and likes to create new quilt patterns and enjoys changing up her style and techniques. Irena has many prestigious awards. Over 35 awards to be exact! Irena even wrote her own book titled "Bluhming Background Designs". Visit her site at http://www.irenabluhmdesigns.com to learn more about this amazing artist!

Linda McCuean

Linda McCueanis an award winning quilter and instructor. Linda's quilt "Bella" was recognized as a masterpiece quilt. The whole cloth quilt, winner of the inaugural $100,000 Quilting Challenge, was evaluated at the National Quilting Association’s annual show last year in Columbus, Ohio, where it was officially awarded the status of Masterpiece Quilt - the first longarm-quilted quilt to receive the distinction. Some other awards include "Best in Show" at the Road to California show in 2004 and "Best Machine Quilting" awarded at the Vermont Quilt Festival in 2005. Some other award titles earned by Linda include "Best of Show Bed Quilt", "Best Machine Quilting" and "1st Bed Quilt Mixed".

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