HOUSTON FESTIVAL 2024
ALL CLASSES, lectures and events

Every year, a new design is made just for Quilt Festival. The kit is laser-cut to make a unique mystery quilt in each of Angotti's Surprise classes. A short supply list, already cut and ready to sew kit...what could be better? And you don't need to worry about having the wrong fabrics for this mystery. They will be there cut and ready for you. If you have taken a class before, please, if possible, bring what you made for show and tell. (Top is fine. Quilt is great.) www.charlotteangotti.com

Learn how to paint with fabrics, threads, and ribbons to create a one-of-a-kind underwater art project. Combine free-form embroidery with fabric manipulation and embellishments to create a dimensional work of art. This “Underwater Sea Garden” can be framed as a painting or made into a beautiful wallhanging. Free-Form Embroidery with Judith Baker Montano, C & T Publishing. www.judithbakermontano.com

Use your favorite fabrics to make this fast and easy quilt that just looks difficult. Only one block to learn, using neutral or bright fabrics, you decide. A stash buster and skill builder quilt—this class teaches a lot. Be amazed how fast this comes together. The perfect "gift" quilt. www.bbquiltmaker.blogspot.com

Afraid to try free-motion quilting? Let Clotfelter hold your hand as you learn all the basics and more! Experience how much fun free-motion quilting on your domestic machine can be! We really do start at the very beginning! Leave with newfound confidence and a sampler you can refer to for many different designs...that you'll create! Let's start the fun! www.ninaquilts.com

Using solid, bright color cottons (and a helpful stencil) machine-sew Crazy Quilt blocks (morning session) then explore vintage and contemporary-style hand embroidery stitching (afternoon session). Not all Crazy Quilts are Victorian silks and elaborate embroidery and embellishments. Sometimes Crazy Quilting is just plain fun! www.peppercory.com

Use scraps of lively prints in three values of one color, or of all the colors you want to combine to create your own tropical flower. We'll chop up our fabrics, divide them into values, and fill in the value marked pattern sections with corresponding value pieces of fabric. Add a bit of tulle, and some simple quilting and you will have created your unique masterpiece. Quilting line pattern will be provided for home use later.​​ If you prefer to finish your piece without sewing, that's okay too! No-sew finishing options are also taught. The results are beautiful and totally believable! www.phylliscullenartstudio.com

Paint a quilt design on a board to be hung on a house, gate, porch, barn, etc. Dozens of quilt designs will be available to choose from. During the class, learn how to transfer and paint that design on a 2 foot x 2 foot MDO board. It is all taping and painting. No special artistic skills are needed. Also offered as 210 on Tuesday. Do not enroll for both. www.quiltblocktrail.com

Learn the basics of collage while making one oversized block, 25½ inch x 41½ inch. The oversized block can be made into a wallhanging, table runner, or can be incorporated with the other blocks to make the entire quilt. Learn about fused appliqué, Laura Heine's Underlay technique for reversing images for collage, and color! www.fiberworks-heine.com

Learn how to transform any image into a stencil, customize the background fabric with wax pastels quickly and easily, and assemble a completely personalized quilt. www.marinalandi.com.br

Full title—Class—EQ8—Start at the Beginning—Computer Hands-On. Build your EQ confidence! Tour the workspace and begin designing a variety of beautiful quilt styles. Search the EQ8 libraries for the perfect block or fabric to turn your quilt designs into reality; or add fabrics from your own stash. Learn how to print yardage estimates, rotary cutting charts, and more. Nicely paced and encouraging class for those who want to understand and practice the basics. Windows and Mac users welcome. www.lorimillerdesigns.com

With total freedom from rulers and rules, the construction of free and curved blocks gives the background of this garden life full motion. This class shows how much an improvised background makes an appliqué stand out. The study of color is presented and the freedom of creation is emphasized. www.instagram.com/estelamota.patch

An excellent opportunity to learn some of Claudia Pfeil's award-winning sewing techniques. This is a totally unique class using a fearless strip-piecing method even with complex material like Dupioni silk, so don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity. Starting with sewing strip panels, create wheels using a 15-degree wedge ruler (necessary) with surprising results. Those wheels can be applied onto a pieced or solid background by hand or machine at home. www.claudiapfeil.de

Put your scraps stash to good use. Recycle and reuse fabric scraps to create a delightful storybook. Using a children's board book and your scraps and embellishments, learn how to use fabric and composition to tell a story. A fabric altered book can be a sophisticated treasure, a fun project with children, or a place for experimentation and play. Lesley Riley will share the how-to, what makes a good composition, and how using pattern and color can make your pages pop. What you learn creating a book full of mini-compositions will enhance your regular quilting practice. Perfect for beginners, too! www.lesleyriley.com

This pitcher filled with flowers would be beautiful sitting on anyone's table. Learn to grow your own bouquet, from creating a pitcher with depth, to filling it with skinny stems, and lastly, adding beautiful flowers using Broderie Perse. The needleturn appliqué technique will be taught. Find out how fun this method actually is! www.denarosenberg.com

Full title—Class—Gelli Print to Art Quilt—A Day of Gelli Printing Exploration and Play with Lisa Thorpe. The first half of class is spent creating a stack of fabric mono-prints made on small 4 inch x 6 inch soft gel print plates. Thorpe will show fun and easy print techniques using botanicals, stencils, and texture tools. Print on a variety of pre-cut fabrics. In the second half of the day, use your stack of little prints to create a quick fabric collage composition fused onto felt. Then use a lot or a little hand stitching to finish. No experience with fabric collage or hand stitch required. All materials for printing supplied. www.lisathorpe.com

Full title—Class—Tea at Five—Longarm Hands-On. Do you love coloring but are too afraid to do it on a quilt? Arcenegui Bono will discuss her tricks and secrets for applying pen to fabric. On top of that, quilt a little wallhanging that looks like it has been pieced although no piecing or appliqué is involved. Also see how different threads can make a big impact on the final result. One person per machine, limited to 18 students. www.crisarcbono.com

Full title—Class—Grid Quilting Designs—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. In this practice class, enjoy learning a variety of quilting designs, ranging from simple to creative and intricate, using grids in the free-motion process. Create unique designs that perfectly fit any quilt and bring an exclusive and fabulous look. One student per machine, limited to 12 students. www.fabiadiniz.com

Make a tote using decorative serging techniques and specialty threads to enhance the fabrics. The tote will be lined and have shoulder straps with a coordinating fabric. www.cuttingedgesergerdesigns.com

Create the illusion of curves, motion, and depth with strip-piecing and straight seams. Discover the easy process that produces complex-looking results. www.quiltersclinic.com

Full title—Class—The Beauty of Feathered Borders—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Dive into the art of quilting with our beginner-friendly feathered border class. Embrace the beauty of organic feathers, a forgiving and approachable twist on the traditional. Learn to craft stunning, flowing borders with unique corner designs that add elegance to your projects. Join us for a feather-filled journey, perfect for all skill levels. www.forever-quilting.com

This is just pure fun! Play with squares of sheer fabric, layering them on a simply free-motion quilted background to create colorful effects. This is color theory without color wheels or rules; a joyful class where you'll make your choice of four mug rugs or a quiltlette. And there's a kit! No free-motion experience required! www.quiltskipper.com

Maybe you have a favorite pattern, but you want to do something different with it—make it larger, make it smaller, or just pull a favorite element from the pattern. Maybe you love the pattern, but don't have all the fabrics it calls for and you really just want to bust your stash! Then “Hack That Quilt Pattern” is for you! Let Tammy Silvers guide you through steps to make a quilt project uniquely yours. Look at examples of project hacks and explore some fun reworkings of Tamarinis patterns, of course. Complete the class with ideas to inspire and direct you in your own pattern hacks! Discuss some practical approaches to dissecting a pattern to determine exactly what fabric and how much of each you will need for your hack. Talk about creating a game plan for your creation so that you have the most successful project possible! Finish the class with ideas on how to hack your stash of patterns, as well as useful handouts you can reference again and again! Silvers is excited to explore with you! www.tamarinis.com

Full title—Class—Fabric Coloring with Tsukineko Inks. Tsukineko All Purpose Inks (API) from Japan are child-safe, archival quality, colorfast, and a permanent medium without changing the texture of the fabric it is applied on. It works on any porous surface from paper to wood, wall, leather, and fabric (cotton, silk, poly, and wool). Beginners welcome! No experience necessary to learn coloring fabric from your own stash using Fabrico dual tip markers or Fantastix brushes. Learn, explore, and expand coloring possibilities for color blending, shading, highlighting, and shimmering. Use TSC stencils to create patterns on white or white-on-white and printed fabrics for an even more dynamic outcome. TSC Designs offers a wide range of stencils featuring elements from nature. Use TSC stencils as an overlayer or partial design, or mix and match to create your pattern for Art Quilts and wearable fiber art projects. Understand how to use inks with different media to create gradient background colors. Practice TSC Designs' many different inking techniques using an art watercolor brush, household items, or items from your local dollar store. The possibilities are endless. Bring your challenge fabrics. Let's work together and apply what you learn from class to give your fabrics a new life. www.teacherstamp.com

Learn basic garment pattern making skills in Vecchiarelli’s combined lecture and hands-on experience. Splitting the class into groups and using a dress form, drape a bodice, and convert it into a sloper. Use darts to allow the bodice to fit your individual figure and learn many other essential techniques. The sloper can later be used as the foundation for many of your pattern making projects. All these wonderful skill sets will be taught with the tips and tricks Vecchiarelli uses on television celebrities. Everyone deserves the opportunity to become a fitted celebrity as Vecchiarelli works with on “Dancing with the Stars”! www.frencheuropeaninc.com

Full title—Class—Frolic Forest—Longarm Hands-On. Learn a quick and easy method to appliqué and machine quilt all at the same time. Thread painting doesn't have to be boring. Finish the day with a beautiful and colorful mini-quilt and with a lot of texture. One person per machine, limited to 18 students. www.crisarcbono.com

Full title—Class—Balloons—Feathers in the Sky—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. In this practice class for confident beginners/intermediate level machine quilter, enjoy learning how to quilt feathers to create different background designs, dividing spaces, and adding texture and movement to the quilt. One student per machine, limited to 12 students. www.fabiadiniz.com

Create the illusion of depth with vertical rows of equilateral triangles and no Y-seams. Use color and value instead of complicated piecing to give the impression of 3-D. Learn the tips and tricks for organizing and streamlining the construction process, including getting all the pieces correctly oriented and the points matched. www.quiltersclinic.com

Full title—Class—Confetti Gardens—A Floral Free-Motion Paradise—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. Immerse yourself in a “Floral Free-Motion Paradise” in this hands-on, sit-down quilting class, as you skillfully combine intricate floral designs, leaves, cherries, swirls, feathers, butterflies, bees, and baubles throughout. Learn the techniques to create vibrant, dynamic quilting, where creativity blooms freely in every stitch. www.forever-quilting.com

Ruler work gives accurate results with little marking, and it's fun! This is an ideal way to experiment with ruler work on a domestic machine with only one ruler. Class includes a pre-printed panel (markings wash out) and a unique ruler that makes straight-line ruler work virtually foolproof. Great for newer free-motion quilters! www.quiltskipper.com

Stitch exercises demonstrate how sewing machine needles, thread, technique, and you, the sewist, control stitch quality. Experience stitching with a variety of needles and fabrics, along with a few surprises. Gain respect for the needle and elevate confidence in your needle selection. This is a fun, hands-on, educational class. Sew SCHMETZ! www.schmetzneedles.com

Full title—Class—Creating a Gradation from Your Stash. Love the look of ombré or gradation fabrics? Explore creating a similar effect with your own fabrics. Put your fabric stash or scraps to work and give your next quilt project a unique look and a sense of movement. In this hands-on class, look at examples of projects using this technique, and create some sample gradations using fabrics from your class kit. Come ready to share, swap, and exchange fabrics from your class kit for a fun experience! www.tamarinis.com

Immerse yourself in the process of transforming a blank white or white-on-white print fabric into a captivating work of art using the proprietary TSC Alcohol Spray formula. Experiment with six techniques to create color harmony highlighting Pantone Colors of the Year with your end creation featuring a “Dazzling Koi in a Serene Pond” setting. In this hands-on class, learn and explore using various applicators and a range of mediums—Fabrico markers, Fantastix, and other unexpected mediums such as shaving cream, rubbing alcohol, and Soft Scrub^® with Bleach cleanser. Explore how to employ new techniques and common household items to achieve a cohesive ombré effect. www.teacherstamp.com

When making a garment, it will become faster and more accurate than ever to create your fit on a dress form with easy placement of sizing material. Learn to make simple adjustments on the form to fit your shape instantaneously and eliminate the frustrations of fitting the pattern to your shape. One dress form can become your body shape in seconds, making fitting faster and more accurate. The entire concept is what Vecchiarelli uses on “Dancing with the Stars”. www.frencheuropeaninc.com

This is the condensed version of “Serger 101” (320 on Wednesday)! Learn how to use a 4-thread serger from threading to stitching. This intensive class will teach the fundamentals of how a serger works and how to serge with confidence. Build a reference notebook in class as you learn how to set up and stitch the most useful serger stitches, including rolled hems and special stretch stitches. Also learn how to use differential feed to work with knits and other specialty fabrics, and how to serge challenging shapes such as curves and corners. Whether you're just starting to Overlock or want to build knowledge and confidence, this class is for you! Taught by the author of Serger 101: A Field Guide, C & T Publishing. www.katrinawalker.com

This is a new class for Quilt Festival with a new mystery pattern and you get to bring your own fabric! There is homework before class—some cutting, some fabric to be collected, and excitement of something new anticipated. We will exchange batik strips to give us a pallet to pull from for our color wild card. Find a multi-colored batik fabric that will help tie all of this together. Playing with color is a major component in this class and Angotti will help you gain confidence as you sew. It is like magic. If you have taken this class before at your guild or with a group, this will be a different pattern. www.charlotteangotti.com 

Let's get creative! Using Dahlhausen's shapes for vases and flowers, be guided through the wool appliqué process and create your own composition. Instruction will be given to add some easy cotton accents.  Each student's work will look different due to the shapes, colors, and stitches used. The finished size is 12 inch x 16 inch. Examples of ways to finish the piece will be discussed. Wool is a forgiving and easily stitched fabric waiting for your creativity! www.felicequiltdesigns.com

Full title—Class—Modern Machine Quilting—Longarm Hands-On. Join this hands-on workshop designed for quilters ready to push their boundaries. Unleash your creativity and master the art of using rulers to create contemporary, intricate designs by quilting two provided panels. Be ready for a day of exploration, experimentation, and skill building. One person per machine, limited to 18 students. www.crisarcbono.com

Color in a line drawing of a landscape with oil pastel sticks, then add bits of printed fabrics to enhance the scene. Quilt some simple lines and end up with an impressionist scene. No artistic talent needed (you went to kindergaten, right). No drawing skill needed, but expect to learn about value, contrast, perspective, the rules of composition, and a new way of looking at fabric! Cullen will show some simple quilting patterns that enhance any landscape then you'll quilt them at home! They'll have to look close to determine if it's fabric or an oil painting! www.phylliscullenartstudio.com

Full title—Class—Lighthouse Quilt—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. In this practice class for confident beginners/intermediate level machine quilters, enjoy learning how to quilt the background using quilting grid patterns to create a unique secondary design that will showcase the focal point. One person per machine, limited to 12 students. www.fabiadiniz.com

Beep! Beep! Have fun making this lively Roadrunner! He is on the move through the flowering cactus. Made with the straight-line sewing technique that Cynthia England devised. Not a foundation technique. Sewing right sides together, no paper to pick out, and cheating is encouraged! www.englanddesign.com

Paint a quilt design on a board to be hung on a house, gate, porch, barn, etc. Dozens of quilt designs will be available to choose from. During the class, learn how to transfer and paint that design on a 2 foot x 2 foot MDO board. It is all taping and painting. No special artistic skills are needed. Also offered as 107 on Monday. Do not enroll for both. www.quiltblocktrail.com

Learn painterly or strip collage and floral collage while making these darling "Sewing Scissors." The finished collage can be mounted on a canvas or bound with traditional binding. This is a must for your sewing room! www.fiberworks-heine.com

Learn Marina Landi's tricks by creating this cute "Cat"! With a kit specially prepared for this class, you will be able to finish it in class. Make another one at home with the remainder of your kit. www.marinalandi.com.br

You can do this! Learn to free-motion quilt in a supportive and fun atmosphere. Follow along in this hands-on process and learn five beautiful and fun motifs to put on your own quilts using your domestic machine. Imagine being able to quilt your own quilts! www.quiltskipper.com

Full title—Class—EQ8—I Want to Learm More—Computer Hands-On. Take the next step learning EQ8. Learn to draw or edit your own blocks to place in your quilt creations. Explore appliqué, stencils, and understand the three layers of the quilt in EQ8. Take a deep dive into borders and Auto Borders. Create personal libraries, use text, photos, and explore free-form quilt settings. By the end of the class, have the confidence to design your own beautiful blocks and quilts. The perfect followup to the #110 Class—"EQ8—Start at the Beginning" class.  Windows and Mac users welcome. www.lorimillerdesigns.com

Full title—Class—No Rules, Just Pleasure!—Stationary Longarm Hands-On. You have your image completed...and now comes the quilting. Nothing more liberating than getting rid of straight lines and rules. Loosen your muscles and add movement to your quilting. Echoing is the most powerful way to create texture in quilting, creating visual impact. Use a simple design that gives visual rhythm rather than relying on seeing the thread. A fun and light class, where we won't miss sparkle, as we will be working with satin. Come shine and play with our Bernina Q-Series longarm sit-down table. www.instagram.com/estelamota.patch

Collage without any specific pattern or design. The abstract result will be created by following organically grown lines in colors and the connections these colors can make. The class is all about grouping and blending of colors using a collage technique. Finishing options (to be done at home) will be discussed. www.carlymul.com

An awesome opportunity to learn another of Claudia Pfeil's award-winning sewing techniques. This is a totally unique class with fearless free-cutting methods even with difficult material like silk, so don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity. We will create different styles of leaves (straight/spikey and round/organic). This class is a perfect combination with the class #316 Class—"Crazy Blooming" to use all techniques in one quilt. https://claudiapfeil.de

Karen Stone's “Cinco de Mayo” quilt set the standard for contemporary interpretations of traditional designs. Enjoy a day of color work, paper foundation piecing technique, curved piecing (and alternatives), and the variations that make this quilt unique. www.karenkstonequilts.com

Full title—Class—Carve, Stamp, Color—Stamp Making with Lisa Thorpe. Create your own pattern stamps to use again and again on fabric and paper. Thorpe will teach how to carve both simple and elaborate repeat pattern blocks to use as focal points or borders in your fabric art and quilting. Learn how to colorize your designs using Derwent Inktense colored pencils making the design possibilities endless with the unique and personal stamp blocks. The morning will be devoted to designing and carving up to six repeat pattern blocks in three sizes. Then the afternoon we will be printing and learning to color on fabric with the Dewent Inktense pencils to cap off the day. Want a preview?  These techniques were featured on Quilting Arts TV, episode #3012. www.lisathorpe.com

Learn the basic techniques of needle felting. The course will be split into two parts. First, Tronchoni will briefly introduce the technique of needle felting and teach different ways of transfering a picture onto felt. Then embark on the actual felting project which has been pre-printed onto a piece of felt. www.sunpatchspain.com

Have you heard that curves are hard to piece? They're not hard. If you are a beginner, now is the time to learn. If you are an experienced quilter, but afraid of curves, this is the class for you. Conquer your fear! A simple two-pin method for piecing will be thoroughly demonstrated. Learn to love your curves! www.stripsandcurves.com

Can paper become cloth? Can it be used as fabric? Certainly! Explore Japanese paper manipulation techniques in this process workshop. Create a variety of layered papers with "Konnyaku" starch. "Momigami" presents a folding/kneading process. Many examples will be presented using kozo, rice paper, and easily accessible papers such as napkins, newspaper, old dress patterns, and book pages. Be inspired by the possibilities of Japanese paper manipulation. There will be no finished product. www.bethcunningham.com

This beautiful quilt looks hard, but is sew easy! Great for stash busting! Perfect piecing and a flat, stable quilt top are the results with EasyPiecing Grid^™. Finishes 87 inches x 78 inches before border, or make two smaller quilts. www.tensisters.com

Full title—Class—Shedding Light on Machine Reverse Appliqué—Summer Sun. Come out of the dark and into the light with Trace, Snip, Iron, and Stitch the Eye of the Beholder way. Learn this easy four-step method as you make the shining Summer Sun block (10 inches square) from their newest quilt, “Solstice & Equinox”. This method makes it simple to stitch by machine and so simple to get graceful curves and crisp inside and outside points. www.eobquiltdesign.com

Join Baker Montano to learn basic Victorian embroidery stitches used in Crazy Quilts and traditional stitching. The class covers Featherstitch, Herringbone, Chevron, Cretan, Buttonhole, Lazy Daisy, French knot, and Colonial knot.  Learn three silk ribbon stitches—Iva's Rose, Judith's Curled Leaf, and Fargo Flower. She teaches how to combine stitches to create the beautiful Victorian Crazy Quilt designs. Judith Baker Montano's Essential Stitch Guide, C & T Publishing. www.judithbakermontano.com

Full Title—Class—Beginning English Paper Piecing (EPP). You'll learn how to cut out, glue baste, and hand sew the hexagon pieces together. EPP is relaxing, portable, fun, and creative. You're going to love this technique! There are so many different designs you can make with EPP that are hard any other way. Come join this creative trend! The kit has everything you need other than your thimble and thread snips. There will be a cutting mat and rotary cutter for you to use in class. www.ninaquilts.com

Create a small fabric collage of a red Cardinal and begin work on hand-stitching it to a background. This Christmas-themed collage will work as a stand alone project or could be used as a block in a Christmas-themed quilt. The project is a good intro to collage. www.janehaworth.com

Full title—Class—Quilting Design Decoded—Choosing with Confidence. Have you ever wondered how experienced quilters choose the designs they include on their quilts? They make it look so easy! Join Hruska to demystify the process, learn invaluable techniques and thought processes, and gain the confidence to select and implement the perfect quilting designs for your projects. Bring your quilt tops for discussion during this lecture and drawing class. www.forever-quilting.com

Let your hand quilting tell the story. Use heavier weight, colored threads to stitch a Fantasy Garden design. Experiment quilting with and without a hoop while learning all of Sarah Maxwell’s tips and tricks for creating a story in stitches. www.designsbysarahj.com

A fun and liberating way to use your fabric scraps. The charm and appeal of Fragments comes from the spontaneous way they are created. There is no measuring, no cutting mistakes, and no piecing. By ignoring all the old rules and letting unexpected combinations in color, pattern, and scale occur, bring a freshness and magic to your quilting practice. Learn how to transfer photos and words onto fabric with the images Lesley Riley provides, while learning or brushing up on your composition skills. Individual attention will be given to each student with an emphasis on combining fabrics, using color and composition to create eye-catching design and stunning works of fiberart. Create one to three ready-to-sew collages. Beginners are welcome and encouraged. Seasoned quilters will gain a whole new perspective on color and composition. www.lesleyriley.com

Let's take a Traditional Quilt block and remix it! Stretch the block, shrink it, add lines, take away lines, or layer it to come up with something completely new. The interactive class will include an informative and inspiring lecture, along with hands-on exercises to lead you through the design process. Relax—we are going to design with pencil and paper only! www.tamarinis.com

Using our unique iron-on leave-in custom-cut appliqué paper templates, learn all the tips and tricks to appliqué your own cushion or mini quilt the easy HNK way using turned-edge appliqué by hand or machine. Learn curves, circles, tips and points, bias stems, and each step of the gluestick appliqué method. We will be doing this by hand in class, preparing the shapes, basting into position, and learning the hand appliqué stitch. Complete the appliqué and the construction and quilting of your project at home. Stubbings will talk through the machine appliqué process during class for those who are interested. www.wequilt.com.au

Full title—Class—Get the Most Out of Store Patterns with a Body Form. Get the most out of your dress form utilizing the store-bought patterns to fit your body. Take a store-bought pattern and fit it directly to the body form. Learn the tips and tricks to adjust the pattern to your body shape with a dress form. The store-bought pattern that has a horrible fit will become perfect with Vecchiarelli's techniques. The class will work in teams to create an avant-garde look. www.frencheuropeaninc.com