November’s program with Brandy Maslowski will be in person. Brandy’s Friday class is a textile art project, Colorways. Please note that Brandy Maslowski has changed Sunday’s class from Improv Hexies Market Bag to Whole Lotta Hexies.
If you are a member, login to register for November’s workshops.
Please join us!
Questions? Contact workshopregistrar@gaaqg.com
Membership lapsed? No problem! Contact membership@gaaqg.com. No need to join as a new member.
Online registration requires one of the following payment types:
When paying by check, the online store assigns a pending status.
Mail your check, including your name and phone number, to:
GAAQG Treasurer
P.O. Box 131272
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-1272
Note: When paying by check for either an online or paper registration, your registration is pending until the check is both received and cleared. You will be notified when payment is completed and your registration is confirmed.
Mail-in registration requires a personal check and a completed paper registration form. Please mail both to the GAAQG Treasurer.
Mail your check, including your name and phone number, to:
GAAQG Treasurer
P.O. Box 131272
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-1272
Note: When paying by check for either an online or paper registration, your registration is pending until the check is both received and cleared. You will be notified when payment is completed and your registration is confirmed.
Before placing your order, please review the GAAQG Workshop Registration & Cancellation Policy.
When a workshop sells out, it will be removed from the online store’s list of available products. In this event, you can be added to a waiting list by emailing workshopregistrar@gaaqg.com.
Brandy Maslowski is a quiltmaker, textile artist and teacher known for her pursuit of more joy and less overwhelm in the classroom.
She loves exploring the texture, colour and boundless possibilities of fabric and stitch. She travels the world to educate, speak and ignite creativity with the tag line More Joy, Less Overwhelm. Her weekly Quilter on Fire Podcast has exploded on the quilting scene over the last 2 years and the feedback has overwhelmed her inbox with joy.
She is also a BERNINA Ambassador for Canada and founder of the SQUARE ONE 3 day Textile Art Bootcamp and the Confident & Creative Textile Artist Masterclass.
Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
Techniques: Scrap piecing by machine, hand embellishing with beads, threads, etc.
Join Brandy for a step into textile art. Play with your favorite fabric scraps, embellishments, and beads to create a beautiful textile art piece mounted on wood panel. Dive into those favorite fabrics you never cut up! Pull out all your tucked away yarns, ribbons and more. This class gets into your treasures and has you playing with color.
Students finish this one-day workshop with an art piece complete and ready to hang on the wall.
Please review the list for the additional supplies required for this workshop.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
15nov9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: ColorwaysInstructor: Brandy Maslowski
November 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Washtenaw Community College Campus
Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
Techniques: Improv piecing by machine, hand stitching
Looking to find the best hexagon technique for you? This workshop explores hexies 10 ways. You will explore the kit learning 10 ways to make hexies including cutting, basting, and piecing techniques with an interesting array of products. The bonus lessons will include improv piecing big and small and a conversation on “how do I quilt this thing?”
This hands-on workshop is great for quilter’s just starting out as well as accomplished quilters who want to get into some mind-calming, methodical handwork to use up their scraps. Students will be making samples from their kit in the morning and then using their own fabric to start a hexie project in the afternoon.
Kit for this class – $10/person – includes the papers/fabric/supplies needed for techniques (tools not included). Some portions with be demo only and the purchase of tools is optional. Students will be able to try all tools.
Please review the list for the additional supplies required for this workshop.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
17nov9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: Whole Lotta HexiesInstructor: Brandy Maslowski
Note: The workshop has changed from Improv Hexies to Whole Lotta Hexies. Skill levels from beginner to advanced will enjoy this workshop.
Note: The workshop has changed from Improv Hexies to Whole Lotta Hexies. Skill levels from beginner to advanced will enjoy this workshop.
November 17, 2024 9:00 am - 4:00 pm(GMT-04:00)
Washtenaw Community College Campus
Valerie S. Goodwin is a mixed media fiber artist and architect whose works of fine art are included in museum and private collections. Most of her work is inspired by a love of aerial views of landscapes and cities. Many of her quilts are based on maps.
She received degrees in architecture from Washington University and Yale University. Her award winning work has been widely published and exhibited. She also lectures and gives workshops nationally and internationally. For over 26 years, she taught architectural design at Florida A & M University.
Her book, Art Quilt Maps: Capture a Sense of Place with Fiber Collage-A Visual Guide is widely available.
Skill Level: Beginner to advanced
Techniques: Creative writing, painting, hand stitching, machine stitching (optional)
In this workshop you will create a series of small, simple and understated art quilt maps that capture the feeling of haiku, written by each student during the course of the class.
The instructor will guide the student through a structured yet nurturing series of steps that provides opportunities to grow and learn.
Although machine stitching in an option, hand stitching is a key part of the workshop.
Note: $10 Kit fee included in the workshop cost. Kits includes laser cut materials that will be used for your creation. All kits will be mailed to Jane Clark for pick up. Contact programs@gaaqg.com
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
15sep9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: Audrey Esarey "Ultraviolet Radial"Instructor: Audrey Esarey
Skill Level: Confident Beginner. Ultraviolet Radial is a quilt made using paper piecing and curved piecing techniques. This workshop
Skill Level: Confident Beginner.
Ultraviolet Radial is a quilt made using paper piecing and curved piecing techniques. This workshop covers the basic concepts of paper piecing on an arc, curved piecing, and precision piecing. We will also discuss color options and quilting ideas. Students will finish 1-2 blocks during class.
Prework: Select fabrics for the quilt. Reference page 3 of the pattern when collecting fabrics and building the color palette. Printed paper templates will be provided to you in class. Cutting fabric before class is not necessary or recommended.
Kits and Patterns: A required kit fee of $10 is payable to Audrey before or during the class. The fee is for pre-printed paper templates required for the Ultraviolet Radial workshop. A pattern is also required and can be purchased from Audrey onsite or as a digital PDF download in advance from www.CottonandBourbon.com for $12.
This in-person class runs from 9:30 AM-4:00 PM Eastern Time with a 1/2 hour break for lunch.
more
September 15, 2023 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College Campus
4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced
Techniques: Painting, hand stitching, machine stitching
Name a favorite place.
Is it in your city, your state, the USA or somewhere far away?
In this class, you can design a cartographic map of a favorite location such as your residence or birthplace. Discover the possibilities of creating a map from fabric, paint and thread!
Using a fun and simple series of painted and collaged, mixed- media techniques, you will create a mixed media fiber art map. Valerie will guide you through a series of steps that will provide opportunities to learn about design while giving you the freedom to experiment within a structured framework.
Important Note:
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
17sep9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: Audrey Esarey "Mobius Radial"Instructor: Audrey Esarey
Skill Level: Intermediate. Mobius Radial is a wall hanging made using paper piecing, curved piecing, and partial seam
Skill Level: Intermediate.
Mobius Radial is a wall hanging made using paper piecing, curved piecing, and partial seam techniques. This workshop covers the basic concepts of paper piecing on an arc, curved piecing, and precision piecing. We will also discuss quilting ideas. Students will learn the concepts of paper piecing on a curve. There will be a focus on curved piecing and partial seam construction. The students will complete a portion of the quilt during class. The Mobius Radial Quilt finishes at 30 x 30 inches.
We’ll be using the Swoop Quilt Block as an exercise to demonstrate and practice curved partial seams in class. Please see the Supply List for the fabric remnants needed for this test block. These can easily be selected from the scrap bin. An example block is pictured. This block is made with two feature fabrics and background fabric.
Kits and Patterns:
A required kit fee of $10 is payable to Audrey before or during the class. The fee is for pre-printed paper templates required for the Ultraviolet Radial workshop. A pattern is also required and can be purchased from Audrey onsite or as a digital PDF download in advance from www.CottonandBourbon.com for $12.
This class runs from 9:30 AM-4:00 PM Eastern Time with a 1/2 hour break for lunch. This workshop will be held in person.
more
September 17, 2023 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College Campus
4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Deborah Boschert is an artist, author, and teacher. She creates art quilts with layers of fabric, paint and stitching. The personal symbols and details in her work reflect her experiences and feelings about places she’s lived and the things she’s done.
Her award-winning art quilts have been exhibited in quilt shows and art galleries throughout the United States and internationally. She has appeared on Quilting Arts TV and The Quilt Show. She is published in many books and magazines. Deborah is the author of Art Quilt Collage: A Creative Journey in Fabric, Paint and Stitch.
Skill Level: All
Techniques: Design, hand stitching, machine stitching
Create original art quilts by exploring a variety of ideas and techniques with layers of fabric, paint and stitch. Experiment with several methods of creating pattern and marks on fabric then begin composing intuitively.
Students will learn ways to find inspiration, incorporate personal symbols, and create details with stitching by hand and by machine. Plus, explore new creative possibilities with quick exercises, sketches, list-making and mind-mapping.
Supply List (revised 2/11/24)
- Supply List https://www.deborahsstudio.com/personal-symbols-workshop
- Kits will be available on the day of the workshop
- Kits will be $25 and include nine pieces of pre-fused fabrics approximately 9×10 inches, six felt bases for your fabric collages, backing board and plastic sleeve for mounting your finished work, cardstock window for design process and all workshop handouts
Optional Kit – Deborah’s fabric picks Kits must be ordered at least two full weeks before the date of your workshop.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
17nov9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: Jane Sassaman "Leaf Sampler" --CANCELLED--Instructor: Jane Sassaman
Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate. Machine embroidery adds personality to your quilts and needlework. The stitches you choose affect the emotion and atmosphere of your
Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate.
Machine embroidery adds personality to your quilts and needlework. The stitches you choose affect the emotion and atmosphere of your work. In this workshop we will make a simple sampler using a repeated leaf appliqué, but by changing the finishing embroidery stitches each leaf takes on different personalities and attitudes.
This is your chance to get familiar with the stitches contained in your sewing machine or to sample some stitches you have never tried before. Whatever machine you have, we will try to find the stitches which speak your language and will make your needle projects more expressive.
The workshop runs from 9:30am – 4:00pm Eastern Time with a 1/2 hour break for lunch. This workshop will be held in person.
more
November 17, 2023 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College Campus
4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Note special day and time!
Skill Level: All
Techniques: Design and creative process only.
Want to make quilts that are uniquely yours?
Deborah shares ideas about fully utilizing your head, heart and hands to create original work. Lots of tips for generating ideas, developing a body of work and exploring themes. Get inspired and leave with action items to get to work in your own studio.
Not a project or technique workshop — just notes and exercises with pen and paper, plus lots of interaction, discussion and ideas.
Supplies: pen, sketch book or paper for note-taking and a few markers or colored pencils.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
This workshop now has openings. Skill Level: Beginning to Advanced. Nature is an endless source of
This workshop now has openings.
Skill Level: Beginning to Advanced.
Nature is an endless source of inspiration. In this class we will examine a wide variety of artists’ interpretations of nature before beginning to manipulate natural forms ourselves. Through a series of exercises we will experiment with abstraction and exaggeration to capture the essence and energy of your favorite flora and achieve dramatic visual effects.
Drawing skills are not needed but participants should have a strong interest in developing their own design language and unique visual symbols.
In this one-day class you will choose a plant subject to work through a set of design exercises. This subject needs to have a variety of elements to work with… like a blossom, stem, leaves, buds, etc. to make the exercises successful. Bring as many views and detailed (leaves, blossoms, overall, etc.) pictures as you can for each one. Our goal is to discover as much about the plant as we can before simplifying and exaggerating it for our own interpretation. Many folks bring their inspiration on a computer or iPad, which also allows us to look up images on the internet. Others bring 8.5” X 11” prints or snap shots. Personally, I prefer prints because you can spread them out and look at them easily and you don’t have to keep scrolling back and forth. Books, of course, are another way to go. Seed or bulb catalogs can be helpful, too.
This class is especially beneficial for the drawing impaired and the tragically literal.
The class runs from 9:30 AM-4:00 PM Eastern Time with a 1/2 hour break for lunch. This workshop will be held in person.
Learn more about Jane Sassaman: Website Bio Blog
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November 19, 2023 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College Campus
4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
Skill Level: All
Techniques: Design, composition, hand stitching, machine stitching
Design an original landscape collage using graphic shapes.
Learn composition tips and new ways to think about principles of design. Create detail and add texture with hand embroidery and machine stitching.
Plus, we’ll look at lots of examples of how other artists have created unique landscapes.
Supply List Revised (2/11/2024)
Optional Kit – Deborah’s fabric picks Kits must be ordered at least two full weeks before the date of your workshop.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
17nov9:00 am4:00 pmWorkshop: Jane Sassaman "Leaf Sampler" --CANCELLED--Instructor: Jane Sassaman
Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate. Machine embroidery adds personality to your quilts and needlework. The stitches you choose affect the emotion and atmosphere of your
Skill Level: Beginning to Intermediate.
Machine embroidery adds personality to your quilts and needlework. The stitches you choose affect the emotion and atmosphere of your work. In this workshop we will make a simple sampler using a repeated leaf appliqué, but by changing the finishing embroidery stitches each leaf takes on different personalities and attitudes.
This is your chance to get familiar with the stitches contained in your sewing machine or to sample some stitches you have never tried before. Whatever machine you have, we will try to find the stitches which speak your language and will make your needle projects more expressive.
The workshop runs from 9:30am – 4:00pm Eastern Time with a 1/2 hour break for lunch. This workshop will be held in person.
more
November 17, 2023 9:00 am - 4:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College Campus
4800 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
NESTLINGS by Robin is Koehler’s design business where she imagineers new ways to combine applique ideas with piecing to create her Whimsical-Traditional style. Her business was opened in 2004 and is a Quilt & Surface Pattern Design, Pattern Publishing, hand quilting services, & AQS Certified Quilt Appraisal business. Robin’s designs can be found in quilt shops and magazines throughout the world.
She has had multiple quilts juried into AQS Paducah and Mancuso Mid-Atlantic shows; but she truly loves to design and bring new, original, fun and easy patterns to products and quilters of all skill levels.
For those who have signed up for the workshop, the workshop registrar will contact you and you will be refunded.
Skill Level: Confident beginner to advanced
Techniques: Paper piecing, machine stitching, quilt as you go
Ever felt like you have too many balls in the air to juggle? Let’s put some of them onto a quilt…you can even label them if you feel the need:) Bounce is a great intro to basic paper piecing with a modern layout and an opportunity to Quilt-as-you-go.
Paper piecing templates and hand outs included
Note: KIT $25 – Includes ALL papers for complete quilt, handouts including mini templates.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
Skill Level: All abilities welcome. Learn an effective, improvisational strip-piecing technique to create new “fabrics” layer by layer and explore design possibilities for incorporating
Skill Level: All abilities welcome.
Learn an effective, improvisational strip-piecing technique to create new “fabrics” layer by layer and explore design possibilities for incorporating these strip sets into your own compositions. Workshop includes comprehensive after-class materials.
See the Serendipity Student Gallery at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27239385@N04/albums/72157718663654652
Learn more about Brenda Gael Smith: Website Bio Facebook
more
January 20, 2023 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
For those who have signed up for the workshop, the workshop registrar will contact you and you will be refunded.
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced
Techniques: Improvisational piecing, fusible applique, free motion quilting, beading
Try your hand at creating a unique flower!
Note: KIT $25 – Includes mounting assemblage of 8” x 10” gallery wrapped canvas, 8” x 10” mat board, 2 screw eyes, & framing wire.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
This workshop is currently SOLD OUT. If you would like to be
This workshop is currently SOLD OUT. If you would like to be put on the waiting list, email workshopregistrar@gaaqg.com and include your full name and phone number.
Skill Level: All abilities welcome.
Learn versatile methods of piecing expressive fine lines and undertake improvisational design exercises to create small compositions. This workshop includes comprehensive after-class materials.
See the Serendipity Student Gallery at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27239385@N04/albums/72157716937129412
Learn more about Brenda Gael Smith: Website Bio Facebook
more
January 22, 2023 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Deb Strain is a fabric designer for Moda Fabrics.
Drawing and painting her fabric designs by hand, Deb has created over one-hundred collections since she began working with Moda. She loves working with different colors and patterns, the more intricate the better!
A life-long passion for art led Deb to teaching art before becoming a designer. Her artwork has been featured on many different products over the years – calendars, greeting cards, garden flags, books, framed prints and more. Recently, she and Scott proudly launched a line of notecards for sewing and quilting enthusiasts titled “Sew Noted”.
With traveling to see her children, creating new fabrics and collections, and other types of new art, Deb’s life is happily filled with color, creativity and lots of hugs!
She will be bringing 6-8 door prizes AND Selling her products! You will want to be present for this one!
Author, pattern designer, and national quilting instructor Beth Helfter has one rule about quilting – it’s supposed to be fun. With that in mind, along with her company motto of “Inspired Designs, Relaxed Attitude,” Beth brings visionary designs and techniques to her patterns and exuberance and encouragement to the classroom.
As a mostly scrappy designer, Beth prefers to dig into her stash to create designs and patterns that appeal to her senses of color and value, using as many different fabrics as possible. Keeping to just a few color families in each quilt palette is one of her best tricks to keeping scrappy quilts from getting too out of hand but allowing them to sing with tone and movement. Her lecture “Consistency in the Chaos” seeks to inspire quilters to think about scrap quilts and pull fabrics to make them shine without overwhelming the eye.
Her penchant for scraps and her need to use as many fabrics as possible in her quilts led her in 2017 to develop the Accordion Sewn HSTs™ method of creating half square triangles that don’t have a match and yet waste no fabric. Her book “Oompah! Jazz Up Your Scrap Quilts With Accordion Sewn HSTs™” was published in 2018, and “Another Round of Oompah” was published in 2020.
Skill Level: Intermediate to advanced
Techniques: Accordion Sewn Half Square Triangles, scrap piecing, precision machine piecing
Beth’s trademark technique helps you to quickly piece HSTs in no time. Up your skills and get addicted in the process.
Once you learn the technique and see how easy this is, you will want to adapt this into all your HST sewing.
This class is a great opportunity for using up scraps and playing with color.
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
Skill Level: All abilities welcome. Learn an effective, improvisational strip-piecing technique to create new “fabrics” layer by layer and explore design possibilities for incorporating
Skill Level: All abilities welcome.
Learn an effective, improvisational strip-piecing technique to create new “fabrics” layer by layer and explore design possibilities for incorporating these strip sets into your own compositions. Workshop includes comprehensive after-class materials.
See the Serendipity Student Gallery at:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27239385@N04/albums/72157718663654652
Learn more about Brenda Gael Smith: Website Bio Facebook
more
January 20, 2023 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)
Skill Level: Confident beginner to advanced
Techniques: Accordion Sewn Half Square Triangles, precision machine piecing
Learn Beth’s unique HST method while creating this stunning, scrappy version of a classic block.
Start with a runner and keep sewing blocks after class to make a throw or larger quilt.
You will be amazed how the blocks lay out almost like magic!
Click on the date of the workshop in the box below for supply lists and details.
This workshop is currently SOLD OUT. If you would like to be
This workshop is currently SOLD OUT. If you would like to be put on the waiting list, email workshopregistrar@gaaqg.com and include your full name and phone number.
Skill Level: All abilities welcome.
Learn versatile methods of piecing expressive fine lines and undertake improvisational design exercises to create small compositions. This workshop includes comprehensive after-class materials.
See the Serendipity Student Gallery at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27239385@N04/albums/72157716937129412
Learn more about Brenda Gael Smith: Website Bio Facebook
more
January 22, 2023 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm EDT(GMT-04:00)