ADIOS UFO- BIENVENIDO NEW PROJECTS, Class #5070C, is being offered Friday night from 6:00 – 9:00 PM and will be overseen by Pat Yamin of Come Quilt With Me and expert quilter, Stevii Graves. Both are excellent teachers and problem solvers that are anxious to help students make it past the finish line with their lonely UFO’s. This unique class is also a great way to meet old friends, make new friends, and enjoy projects made in a Road 2019 class. Sewing machines will be provided, so there really are no excuses not to start the New Year off right.
Pat has been talking about offering this type of class to show promoters for years and finally got the chance last year at Road 2018.
Why was she so passionate about coordinating this class? Pat shares that she has found over the years that many students want to take a completed project home from a workshop or conference. But after the class has ended and their project needs just a little more time to complete, students usually find that there is not a place for them to sit, sew and maybe even get some additional help. Also, Pat has had customers stop by her vendor booth to show her their class projects and often they say, “I wish the class had been a little longer, so I could have finished it,” or “I know when I get home it will remain in that plastic bag since I have lost interest and I will have no help.” (Does that sound familiar?!!)
And did we mention that the class will also be a lot of fun? There will be door prizes and special surprises for all of the students.
Anyone and everyone is encouraged to come to this class. It will be especially useful to the gal or guy who doesn’t live near a quilt shop or belong to a guild to offer them additional support. Stevii and Pat circulate around the room and oversee the projects that are brought to class from home or learned at a class at the show.
Both Pat and Stevii have been associated with Road to California for many years and both will be coming from the east coast for the event. Pat lives in New York and Stevii lives in Virginia. They both know that there is never just one way to do something. They appreciate the many talented teachers that are out there and will never criticize someone else’s techniques.
Besides teaching this class, Stevii is on the Road to California staff. One of her many responsibilities is overseeing the judging of the contest quilts.
Pat will also be teaching five other classes at Road 2019 focusing on hand work and English paper piecing as well as manning her vendor booth. To learn more about Pat’s other classes, please visit our website.
Whether you bring a project from home or one that you worked on during Road, let Stevii and Pat help you start the New Year right!!]]>
Archive for the ‘classes’ Category
A New Class To Help You With Your New Year’s Resolution
Monday, December 31st, 2018Fiber Art Discovery Classes
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2018Lynn Koolish will be teaching two, all-day fabric painting classes:
Thursday- 4010C – Mixed-Media Fiber: Alternative Surfaces & Fibers to Quilt, Stitch & Embellish
Friday- 5007C – Color, Texture & Translucency for Fiber Collage
Saturday AM- A design class, 6007C – Artful Fiber Au Naturel 
Saturday PM- A handwork class, 6008C – Free-Spirited, Free-Form Patchwork Quilt
Babies are a great excuse to learn how to quilt.
Lynn Koolish was already a sewist who had acquired a healthy fabric stash when her friends starting having babies, so she decided to learn how to make them baby quilts.
Today, everything Lynn does is “fiber-related.” When she isn’t doing fiber art (quilting or painting or designing with fabric), Lynn does enjoy to get outside to walk and hike as well as hang out with friends.
What has had a major influence on Lynn’s work? In terms of her current fiber art quilt making, Lynn says, “it would have to be taking a 5-day surface design class with Jane Dunnewold because it really got me started down the path of making my own fabrics.”
In her dedicated home studio located in Berkeley, California, Lynn loves watching something that has been in her mind become a reality in fiber art. Lynn also utilizes part of her laundry room to experiment with dying and painting. Her favorite items in her sewing space include her sewing machine, her Grabbit magnetic pin keeper, a re-purposed card catalog that she uses for storing thread and other small items, and a flat file that her husband made into a table with a light box on one side and cork on the other.
For the past 15 years, Lynn has been teaching fiber art quilt classes. As she shares her knowledge, Lynn enjoys watching her students take off with their own interpretations. Lynn is looking forward to seeing her Road to California students try new things without worrying about the final outcome. She wants her students to remember that ”taking classes is a learning process and a great way to add techniques to your creative toolbox.”
Will you be taking one of Lynn Koolish’s fiber art classes to expand your creative toolbox?
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Teaching The Art Of Handwork Quilting Techniques
Tuesday, September 25th, 2018 On Wednesday: 3007C – For Anne
On Thursday: 4009C – Millefiori, La Passacagila
On Friday: 5006C – Tule Nova English Paper Piecing Quilt
Diane Kirkhart was a “dabbler” in sewing and crafts before she found the handwork quilting bug. She tried knitting, crochet, cross stitch, bobbin lace and ceramics. She even did some painting for a while teaching friends and friends of friends. One afternoon during one of those classes, there were several quilters enrolled. They asked if Diane would be interested in attending a quilt meeting that evening. As she recalls, “Of course I went and as they say, the rest is history.”
What does Diane like most about handwork quilting techniques? “My favorite aspect would be working with colors and seeing a quilt come to life whether from a pattern, a picture or sometimes even from my head.” And her least favorite aspect of quilting? Binding. “I know I should be happy to do it but two things, this journey is over and my hands usually ache afterwards!”
Handwork quilting, especially appliqué, has been Diane’s favorite from the start, due to that first quilt guild meeting she went to. A member of that guild, Emily Martin, was giving a trunk show and Diane loved each quilt presented. She decided then and there that this was what she wanted to do and began her journey. Diane eventually took a class from Emily and so appreciated that class. Diane learned a lot of things including the fact that to this day, she doesn’t like using the freezer paper technique. Instead, Diane has adapted over the years combining several appliqué techniques and is “still adapting, still learning.”
Where does Diane do her handwork quilting creating? She says she is fortunate to have a fairly large bedroom in her Virginia home to use as her sewing space.
“It has a walk in closet and an attached bathroom which is very convenient. As I said it is quite large but the more you have, the more you want. Two walls are lined with Elfa drawers from the container store, of course filled with fabric and notions. On top of several of them, I have placed my big board ironing surface. There is a big easy chair and footstool in the corner. I have an old drafting table elevated with bed risers for a cutting table. Beneath that table are two bookcases from Ikea or someplace like that where I keep my books, light box and other paper type supplies. Various rulers (her favorite are Quilters Select rulers) are on a smaller drawer set and others are hanging on the wall.
Around the walls, I have a Bernina-Q20 and I keep it’s table closed to its smaller size until I need to put its leaves in it when I use it for quilting. In the center of the room I have a Horn Table with my Bernina 440 in it. My sewing chair sets in between both machines. There is a tv on the wall but it’s rarely on. I like the peace most days.
Oh, I also have a computer in there. It’s tight in there, but it works for me. And if a friend comes to sew, I can flip up the drop leaf of my Horn Table or if they bring their Sew Easy Table there is room.”
A handwork quilting teacher for over 14 years, Diane loves when she can evoke excitement and see a light bulb come on in a student’s face. Diane also loves to listen to the chatter and banter of her students, especially when one student is explaining to another what Linda had just said, but in a different way. Linda has observed, “Not everyone learns the same way and sometimes their description works better. I too get to learn!”
What does Diane want for her Road to California students? “I hope they gain the skills to complete the project. I want them to be confident that they can continue and even expand and someday share what they have learned by teaching someone else to keep this quilting party going.”
To learn more about Diane, please visit her website.]]>
Meet Road 2019 Teacher Wendy Sheppard
Tuesday, September 18th, 2018FIVE dynamic quilt classes, first focusing on applique techniques and quilting on a domestic sewing machine then spending the rest of the week on free motion quilting skills utilizing longarm and domestic machines:
Monday and Tuesday: 1202C A Reprise: Baltimore Quilt Block
Wednesday: 3015C Rhyme and Reason from Simple to Complex
Thursday: 4019C De-mystifying Feather Quilting
Friday: 5016C Roundabout Feather Quilting: A Sampler
Saturday: 6016C Ideas- What to Quilt?
Today, she enjoys all aspects of the quilting process. Her quilting space is a main-level office in her home located in northern Virginia, about 45 minutes from Mount Vernon, the estate of George Washington. Maybe that’s why if Wendy Sheppard isn’t quilting, she is pursuing her interest in Early American History.
What quilter has had an impact on Wendy and her quilting journey? “I always admire Diane Gaudynski. She is my hero! She inspires me to strive for more than adequate, but rather strive to be excellent in constructing and quilting my quilts.”
Wendy Sheppard has been teaching quilting classes on and off for about 9 years. She first taught at a local sewing center. She stopped when her daughter was really young. During those years, Wendy filmed online/video classes for Annie’s on domestic machine quilting.
What does Wendy like most about teaching quilt classes? “…The smiles on the faces when my students realize they CAN accomplish certain skill sets taught in class.” She hopes her students at Road “will gain confidence in the techniques I will be teaching in my classes. I also hope that my students will make friends with the fellow attendees while we are working on projects in class.”
Sewing machines will be provided for all of Wendy’s classes. Husqvarna-Viking machines will be available for students in her Monday/Tuesday class. The rest of Wendy’s classes will feature half BERNINA Q20 sit down longarm machines and half BERNINA domestic machines. Students will split their time working on both machines.
Join Wendy to learn expert free motion quilting techniques while trying out quality Bernina sewing machines.]]>
Meet Road 2019 Teacher Mel Beach
Friday, September 7th, 2018 3001C Magnificent Mandalas
4002C Slice of Improv
5002C Mod Molas & Bright Blooms
6002C Mod Mandalas
Mel’s favorite part about quilting is to pull fabrics together for a new project and come up with a fun design. She also loves transforming her quilt tops with beautiful, modern quilting designs.
The least favorite part of making a quilt for Mel is when the quilt isn’t speaking to her, usually when she’s trying to figure out a layout and/or determine the quilting. Using a design wall helps her explore different layouts and compositions. A sheet of acrylic plastic and some dry erase markers also come in handy for auditioning different quilting motifs.
Where does Mel do her quilting? Her studio occupies her formal living room. Her partner is super handy and helped her to transform the room into a fabulous space for her to design and quilt. He converted an IKEA table into a sewing table by carving out a hole and setting Mel’s machine into a set-in shelf so that she had a large flat space for quilting. Her partner also built a custom wall unit to store all of Mel’s rulers and notions, as well as large benches that store batting, travel gear and make for great seating for Mel’s two pups to look out the window.
The two quilting tools that are always close are Mel’s camera to help her document her quilt making process and aide with design decisions and a trusty roll of blue painter’s tape which is super handy for accurate cutting, labeling blocks, mark-free quilting lines, and so much more!
When Mel isn’t quilting, she loves going for walks with her two rescue pups, Panda & Susie Q, and taking pictures along the way. For the past 2 years, she has been taking Comedy Improv classes and routinely performs in comedy improv shows (similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway). Mel shares, “Not only have these classes helped me be more comfortable with public speaking and teaching, they also help me to think quickly on my feet, explore new possibilities, and they are so much fun!!!”
Mel started teaching quilt making classes in 2015 when she was asked to lead a quilting demo for her guild. Mel said, “It was such a positive experience all around with lots of happy finishes. Less than a year later, I started to promote myself to other guilds and soon joined the quilt teaching circuit.” Mel’s favorite part about teaching classes is that she loves “watching the transformation among participants as they learn new techniques. Some may come in feeling initially nervous yet leave feeling confident and excited about learning a new technique. I also really enjoy watching quilters add their own fun twists to the technique and make it their very own!”
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Maker:L,Date:2017-9-30,Ver:5,Lens:Kan03,Act:Kan02,E-Y[/caption]
What goals does Mel have for her Road students? There are four:
- Have fun!
- Try something new and different!
- Be inspired!
- Make it your own!
Quilting Tips From Road 2018 Teachers
Tuesday, August 7th, 2018Great takeaways and quilting tips from some of Road 2018’s popular Classes and $5.00 Lecture Series
Jenny Doan– Missouri Star
Quilting Tips: Take classes to learn new techniques. Use the ugliest fabric in your stash to practice what you are learning because you will make mistakes. Mistakes are essential to learning.
Michelle Flores-Hoffman Fabrics
Quilting Tips: Online retailers that carry a wide variety of Hoffman Fabrics: eQuilter, Batik Plus, Hancock of Paducah, and Nancy’s Notions.
Hobbs Batting-
Quilting Tips: How to avoid Bearding (batting that pulls up through holes in the fabric): Use a high thread count fabric; Check thread tension to make sure thread isn’t too tight; Use a new needle; and Make sure the batting is good quality.
Pat Simon-Quilting with Templates
Quilting Tips: Rulers are for measuring; Templates are for quilting. Do not use free motion, darning or other thin feet as they will slip under the template. Instead use high shank feet. Practice, Practice, Practice with a fabric sandwich and moving the fabric around while seated. Start out with smaller templates to get control.
Joyce Teng-Painting on Fabric
Quilting Tips: Kona Cotton and Tsukineko Ink are the perfect combination for the best results. Play around with the ink. Mix it with different mediums to create different effects. Use different tools to get the ink on the fabric. Experiment with different patterns.
Annie Unrein-Zippers
Quilting Tips: Always use zippers 2-3 inches longer than called for. Shorter than that is so much harder to work with. Use “Wonder Clips” to hold all the layers together. Flat on the bottom so they don’t catch on machine; They won’t poke you; They won’t make holes in vinyl; and They hold everything tight.
Jamie Wallen– Long Arm Quilting
Quilting Tips: Don’t wait until you’re ready to quilt to start learning quilting techniques. Print “contour line quilt blocks” from the Internet and come up with 3 different ways to quilt it yourself. Practice every day 30-45 minutes with a pencil to build muscle memory. Anything a pencil can do, a longarm can do.
What is your favorite quilting tip you learned in a quilting class?]]>
What To Expect When Taking A Quilt Class
Tuesday, July 31st, 2018Road to California offers a variety of in-person classes. There are half-day classes, full day classes, and two-day classes all taught by experts in the quilting field. Have you taken a class at Road before? Many newbies to Road are curious about what to expect when attending a quilt class and want their questions answered before they register. Last year, Road’s Social Media Consultant, Caryn Payzant, a novice quilter, signed up for her first ever Road quilting class so she could learn firsthand what it’s like to take a quilting class at Road. “I had no idea what I was getting in to and figured other quilters have the same apprehensions. Taking a class helped me to better understand the process while I was in the class and for future classes I might take.” Here are some tips and insights that Caryn offers from her experience:
- So Many Classes—How do I pick? Just like any other learning experience, you want to choose a quilt class either based on what you want to learn or what you want to improve on. Also, the day and time you are available helps narrow down your choices. While you might also want to choose based on a particular teacher, don’t worry if you haven’t heard of them before because all of Road’s teachers are experienced in their area of expertise. In other words, you can’t go wrong with whatever teacher is facilitating the class.
For me, day and time was most important. My social media work for Road begins on Wednesday, so I knew whatever class I chose, it had to be on either Monday or Tuesday. Also, being a new quilter, I knew I needed a class geared towards beginners. Kate Flynn Nichols’s 54-40 or Fly quilt class met all my requirements.
- Bring All Supplies To Class. Once you have registered, the instructor will send you a detailed supply list of what you need to bring to class. Some items are obvious (thread, rotary cutter, pins, etc.) Even if some of the items seem mundane, still bring them so you won’t be caught off guard. Be sure to find out if a fabric kit is included with the class and what pre-work needs to be done so you don’t waste precious class time. Also, if sewing machines are provided. My class had a precut kit which really made starting out the design easier. Also, Bernina sewing machines were available to use and test out.
- What do you want to achieve during your class? The teacher will tell you up front what to expect to learn during your time together. Kate has been a quilter since she was 8 years old. Precision is her passion so her techniques were geared toward having this particular class quilt last many years through good construction, theme management, and design. As an added benefit, Kate said she was going to share her special technique on spinning inner sections so that points are flat and sharp. I had no idea what that meant but I knew it would be valuable.
- Listen Carefully, Take Notes, and Ask Questions. The teachers have a process they have developed in teaching their quilt class. It makes total sense to them. They will always demonstrate first what they expect you to complete. Watch their demonstration and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Take notes on your pattern so that you will have reminders when you are on your own. I had a lot of questions on technique and Kate was very patient with even my simplest questions. I knew I could trust her to help me.
- Make Friends And Draw On Their Experience. Even though my class was geared to beginning/intermediate quilters, there were students at all levels with all kinds of quilting experience. It was invaluable to me to watch how they were working on the same project and hear their take on the instructions.
Cindy was from Escondido, California. She has been quilting since 1989 and has been attending Road since the beginning. She takes 5-6 classes every year!!! She signed up for 54-40 of Fly so she could just sit and sew on a calm day. She always looks for new tips when she takes a class. Kate’s piecing tip for using leaders and tails when chain sewing was valuable to Cindy.
Canadian Lynne has been quilting for 24 years. 2018 was her first time at Road. She signed up for 3 classes. As a “traditional” quilter, she liked learning the precision techniques and trying out the Bernina sewing machines. 
A quilter for over 30 years, Marilyn has been attending Road for 28 years. She took this class because it was offered on Tuesday and because she likes Kate. She thought the kit was fun .
- Don’t Expect Perfection. I was reminded by several students that classes are meant to practice new skills and that practice does not mean immediate perfection.
- Don’t Expect To Finish. I thought everyone finishes their projects during classes. Not so. Because everyone is at different levels, they are also at different speeds as far as working on the project goes. I barely finished (of which I was relieved) but several of my classmates inherited a new UFO!! And that’s OK.
Taking a quilt class at Road to California is a great way to expand your quilting skills, meet new people, and get to know an expert quilter up close and personal. What quilt class(es) are you going to take at Road 2022?
Quilt Applique To Make You Smile: Hissyfitz Designs
Thursday, June 7th, 2018Did you visit the “Happy Booth” at Road 2018?
Sandy and Joe Fitzpatrick, owners of Hissyfitz Designs of North Carolina, says what sets them apart is that their unique applique designs are “so happy,” “whimsical,” and easy to do.
The first question many customers ask Sandy and Joe is, “How did you come up with your company name?” Sandy shares that she grew up the youngest of five girls and had a lot of “hissy fits” growing up. Combine that with their last name, and that is how HIssyfitz was born.
A quilter for over 20 years, when Sandy began creating her own quilt applique designs, they were quickly noticed – and requested – by members of her quilt guild. Her patterns became so popular that she began selling them at quilt shows. Sandy says that her goal today “is to get as many of the quirky designs, that are spinning around in her head, down on paper” to as many people as possible to enjoy.
The Fitzpatrick’s have been married 41 years. A former Air Force soldier, Joe became the CEO (Carry Everything Out) of Hissyfitz when Sandy began selling her patterns at quilt shows.
Road to California 2018 was Hissyfitz’s first time at the show. It was also the first time they had ever flown to a quilt show. Because they didn’t want them out of their sight, Sandy and Joe hand carried all of the quilts on display in their booth on the airplane. The quilts took up space in two carry-on luggage pieces and two back packs. The rest of their booth items (the business stuff) was packed in to four checked bags.
Both Sandy and Joe had a terrific time at Road 2018. “The sunshine was great, the crowds were good, and the people were friendly.” One of their customers, Mackenna, remarked how because Hissyfitz had previously only been on the East Coast, she liked being introduced to their cute quilt applique patterns at Road.
Road 2019 attendees will not only have the chance to visit the show’s “happiest booth “again but can look forward to taking a class from Sandy too. Her class schedule will be announced – along with all the other Road 2019 quilt show teachers – in mid-June, 2018.
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Discover Road 2019 Quilt Show Teachers
Monday, June 4th, 2018 A premier quilt show like Road to California always offers a wide variety of expert quilt teachers who provide classroom learning for all levels of quilters.
Fiber Art Quilts
Diane Gloystein Lynn Koolish Grace ErreraPiecing
John Flynn Kate Flynn Nichols Pat Yamin Kimberly Einmo Deb Granger Nancy Mahoney Lisa Calle Missie Carpenter Michelle Crawford Sandy Fitzpatrick Gudrun Erla Linda Hahn Rob Appell Charlotte Angotti Dora Cary
Themed Design
Carrie Fondi Robin Long Gillian Travis Bobbie BerquistSpecialty Techniques/Products
Laura Murray Linda Nitzen Patricia Simons Joyce Teng Dan Tran Deb Tucker Teresa Coates Nancy Prince Laura HeineEmbroidery and Applique
Connie Spurlock Beth Watts Margaret Willingham Susan Emory Rosa Rojas Rienda Diane KirkhartCatherine Redford
Machine Quilting
Modern
Linda Sullivan Mel Beach Maria ShellNon-Quilting Classes
Annie Unrein Amy Loh Kupser
Exact class titles and projects for each quilt show teacher will be announced beginning June 18, 2018.]]>
Say Good-Bye To Your Quilt UFO's
Wednesday, May 30th, 2018 a little push to get those quilt UFO’s (Un-Finished Objects) done.
All quilters have them. Some are out in the open; some are hidden away. Some cause frustration; some are presumed to never again see the light of day. No matter the reason, a quilt UFO is a nagging reminder that a job wasn’t finished and that someone might be missing out on a really nice, homemade gift.
To help solve this dilemma with our guests, Road to California 2018 instituted its first class dedicated to finishing those pesky quilt UFO’s. Titled, Goodbye UFO’s-Hello New Projects, it was led by acclaimed Road teachers, Pat Yamin and Stevii Graves. Of the class, Pat remarked, “We wanted to bring back community sharing in this class; sharing what each other was working on and sharing everyone’s different levels of experience and use of techniques to get the projects done.”
Students were encouraged to bring work they started from home or what they began in classes taught during Road. Sewing machines were provided so that there would be one less excuse for quilters not to finish their project.
What else did the class offer to encourage quilt UFO success?
A quiet, dedicated time to work.
A cell phone free zone to avoid distraction.
Rewards for showing up (everyone got goodie bags filled with sewing gear from Primm USA) and for hanging in there (throughout the evening, students won door prize giveaways donated by Pat and Stevii).
Fontana, California resident, Angelica Reyes, took Lee Chappell Monroe’s Blooming Dresden class and was looking forward to having quilting experts Stevii and Pat share their knowledge in helping her finish up the class project.
Do you have any quilt UFO’s waiting to be finished? Try these class reminders:
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