From Research to Abstraction: A Live Virtual Course For Unique Quilt Design is Back!

Did you resolve to create more unique quilt designs in 2026? After a fantastic session last year, From Research to Abstraction is Back, and sign-ups start today! Due to the popularity of the last course, this series of LIVE classes will have two time slots to choose from: Tuesday evenings or Sunday Afternoons. Keep reading for all the details!

Inspiration surrounds us, and as artists, it is our job to filter that inspiration into our work in a way that connects viewers to the world in new ways. 

We all perceive our surroundings differently, and if several artists are given the same image, they can come up with dozens, if not hundreds, of interpretations.

As quilters, we have the opportunity to take hundreds of classes each year covering techniques, distinctive design styles, and specific quilts or projects. However, we rarely have the chance to explore design in a long-term class setting that is guided but not geared toward creating work in the teacher’s style.

A Quilting Course with a Design Focus

This eleven-part college-style course is your chance to explore quilt design as art while exploring a wide range of styles and techniques. This course goes beyond technical skills, allowing you to explore design possibilities using reference images. Through group discussion of your work and the work of other participants, you will hone in on themes, techniques, and patterns that will help you to develop a working style.

Is this course for you?

There are two prerequisites for this course: basic sewing skills and an open mind to experimentation.

Do you have basic sewing skills?

• Can you thread your sewing machine and make simple adjustments, such as changing your stitch and making slight tension adjustments? (It’s also fine if you only have a straight-stitch machine.)
• Can you sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance?

Are you open to experimentation?

• Are you willing to try new techniques in a low-risk environment?
• Are you open to constructive criticism regarding your work from classmates and the instructor?
• Are you willing to share your work, even (and especially) when it isn’t finished or perfect?

What is the goal of this course?

We need more unique voices in quilting, and you can be one of them. This course focuses on utilising research images as a starting point to develop art using a diverse range of techniques. During this class, you will:

• Use research images to inspire your quilted art.
• Examine themes in multiple ways.
• Explore new-to-you quilting techniques and styles to support your artistic concepts.
• Enhance your understanding of your own art and others’ work through active participation in critiques.

Because this course spans several months, each participant can develop a body of sketches and small-scale quilts, allowing you to see patterns develop in both design and technique. If you want to develop your artistic style, this course is a good place to start; however, a personal style takes years to evolve.

Note: Most (if not all) quilts you design and make in this course are individual works of art. This course is not intended to teach the development and writing of quilt patterns. 

Why am I the person to teach this class?

Have you noticed how sometimes quilters take a design workshop with a fantastic quilter, only to emerge from the class creating work that is a close echo of the teacher’s work? There is nothing wrong with making a piece or two in another person’s style, but to become an artist in your own right, you need to learn how to leave some design elements behind and take what’s left to combine with other methods, ultimately developing a personal style that reads as a genuine reflection of who you are as a maker.

I want each participant to leave this course with the tools to create unique work that doesn’t resemble either my work or that of any other quilter.

My Design Background

I have a BFA in Fine Art Painting and an MFA in Scenic and Costume Design for the Theatre. I have taught scenic and costume design at the university level, as well as quilting workshops around the US. Theatre design presents unique challenges because you must design to meet the script’s needs and the director’s overall vision while also incorporating your own style. 

This background in theatrical design enables me to identify nuances and patterns in other designers’ visions, reducing the likelihood that I will impose my style on your work. Together, we will explore the patterns in the shapes, compositions, colors, and techniques that draw you in, helping you develop a direction for your work that feels personal.

Quilt Shows

My work has been featured in more than 70 international, national, and regional quilt shows, including 30 quilts displayed at QuiltCon over the past 10 years.

There are no guarantees that any of us will have quilts accepted into a particular show. However, if exhibiting your work at a show is one of your goals, we will work together to determine which shows will be a good match for your quilts. We will also discuss navigating entry forms, selecting categories for your quilts, choosing titles, and writing artist statements.

What to expect during class

This course has a maximum of eight participants, so each person will have the chance to share their work at each meeting. There are two types of class meetings: primary meetings and check-in meetings. Primary meetings are two hours long and include introducing new concepts and projects, as well as sharing each participant’s work. Check-in meetings are 1 hour and are a time to get mid-project feedback on your work. When appropriate for the specific group, additional techniques are also discussed during the check-in sessions.

Before Classes Start:

After the sign-up period closes on January 11, 2026, you will receive an email with all of the critical information you will need before the beginning of class. This information will include a basic supply list, Zoom links and instructions, and details about gathering images of your current work to share with your classmates at the first meeting.

Meeting 1 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Introductions with samples of previous work
• Personal goals for the course
• Design: Using a photograph for composition reference
• Design: Working in greyscale/monochrome
• Technique: Creating sketches with fusible appliqué

Meeting 2 (Check-in: 1 hour)

• Project check-in (sharing work is optional, but recommended in check-in sessions)

Meeting 3 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Critique: 4-6 monochrome compositions made with fusible and share 20+ sketches
• Design: Seeking out design inspiration
• Design: Adding selective color to the composition
• Technique: TBD demo on a construction technique that relates to participants’ design work.

Meeting 4  (Check-in: 1 hour)

• Project check-in (sharing work is optional, but recommended in check-in sessions)

Meeting 5 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Critique: Compositions in selective color
• Design: Cohesive color use
• Design: Using techniques to influence the design process
• Technique: Improv methods

Meeting 6 (Check-in: 1 hour)

• Project check-in (sharing work is optional, but recommended in check-in sessions)

Meeting 7 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Critique: Improv compositions using cohesive full-color
• Design: Minimalism
• Technique: TBD demo on a construction technique that relates to participants’ design work.

Meeting 8 (Check-in: 1 hour)

• Project check-in (sharing work is optional, but recommended in check-in sessions)

Meeting 9 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Critique: Minimalism 
• Final project: Select a piece from a previous project to rework or expand on to create a final piece.

Meeting 10 (Check-in: 1 hour)

• Project check-in (sharing work is optional, but recommended in check-in sessions)

Meeting 11 (Primary: 2 hours)

• Critique: Share the final piece, either finished or in process.
• Discussion: Selecting shows for your work, Choosing a Title, Writing an Artist Statement

Note: Specific class topics, pacing, and demonstrations may be altered at the instructor’s discretion to accommodate the needs of a specific group of participants.

The Course Details

Who: 

Up to 8 participants who want to grow as quilting artists

What: 

An Eleven-part course focusing on creating unique quilt designs

When: 

In 2026, you have two different session dates to choose from. Group one meets on Tuesday evenings, and Group 2 meets on Sunday afternoons. Each group has six primary meetings and five check-in meetings. 

Group 1 meeting dates* (Tuesday evenings):

• January 13 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)
• January 27 (Check-in meeting: 7:30 – 8:30pm Eastern)
• February 10 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)
• February 24 (Check-in meeting: 7:30 – 8:30pm Eastern)
• March 17 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)
• March 31 (Check-in meeting: 7:30 – 8:30pm Eastern)
• April 14 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)
• April 28 (Check-in meeting: 7:30 – 8:30pm Eastern)
• May 12 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)
• June 2 (Check-in meeting: 7:30 – 8:30pm Eastern)
• June 16 (Primary meeting: 7-9pm Eastern)

Group 2 meeting dates* (Sunday afternoons):

• January 18 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)
• February 1 (Check-in meeting: 1-2pm Eastern)
• February 15 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)
• March 1 (Check-in meeting: 1-2pm Eastern)
• March 29 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)
• April 12 (Check-in meeting: 1-2pm Eastern)
• May 3 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)
• May 17 (Check-in meeting: 1-2pm Eastern)
• June 7 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)
• June 14 (Check-in meeting: 1-2pm Eastern)
• June 28 (Primary meeting: 1-3pm Eastern)

*In extreme and unforeseen circumstances, meeting dates may be rescheduled in consultation with participants.

Where: 

All class meetings are held on Zoom, and you’re welcome to attend in comfortable clothing that you would typically wear while creating.

How much? 

This class includes six two-hour primary classes and five one-hour check-in sessions for a total of 17 hours of live class time. You get all of this for just $425!

Are you ready to sign up? Click the button below to proceed to a secure checkout site.