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Lectures and Workshops

My lectures and workshops focus on quilt history. Contact info is below. Let's plan an event!

*** I am currently teaching virtually only. ***

Questions about Your Quilt
I am always available for short questions via email. For a fuller assessment and/or instructions, you can sign up for one of the options below. 

Repair Lessons
       I teach private lessons via Zoom, covering techniques, supplies, etc.  These cost $75 for the first hour, and $50 per hour (or part of hour, prorated) for time after that. You will need to send me a set of photos of the quilt and the damage prior to our lesson. How much time we'll spend depends on what your sewing skills are and what needs to be done. Register at my Square shop.

Quilt Triage
       I can give you an assessment of age, condition, repair options, care options, etc. You will need to send me a set of photos of the quilt prior to our session. Note: This is not an appraisal and will not include a value estimation. For that you need to locate a certified appraiser, and I can give you some leads on that. These cost $75. Register at my Square shop.

Repair Packet
       This choice gives you a more complete set of instructions than the single lessons. You'll send your quilt to me so I can assess it in detail. Then I will search in my stash for repair fabrics and send those to you when I return the quilt. (If there are things I don't have in my stash, you will go shopping for those.) I will prepare a demonstration and teaching video for you, and then we can have Q&A sessions via Zoom. You’d pay for my assessment and treatment plan, your personalized video, purchase of the repair fabrics from my stash, and instructional Zoom session(s). Email me to discuss this option. Minimum $250 plus round trip shipping of your quilt.

Lectures, Virtual

Slides are shown at all lectures.
Lectures are one hour plus Q&A.
Guests are invited to send photos of their quilts that I will show and discuss as time allows.

	"Quilt Repair Tales"       Ann will share stories from 40 years of adventures repairing quilts. There are both the family history stories embodied by the quilts she has worked on, and the stories of the thought processes and guidelines for deciding which techniques to choose.       Topics include the why’s and how’s of restoration, conservation, rebuilding severely damaged quilts, and more. There will also be tales of why to decide to do nothing at all and love your quilt just the way it is.       This workshop pairs well with the "Quilt Triage" workshop. Triage provides an assessment of age, condition, repair options, and care options. Each participant will need to email me a set of photos of their quilt(s), and I will prepare a presentation of the slides for all of us to see and discuss.
	"Nineteenth Century American Quilts as Women's Art"       Historically, a woman's expression of her artistic talents were confined mostly to the home and to the needlearts in particular. This lecture explores quiltmaking in the contexts of the family, of groups of women, and of society as a whole.       Since the 1970s, antique quilts have taken on a new role as they began to be hung on the wall and appreciated as art objects. The talents of anonymous quiltmakers of the past century are discussed in this context in terms of color, balance, design, etc.
	"How Old Is It? Dating Antique Quilts"       For most quilt collectors, knowing the ages of their quilts is very important. The fabrics used in a quilt hold the most direct information on age. A large part of this lecture is devoted to the history of fabrics, dyes, and printing techniques. Other factors, such as pattern, size, batting, etc., that can add to the determination of a quilt's age are also discussed.
	"Quilts as Historic Documents"       Every quilt can reveal many things about its maker, and the social and economic milieu in which she lived. This lecture takes a look at the American quilt as a window to American history.
	"Quilts Reinterpreted"      There is an amazing variety of fabric artistry that occurred as the needlework styles and techniques brought to the Americas from Europe were variously used and adapted by many different cultures. Indigenous and immigrant and enslaved peoples each blended new ideas with their own needlework techniques and traditions, and created new forms, styles, and ideas, creating a swirl of mutual inspiration. Groups whose artistry is presented include the Amish, African Americans, and indigenous peoples such as Hawaiians, Seminole, and Woodland cultures.
	"Art or Craft? One Quilter's Journey"       The art world distinguishes between fine art, fine craft, and craft. Quilters trying to enter the art world find themselves caught up in this discussion. I begin with an overview of the traditional place of quilts in the craft category, and the more recent appearance of quilts as art. What does it mean to be an artist? Does it really matter? I then describe the path my own quiltmaking has taken as I try to answer these questions for myself.

"Quilting: An American Art Form" or "Pioneer Ladies and Their Quilts"       A short overview of American quilts. For local engagements only. I show 10 antique quilts to illustrate some basic ideas about the history and techniques of quiltmaking. A good introduction for school groups, luncheon programs, and such.

Workshops, Virtual

	"Quilt Triage"      If you have a family heirloom or have purchased a quilt you adore, this workshop will give you the opportunity to have me assess it for future care. Triage provides an assessment of age, condition, repair options, and care options.       You may also enjoy attending without showing a quilt to see what treasures your friends bring and learn about the fabric history and stories that quilts hold. Your group’s own private quilt show!       Each participant will need to email me a set of photos of their quilt(s) at least two weeks prior to our session. Photo instructions will be included with the workshop contract. I will prepare a presentation of the slides for all of us to see.       I can discuss 3 to 5 quilts per hour. Contact me to create a workshop length that matches the size of your group and number of participants you predict. The fine print:       This workshop pairs well with the "Quit Repair Tales" lecture. See lecture description above.       This workshop is designed for guilds, quilt study groups, quilt shops, antique shops, or groups of friends. Individuals may register for private sessions at my Square shop.       Note: This workshop will not include appraisals. For that, you need to locate a certified appraiser. I will provide a handout with some leads to appraisers.
	"Discover Your Creativity"       This class is directed towards those with some quilting experience who would like to "do their own thing", but don't know how to start. We'll do some color and design exercises to help unlock creative talents. In the workshop, each student will learn how to pose a "problem" to solve in her next quilt. Various techniques of design and construction will be presented, according to each student's skill level and the qualities of the basic idea behind her quilt. Design styles can range from using traditional blocks, varying or combining traditional blocks, original block design, quilts not structured in blocks, to designing while sewing, and so on. The class will deal mainly with designs and mockups. Some students may begin sewing, but this should not be expected. The class begins and ends with each student sharing her source of inspiration and the quilt design she is developing from it.