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Lectures and Workshops

My lectures and workshops focus on
quilt history, antique quilt care and repair, and a bit of art quilt design. 
Let's plan an event!

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

"That was the most interesting lecture I’ve seen in a long time. I was looking for something different and your lecture certainly fit the bill. I think a lot of quilters are looking forward to what’s next in the quilting world and forget about the incredible history of it all. Thank you so much for an amazing talk and I hope to learn more from you again."
Linda Evans, Program Chair, Quinobequin Quilters, MA

"Wow!  What a lot of information to absorb!  Thank you for a wonderful presentation Monday evening.  Everyone really enjoyed it and we will certainly be better observers of quilt details.  The evolution of dyes was amazing.  Thank you."
Country Star Quilt Guild, FL

Upcoming Workshops, Virtual

	"Learn More About Your Antique or Vintage Quilt"      Do you have an antique or vintage quilt that you love? Do you have questions about its age and pattern? Are you wondering how best to care for it - What are repair options? How to store safely? How to clean safely? With over 40 years experience helping people take care of their quilts, I can help! September 30, Wednesday 10am-1:30pm Pacific 11am-2:30pm - Mountain noon-3:30pm - Central 1pm-4:30pm - Eastern Full description and registration here!
	"Watch an Art Quilt Grow - Gaia Speaks"       Follow the path I took to design and create my art quilt "Gaia Speaks", a statement piece about humanity's relationship to our planet. I worked on it, off and on, for nearly 3 years. Lately, my art quilts all seem to require me to experiment and devise many new techniques! October 17, Saturday 12:30-1:45pm Pacific 1:30-2:45pm - Mountain 2:30-3:45pm - Central 3:30-4:45pm - Eastern Full description and registration here!
	"How Old Is It?"      Probably the most common question about an antique treasure is “how old is it?” Well, this workshop will help you start learning how to date your antique and vintage quilts.      This is a huge topic! People are continually researching and discovering more. This class will serve as a way to organize and start processing all there is to learn. I will give some suggestions for ways to study and practice your skills, and PDF outline is included. November 14, Saturday 10am-1:30pm Pacific 11am-2:30pm - Mountain noon-3:30pm - Central 1pm-4:30pm - Eastern Full description and registration here!

Lectures for Groups and Guilds, 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.
	"Saving History One Quilt at a Time”       This lecture spotlights a name-inscribed quilt made in the 1890s that I researched to learn more about its history. I have lots of tales to tell - interesting stories about the people named on the quilt, the repairs I made to the quilt, and the journey the quilt and I have had from having it gifted to me to being part of a weekend gala bringing the quilt to the back to its home.
	"Quilters of the 1800s: American Women Creating Art at Home"       Historically, a woman's expression of her artistic talents were confined mostly to the home and often to the needlearts. This lecture begins by exploreing quiltmaking in the context 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 1800s 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. Along the way, there will be some special historical connections and stories.
	"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.
	"Watch an Art Quilt Grow - Gaia Speaks"       Follow the path I took to design and create my art quilt "Gaia Speaks", a statement piece about humanity's relationship to our planet. I worked on it, off and on, for nearly 3 years. Lately, my art quilts all seem to require me to experiment and devise many new techniques!