CLASSES LISTED IN RED ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED.

The majestic Eagle has inspired humans since antiquity, from Middle Eastern to Western Cultures. This pattern is particularly beautiful with its exciting asymmetrical balance. Its symbolism is potent: The Eagle speaks both of immortality; national ideals, readiness to defend against tyranny; and to guard for peace. Baltimore's Album makers favored the Eagle. This particular eagle is an American national symbol. Let this graceful eagle, so artfully interpreted by Sandy Butler, inspire your Conference endeavors — Render it in cotton (Blue Eagles or Brown Eagles soar in the antiques) or set yourself free for flights of interpretive fancy with stencil-shaded feathers, reversed-to-ribbon "wing paisleys", elegant embroidery and ribbonwork in the garland, and classic penwork in the banner! Surely this grand bird is a worthy investment of your Academy 15^th Anniversary Celebration participation in Williamsburg, whatever your homeland! Choose pattern for 8" or 14" block, or enlarge it to desired famed center medallion size.

Lab fee: $6.00 (stamp or stripe silks; ultrasuede & wired ribbon avail.)
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced

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Proudly displayed in Baltimore Album blocks throughout the years the splendid peacock offers itself as a sign of nobility and immortality. With a rich tradition of symbolism, it is no surprise that these elegant birds are the focus of many Album stitchers. Concentrating on the 12" center motif of two peacocks perched among glorious hollyhock blossoms and buds you will experiment with needleturned "silk or velvet" for a shimmering peacock body; a combination of silk ribbon embroidery and beads for the lavish tail and wings of your peacock; or try Jen’s special gathered fabric technique as an alternative for your peacock tail. Work with dimensional petals for the hollyhock flowers and folded fabric buds stuffed, just a little, as a finishing touch. Jen’s original patterns and successful and inventive techniques to manipulate fabrics (especially those slippery silks), and ribbons of all types offers you a wonderful opportunity to expand your artistic side and make this block your own.

Skill Level: Intermediate

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103.

Synonymous with love, beauty, grace, romance, purity and innocence the image of a rose leads us gently from past to present in this container of realistic florals – can you smell the fragrance so sweetly offered? Commonly referred to as "Love’s Ambassador" these freshly cut blooms – like the message they imply – will last forever. Inspired by her mother’s rose garden, Debbie will skillfully guide you as you learn how to shade your roses and construct leaves that complement your bouquet through selective and creative use of fabric (no artistic ability necessary)! Teaching the magic of off-block appliqué to quickly create your roses and vase; reverse applique to refine your vase; stems and thorns fashioned from ultrasuede; outline embroidery stitches to make fine stems; and hand dyed ribbon and a ribbon stitch to add sprigs of buttonwood ferns – your success is certain. Frame your finished block, or let it be the center of your next quilt. Note: Debbie most loves eager beginners so please don’t let this project intimidate you! Elly notes, " Debbie is an honored Baltimore teacher of exceptional talent. Long-honored in her native MA, it is a pleasure to welcome her here in VA!"

Skill Level: All
Required Lab Fee: $25.00

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Visions of a bountiful Maytime season are summoned forth with this glorious bouquet reminiscent of the most exuberant floral baskets of Baltimore. The delicately twining vessel joyfully contains a riot of blooms from buds to full-blown roses and more, and was artfully designed by Sue just for you. Sue’s generous teaching style will guide you in creating this splendid block with a perfect appliqué stitch, sharp points, smooth curves, and fine layering. Learn and incorporate reverse appliqué, narrow bias stems, puffed circles, overlays, embellishment, ultrasuede, and off-unit construction. This class offers you the perfect opportunity to grow in your appliqué skills using a wide variety of techniques designed to give you confidence and help you succeed in your appliqué journey.

Skill Level: Advanced beginner and up
Required Kit Fee: $20.00 includes pattern (black-and-white and color copy; 12.5" or 15" design area), teaching handouts, all applique fabrics except the background fabric; pre-made narrow bias stems for basket, freezer paper templates, printed transparency overlay and embroidery floss)

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Symbolism abounds as copious fruits and florals spill naturally out of this stately horn of plenty. The icon for abundance proudly supports it’s centerpiece — a beautiful pineapple promising hospitality to all. This 12.5" design area block is an antique reproduction cornucopia drafted by Nancy and set vertically to blend with all your other blocks, or be framed as a marvelous one block quilt. Daunted by the wonderful, but dizzying unnumbered, multi-pieced reproduction patterns? Nancy has honed a systematic approach. Elly notes: "Don’t you think it may be part of why her applique looks peacefully perfect?" Let her teach you how to plan the numbering, group the templates and select the colors to streamline the process of creating your own masterpiece block! This class has loads of tips that will shorten the prep time and improve your stitching efforts; and will cover fine stems, off block unit construction, perfect circles and accurate placement of pieces on the background. Every day the applique stitch will be reviewed and individual help will be available.

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner and Up
Lab Fee: $15

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Always dreamed of displaying a piece of art in your home that reflects the old Masters? This class could be the very thing. Begin your Victorian Epergne (a decorative table centerpiece) with a fabric choice that will bear your summer’s harvest with elegance. The beauty of this class is that you will learn how solid color fabrics can be transformed into a harvest of cascading grapes and fruits glowing with realism by simple shading with chalk pastels. Your summer’s bounty will practically lift off the background as if ready to eat. Dimensional touches include using batting and highlighting stitches. Learn Emily’s off-unit techniques for creating an airy, floating appearance to leaves. And, finally, with a touch of inking and some embroidery you will be proud to hang your 18"x25"still life anywhere. No formal art schooling required – just a gardener’s spirit for appliqué.

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

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What are this lovely nymph’s dreams as she gently plucks the petals? Only you will know her tale, but she pulls on our imagination as we stitch her world marked by long flowing lines and organic forms. Dressed in her finest floral garments she is encircled by a garland of exuberant garden friends! Award winning quiltmaker, Sharon Schamber’s original design is another exquisite example of her magical machine appliqué; one of 9 new patterns offered here first at The Appliqué Academy. Your admirers will truly be mystified! Sharon’s secrets of latticing with "molded" bias stems for weaving and floral stems, perfect tiny circles, naturalistic color shading . . . plus more! Learn Sharon’s Appliqué Foundation Paper Light for the look of hand appliqué – even if it is stitched by machine. Are you an average quilter pulled to move on to a higher level of work? Have you loved the idea of machine appliqué, but were afraid to try? This class allows not just machine quilters, but every appliquér to do beautiful applique work! Machines generously provided by Bernina of America. Publicly honored so often – yet Sharon is wondrously warm, down to earth, selflessly sharing, and presents a sunny smile

Skill Level: All (Yes, you!)
Lab Fee: $15 which includes foundation plus video
Optional Fabric Kit: $25 which includes all fabric needed

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Love floral fabrics and beautiful printed images – but how to use them? Judy has discovered that the repeats used in all fabric prints are virtually begging you to let them help you create a quilt’s set. Let your set be inspired by them – Or adapt a printed quilt block pattern to the elegantly creative Broderie Perse style of appliqué choosing one or both of Judy’s Urn of Fruit and Open Wreath with Bird patterns. Judy’s amazing results–oriented one-on-one teaching allows students to design a variety of projects with a creativity that amazes! Elly notes, "I was stunned when Judy showed me "the quilt in the cloth" secret (garlands, bouquets, swags), and am in awe of how quickly all her students "get it" and end up each with their own quilt blocks, and even full tops, pinned out by class end. (See Judy’s Medallion Quilts in her Flowers in Appliqué — Quilt Digest Press.)

Skill Level: All

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Heralding "Springtime’s Promise," Jeanne has masterfully woven graceful detail with vibrant color to create this nostalgic piece designed just for this Academy. The basket entices you to dress your block in vintage charm! Master layered foliage, trapuntoed floral accents, Broderie Perse, delicate embroidery and stuffed, fussy-cut & surprise-cut appliqué methods. Explore "reading" fabric for beyond the obvious visual effects. Mastery emphasized! You’ll make your appliqués behave for the thinnest stems, pointiest points, smoothest curves and deepest "v’s" — consistently. Learn to construct the tiniest stuffed berries! Offered as a standard 12" finished size block, or custom-sized to your specifications. Count on leaving class with your bag stuffed with new tricks, problem-solving strategies & precision needle skills. Don’t miss this multi-day gathering filled with a lifetime of heirloom appliqué & embroidery techniques, fond memories and enduring friendships!

Skill Level: Confident Beginner to Advanced
Lab Fee: $12
Optional Fabric Kit: $25 for fabric kit. Offered in a 12" Block Size. Includes all fabric for background and motifs as seen in photo.

Note: Please contact Jeanne directly by January 5, 2010 to order your fabric kit and/or arrange for a custom size block. Thank you.

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Full blown roses bloom with heartfelt sentiment in this elegant open weave basket – red roses (of course) for love and respect, pink for grace and joy, and yellow for friendship – all lovingly encircled by tiny flowers, buds and berries. The yellow five-petal rose is reminiscent of roses of yore, simple, but lushly fragrant; roses in lavish shades of pink are touched by sunlight; and the red roses have a folksy, contented look. Fine tune skills! Test your needleturn with some work in solid color fabrics; play with easy 3 – dimension in that spray of tiny pink flowers. Add speed and texture with ulrasuede appliqué for leaves, buds, or berries! Try folded rose buds, perfect circles, bias tube basket, reverse appliqué, plenty of embroidery embellishments, and a little oil pastel shading. Will yours be Pretty in Pink, Red and Yellow or pretty in orange, fuchsia mint? Elly notes, "1994, Best in Class winner at C&T's Baltimore Album Revival Contest, 1995 Best of Show at Mancuso's Pacific International Quilt Show . . . Nadine shares secrets of impeccable workmanship and complex fabric use."

Skill Level: All
Lab Fee: $8.00

  
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