What's Happening?
​
We are excited to share our news and upcoming events with you.
We are working to keep this page updated frequently,
so you can see what is happening through our needles' eyes!
​
Please check the dropdown menu under News and Events for more
specific information about our ongoing projects.
​
​
We would love to hear from you and perhaps plan a visit for 2026 or 2027.
Strawberry plants
​
We will be wrapping up our Woodland Reverie series at The Academy of Appliqué in Williamsburg, Virginia, March 5–7, 2026! Please join us as we celebrate 10 years at the Academy.
Class: Session 2
Woodland Reverie—
Orioles and Strawberries OR Bunnies and Irises
Academy of Appliqué
Kingsmill Resort
1010 Kingsmill Rd.
Williamsburg, VA 23185
March 5–7, 2026
​
For more information,
Our woodland journey comes to an end with our last two blocks from our Woodland Reverie quilt. These two are among our favorites and are filled with many different fibers and stitching techniques, creating two beautiful dimensional blocks. Orioles and Strawberries include a pair of Baltimore Orioles surrounded by velvet, beaded strawberry plants. In Bunnies and Irises, two bunnies play hide-and-seek around a silk stump amidst irises and primroses. All skills for both blocks will be covered in this class—and some will overlap—so you will be able to increase your appliqué and embellishment skills. Multiple methods of appliqué will be taught, along with ribbon work and embroidery. We will explore back-basting, prepared edge, and reverse appliqué, as well as stumpwork embroidery, in a patient and low-stress environment.
We hope you will join us as we complete our woodland journey; you can choose to do either block or both. If you have never taken one of our classes, we invite you to come and see for yourself why we have so many repeat students. We think most of our past students will agree that while these dimensional skills may look difficult, we try to make them really easy to do!
​
Level: Advanced beginner (comfortable with needle-turn appliqué) and above
Required materials kit includes a full-sized pattern and detailed handout (free for class participants only). Orioles and Strawberries ($15) includes hand-dyed stretch velvet, 7mm silk ribbon, 13mm silk ribbon, and seed beads. Bunnies and Irises ($15) has Hanah bias ribbon in two sizes, 7mm green silk, organza ribbon, and seed beads.
We will have some optional threads available for purchase in class.
Click here to see more of our Woodland Reverie quilt.



Orioles and Strawberries


Bunnies and Irises


Velvet strawberries

Male Baltimore Oriole
​
Female Oriole


Primrose

Silk ribbon primrose blossoms


Bias silk irises
Stumpwork bumblebee

Appliquéd bunnies



Silk and wool tulips

Learn how to make this 5-petal posy.
Fun with 3-dimensional leaves

Baltimore on the Prairie 2025 in open for registration, and we are excited about our classes! This year's conference will be a special one, and we hope to see you there.
Class, Session A—
Elly's Elegance
Baltimore on the Prairie
Lied Lodge and Convention Center
Nebraska City, NE
Session A:
Wed., Sept. 3–Thurs., Sept. 4, 2025
​
TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE​!
These four blocks are inspired by designs created by Elly Sienkiewicz in her Baltimore Elegance book. Creating them in wool was a joy and privilege that was graciously given by Elly herself. Each block is done with wool appliqué, and we have added ribbon skills to embellish each. Three-dimensional leaves, a new flower we have never taught before, and some very fun embroidery stitches are just a few of the things we will cover in this session. We will be covering all the skills needed to stitch all four blocks.


Blooms in our Family Tree

Embroidered floral center

Elegant velvet flower centers

Simple embroidery adds a lot!
Class, Session B—
Bird and Basket
Baltimore on the Prairie
Lied Lodge and Convention Center
Nebraska City, NE
Session B:
Fri., Sept. 5–Sat., Sept. 6, 2025
​
TO REGISTER, CLICK HERE​!
Inspired by an antique French fabric panel, our Bird and Basket comes to life with a multimedia rendering. Wool appliqué will be enhanced with velvet and ribbon flowers and embroidery, and you can even use a vintage doily for your basket to rest on if you wish. We will learn several methods for wool appliqué, as well as the simple embroidery stitches to embellish it, including the bird’s luxurious tail feathers.




Our basket sits on a doily, but it could be wool appliqué.
Wool and silk rosebuds
Two techniques for ribbon roses

Colorful bird with luxurious tail

Hand-dyed silk ribbon buds

Poppy with dimensional center

Velvet blooms with faceted beads