Nancy Lee Chong
Class & Presentation Descriptions
Convinced that needleturn
appliqué is impossible?
Then you haven't taken one of Nancy's appliqué classes.
My specialty is stress-free needleturn appliqué. I put students
directly in touch with their needle, thread, and fabric. I show how
incredibly easy appliqué is without the use of freezer paper, toothpicks,
starch, cardboard, ironing, or interfacing -- all things that needlessly
complicate what is otherwise a very simple process.
I have been teaching needleturn appliqué and Hawaiian quiltmaking since
1982. I receive rave reviews wherever I teach, including on the
internet as an instructor at QuiltUniversity.com. After taking a class
from me, beginners and experts agree that appliqué is not only possible but
positively addicting!
So, whether you want me to teach at your shop, guild, retreat or other
quilt event, or you are a student wanting to take a class from me, here
are descriptions of my current class offerings and presentations.
Check my Calendar to see when I will be
teaching in your area.
New classes and presentations are introduced
regularly. If you don't see exactly what you need for your event
contact me to see if something can be custom-fit to your group's needs.
Email Nancy
All skill levels are welcome in every class.
Click on a title to view the description, or
just scroll down the page
Stress-free Hand Appliqué Classes
- 2 Fabric Appliqué Quilts
- Aloha Album Quilt
- Baltimore Basics
- Celtic Knotwork Appliqué
- Fastballs, Curves & Splitters
(various appliqué techniques & machine piecing)
- Hand Appliqué Landscapes
- Hawaiian Quiltmaking
- Miniature Appliqué
- Mola Appliqué
-
 Hand Appliqué
Mystery Quilt!
(3 options)
- Needleturn Appliqué
- Stained Glass Hand Appliqué
- Tropical Splendor Quilt
- Wonderful World of Appliqué
Designing Class
- Design Your Own Hawaiian
Quilt
Hand Quilting Classes
- Hand Quilting
- Thumb Quilting
Machine Piecing Classes
- Crumb Quilt
- Interlocking Square
Presentations
- Finding Time to Make Quilts
- First Make It Fun!
- Hawaiian Quilting: Its History, Traditions and
Superstitions
- Needles & Threaders & Threads, Oh My!
Stress-free Hand
Appliqué Classes
(1 or 2 days)
Once you know Nancy's needleturn techniques you will agree that appliqué
is fun, relaxing and easy. In this class you will learn all of the ins
and outs of the least time-consuming method of appliqué. No freezer
paper, toothpick, cardboard, starch or interfacing -- just you, your fabric,
needle and thread. What could be more basic, and what could be more
fun? This is a process class, where we will play (not work) with
needleturn. A perfect class for beginners, and even experienced
appliquérs will discover new and exciting things too! All skill levels
welcome.
Excerpt
from one quilt shop's newsletter:
"If you are serious about improving your appliqué, then this is the class
for you. Nancy is one of the most skilled appliqué instructors in the
Northwest and we are so fortunate to have her as a teacher. This is the one
type of appliqué that will open up a whole new world of quilt making for
you. ... These classes will fill quickly-do not miss this
opportunity!"
(1/2, 1 or 2 days )
Two fabrics, one spool of thread, and a pattern you love. That is
the recipe for a good time and a stunning quilt. Nancy will show you
how easy it is to make a beautiful wall hanging in almost no time at all,
using her stress-free needleturn appliqué techniques. The one-day
class provides a good introduction to the pattern and appliqué process while
starting an 11" x 17" quilt. The two-day class provides the
opportunity to make good progress towards completing a 24" x 36" quilt top.
Students will have a variety of quilt designs from which to choose. In
the half-day class Nancy demonstrates how to make a 2FAQ quilt using
raw-edge and machine appliqué. All skill levels are welcome.
(1, 2 or 3 days)
Awesome in their symmetry and beauty, Hawaiian quilts are surprisingly
easy to make. Nancy has been making Hawaiian quilts since 1978; she
knows them intimately. In the one-day class, you will have hands-on
experience with cutting out a Hawaiian block, basting, and needleturn
appliqué. In the two-day class you move on to marking echo quilting
lines, designing borders, and setting Hawaiian blocks together. The
three-day class begins with you designing your own Hawaiian quilt. All
skills levels are welcome.
(1 or 2 days)
In the Hawaiian tradition, each Hawaiian quilt is an original design.
Here is your opportunity to design your very own pattern in whatever size
you desire (from block to wall to bed-sized quilt.) No Hawaiian
quiltmaking experience required -- just a desire to design your own unique
Hawaiian quilt! Drawing skills are not necessary. If you can
hold a pencil you can do this.
(3, 4 or 5 days)
 This
lovely quilt, created by Nancy, melds the styles of Baltimore album and
Hawaiian designs together with a tropical theme. Explore needleturn
appliqué with these 17 diverse blocks. Hand appliqué is really fun and
easy when you learn Nancy's stress-free approach. Without
time-consuming preparation methods you get directly in touch with your
fabric, needle, and thread much more quickly. By the end of the
workshop you will have learned fabric selection, appliqué, embroidery, 3-D
flower techniques, foundation piecing, fabric painting, and much more.
Aloha Album quilt pattern
required.
All skill levels are welcome.
Tropical Splendor
(2 or 3 days)
Make the center medallion from Aloha Album.
(1/2 or 1 day)
Celtic knotwork designs are beautiful and intricate, and yet are
amazingly easy to sew using Nancy's stress-free hand appliqué methods.
Learn to make your own bias tape (without the use of bias bars), learn to
bend the bias tape to make crisp corners and lovely curves, and generally
learn how fun and relaxing this appliqué project can be. All skill
levels welcome.
Celtic block, above-left, is class project in the 1/2-day class.
Celtic table runner, above, is class project in the 1-day class.
(1 or 2 days)
There are too many gorgeous landscapes in our world not to include them
in our quiltmaking. Learn how to turn your landscape photograph into a
pattern, how to interpret that photograph in fabric, then learn Nancy's
stress-free needleturn techniques for hand applique. In the one-day
class Nancy will provide a landscape pattern for your use. All skill
levels welcome.
(1 or 2 days)
Don't ever be intimidated by an appliqué pattern again. In this
class you will learn how to deal with tiny shapes so any appliqué project is
a SNAP. Leave all your preconceived ideas at home, and come ready to
experience an awakening of your inner talents! Some appliqué
experience is preferred in this class.
(1/2, 1 or 2 days)
 Mola
is the style of appliqué done by the Kuna Indians, who live on the San Blas
Islands off the coast of Panama. This intricate style of appliqué is
worn as the front and back panel of the Kuna women's blouses. You will
learn how to mark, cut and sew your own traditional 2-color Mola design,
while also learning how to expand your horizons for future projects.
(The half-day class is a history lesson and an opportunity to see authentic
Molas.) All skill levels welcome.
"Crop Circles" a 1-day class
"Mysterious Connections" a 1-day class
"Mysterious Merry-Go-Round" a multi-day class
No picture. It's a mystery! You'll just have to come find out for
yourself. Finally! Mystery quilts for hand appliquérs! Piecers have been
enjoying the excitement of mystery quilts for years - and now it is your
turn to participate without having to haul your sewing machine. You will
complete at least one block during the class, and know what to do to finish
it at home. Hand appliqué experience required (not necessarily needleturn).
(1 or 2 days)
Come ready to be surprised at how easy this really is. Nancy shows
you her method for making bias tape to use as the 'leading' in the windows,
and she teaches you her stress-free appliqué techniques to sew any stained
glass design you desire. Nancy will provide patterns for the one- or
two-day class. All skill levels welcome.
(2, 3 or 4 days)
Baltimore albums, these beautiful hand appliquéd quilts are now within
your reach. Nancy teaches you her stress-free approach to fabric
selection, fabric placement, and needleturn appliqué techniques. We
will work with scherenschnitte (papercut) and a multi-pieced wreath appliqué
block. Embroidery embellishment and simple three-dimensional work will
also be explored. All skill levels welcome.
(3, 4 or 5 days)
Let's travel the world to discover these wonderful appliqué styles:
Hawaiian / Polynesian
Celtic
Mola
Baltimore Album
Broderie perse
Stained glass
Miniature
Let appliqué be your passport as we delve into each style and explore its
history, its unique qualities, and the common techniques among them. In
addition to working on each of these appliqué styles, we will be looking at
the present-day options we have for notions and marking tools, choosing
fabrics, and placing shapes on background fabric. So, if you have
wanderlust, come join us on this exciting journey! All skill levels
welcome.
(Each style of appliqué can also be taught in a 4- to 6-hour stand-alone
session.)
(1 or 2 days)
Whether you prefer fast, controlled, or just plain fun, this is the wall
quilt for you! Nancy will introduce you to several methods for hand
appliquéing the fastballs and curves; and for the fun-seekers, how to create
splitters. How exciting! Hand applique and machine piecing.
All skill levels welcome.
Hand Quilting Classes
(1 or 2 days)
Have you just finished your first quilt top? Or, do you have stacks
of tops that need quilting? Perhaps you want to make a wholecloth
quilt or simply want to improve your quilting stitch. Then this
process class is for you. While working on muslin in a hoop, you will
learn the basic running stitch, the rocker method, and how to start and stop
a quilting line. We will discuss fabric, batting, markers, thimbles,
threads, needles, hoops and frames. All skill levels welcome.
(1/2 or 1 day)
Are you having troubles with hand quilting? Are you ready to give
up trying to use a thimble on your finger? Perhaps you are a thumb
quilter and don't know it! Come learn another, healthier alternative
to make beautiful hand quilting stitches. All skill levels welcome.
Machine Piecing Classes
(1 or 2 days)
Use everything except tiny 'crumbs' of fabric when you make this
fascinating and easy lap quilt. Perfect for theme quilts and for using
up those fat quarters you have been collecting. Fast quilts for
yourself or as gifts. Suitable and fun for beginners and experts.
In the 2-day class there is a chance you could complete your quilt top!
All skill levels welcome.
(1 or 2 days)
This delightful quilt looks complicated but is surprisingly easy to
piece. Learn to use rotary equipment, accurate strip piecing, working
with straight and bias edges, and how to square up odd-shaped blocks.
In the 2-day class there is a chance you could complete your quilt top!
All skill levels welcome.
Presentations
Nancy began making Hawaiian quilts in 1978, and immediately became
intrigued with the history and folklore surrounding this spectacular
quilting art form. With my own quilts, I share what I have learned
about the traditions and superstitions which are interwoven with Hawaiian
quiltmaking, the mysterious story of how they began, and how they became my
obsession.
There is no right or wrong way to make a quilt, as long as you are having
fun. Sometimes it is just little things that creep in and nag, or
weigh you down. In this spirited presentation, while showing her
quilts, Nancy will tell stories about how much fun she has had making quilts
and share practical tips that are sure to increase your quiltmaking
enjoyment.
A humorous look at how to become more efficient with both time and space
in order to become a more productive quitmaker. A wide variety of very
practical methods are explored: including where to store supplies,
methods of threading a needle and techniques for washing fabrics.
Nancy shows quilts she has completed and ones that are still in progress --
all made during 'found time.'
Informative presentation about needles, threads and the challenge of
getting them together (with and without threaders). Nancy has been
making quilts by hand since 1978, and has done extensive research about what
holds those quilts together. Never be confused about which needle,
threader, or thread to use ever again.
You don't live where you can
attend a class in-person?
Then take a class from Nancy online at www.QuiltUniversity.com
Sign-up now for Nancy's next class.
Click here for
details.
To learn more about Nancy Lee Chong, see her Résumé.
To see where you can catch up with Nancy, take a look at her
Calendar.
Go to Students' Comments to read
what her students have to say.
E-mail Nancy for even more information.
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Fastballs,
Splitters and Curves
Thumb
Quilting