Announcing the 2026 slate of Programs and Workshops: This year, SRQG members will enjoy a wide variety of Speakers and Teachers via Zoom and In-Person. We will hear from award-winning quilters and view their quilts during Trunk Shows. We will also learn about Big Stitch Hand Quilting, what Judges look for when they judge a quilt, Quilted Greeting Cards, Quilted Improv Sunbursts, Thread Spool Christmas Wreath, how to make Stunning Borders on your quilts and how to use freezer paper to make the 8 point star block.
Improv Art Quilts
with Judy Mathieson
Jan 15th, 2026 to Jan 15th, 2026
Program: 10:00 am In-Person
SRQG member, Judy Mathieson will be the speaker at the first program meeting in January. She Has been a member for 20 years after moving to Santa Rosa. Her 30 year career as a teacher of quiltmaking took her to 48 states and 6 countries. Most of her workshops and books were focused on the Mariner’s Compass pattern. She has also explored animal portraits and art quilts She promises to bring all of the quilts that she currently owns.
Star Demo
with Judy Mathieson
Jan 16th, 2026 to Jan 16th, 2026
Sew Day: Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
$10 Cost for members & registration is required in advance
A workshop day has not been scheduled, but Judy will attend the SewDay, open to members of the guild who sign up .
She will not offer a full workshop, but will do demonstrations of star patterns using her freezer paper template method.
Some of Judy's beautiful quilts to the right.
The Joys of Handwork
with Pattie Klimek
Feb 19th, 2026 to Feb 19th, 2026
Program: In-Person Lecture & Trunk Show
Pattie Klimek is a traditional hand quilter, hand piecer and hand embroiderer who works in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her mission is to remind quilters of the Joy of Handwork. Pattie lectures and teaches at quilt stores and Guilds to remind us of the hand-quilting techniques of generations past, along with her own techniques. Her lectures promote quilting as a time to sit down with friends and work with our hands. Pattie will share techniques, as we put away our machines and learn to hand quilt. She will remind us of the rich history of quilting and the joy of handwork.
Big Stitch Hand Quilting
with Pattie Klimek
Feb 20th, 2026 to Feb 20th, 2026
Workshop: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm at LBAGC
$50 for SRQG members (Registration opens Nov 1, 2025) ​$60 for non-SRQG members (Registration opens to other Guilds on Jan. 15, 2026)
Big Stitch Hand Quilting is an eye-catching embellishment for your quilt.It can be combined with machine quilting to give texture and details to not only traditional quilts, but Art Quilts, Contemporary and Modern Quilts.It is easy to do with the proper needles and cotton embroidery thread. In this workshop, you will be introduced to the basics of big stitch quilting, the materials needed, how to baste, how to tie and set a knot, and the rocking stitch.I will go over how to find a proper thimble and how to fit it.Then we will discuss various design elements using Big Stitch Hand Quilting and how to incorporate it into your quilting designs.(Bring in your quilt tops to discuss and together we can talk about how to choose a pattern using this technique to make your quilt a unique piece of art.)
Pattie will supply a pre-marked top and batting for a $10 fee payable to Pattie at the time of the workshop.
Check out this short video to learn more about Pattie and her workshop with SRQG "Big Stitch Hand Quilting"
Quilt Judging - What Judges Look For
with Julie Curry
Mar 19th, 2026 to Mar 19th, 2026
Program:
Julie Curry is a lifelong quilter with a passion for all things quilting. She coordinated the Creative Home Arts Department of the San Mateo County Fair for more than a decade, which included hundreds of quilts each year. In doing so, Julie worked with many quilt judges and this experience piqued her interest in the judging process. She received her quilt judge training at the West Coast Quilt Judging Academy in 2012 and has judged for many groups throughout Northern California. Julie is committed to judging in a manner that is fair, thorough and compassionate.
Three Day Mini Quilting Retreat
with Friends
Apr 10th, 2026 to Apr 12th, 2026
Friday thru Sunday, April 10, 11 & 12: at Luther Burbank Art & Garden Center (LBAGC), 9am - 3:30pm each day. Member Cost is $30 for all 3 days.
This will be 3 days of quilting with your friends. At the end of each day, we can safely leave our machines & notions overnight at the LBAGC, return home for the evening & return the next morning to continue quilting. Bring your lunch or go out to lunch with your friends!
Bay Area Quilt Artist
with Mike McNamara
Apr 16th, 2026 to Apr 16th, 2026
Program - 10:00 a.m. In - Person
Mac McNamara is known for quilt designs which seem haphazard, disconnected and random. But they keep you looking, searching for a structure, a deeper meaning and that is Mac’s intention. There is always a deeper meaning below what is readily apparent in his quilts. In describing his quilt making process, Mac says that he essentially sews in curves and if done correctly, the quilt will lie flat.
An experienced quilter from New England, Mac experienced the devastation of the HIV/AIDS crisis first-hand as it took the lives of friends and many community members. When news about the Aids Memorial Quilt spread to the East Coast, Mac got involved immediately. “I first started working with the AIDS Quilt in the ‘80s. We had panel-making set up in an old church in South Boston.” Mac’s panels honor those taken by HIV and AIDS with a touching tribute to a key interest or aspect of their lives and their stories.
Mac now lives in San Francisco and is a frequent speaker at quilting associations around the state and at Handicraft and Art Fairs. Mac shares that he loves to have his quilts hanging next to quilts made by children because “Children have a certain freedom to do what they want without the objections that we adults have learned over the years.”
Indigo Dyeing in Japan
with David Owen Hastings
May 21st, 2026 to May 21st, 2026
Program: 10am on Zoom
I’m a modern quilter, speaker and teacher. I live in the lush (and often wet) Pacific Northwest, west of Seattle, Washington on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. I create richly layered contemporary art pieces and modern quilt and textile designs. Sharing knowledge, encouraging, creativity and teaching new skills are personal passions. I give lectures and workshops on modern quilting, fine art, and textile techniques. I love to travel, especially in Asia and I enjoy sharing my experiences through travel photos and stories.
In this talk, I explore how my love of Japanese culture, travel, textiles and “blue and white” came together in a fantastic journey to Japan. In this textile talk, I take you virtually with me to an indigo dyeing workshop in the country near Mt. Fuji. We will explore two kinds of Japanese indigo dyeing processes that use resist: katazome (paste resist dyeing using stencils) and shibori (bound or stitch resist dyeing). I’ll talk about how my particular modern design approach is influenced by Japan, and how I like to incorporate these traditional fabrics into modern quilt compositions. I will also give a virtual trunk show of my work, including several indigo-inspired quilts that I designed, as well as paper-based stitched artwork that I created by dyeing paper in indigo using shibori techniques.
Scraptastic Quilted Cards
with David Owen Hastings
May 22nd, 2026 to May 22nd, 2026
Workshop: 9am-12pm on Zoom $45 for SRQG Members (Registration opens Nov. 1, 2025) $55 for non-SRQG Members (Registration opens to other Guilds on April 16, 2026
Your scrap bin is a great and underused resource! It’s often full of beautiful fabrics, but in very small amounts. Sometimes it contains mistakes that we would rather toss into the scrap bin than unpick. It’s time to dive in and make something beautiful from those off-cuts and whoopsies. Using just a few pieces of fabric pulled from scraps, we will machine sew a mini series of modern art cards.We’ll explore color, scale of print, value, and texture… and maybe come up with some surprising combinations!
Adventures in Improv
with Michelle Trimble
Jun 18th, 2026 to Jun 18th, 2026
Program: 10am In-Person
I’m a quilt pattern designer and quilting teacher. When I decided to transition from teaching high school chemistry almost two years ago, I took my commitment to growth mindset and expertise in breaking down complex concepts and I applied it to everything I love about the quilting world.If I had one wish for those of us in the quilting community, it would be to stop underestimating our own potential. I firmly believe we should all be striving for PROGRESS not perfection.
Stunning Improv Sunbursts
with Michelle Trimble
Jun 19th, 2026 to Jun 19th, 2026
Workshop: 9am-3:30pm at LBAGC
$50 for SRQG Members (Registration opens Nov 1, 2025) ​$60 for non-SRQG Members (Registration opens to other Guilds on May 8, 2026)
Working with improv can be wonderfully freeing, yet the outcome can seem overwhelming to the senses. Choosing constraints at the outset of an improv project can not only lower the decision-making burden that can seem overwhelming, but it can also ensure that your composition finishes with dramatic flair! In this class, you will explore several different variations of improv triangles and experiment with variables that will alter the look of each variation. You will incorporate the blocks into a large wedge layout to make a 24” square quilt top that can be finished as either a wall hanging or a throw pillow cover.
5x5 Share & Trunk Show
with Pointless Sisters
Jul 16th, 2026 to Jul 16th, 2026
Program:10am In-Person
5 Pointless Sisters Quilters each share 5 of their Art Quilts with us. The Pointless Sisters is an Art Quilt Group that uses a variety of quilting techniques to produce innovative fiber arts.The group of fifty members meets regularly to explore surface design and quilting techniques, discuss new trends and often challenge each other to produce fiber art of a common theme.The members are from various backgrounds and we express our identities in a variety of ways. What unites us is our fiber art.
Presenters are Jennifer Baker, CL Tree, Linda Jensen, Gigi Kandler, and Jo Kellar.
To learn more about the Pointless Sisters Art Group check out their website at
Here’s a chance to get to know your 2026 SRQG Board of Directors up close and personal! The mission of these 13 members is to work quietly behind the scenes to support and encourage the growth and development of our Quilt Guild and the art of quilting in and for our Sonoma County community. At this particular meeting however, the Board members will share a personal bit about themselves and one or two of the quilts they are currently working on.
Thread Spool Xmas Wreath
with Patty Zack
Aug 21st, 2026 to Aug 21st, 2026
Workshop: 9am-3:30pm at LBAGC $10 for SRQG Members
Patty will teach us how to use empty thread spools of any kind and size to make this adorable, whimsical Christmas Wreath to adorn your home during the holidays or give as a gift.
Start saving your spools now!
Make Mine Scrappy
with Linda Wagner
Oct 15th, 2026 to Oct 15th, 2026
Program: 10am In-Person
Linda Wagner has been making quilts for over 35 years and teaching quilting for over 25 years. Her personal interests gravitate to scrappy quilts. Presently, Linda is a lead mechanic with United Airlines and she previously taught electronics. Linda is a N.A.T.S. certified teacher. Linda's first quilt was made using Eleanor Burns’ techniques that included ripping strips (this was before the rotary cutter was invented). Things took off at warp speed after she joined a quilt guild. Many of Linda's quilts contain 100-400 fabrics. Many friends describe her approach to color as fearless! When Linda teaches a Workshop, her students receive individual help. In classes, demos are repeated multiple times so that each student has an opportunity to grow comfortable with the technique.
Borders
with Linda Wagner
Oct 16th, 2026 to Oct 16th, 2026
Workshop: 9am-3:30 at LBAGC
$50 for SRQG Members (Registration opens Nov 1, 2025) ​$60 for non-SRQG Members (Registration opens to other Guilds on Sep 4, 2026)
If you think that adding a border is simply cutting interesting fabric into strips and adding it on all 4 sides, you are missing an opportunity to add something truly stunning onto your quilt. This Workshop will explore simple techniques to create the WOW Border factor. We will focus on making a simple block that could be used to make 6 variations of stunning borders. Students that bring a finished quilt top to class (without a border) can begin working on executing blocks for borders on their quilt.
Show and Tell
with New Members
Nov 19th, 2026 to Nov 19th, 2026
Program: 10am In-Person
We will meet our new SRQG members and see what they have been up to throughout the year.Have they taken quilt classes, are they learning new techniques, how long have they been quilting? We can’t wait to find out!
