Guild of Quilters of Contra Costa County upcoming events

GENERAL MEETING: "One Thing Leads to Another" with Fern Royce (IN-PERSON) (October 19, 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Fern Royce

Improvisational quilting is an intuitive way of creating quilts. Fern often starts her quilts by playing with scraps or an idea, drawing a rough sketch or wondering: What if? In this lecture Fern describes her quilting process and how each decision informs the next, keeping her engaged, focused and often unsure of what happens next.

More About Fern

Fern was born and raised in Northern California, surrounded by sewing, textiles and quilts. She took her first quilt class in 1995 and learned the basics, but never followed patterns. She studied old quilts and quilt books – focusing especially on antique, Amish, and African American quilts. She was also greatly influenced by the books and work of Gwen Marston. and quickly followed her sharp left turn onto the Liberated Quilting path. In 2012, with Gwen’s blessing and encouragement, she started teaching.

Check out her website at fernroycequilting.com

GENERAL MEETING: "The Allure of Japanese Quilt Shows" with Patricia Belyea (ZOOM) (November 16, 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 03:00:00 GMT

Patricia Belyea

Join Patricia for a flashback of the Tokyo Quilt Festival and a tour of the 2024 Yokohama Quilt Festival. She will also show her own quilts, made with vintage Japanese cottons, and will talk about how these special fabrics inspired her.

More About Patricia

A creative quilt maker, speaker and teacher, Patricia co-owns Okan Arts with her daughter Victoria. The small family business imports vintage Japanese textiles, hosts online quilting workshops and in-person retreats, and leads textile tours to Japan.

Patricia also writes a blog, speaks at quilt guilds and teaches workshops around the US. She is the author of East-Meets-West Quilts: Explore Improv with Japanese-Inspired Designs , a book about making improv quilts with Japanese fabrics, released in 2017.

Check out her website at okanarts.com

GENERAL MEETING: "Holiday Social" (IN-PERSON) (December 14, 2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 02:30:00 GMT

Join us for a special Holidays Around the World event at the guild’s end-of-year celebration.

No passport or plane ticket is required, just simply register.

Non-members are welcome to this event at no charge, but please register so we know you are coming!

Secret Pal Gift Exchange -- a friendly reminder for those participating:

• Please bring a wrapped gift labeled with your Secret Pal’s name and your own name.

• Handmade gifts are encouraged — but remember, it’s the thought that counts!

• $30 maximum value, please.

Evening Highlights

• Games – with fun prizes!

• Food – At event registration, you’ll be prompted to indicate the finger food you’ll bring to share as either an appetizer or dessert. International flare encouraged!

• Holiday Quilt Show-and-Tell – Please bring a favorite to share.

GENERAL MEETING: "Pagtinabangay: The Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island" with Dana Jones (ZOOM) (January 19, 2027)

Wed, 20 Jan 2027 03:00:00 GMT

Dana Jones

You will be transported to a tiny island -- just 13 acres -- in the central Philippines as you enjoy images and stories of the colorful quilts and the more than 100 quiltmakers of Caohagan Island. You’ll see photos of more than 50 of these handmade, one-of-a-kind quilts plus be introduced to the unique techniques developed by these quiltmakers whose tools are simply fabric and scissors, needle and thread.

Dana spent more than a month on the island, quilted with the residents, went fabric shopping with them on nearby Cebu Island, and snorkeled the reef that surrounds Caohagan. Those who view the quilts come away smiling, inspired by the creativity of these women and men.

More about Dana

Dana became passionate about quilts in 2003, when she began taking classes and attending quilt shows whenever possible. She began teaching In 2007, and in 2009 she moved to Colorado to work as an editor for Quilters Newsletter magazine. Within a year was running the magazine. She was also an editor of the SAQA Journal (Studio Art Quilt Associates) prior to leaving to research and write the book "Pagtinabangay: The Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island."

She lives at 9,200 feet in Colorado in the Rocky Mountains where she designs and makes quilts, teaches, and speaks and writes about quiltmaking and quiltmakers. She is also a regular teacher at several quilt shops in Colorado and has taught at Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.

Check out her website at danajonesquilt.com

GENERAL MEETING: "Oompah! Accordion Sewn HST's" with Beth Helfter (ZOOM) (February 16, 2027)

Wed, 17 Feb 2027 03:00:00 GMT

Beth Helfter

This presentation will have you thinking about half square triangle construction in ways you never thought possible!

Beth's "Accordion Sewn HSTs™" technique is a way to make half square triangles without identical twins, less waste when you want to be scrappy, and can even be used in concert with appliqué, quarter square triangles, and so much more! She will bring you through the whole basic process with a short, live narrated video, and then we will be off to check out all sorts of quilts made using its various iterations and techniques. You will never look at making half square triangles the same way again!

More about Beth

Beth is a quilt designer, author, and instructor from Massachusetts who’s been quilting for over thirty years and building a business since 2005. Her work has been featured in Quilters World, The Quilter, Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Quilts From Quiltmakers 100 Blocks, and was a member of the 2014 Quiltmaker “Scrap Squad.”

Her style tends toward the scrappy and her designs mirror her company tagline: "Inspired Designs, Relaxed Attitude." She created the "Accordion Sewn HSTs™" method and authored two books on the process. Beth strives to create a relaxed atmosphere of learning with a fun pattern or technique that doesn’t aim for perfection, but rather a great day of quilty entertainment and learning.

Check out her website at evapaigequilts.com

GENERAL MEETING: “Evolution of an Art Quilter” with Marjan Kluepfel (IN-PERSON) (March 15, 2027)

Tue, 16 Mar 2027 02:00:00 GMT

Marjan Kluepfel

This is an educational slide lecture and trunk show with a big dose of humor woven in. You will learn about Marjan's untraditional approach to quilting and how she creates her hand-dyed fabrics. She explains where her ideas and inspiration come from, how her work has evolved over the years and why she does what she does. Learn from Marjan’s mistakes so you won’t make them yourself!

More About Marjan

Marjan grew up in the Netherlands. After living in Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina and Australia, she now makes her home in Northern California. Her inspiration comes from the natural wonders encountered in these places, both on land and under water.

Check out her website at marjankluepfel.com

GENERAL MEETING: "Scrappy Appliqué®" with Gail Tennis (IN-PERSON) (May 17, 2027)

Tue, 18 May 2027 02:00:00 GMT

Gail Tennis

Learn about Scrappy Appliqué®, a raw-edge collage technique created by Shannon Brinkley. It is fun, freeing, and perfect for all skill levels. It is quick and simple to learn, yet allows for a lot of creative possibilities.

This presentation will introduce you to the technique and will cover the following topics:

A bird’s-eye view of the Scrappy Appliqué® process

Clear guidance on which products work best

Hands-on teach-out samples to spark ideas

A lively trunk show that will inspire you to say “I can do that!”

Gail will be teaching a class, scheduled for July 31, 2027. Keep an eye on the GQCCC website for details.

More about Gail

Gail is an accomplished seamstress, quilter, quilt designer, a machine embroidery professional and a Certified Scrappy Applique® Teacher. Her husband, Kinney, is a also a quilter, quilt designer, fabric artist and longarm quilting professional and a Color Confidence for Quilters® instructor. They have been quilting together ever since their daughter left for college in 2000.

In addition to teaching, they operate Sew Happy Memories in Patterson, California, a studio that offers quilting, embroidery, and longarm quilting services. They also have an online shop that sells patterns, kits, books, and supplies.

Check out their website sewhappymemories.com