Quilt Canada 2025 Teachers & Lecturers

Ruth Ann Berry is the author of Bargello Quilts in Motion, C&T Publishing 2014, Braided Bargello, C&T 2017, Simplified 3D Quilts, self published 2018, Stunning 3D Quilts Simplifed,C&T 2020, 3D Illusion Quilts, C&T 2024, and over 50 quilt patterns available at major distributors. She also designs patterns for fabric companies Northcott and Jaftex. She owns and operates a small-town quilt store and online business, the Quilter’s Clinic and quiltersclinic.com, and travels extensively to exhibit and teach at guilds and festivals.

Ana Buzzalino is a creator, maker, fibre and mixed media artist, surface designer, teacher, and lecturer. Her love of layers and texture combine in her original work. She achieves results using a combination of different surface design techniques. A lot of her work for the past few years has used aspects of history with an impact on our culture today.

In the current climate where everything is new, instant, and shiny, history has relevance; old buildings have a soul that modern buildings do not possess. She finds herself returning to those old buildings to look at the marks of passing time. 

Ana’s work has won numerous awards at national and international shows. Her work has been accepted into the Festival of Quilts in the UK where she won an honorable mention, Quilt Canada where she’s won several awards, and the International Quilt Festival in Houston where she won first prize in Abstract in 2017 and a third prize in Abstract in 2019.

Ana writes articles for Quilting Arts Magazine and A Needle Pulling Thread among others. She has made several appearances in Quilting Arts TV. Ana was invited to appear in The Quilt Show in 2022.

Ana is the founder and CEO of Create2Flourish, a program to help quilters, textile and mixed media artists avoid frustration and overwhelm and find their own voice so they can create art in their own style. Ana is currently teaching from her studio in Calgary, Alberta.

Born in Cape Town, South Africa, to a family of creative makers, it’s no surprise that Céleste Compion loves Three Cats Shweshwe fabric. Besides making quilts and writing patterns to market Three Cats Shweshwe, Céleste presents three different trunk shows and teaches a wide range of classes both in person and online. She has been published in Canadian Quilter magazine, taught at Quilt Canada in Halifax NS in 2023, and presented online in QUILT2024, now named Quilt n Learn.

Sharon’s quilting journey began over three decades ago in the cozy confines of a basement, where she embarked on her first quilting class. As a single mother of three young children, and while beginning a new career, that first quilt took about a decade to complete—a testament to her dedication and patience.

Driven by curiosity and a willingness to challenge herself, Sharon has continually pushed the boundaries of her craft. She has had the incredible opportunity to learn new techniques from Lisa Bongean, Kim Diehl, Mary Elizabeth Kinch, Sue Spargo, Lynn Schmidt, and Judy Eckhardt, just to name a few. These experiences have nurtured her passion for texture, wool appliqué, and hand stitching, allowing her to weave together a unique tapestry of traditional, primitive, and whimsical designs.

Sharon’s quilts are not just fabric creations, but vibrant expressions of her love for texture and colour, with embellishments that can transform basic designs into works of art. This distinctive style has created a niche for Sharon as a sought-after teacher, where she gets to share her skills and enthusiasm with others. She considers herself a life-long learner, constantly striving to enhance her skills and knowledge through various forms.

Sharon has taught in a wide variety of settings, from workshops for Quilt Guilds, to store events and private groups. In 2021, she had the privilege of presenting at Quilt Canada’s virtual event, reaching an extensive audience. Her role in organizing and facilitating major quilting events has introduced her to a network of creative and inspiring people.

Most recently, Sharon has been found in the company of her longarm machine, affectionately named Aunt Bea. Many of the custom quilts Sharon and Aunt Bea have made together for customers have won awards. In 2023, she had the honour of teaching at Quilt Canada in Halifax. At Quilt Canada 2024 in Edmonton, Birdsville clinched first prize in Patterns/Books/Magazines in the wallhangings category. This quilt, created by longtime wool appliqué student Kathy MacKinnon and quilted by Sharon, stands as a testament to her skill and creativity.

Sharon’s evolution from a basement beginner to a celebrated quilting instructor, mentor, and artist reflects a journey marked by dedication, creativity, and passion for life-long learning, showcasing her profound impact on the quilting community.

Galla Grotto is an artist from France. She studied interior design, painting, and textile arts. Among her favourite stories, Woman occupies an important place in all its manifestations. Galla has invented her own technique and creates intricate compositions using a palette of colourful fabrics. She repeatedly won prizes in international competitions: in Canada, Holland, Italy, France. She conducts many workshops and seminars. Often acts as an invited guest at prestigious festivals.

Galla is a very multifaceted woman, her artistic career encompassing many different themes. We know her textile art, but also she still designs and creates jewelry, likewise clothes, restores furniture, photographs, draws and paints, even on walls. She is a very versatile artist.

Meet Tina Harris, a Texas native whose love for sewing and quilting began at the tender age of seven. With over 30 years of experience, Tina has crafted stunning, award-winning quilts and keepsakes, mastering the arts of longarming, embroidery, and machine appliqué. Her exquisite work has been showcased in museums, state fairs, and exhibits across the United States.

But Tina is more than just a quilter. She’s a proud graduate of Texas A&M University with over 25 years of experience in education and entrepreneurship. Through her teaching in public schools, private schools, and corporate America, Tina has touched the lives of hundreds, leaving a lasting impact.

After five years of renting longarm machines for her Custom T-shirt and Memory Quilt business, Tina took a leap of faith and invested in two longarm machines: the HQ Infinity® with Pro-Stitcher® Premium and the HQ Forté with Pro-Stitcher® Premium. These machines have enabled her to elevate her quilting beyond edge-to-edge designs. Today, Tina enjoys working with rulers and Pro-Stitcher designs, sharing her passion for quilting with anyone who will listen.

On a personal note, Tina is happily married to her tech-enthusiast husband, Palance, and is the proud mother of two adult sons. She cherishes a quilt named“Be Strong and Courageous, which beautifully tells her story through embroidered quotes from her late mother, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, all of whom were accomplished seamstresses.

Tina’s passion, expertise, and creativity make her an exceptional addition to any event. Her dedication to the craft and her ability to inspire others ensure that your next event will be truly educational and memorable.

Tamara is a licensed fabric designer and quilter who is best known for the playful use of colour she employs in her designs and her fresh, inventive eye where quilt design is concerned. Her work has been featured in a number of international quilting magazines, she designs her own line of quilt patterns, and she regularly creates original quilts for companies within the textile industry.

Tamara has been sharing her love of designing fresh, modern quilts and other needle arts with students across North America for a number of years. She equally enjoys teaching techniques and inspiring others to embrace their unique voice in creating contemporary textiles true to their personal vision.

Avid quilter and fabric designer, Brett Lewis, aka Natural Born Quilter, discovered his love of the craft through learning to sew and quilt in the spring of 2016. Fast forward eight years and over 70 quilts later, Brett has attended Spring and Fall International Quilt Markets, with his work and original patterns showcased in Birch Fabrics, Hobbs Batting, and his very own Quilt Market booth. He has been featured in the Designer Profile section of the acclaimed magazine Love Patchwork and Quilting and the 2022 and 2024 Quilter’s Planner, various podcasts, developed his own Designer’s Palette thread collections with WonderFil Specialty Threads, and instructs his very own EQ8 designed quilt patterns, with classes focusing on foundation paper piecing, fussy cutting, and curves. His quilting adventures have taken him to attend an Alaska quilting cruise, and becoming a certified Sew Kind of Wonderful Instructor. Brett has all been a Bernina Canada ambassador since 2022. And to come full circle, Brett debuted his premiere fabric line Stag and Thistle with Northcott Fabrics in the fall of 2019. Brett describes his quilting style as Contemporary Traditional, using contemporary vibrant and bold fabrics with traditional patterns. Brett’s other fabric collections include Prairie Meadow, Wild, Water’s Edge, and his recently announced fifth collection Ornithology, shipping in January 2025.

In 2014, Natasha left her career in architecture and Aline her work as a movie character designer, to start their first business: providing longarm quilting services. The problem was that neither of them had any idea how to free motion quilt! Much less how to quilt in a way that crafters would see value in.

Figuring out out to complete many different client quilts, and  overcome quilting paralysis, led them to develop a practical (and replicable) way to make the quilts look beautiful—like, jaw-dropping beautiful—within a budget.

That’s how they invented their first method: Orbital Quilting Architecture—Custom Beyond Custom.

With it, they discovered the joy quilting could bring them, and went deep into making whole cloth quilts.

The rest is history: 1,500 client quilts finished in 5 years; 3,500 students all over the world (and counting).

They have won 18 international awards for their original quilts, including Excellence in Innovation, Longarm Machine Quilting, and Domestic Machine Quilting at Quilt Canada, as well as shows in Paducah and Houston, to name a few. And, now their  students are winning awards all over the world, too!

Natasha and Aline have since created the Orbital Board, the Master Quilter board game, and a sustainable fabric line. They have published two books, taught at many events both in-person and online, at guilds, and on YouTube.

They love to create methods that make quilting feel like a breeze, that shorten the time to master free motion quilting with confidence, that lead the way to create designs for any kind of quilt…methods that pave the way for a quilter’s creative carnival with lots of beauty and fun. Well, they are Brazilians, after all!

Julie Plotniko is a national quilting instructor, blogger, and designer from Parksville on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. 

She has always been drawn to the beauty and tactile nature of cloth and does not remember a time when she did not sew. 

Her love affair with quilting began in the mid 70s and she has taught all things quilting for over 40 years.

Teaching credits include Quilt Canada 2016, 201,7 and 2022, quilting guilds and groups throughout Canada both in person and virtual, sewing and craft shows in Victoria, Abbotsford, and Toronto, children’s classes, community adult/senior education, and teacher professional development. 

In addition, Julie has over 25 years’ experience within the sewing industry working and teaching with the dynamic team at Snip & Stitch Sewing Center, Nanaimo, BC.   

Through her blog and social media, Julie shares new free motion quilting designs weekly (now approaching design #400), educational material, free patterns, highlights from recent classes, class notes, links to important events, a student gallery, and more. 

For added fun Julie’s Name Game invites the public to suggest and vote on what to name each new free motion quilting design.

She has also written Blog posts for QUILTsocial and projects for both QUILTsocial Magazine and A Needle Pulling Thread. 

Best known for her classes in all types of machine quilting, precision piecing, and scrap quilting, Julie is passionate about teaching and strives to create a relaxed learning atmosphere where students feel free to express their own artistic voice.

It is her belief that to see a student go from tentative beginnings to having confidence in themselves and their abilities is one of the greatest rewards that life has to offer.

A lot of people end their day by reading before they go to bed, but I try to end every day with a bit of hand stitching. Where sewing is concerned, hand sewing is my first love. I always say it is my therapy. For me, there is nothing more relaxing or calming. My hope is that I can pass on that passion through the classes that I teach all over the country.

I started quilting in the mid 90s and have never stopped since. Sixteen years ago, my sister introduced me to the wonderful world of wool. I immediately fell in love with everything about wool and quickly learned how to dye my own wool. Much of my business revolves around wool.  

In 2007 Sew Cherished was formed. For me, it has been a dream come true to have a job that I truly love. I no longer have a brick and mortar store, but you can find my products and designs at sewcherished.com. You will also find me at larger quilt shows as well. 

In 2022 my best friend and I decided there was a need for a new punch needle, especially an ergonomically friendly way to do punch needle. So Smart Punch was developed to fill this void. Many people that were unable to do punch needle are now able punch for hours!

I live in the Kansas City, MO, area with my husband, Dave, and our dog, Stella. We have three children and 11 grandchildren. I spend a lot of time hand dyeing wool, stitching, punching, and developing new products. 

Life is so good!

Kathy is a multiple international-award winning quilter specializing in appliqué, quilt design, domestic machine quilting, and English Paper Piecing techniques. She started sewing and embroidering as a young girl, laying the foundation for the life-altering discovery of quilting two decades later. Over the past 30 years, quilting has grown from a hobby into a full-time creative career.

Kathy lectures and teaches all over Canada at guilds, shops, and quilt shows, and now offers online workshops and presentations globally. She is a CQA/ACC Certified Quilt Judge, a pattern designer, and the author of Sewflakes: Papercut Appliqué Quilts, Flourish on the Vine Pattern Pack, and Instruments of Praise Pattern Pack. 

Kathy is the owner of an ecommerce business at kathykwylie.com and is a Canadian distributor for Apliquick and Hugs’n Kisses products. Born and raised in Ottawa, Kathy now resides in the beautiful lake country of Muskoka, Ontario.

Ana Buzzalino is a creator, maker, fibre and mixed media artist, surface designer, teacher, and lecturer. Her love of layers and texture combine in her original work. She achieves results using a combination of different surface design techniques. A lot of her work for the past few years has used aspects of history with an impact on our culture today.

In the current climate where everything is new, instant, and shiny, history has relevance; old buildings have a soul that modern buildings do not possess. She finds herself returning to those old buildings to look at the marks of passing time. 

Ana’s work has won numerous awards at national and international shows. Her work has been accepted into the Festival of Quilts in the UK where she won an honorable mention, Quilt Canada where she’s won several awards, and the International Quilt Festival in Houston where she won first prize in Abstract in 2017 and a third prize in Abstract in 2019.

Ana writes articles for Quilting Arts Magazine and A Needle Pulling Thread among others. She has made several appearances in Quilting Arts TV. Ana was invited to appear in The Quilt Show in 2022.

Ana is the founder and CEO of Create2Flourish, a program to help quilters, textile and mixed media artists avoid frustration and overwhelm and find their own voice so they can create art in their own style. Ana is currently teaching from her studio in Calgary, Alberta.

Quilter since 1984, oil painting since 1989, and Native craft (rawhide drums, shields, moccasins, mitts, beadwork with or without loom, dream catchers, etc.) since 1993. “It’s the journey that was given to me to walk,” Edith says.

In the military, when posted to Manitoba, she met an amazing Native woman, who during a three-year period taught Edith about native art and the spirituality of her ancestors. 

The mix of three different types of crafts or arts, using fabrics, paint, leather, and beadwork lead Edith to develop her own unique style that manifests itself in her designs. Always looking for new emerging trends, she love doodles and Zen styles. When Edith is looking for a new design for a pattern, she lets her intuition and the vibrant fabric colours guide her. Edith is very inspired by mandalas and everything that is very different from what we normally have on the market. That is why she chose the name Collection Inédith, which is a play on the word inédite, which, figuratively speaking, means unique. 

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Marilyn Farquhar is an award-winning quilter whose quilts have won internationally, and have been published in books and magazines. Recently, Marilyn and her quilts were featured in a documentary entitled A Bullet Pulling Thread, which followed Marilyn creating a series of quilts that traveled across Canada, while she attempted to share them with the RCMP to help educate, hold accountability, and affect change. Marilyn now creates quilts that depict the emotional toll of grief and how she has maneuvered forward. Marilyn and her quilts have a message that so many can relate to and need to hear.

Sharon’s quilting journey began over three decades ago in the cozy confines of a basement, where she embarked on her first quilting class. As a single mother of three young children, and while beginning a new career, that first quilt took about a decade to complete—a testament to her dedication and patience.

Driven by curiosity and a willingness to challenge herself, Sharon has continually pushed the boundaries of her craft. She has had the incredible opportunity to learn new techniques from Lisa Bongean, Kim Diehl, Mary Elizabeth Kinch, Sue Spargo, Lynn Schmidt, and Judy Eckhardt, just to name a few. These experiences have nurtured her passion for texture, wool appliqué, and hand stitching, allowing her to weave together a unique tapestry of traditional, primitive, and whimsical designs.

Sharon’s quilts are not just fabric creations, but vibrant expressions of her love for texture and colour, with embellishments that can transform basic designs into works of art. This distinctive style has created a niche for Sharon as a sought-after teacher, where she gets to share her skills and enthusiasm with others. She considers herself a life-long learner, constantly striving to enhance her skills and knowledge through various forms.

Sharon has taught in a wide variety of settings, from workshops for Quilt Guilds, to store events and private groups. In 2021, she had the privilege of presenting at Quilt Canada’s virtual event, reaching an extensive audience. Her role in organizing and facilitating major quilting events has introduced her to a network of creative and inspiring people.

Most recently, Sharon has been found in the company of her longarm machine, affectionately named Aunt Bea. Many of the custom quilts Sharon and Aunt Bea have made together for customers have won awards. In 2023, she had the honour of teaching at Quilt Canada in Halifax. At Quilt Canada 2024 in Edmonton, Birdsville clinched first prize in Patterns/Books/Magazines in the wallhangings category. This quilt, created by longtime wool appliqué student Kathy MacKinnon and quilted by Sharon, stands as a testament to her skill and creativity.

Sharon’s evolution from a basement beginner to a celebrated quilting instructor, mentor, and artist reflects a journey marked by dedication, creativity, and passion for life-long learning, showcasing her profound impact on the quilting community.

Tamara is a licensed fabric designer and quilter who is best known for the playful use of colour she employs in her designs and her fresh, inventive eye where quilt design is concerned. Her work has been featured in a number of international quilting magazines, she designs her own line of quilt patterns, and she regularly creates original quilts for companies within the textile industry.

Tamara has been sharing her love of designing fresh, modern quilts and other needle arts with students across North America for a number of years. She equally enjoys teaching techniques and inspiring others to embrace their unique voice in creating contemporary textiles true to their personal vision.

Sandy, a former pattern maker/stylist and clothing manufacturer, found her passion when she discovered quilting. She quickly developed her skills into a thriving longarm quilting business. She gives trunk shows and workshops at guilds throughout Ontario. She is  currently working on a series of quilts and workshops attempting to modernize old stash. Being of the belief that we have consumed far too much, Sandy encourages her workshop participants to shop their stash first. This is a very popular concept with guilds and quilters alike, as we all have too much old stash.  

In addition to teaching, Sandy has opened an Etsy shop to sell her patterns, and has developed two successful Block of the Month programs for guilds.

Bridget O’Flaherty is a passionate textile artist and quilter with over 30 years of experience in the craft. She is renowned for her intricate free-motion embroidery and nature-inspired creations, which beautifully blend quilting, felting, and stitching. As The Sustainable Quilter, Bridget shares her profound commitment to sustainability, inspiring others to incorporate ecofriendly practices into their artistic endeavours. Through her artistry and advocacy, Bridget aims to create a positive impact on the environment and foster a welcoming community of conscious quilters worldwide.

You’re Not Just Quilting, You’re Making History

From ancient whole cloth quilts, to the first quilt block pattern recorded in 1806, to the symbolism of the Underground Railroad quilt blocks, to modern art quilts and even barn quilts, one common thread connects them all; Story. Whether consciously or subconsciously, every quilt tells one. What story are you telling with your quilts? What will future generations wish your quilts could tell them? AnnMarie Rowland will help you pull back the covers and find the stories you’ve been sewing, and tell them.

Deborrah Sherman was the publisher/editor/entire staff of Canada Quilts Magazine from July of 1990 until 1997.  Between 1990 and 1992, the magazine, in collaboration with the National Capital Commission, organized the creation of The Quilt for Canada to celebrate the nation’s 125th anniversary. Canadian quilters and non-quilters contributed 464 blocks on the theme What Canada means to me, which were then bordered in a traditional Attic Windows setting and assembled into nine sections. Each section was sent to a different part of the country where quilt groups and guilds held public quilting bees. In the end, more than 3,000 Canadians had a hand in making The Quilt for Canada—A View Through Canada’s Windows, which was unveiled in Canada House as part of the 125 Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa. It then traveled to quilt shows, needlework festivals, and even department store displays across the country until 1994. 

Although it has had a few public outings since, the 15′ x 17′ quilt lives in a cedar chest, and a home needs to be found for it.

Sue Sherman is a national and international award-winning Canadian fibre artist specializing in realistic wildlife with a message. Her work often depicts animals in unlikely or impossible situations in order to reveal concerns about climate change and habitat loss, and their impact on the earth’s biodiversity. Her original artwork is inspired by her own wildlife photographs taken around the world, brought to life primarily using a technique of painting with thickened dyes, followed by realistic looking thread painting.

Sue’s artworks have been juried into national and international shows where they have won multiple awards, including Best of Show at both Quilt Canada (2023) and the Festival of Quilts (Birmingham, 2024), and the Superior Award for Thread Artistry at the International Quilt Festival (Houston, 2022). They have also been featured in industry publications and media. She has been a Juried Artist Member (JAM) with Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) since 2019.

Sue delivers presentations about her work to audiences in Canada and the United States.

Sue is scheduled for a solo show of her work at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in 2025.

Sue appeared in Episode 3405 of The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims.

Issue 29 (2022) of SAQA’s Art Quilt Quarterly publication included an article on Sue’s artistic career on pages 32-35 in the “Artists to Watch” section.

It All Starts with a Story

Decisions…decisions…from concept through to completion, this lecture showcases the journey of three very different wall quilts. Told an entertaining way, using PPT with approximately 100 beautiful coloured slides, viewers will see each quilt being created right before their eyes. Each quilt is very different, and viewers will hear the decisions, see the techniques and the process Sandy went through, to bring out the best in each quilt. Sit back and relax, watch the action, and hear the stories!

Stearman is a Queer quilt-maker living in Picton, Ontario. 

He didn’t come to quilt-making by choice.  In 2013, while looking for an alternative to mind numbing pain medication after a serious leg injury, someone suggested that he try making a quilt. It sounded strange, but he gave it a try and discovered that when he sews, he doesn’t feel pain. Over three hundred quilts later, he is still at it.

While Stearman describes himself as being self-taught, in reality, he sought out every master quilter whose work he admired, and travelled across North America and Australia, to learn from them. The friendships that he has developed through this process continue to inspire and motivate him. And the influences of those teachers still echo in his work.

Stearman lectured with his well-known ‘BackPack Show’ across Canada, and now via Zoom throughout the world. His teaching has been in person. This past summer Bill retired as a summer instructor at Halliburton School of Art and Design and is limiting his teaching to one- or two-day classes.

Stearman’s quilts have been juried into over 50 shows across North America, including shows in Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Colorado, Virginia, Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax, Toronto, and Ottawa. He has won several major awards.

Stearman’s work frequently deals with topics not normally associated with quilts. Sexual abuse, depression, illness, racism, sexuality and gender all have been subjects in Bill’s bold, striking, and often moving pieces. 

In 2021, Stearman’s work took a dramatic shift. During the peak of COVID-19, he was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. Over the course of seven months he went from that diagnosis through an intense battery of testing and cancer treatment to ‘buy time’, all leading up to what he views as a miraculous surgery, when he received a new liver from his daughter and the prognosis increased by twenty years.

All of this dramatically changed Bill’s life and his outlook on life. He works with a renewed intensity and is driven by a desire to change the world; to make it a better place; to speak his truth, even if his voice shakes.

Kathy is a multiple international-award winning quilter specializing in appliqué, quilt design, domestic machine quilting, and English Paper Piecing techniques. She started sewing and embroidering as a young girl, laying the foundation for the life-altering discovery of quilting two decades later. Over the past 30 years, quilting has grown from a hobby into a full-time creative career.

Kathy lectures and teaches all over Canada at guilds, shops, and quilt shows, and now offers online workshops and presentations globally. She is a CQA/ACC Certified Quilt Judge, a pattern designer, and the author of Sewflakes: Papercut Appliqué Quilts, Flourish on the Vine Pattern Pack, and Instruments of Praise Pattern Pack. 

Kathy is the owner of an ecommerce business at kathykwylie.com and is a Canadian distributor for Apliquick and Hugs’n Kisses products. Born and raised in Ottawa, Kathy now resides in the beautiful lake country of Muskoka, Ontario.