Hand Work Retreat w/Nancy Chong--Fall 2023

This retreat is sold out. Please see Nancy's next retreat on December 8, 9, and 10 of this year. Click here to go to that page.

You’ve read about Quilting Mayhem’s famous retreats, but they all include sewing machines and noise! We have a new kind of retreat for hand appliquers and other people who do hand work. Come to this retreat where everything is done by hand, so it’s quieter. Even if you love your sewing machine, there are times when hand applique is best to start and finish a quilt. This retreat is exactly what you need. You can bring your machine only if you’re sewing on your binding or if you need to sew together panels to start your Hawaiian quilt!

You can also choose to participate (included already in the fee!) in a Mystery Adventure Quilt that Nancy will lead.

This retreat includes:

Swag

Lunch, snacks, and beverages

Mayhem Money if you park offsite or carpool or get dropped off

Discount on products purchased during the retreat at Quilting Mayhem

Games and prizes

Show and Share

Demos

Confident Beginners are welcome! Once the retreat begins, Nancy will spend time with you to get you going and answer questions. Download the Beginner Supply List Here.

Mystery Quilts have been intriguing machine piecers for years, and now it’s time for hand appliquérs to join in the fun. "Enigma" is this retreat's Mystery Quilt Adventure and will be a surprise right to the very end. You will use your favorite hand appliqué method while making a quilt you will love. This particular Mystery Quilt requires a tiny bit of machine sewing BEFORE the retreat (see the supply list link). Come join us for this ‘revealing’ fun-filled weekend. Participating in the Mystery Quilt is optional and included in the price. Click here for the Mystery Quilt Supply List.

Nancy will also bring all her patterns if you need one or want to browse her amazing selection.

Here are ideas of what you can work on:

Hawaiian quilts

Baltimore Album style

2Fabric Applique©

Celtic Knotwork

Landscapes

Mola

Miniature Applique

Stained Glass

Hand Quilting

If any of these fall within what you do, Nancy can offer assistance. Or if you’re curious about needleturn hand appliqué, she can show you how to do it!

Class Cancellation Policy: To receive a refund or credit for a class, cancellation must occur 5 days prior to class date.

“I believe every quilter should know how to appliqué.
Anyone who thinks needleturn appliqué is difficult hasn't taken one of my appliqué classes!”

Nancy’s specialty is stress-free needleturn hand appliqué. She puts students directly in touch with their needle, thread, and fabric. She shows how incredibly easy appliqué is without the use of freezer paper, toothpicks, starch, cardboard, plastic, back-basting, ironing, or interfacing—all things that needlessly complicate what is otherwise a very simple process.

Appliqué is a useful skill for all quilters and needleworkers. Need to cover a spot on a quilt? Appliqué a patch over it. Need to fix an accidental cut in your fabric? Appliqué a patch over it. Need to add a design element to a quilt or garment? Appliqué a motif exactly where you want it to be! Applique is a useful technique to add to your quilting/sewing tool kit, whether your goal is to applique an heirloom quilt or just to have another trick up your sleeve.

After taking a class from Nancy, everyone agrees that appliqué is not only possible but positively addicting!

Nancy has found there are many more minutes/hours available each day/week/month that she can be making progress on her hand appliqued quilts rather than appliqueing them with her machine or only making pieced quilts.  See below about how to make that work for you.

1.  Instead of sewing ONLY at home or in a class, or when there is power available, you can be working on your hand applique project:

--IT'S PORTABLE:  While traveling (in the car, bus, train, ferry, plane*), and at the airport, at the hotel, and at your destination.

--IT'S CONVENIENT:  When the power is out.  (Nancy uses a battery-operated light that hangs around her neck.)

--IT'S PEOPLE FRIENDLY:  Being part of the family activities, like watching TV, listening to music, and having conversations.

2.  Hand applique is easier than you have imagined:  there are only 5 shapes you need to learn how to sew -- straight edge, point, valley, outside curve, and inside curve.  That's it -- that's all you need to sew any shape whatsoever!

3.  All you need is:

--Pattern/design you love

--Fabric(s)

--straight pins

--needle

--thread

--small scissors* or thread snippers

*She uses blunt-nosed small scissors so she can applique (cut the thread and clip the fabric) on the plane or in the car (as a passenger of course!).

Download Packing List Here