EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS 2025

 It is hard to describe the Empty Spools Seminar experience to those who have never been there. For 40 years quilters have gathered at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove CA to attend one of 5 seminars. Each session lasts 5 and a half days, and each student is with the same teacher for all of those days.

First, I will just show photos of this magical place. This is my second year teaching there and it is such an incredible experience--for both students and teachers:

My bedroom with the class quilt: Two For One

The view of "my tree"

Deer are just some of the wildlife we see here every day

Power breakfast to keep me going all day

The ocean soothes my soul--I arrived a day early so got to enjoy walking the beach trails in the daylight

The landscape is wild and craggy, unlike beaches I am more familiar with

Many of the buildings are historic--the place was begun in 1913 as a YWCA camp. These steps lead to Merrill Hall and show some of the amazing stone work around the campus

"My Tree" from the outside

The Pacific Ocean ahead

A CA State beach, the property is well-maintained. I enjoyed the educational signs

My daily walk starts at 5:30 am, it's dark. I use a flashlight and feel like I have the place to myself

 Sunrise on the way

I love the ocean, sand, waves, everything about the beach

As if the PLACE isn't wonderful enough, the chance to spend almost a week with truly great students and other well-known teachers makes this truly a very special experience:

Merrill Hall. The Cotton Patch sets up a small store for the week. Evening events are held here. And my classroom was in this main room--a wonderful place to teach

My students were the best! They worked hard and learned a lot. Two of them were in my Full Circle class last year and one took a class with me in Houston last Fall. Another one follows my blog regularly. All four of them are ready to register for my class next year, when Registration opens April 26, 2025 at 10 am PST. 

Work from all my students on the wall--it could be a full quilt!

The last afternoon is "Walk Around" when all other classes are invited to tour each of the other 9 classrooms to see what's been happening. My students filled their design boards to show their work.

Happy students, wonderful blocks, amazing weather! And the Pacific Ocean in the background is included in the price of the Seminar--no extra charge!

Many students come to Empty Spools Seminars every year, they wouldn't miss it. Lifelong friendships are formed. And the opportunity to study with one teacher over an extended time is very beneficial. I was very happy to see several students from my class last year, Full Circle, around the campus. A couple of them hope to take my class next year. 

Teachers at Empty Spools also love the experience. On the one evening there is no program the teachers traditionally go out to dinner at Fish Wife, a local seafood house we can walk to:

Jennifer Sampou, Maria Shell, me, Andrea Brokenshire, Phyllis Lewis, Sandra Mollon, Linda Neal, Judy Coates Perez and Judy's husband, Phil. Missing was Sue Heinz and David Owen Hastings. It was Andrea's birthday, another good reason to celebrate.

This year I had the most amazing thing happen on Day 1:

Linda Herrera and me

The flowers and the card 

As I was preparing my classroom, this lovely woman walked up to me and said "You don't know me but I feel like I really know you." She told me how much she enjoys the Block of the Month quilts from The Quilt Show with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. She has completed several of them, won awards for them, and even got her quilt juried in to International Quilt Festival in Houston last year. She presented me with beautiful flowers and a special card. Her kind words in the card expressed her appreciation for my help with my blogs and LIVE videos throughout the years. She was not a student this session, she drove 30 miles to meet me when she heard me say on the previous LIVE that I would be there.  I was gob-smacked! It is this INTANGIBLE thing that keeps me going as a quilter and teacher. The chance to share what I have learned with those who want to know it too. This one thing made my entire year! Thank you, Linda!

Another great thing that happens is when last year's students "Show and Share" their completed work:

Mollie Gilliam's FULL CIRCLE

Anne Flanigan's FULL CIRCLE

I was thrilled to see their amazing work. This is a very challenging project that takes a lot of time. Wonderful job, you two!

OH MY STARS--my 2026 class. Five days will make you very confident in precision piecing, Y-seams or how to avoid those if you want to and give you a chance to learn everything I know--or close. 

    

The quilt from the pattern

My version 97" square

Oh My SMALL Stars, a sample that is easy to carry when I travel 

Find all the information you need about the 2026 Empty Spools Seminars here: EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS 2026. I am in Session 5--late April to early May--the weather will be perfect!

Many of the classes fill very quickly so I encourage you to be ready to register as soon as you can. This is an experience unlike any other for  those who want to learn, share their passion for our artform, and add lifelong skills to their toolbox. I hope to see you there. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINAR 2025 Why YOU Should Attend

 One of the most magical, memorable and important learning opportunities for quilters is EMPTY SPOOLS SEMINARS in Pacific Grove CA. I have been to many BIG events: 26 years of Quilt Festival in Houston, many times to AQS in Paducah, taught at Road To California twice—that’s a big show on the west coast. While all of these are great, NONE of these compare to Empty Spools Seminars. 

For detailed information on why I loved this SO MUCH this past March, 2024, read both my blogs about it:

The Overall Experience

My Fantastic Students

March 30, 2025-April 4, 2025 I will be teaching one of my MOST FAVORITE CLASSES: Two For One

Students LOVE this class and I always want to make another one as soon as I get home from teaching it. Eight fabrics from light to dark create two blocks, one Light, one Dark. It is so fun to try to find the matching pairs when the quilt is done. This is the Perfect 5 Day class, you will sew and sew and learn and laugh.

We need a few more students in this class so I am urging you to seriously consider joining us at this most magical place. It will change you as a quiltmaker going forward, for the better. It is easy to fly to Monterey and transportation from the airport to the Asilomar Conference Center is also easy by taxi or ride share. 

Find all the Registration Information HERE

If you have any questions I can answer to help you decide to join me here in March 2025, please ask away.  Don’t miss this opportunity of a lifetime.

Let’s quilt!

Barbara 

Traveling to Teach

Recently, I was pleased to be invited back to lecture/teach for the Cumberland Valley Quilters Association (CVQA) in Franklin, TN.  A short two hour drive up the road for me, I remembered my 2018 visit there fondly so was happy to return. They have been meeting by ZOOM and were excited to gather together again.

A few quilts on display: 

Easy technical set-up, the only real challenge: 

About 75 women attended the morning lecture and it went very well. "Time Management for Quilters" is always well-received and I often hear from people weeks or months later to say they learned some tips that have made them more productive., which is the point of this lecture--using the time you have to maximize your creativity. 

The next day 10 women met in a large room for the Western Sun workshop. Lots of space, and the rain held off until machines and supplies were in place. A sampling of the students' progress:

I had a wonderful surprise during the lunch break when Jeanette showed me her Two-For-One mini size block quilt she made in a class with me a few years. back. She had seen the quilt when I visited her guild four years ago and then drove down to Huntsville to take the class from me at  local shop. Look at this:

Those are HALF INCH FINISHED SQUARES! Amazingly beautiful. Usually taught with 2" strips, this mini version uses 1" strips. The size difference is really something. Great job, Jeanette--thank you for much for bringing it!

As the weather was supposed to be "severe thunderstorms" between there and home Wednesday after the workshop ended, I opted to stay another night at the Drury Plaza Hotel--a very nice place. My king-size  Western Sun got it's first outing on this trip:

I had awoken each morning with a stuffy head, typical for hotel room nights. Thursday I was also really tired, not unusual while teaching either. The two hour trip home was easy on a beautiful sunny Spring day. But when I got home I was exhausted so immediately took a two-hour nap. Woke up coughing. You know where this is going, right? No better Friday morning, I took a home test for Covid and was positive. 

I immediately let the guild know so they could notify their members. Checked with my doctor for recommendations for treatment--just a Z-pac for me as I am not at risk for severe complications. Trying to stay away from my husband so he stays well isn't easy. Time will tell.

Fully vaccinated, first booster gotten last September, my antibody counts were very high when checked last September. So I was surprised. Fairly mild symptoms, the worst of which are body aches and a  wracking cough. By Saturday I felt somewhat better but still just wanted to lay around, nap in the afternoon and just plain take it easy. 

As much as we want the virus to be a thing of the past, that seems less likely as time goes on. The variants may keep this virus around much longer than originally thought.  As soon as I can get the second booster, I will. 

Take care of yourself so we can quilt.

Barbara

Fun in FL

Recently, I traveled to Ft. Myers, FL to give a lecture and teach a two-day workshop. It was a great trip. Come along.

My luck is holding--this was my fifth trip by air in the past 3 months. Just as in the past, all flights were on time and I even got an upgrade on one flight going and one flight coming.

The Summer residents ready for the meeting

VP for Education MJ--my contact for this trip

Quilts laid out for the lecture

Lyn who saved the day with her technical skills and equipment

As is true in a lot of FL, there are year-round residents and "snowbirds"--those who go North for the summer. The guild attendance is less in the summer but they are an enthusiastic group and the lecture "Time Management for Quilters" was well-received.

The next day 11 happy students began learning "Two for One":

Make fabric

Cut it up and lay it out

Un-sew it

Success! Pat used her least favorite colors and was happy with the result

Melissa with half blocks that match her dress

Don't you love black and white?

Light complete and dark half blocks--Therese, a new member, did great!

Phyllis, also matched her blocks--she kept us on track, always ready for the next step

I've learned to take a class photo at the start of the second day so everyone is included. Students start to leave as the day goes on. Here they are showing their first day's progress:

I had the afternoon of the second day off so was able to relax at the pool of the Hilton Garden Inn, Ft. Myers airport location. I had the place to myself:

It is so nice to sleep under my own quilt in a hotel:

The guild was a lively group, the students were fun and each did so well in class. And the food was top-notch! I love seafood and was treated to really great meals throughout the visit. 

What a wonderful job I have, being able to share my passion for quiltmaking while visiting different parts of our great country and meeting quilters from all over.

Let's quilt!

Barbara