Kris Driessen, Quilt Designer, and Teacher

Would you like to learn more about your antique quilt?  Kris Driessen is a quilt historian and teacher who offers lectures and workshops on vintage quilts as well as classes and workshops on new quilts.  Classes focus on easy and creative sewing methods.  

Kris’s lectures and workshops feature quilts from her own collection.  Everything she brings can be touched and examined closely. Kris encourages student participation and discussion, and welcomes quilts for show and tell at all classes, workshops, and lectures. Her quilt knowledge is extensive and she is able to adapt a class to meet almost any need or situation.

Kris Driessen of Albany NY is an accomplished quiltmaker, quilt historian, quilting teacher, author, researcher, and lecturer. Her articles on dating, cleaning, and just plain appreciating antique and vintage quilts have appeared in many publications including American Quilter, Traditional Quiltworks, Quilting Today, Web Threads, Lady’s Circle Patchwork Quilts, Vintage Quilts, Sew What’s New, McCall’s Quilting, Country Home, Quilt History, Planet Patchwork, Quilt Guilds, the Collectors Journal 11th Annual Repair & Restoration Register, Country Living, American Profile, Material Facts (Australia), the Cypress Creek Newsletter,  The Collectors Journal, The Quilt Pattern Magazine, and others.

Kris has been on the faculty of several major events, including NY Quilts!, Quilts at the Crossroads, the Virginia Quilt Consortium, and DSQDS.  Her quilts and antique quilts have been exhibited at numerous quilt shows including NY Quilts in Troy NY, Common Threads in Vestal NY, and Pens & Needles: 19th and 20th Century Signature Quilts at AQS in Paducah KY.  Kris has also judged at several shows, including the Green Mountain Quilt Show in Bethel VT, and the London Quilt Show in London KY. 

Kris has designed a line of patterns published as Phoebe Moon Designs, which can be seen in several magazines and catalogs including Connecting Threads, and Annies Catalog.

Wholesale information is here.

Classes and Workshops available

 The No Whining Quilt

We are going to show you a variety of ideas to use up those annoying fat quarters you have been collecting. You will be making a number of different blocks, then mixing and matching to make a unique quilt. No matter how you make it, it is correct.  You CAN’T make a mistake when constructing this quilt.   This can be taught as a full-day class, but it is also an excellent workshop for retreats.  The more time and the more students, the better. This is more of a process-oriented than a product-oriented class.  Students will NOT be making a quilt top. They will be making a variety of blocks in different sizes, any one of which can be the inspiration for a full quilt.  Perfect for beginners as well as intermediate quilters. Pictures of just a few of the blocks made in class can be seen on the Samples page.

Mystery Date

A mystery quilt event – a different one every time. Learn new and interesting techniques while creating a fun quilt.  We have lots of different mysteries – one can be done in three hours, one takes five and several are all day.  All are good for confident beginners to intermediates.

Stripper Club

What do you do with those leftover strips? Bring some to class and we will show you how to make a spool puzzle, paddlewheel blocks, double HSTs, braids, braided table runner, Amish bars, trip around the world, bargello, bias beauty stars, and as many more blocks as we can fit in the class time. This is more of a process-oriented than a product-oriented class.  Students will NOT be making a quilt top.  They will be making a variety of blocks in different sizes, any one of which can be the inspiration for a full quilt.   Perfect for beginners as well as intermediate quilters.  Can be done as a full day or half-day.  Pictures of just a few of the blocks made in class can be seen on the Samples page.

Demo Round-up

We call this the Demo Round-up because we keep showing the same tips and techniques over and over.  This is a good program if something else is going on at the same time or if you have a large group as everyone will have at least one opportunity to see the demo. Watch while we offer tips and techniques to make quiltmaking easier.  You are bound to learn at least ONE new thing!  Bring your notebook and/or a camera.  About an hour.
 

A Gaggle of Geese

How many different ways of making Flying Geese are there?  We’ve counted eleven and will explore the possibilities in class.  Good for very confident beginners as well as intermediate quilters.  As a one-day class, this is more of a process-oriented than a product-oriented class.  In a two-day or retreat class, students will actually complete a quilt top. $9 workbook fee.

Piecing in the Third Dimension

Learn how to make ordinary blocks extraordinary by adding a third dimension.  We will be showing 3D bow ties, faux cathedral windows, flying geese with just one seam, dimensional pinwheels, easy attic windows, and more.  Then we will mix them up to create even more blocks!  Bring a variety of light and dark scraps to play with, along with your rotary cutter, ruler, and mat. You will not be making a finished project, just experimenting with different ways to make blocks.  About an hour if I just demo, can be a half-day or whole day workshop if everyone makes their own block(s).  Pictures of just a few of the blocks made in class can be seen on the Samples page.

Lectures Available

Catching the Muse

This is a friendly talk and trunk show encouraging quilters to unleash their creativity and create a quilt design that represents their unique style.  About an hour. A few pictures can be seen here.

The Dating Game

How can you tell when a quilt was made? This class will help you learn the guidelines for dating quilts by their design, fabrics, colors, construction, and patterns. Learn by hands-on experience with actual textiles. Bring items from your own collection for class discussion.  About an hour.

The Newlywed Game

Using those wonderful vintage blocks in a new quilt. We’ll examine various ways to use those blocks in settings authentic to the period. We’ll talk about each period’s favorite colors, patterns, fabrics, and techniques and what makes a quilt an example of its decade. Bring your neglected blocks for analysis and suggestions by the class.  About an hour.

This is Your Life

The life and times of our foremothers were reflected by the textiles they used in their daily lives. We will discuss how fabrics, economics, politics, and other factors influenced our quilt heritage and discuss the tools and methods that might have been used.  About an hour and a half.

Treasure Hunt

Once an indication of poverty, feedsacks are now gold to whoever owns them.  What was a feedsack and how was it used?  Learn about these wonderful reflections of America’s rural past.  Expect to see and touch great examples of quilts, clothing, dolls, and other items made from feed-sacks.  About 1/2 hour

Repair, Restore, Conserve

What to do with a damaged quilt and tips on how to do it.  We will also discuss how you can repair or otherwise treat an old, worn, tattered quilt that has won your heart. You are welcome to bring a quilt for analysis by the class. About an hour. A few pictures can be seen on the Samples page.

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” -Benjamin Franklin