Program & Workshop Details
TaMara Howard
Lecture & Workshop
March 12th & 13th, 2026
TaMara Howard's Website
About TaMara Howard
My quilting journey began in 1996, inspired by the legacy of my great-grandmother Maggie V. Folk McClellan, whose modern, intuitive quilts have touched four generations of my family. Rooted in Appalachian and Southern African American traditions, my work honors storytelling, resourcefulness, and cultural memory. As founder of The Quilt Empowerment Project, I blend my background in engineering with a deep love for fabric to teach structured, culturally responsive quilting. I often incorporate African textiles, historic block patterns, and symbolic color to preserve ancestral narratives and inspire new traditions.
Lecture Details
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2026
TIme: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: The Community House415 W. 9th Street, Hinsdale, IL
Cost: Free
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Overview: "Quilting with African Fabrics and Motifs"
Bold. Beautiful. Misunderstood. African fabrics—like wax prints, hand-dyed batiks, and kente—are full of life, meaning, and visual power, yet many quilters shy away from them. Why? Misconceptions around cultural appropriation, limited accessibility, and the challenge of working with such graphic designs can make these fabrics feel intimidating. But it’s time to flip the script. In this engaging lecture, I’ll share my journey of quilting with African textiles and invite you into a world where color, culture, and creativity collide. You’ll experience a dynamic trunk show of original quilts that showcase the richness of African fabrics in contemporary compositions, and we’ll talk candidly about how to approach these fabrics with confidence, respect, and intention.
About the Workshop
Get ready to dive in! For the workshop, master fabric curator Kena Dorsey—whose eye for color and composition is unmatched—has created several bold and exciting kits using wax prints sourced directly from Nigeria. These thoughtfully curated palettes will challenge your color instincts as we explore contrast, value, and balance to create a cohesive quilt top. Whether you’re new to African fabrics or looking for fresh ways to use them, this workshop will stretch your creativity and leave you feeling energized, empowered, and inspired to tell new stories with fabric. Ready to quilt outside the lines? Let’s go! This workshop includes a kit. The kit fee is $24.​​
Registration is required. Scroll down to register for this workshop.
Workshop Details
Location: Township of Lyons
6404 Joliet Road, Countryside, IL 60525
Entrance is at rear of parking lot.(South side of Joliet Road, between Willow Springs Road and Brainard.
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Workshop Hours
Doors open at 8:30am
Full Day Workshops from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm unless otherwise specified ​​
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Sew Kit Required for this Workshop
This workshop includes a kit. The kit fee is $24 and can be purchased on the day of the workshop.
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Workshop Costs
Classes are $40 members and $50 for non-members.
Classes are open to non-members 60 days prior to class date. Prior to that date, non-members should email saltcreekquiltguild@gmail.com to be placed on a waiting list.