​Salt Creek Quilters Guild
Western Springs, IL
2025 - 2026 Programs and Workshops
MEETINGS/LECTURES
Meeting Location
The Community House (Rotary Room) 415 West Eight Street, Hinsdale, IL 60521
Meeting Hours
We meet from 7:00 - 9:00 pm on the second Thursday of each month, September through May. "Doors" open at 6:30 pm.
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Meeting Costs
Guests are welcome to attend most meetings/lectures at a cost of $10 for nonmembers.
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WORKSHOPS
Members of the Salt Creek Quilters Guild can sign up for workshops at the monthly meetings or by using the registration buttons below.
Workshop 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.)
Workshop Hours
Doors open at 8:30am
Full Day Workshops from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm unless otherwise specified
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Workshop Costs
Classes are $40 members and $50 for non-members.
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​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.
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September 11, 2025 Thursday
Erika Mulvenna https://sewsitall.blogspot.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Diary of a Color Nerd!”
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This lecture and trunk show will introduce participants to some basic color theory ideas, definitions, and practices while showcasing how these ideas influenced Erika’s very colorful quilts.​
September 12, 2025 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Color Transparency with Value and Hue”
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​Transparency quilts create the illusion of dimension and overlapping shapes that blend in a new color. Break down the basics of forming the transparency illusion using value (light/dark), hue (related colors), and convincing overlapping shapes with hands-on experiments and class discussion. Explore the basics of these concepts with colored paper before completing multiple 12” x 12” fabric blocks forming basic transparency illusions and learn how to make Erika’s 3-dimensional transparency blocks (featured in her Transparency Study quilt).
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This workshop includes a kit. The kit fee is $26.​​​
Erika Mulvenna is a Fiber Artist, author, and educator who has a deep appreciation for the process of sewing and quilting. She earned a BFA in Fiber Arts, learning under internationally renowned quilter M. J. Lintault.
Known for her fascination with color theory and bright colors, her work has been featured in magazines, online publications, and multiple exhibits worldwide. Erika is passionate about sharing her love of sewing and quilting with others and inspiring them to explore their creativity.
September 13, 2025 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
October 9, 2025 Thursday
Leah Evans https://www.leahevanstextiles.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Science in Quilting”
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This talk covers how Leah used themes of microbiology, climate change, and geology in her quilts. She will share photos of contemporary and historic examples of quilts that address science themes or have contributed to science research - like the AIDS quilt, Linda Gass’s art activism, and Ellen Harding Baker’s 1880s Solar System quilt. Leah will bring several quilts to show and discuss an NSF funded project she is doing with the UW Geology Museum based on very old rock in Canada called the Acasta gneiss.
October 10, 2025 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
“Place-based Mini Quilt”
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Create a small-scale landscape or map using a variety of techniques. Leah will introduce her personal style of reverse appliqué and cater it to different experience levels. Fabric and color selection, repurposing materials, composition, and hand stitching will also be addressed. Come with ideas or memories of places that have moved you, but more importantly come with a desire to experiment and have fun!
Leah Evans is a studio art quilter who has been working out of Madison, WI for more than 20 years. After completing a BFA in textile design at the University of Kansas she has exhibited in galleries and art and craft shows across the country. She has won awards at shows such as the Smithsonian Craft Show, the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show, and the Cherry Creek Art Festival in Denver, CO. Her art has been licensed by Spotify and on display in the US Embassy in Rwanda.
In 2015, after being recognized by Honoring the Future, an organization that promotes artists addressing climate change and sustainability, she has focused heavily on themes of human change on the landscape. She lectures and teaches workshops focusing on reuse and our relationship to land.
October 11, 2025 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
November 13, 2025 Thursday
Lori Noble https://www.lorirehndesigns.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
Lecture and trunk show
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Lori will talk about her journey as an artist and quilter and show samples of her work. She will also lead a short lesson in making fabric yo-yo's. Expect some colorful fun!
November 14, 2025 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Scrappy Pumpkin Applique”
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Create some fun Fall decorations that use your scraps, add some fibers, yarns and ribbons to make your own one-of-a-kind fabric for constructing your own applique.
I will show you how to make an applique to apply on a bag, door hanger, pillow or any decoration you dream of for this textural technique.
Lori Noble is the creative force behind Lori Rehn Designs, a brand that celebrates artistic expression and the joy of sewing. Drawing on a rich foundation of skills gained through university education, seminars, classes, and self-study, Lori channels her knowledge into creating designs that are as imaginative as they are inspiring.
Known for her whimsical, bright, and happy style, Lori has made a mark in the world of accessory design. She has crafted several sewing patterns, which are proudly represented in fabric stores across the United States. But her creativity doesn’t stop there. Lori is deeply passionate about empowering others to explore their own artistic potential. Through innovative sewing projects, she encourages students to tap into their creativity and express themselves through fabric and design.
November 15, 2025 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
December 11, 2025 Thursday
Annual Holiday Party
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December 12, 2025 Friday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
January 8, 2026 Thursday
Sue Pawlowski https://www.jacksquaresstudio.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“My 600 lb. Life, Confessions of a Serial Quilter”
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Sue will tell us about her journey as a quilter and present a trunk show of her work.
January 9, 2026 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Frere Jacques /Jack’s Chain”
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Sue will walk us through these patterns that pair hexagons and 9-patches. The quilts are different but the same, so participants can choose either pattern; many options with 3 different scales, small, medium and large.
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Participants can buy both the pattern and the templates through Sue's website at www.jacksquaresstudio.com or in person on the day of the workshop. The pattern cost is $9.
Sue Pawlowski I was bit by the quilting bug about 30 years ago when a friend of mine dragged me kicking and screaming to a quilting class. My earliest quilting influence came from Judy Martin and Debbie Mumm. After 6 years of stitching in the ditch, I bought my first longarm. I have been professionally longarm quilting for over 25 years. Contrary to what some believe I do sleep; I wake up in the morning and look forward to a new quilting challenge. I also enjoy teaching and sharing my knowledge about quilting. I get so excited when I find I have helped form a new quilt addict. I have a fascination with the hexagon and hand piecing. My favorite color is polka dot and my favorite kind of quilt to make is scrappy.
January 10, 2026 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
Sarah Nishiura is a Chicago based quiltmaker who utilizes traditional techniques to craft quilts out of recycled and vintage materials. Inspired by numerous textile traditions including 19th and early 20th century American Quilts, Sarah's work explores and celebrates the infinite possibilities of geometric design. Her quilts have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the U.S. and abroad including the Iowa Quilt Museum, the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Art, the New England Quilt Museum, the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, and the Yokohama Quilt Fest in Japan. Her quilts have been featured in numerous magazines and blogs including Martha Stewart Living, QuiltFolk Magazine, Chicago Magazine, and Food and Wine, and they are included in private, corporate, and public art collections throughout the United States. Sarah’s work has been supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Center for Craft. Sarah has an MFA in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a BA in visual arts from Brown University.
February 14, 2026 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
February 12, 2026 Thursday
Sarah Nishiura http://www.sarahnishiura.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Sarah Nishiura Quilts, looking back and looking forward”
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After a brief lecture that shares the story of her quilts - why she makes them, how she makes them, and what inspires them, Sarah will share a selection of her most recent quilts.
February 13, 2026 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Strip Piecing”
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Strip piecing is a wonderful technique for producing perfect checkerboard patterns, zigzags and diamonds, but it can also be used when creating exciting improv designs. In this workshop, we will examine strip pieced designs developed by the Seminole Indians in the early twentieth century, and other traditional patterns that utilize strip piecing, and then we will shift focus to experiment with the improv potential of the technique. Participants will create a range of unique pieced designs samples that they can choose to incorporate into larger quilt projects or keep as standalone works of art.
March 12, 2026 Thursday
TaMara Howard https://www.folkquilts.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Quilting with African Fabrics and Motifs”
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​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.
March 13, 2026 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Quilting with African Fabrics and Motifs”
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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!
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This workshop includes a kit. The kit fee is $24.​​​
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.
March 14, 2026 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
April 9, 2026 Thursday
Laura Strickland https://orangeblossomquilt.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Foundation Paper Piecing - for beginners to experts with all the newest notions”
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April 10, 2026 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“A Stitch in Time”
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It’s a quilt AND a clock. Yes, an actual functioning clock! We will use foundation paper piecing to make the clock face and then assemble the clock. The finished size is 20" square.
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Pattern cost is $15. Optional clock finishing kit is $35.50. Optional notions pack is $95. All will be ordered from Laura via an emailed order form and will be distributed on the day of the workshop. Details about the finishing kit and notions pack will be available at guild meetings at the sign up table.
Laura Strickland Laura Strickland is an art quilter and pattern designer, living on the banks of the Mississippi River in East Moline, Illinois. Her quilt patterns have a Mid-century Modern / Pop Culture aesthetic. She has come to quilting from a formal art background. Her fiber arts instructor at Virginia’s Governor’s School for the Arts, Lynn Sword, inspired her to pursue a love of where needle and thread meet color and design.
Drawing on her education in art history, design principles, and color theory she has chosen cloth as her main medium for expression. She is a teacher by nature. Sewing and fiber arts have been her passion since she was a little girl. She makes portrait art quilts, unique “quilty” objects, and has developed a signature trademarked technique, “Effervescent Applique”. Her quilting journey began almost 30 years ago, and she is
enjoying the adventure still.
April 11, 2026 Saturday
Open Sew at Lyons Township Building
9:00 am-3:00 pm
May 14, 2026 Thursday
Scott Flanagan https://4thandmaindesigns.com/
Lecture 7:00 pm
“Positively Pre-Cuts”
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​Discover the versatility of pre-cut fabric bundles with Scott Flanagan of 4th & Main Designs. This lecture dives into techniques, patterns, and tips for using jelly rolls, layer cakes, and charm packs to create stunning quilts. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced quilter, you'll gain fresh inspiration and practical knowledge to elevate your quilting projects.
May 15, 2026 Friday
Workshop 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
“Tuscan Vintage”
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Join Scott Flanagan for an engaging Tuscan Vintage quilt class, featuring his jelly roll-friendly pattern. Learn to master partial seams while crafting a captivating pinwheel-inspired design. This class offers valuable techniques and guidance for confident beginners and experienced quilters alike.
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Pattern cost is $12 and will be distributed on the day of the workshop.
Scott Flanagan My quilting journey started at the age of 7 sewing alongside my grandmother making quilts for Lutheran World Relief, but come from a family of crafters and woodworkers. I started 4th and Main Designs in 2011. Since then, my patterns have been frequently found in Quilters World, Quiltmaker, McCalls Quilting, and Fons & Porter magazines. I love the endless possibilities available when designing patterns and get super excited when putting together a project and normally end up with a sample within a day or two. Besides working the various magazines, I have solo authored 4 books for Annies Publishing and am a fabric designer for Northcott Fabrics Banyan Batiks and have released 4 collections so far. As for my favorite part of quilting, really all of it! From designing, to cutting, to piecing, to quilting, to binding (OK that one may be a lie!). But it is all part of the creative process and by skipping a step it feels as though part of the project is missing.
May 16, 2026 Saturday