Upcoming Educational Programs & Events
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In this talk, Art Historian Kristen Spiros explores how plant life was sewn into 19th-century quilts, not simply to complement formal traditions of the craft, but also as representations of women's education, material resources, interest in the natural world, and scientific inquiry.
Kristen Spiros received her MA in Art History from the University of Georgia in May 2025. For her capstone research, Spiros collaborated with the QFA Museum, using their permanent collection to create Binding Botany: Nineteenth Century Quilts, a digital exhibition exploring representations of nature in quilts of the period.
Selections from Binding Botany will be on view at the QFA Museum from March 25th to June 14th, 2026.
After the talk, please join us for an Artist Reception celebrating Binding Botany. There will be free admission and refreshments from 2-5 pm.
In this talk, Art Historian Kristen Spiros explores how plant life was sewn into 19th-century quilts, not simply to complement formal traditions of the craft, but also as representations of women's education, material resources, interest in the natural world, and scientific inquiry.
Kristen Spiros received her MA in Art History from the University of Georgia in May 2025. For her capstone research, Spiros collaborated with the QFA Museum, using their permanent collection to create Binding Botany: Nineteenth Century Quilts, a digital exhibition exploring representations of nature in quilts of the period.
Selections from Binding Botany will be on view at the QFA Museum from March 25th to June 14th, 2026.
After the talk, please join us for an Artist Reception celebrating Binding Botany. There will be free admission and refreshments from 2-5 pm.
11am to 3pm on April 25th and May 2nd
This introductory machine sewing class is for anyone who has a sewing machine they’re unsure how to use, or who is curious about trying one for the first time!
Day 1: Students will learn the basics of threading, tension, stitch length, and simple machine care. We will cover how to choose appropriate fabric, thread, and needles for different projects.
Day 2: Students may choose to complete a small project: a tote bag, simple apron, or pillow.
Students will leave feeling much more confident using a sewing machine on their own! Bring your own machine from home, or try one of ours.
About your instructor:
Jane Burleigh is a textile artist, educator, and former marine canvas worker based in Bellingham, WA. Raised around vintage textiles by her quilter mother, she holds a deep respect for domestic craft. Jane teaches workshops that invite people to connect with the long lineage of textile craft while making something beautiful and useful.
This introductory machine sewing class is for anyone who has a sewing machine they’re unsure how to use, or who is curious about trying one for the first time!
Day 1: Students will learn the basics of threading, tension, stitch length, and simple machine care. We will cover how to choose appropriate fabric, thread, and needles for different projects.
Day 2: Students may choose to complete a small project: a tote bag, simple apron, or pillow.
Students will leave feeling much more confident using a sewing machine on their own! Bring your own machine from home, or try one of ours.
About your instructor:
Jane Burleigh is a textile artist, educator, and former marine canvas worker based in Bellingham, WA. Raised around vintage textiles by her quilter mother, she holds a deep respect for domestic craft. Jane teaches workshops that invite people to connect with the long lineage of textile craft while making something beautiful and useful.
Join us for an exciting opportunity to hear from fiber artist Terri Shinn! Shinn's 3-dimensional vessels celebrate the textures and colors of trees. Using hand-dyed fabrics and a combination of hand and machine stitching, Shinn's detailed and tactile works honor nature through textiles.
The talk will take place at the La Conner Inn conference room, located at 107 South Second Street, La Conner, WA
After the Artist Talk, join us at the QFA Museum for an Artist Reception with free admission and refreshments from
2 pm-5pm.
The talk will take place at the La Conner Inn conference room, located at 107 South Second Street, La Conner, WA
After the Artist Talk, join us at the QFA Museum for an Artist Reception with free admission and refreshments from
2 pm-5pm.
In this hands-on workshop, learn how to take the colors in your environment and apply them to your creative projects. Designed to inspire fiber artists of all kinds to expand their awareness of color, create bold and brilliant combinations, incorporate new hues, and notice what stands out to you.
Instructor Dorothy Bird is a trailblazing multimedia artist and designer. Her early art training laid a strong foundation for her future innovative knitwear and garment designs. Throughout an adventurous life—including rock climbing, living in wilderness lookout towers, operating commercial fishing boats in the Puget Sound and Alaska, working as a massage therapist for 35 years, and raising a child—Bird always carried her knitting, sewing and art supplies, making art a daily practice. Independence and a lifelong commitment to art are central to her identity.
Dorothy Bird has taught many workshops, and her art has been featured in Threads Magazine and Wool Gatherers’ Quarterly. Her work has been exhibited all over the country, including the Bellevue Arts Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Tacoma Art Museum, Depot Gallery in Anacortes. Look forward to her forthcoming retrospective at the QFA Museum in 2026! Bird currently resides in La Conner, WA.
Instructor Dorothy Bird is a trailblazing multimedia artist and designer. Her early art training laid a strong foundation for her future innovative knitwear and garment designs. Throughout an adventurous life—including rock climbing, living in wilderness lookout towers, operating commercial fishing boats in the Puget Sound and Alaska, working as a massage therapist for 35 years, and raising a child—Bird always carried her knitting, sewing and art supplies, making art a daily practice. Independence and a lifelong commitment to art are central to her identity.
Dorothy Bird has taught many workshops, and her art has been featured in Threads Magazine and Wool Gatherers’ Quarterly. Her work has been exhibited all over the country, including the Bellevue Arts Museum, Museum of Northwest Art, Tacoma Art Museum, Depot Gallery in Anacortes. Look forward to her forthcoming retrospective at the QFA Museum in 2026! Bird currently resides in La Conner, WA.
The QFA Museum is proud to present Bojagi Festival, in collaboration with Youngmin Lee and Miran Lee, master bojagi artists and teachers.
Bojagi—Korean wrapping cloths—are vibrant, hand-stitched art pieces that transform fabric scraps into modern masterpieces.
Over the course of the weekend, participate in hands-on workshops, enjoy a lecture on the origins and cultural significance of bojagi, and explore Pieces for a Piece, the stunning bojagi exhibition curated by Youngmin Lee and Miran Lee on view at the QFA Museum from June 3 to August 23, 2026.
Bojagi Festival Schedule
Friday, June 19 - Lotus Leaf Mat Bojagi Workshop
Saturday, June 20 - Bojagi, The Art of Korean Textiles Lecture
Sunday, June 21 - Intro to Bojagi Workshop
Each program can be registered for individually; however, a full weekend pass offers a discount and free admission to the QFA Museum for the entire weekend.
Bojagi—Korean wrapping cloths—are vibrant, hand-stitched art pieces that transform fabric scraps into modern masterpieces.
Over the course of the weekend, participate in hands-on workshops, enjoy a lecture on the origins and cultural significance of bojagi, and explore Pieces for a Piece, the stunning bojagi exhibition curated by Youngmin Lee and Miran Lee on view at the QFA Museum from June 3 to August 23, 2026.
Bojagi Festival Schedule
Friday, June 19 - Lotus Leaf Mat Bojagi Workshop
Saturday, June 20 - Bojagi, The Art of Korean Textiles Lecture
Sunday, June 21 - Intro to Bojagi Workshop
Each program can be registered for individually; however, a full weekend pass offers a discount and free admission to the QFA Museum for the entire weekend.
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Create a Lotus Leaf mat using Kkojipgi, Homjil, and Gamchimjil, three different bojagi stitching techniques. The lotus leaf mat features a simple, organic shape with a raised line composition that highlights both structure and texture. The lotus, a symbol of purity, enlightenment, and rebirth across many cultures, serves as the inspiration for this work.
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In this lecture, Youngmin Lee, Miran Lee, and other bojagi artists will introduce the history, aesthetics, and cultural significance of bojagi. Bojagi, Korean wrapping cloths, are pieced together from small fabric scraps and represent one of the most distinctive forms of Korean textile art. Used across all social classes, they served both practical and symbolic purposes—from wrapping everyday items to protecting precious objects and food.
With their bold compositions and colors, bojagi feel strikingly contemporary, often evoking modern abstract art. After the lecture, please join us across the street at the QFA Museum for an Artist Reception with refreshments and free admission from 2-close. |
In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn essential bojagi stitching techniques, including ssamsol, a distinctive seam that allows for the construction of a single-layered jogakbo, patchwork bojagi. Participants will also explore how to construct bojagi through an improvisational design process, encouraging intuitive composition and personal expression.
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The QFA Museum recognizes that the registration fees for classes, lectures, and workshops could post a financial barrier for some participants. Please reach out to [email protected] for financial aid information. Thank you!
