Monthly Programing 2026
The Coachella Valley Quilt Guild presents excellent speakers, including nationally known teachers and lecturers, that provide insight to a wide variety of topics related to quilting, from traditional to modern, from piecing techniques to design embellishments. The lectures are presented immediately after our monthly Saturday membership meetings, and classes are usually held on the Sunday following the meeting at the same facility, at another noted facility, or on Zoom. Classes can fill up fast, so if you see one that interests you, sign up by clicking the fee button, or contact the Programs Co-Chair, Marcia Ulrich at programscvqg@gmail.com
Beginning in September 2026, Saturday meetings will be held at Mizell Center, 480 S. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs. ENTER THE PARKING LOT FROM RAMON DRIVE. Doors open early at 9am for a social time and refreshments before the meeting at 10am. Join us there!
November Programs
Saturday, November 14
Grace Errea — The Value of Value
Hybrid Meeting -- Speaker in Person
Meeting starts at 10:00am
Program starts at 11:00am
Meeting is at Mizell Center 480 S Sunrise Way , Palm Springs, CA
Fiber artist, designer, quilter, and author, Grace J. Errea, began quilting in 2000. Her art focuses on the depiction of inspiring scenes in a value-based contemporary-realistic manner. She feels very fortunate to have many of her first quilts become exhibited in juried shows and be recognized for their innovation in technique and depiction of nature and people.
Grace’s innovative techniques and her focus on value have attracted widespread interest from quilters, as well as national and international galleries, museums and publications. She has been invited to show her art and to teach overseas and in various locations in the United States.
In her lecture Grace will show how color gets all the credit but VALUE is what always makes a successful piece. Learn all about VALUE, how to see it, how to use it, and how to always come out with an amazing, successful piece by focusing on value and letting all else fall into place naturally.
Guest Fee $10 — Pay Below
November Class
Sunday, November 15
Grace Errea
From Inspirational Photo to Quilt Pattern
Workshop is 9:00am to 4:00pm
Setup starts at 8:30am and teardown is at 3:30pm
Class is held at Del Webb Sun City Shadow Hills Montecito Clubhouse. See button below for driving instructions.
This 1-day workshop presents to the participants the steps required to turn inspirational original photographs(s) and create a pattern that then can be used to create an amazing fabric art.
This workshop will hone your skills needed to go home, take your favorite photo, and create an amazing textile from it. Grace will show how to enhance perspective and depth, how to proportionately enlarge the drawing from the photo(s) and how to incorporate multiple photos in one design. We will also discuss what to look for when taking photos for potential art quilts.
In this class we will all be working on the same photo provided by Grace. Using this simple photo we will go through the steps of identifying shapes, creating the pattern, and value-lizing the final pattern for easy fabric selection.
Grace will provide the photo to work from, and she will also provide copies of the pattern from that photo to start your creation. You will learn the steps to create freezer paper templates and the vinyl map for the quilt constructions. You will not only learn how to create your own patterns from photos but will walk out with a great, full sized pattern from Grace that you can then test out you new skills by creating a quilt from it.
Member Fee: $45.00
Non-member Fee: $55.00
This class requires a kit that is provided by the teacher containing the photo used in the class, and the pattern sample, Value Matching Tool and the Periodic Value in Color Chart. The kit costs $40 payable to the instructor Grace Errea.
Monthly Programing 2027
January Program
Saturday, January 9
Mary Gorfine
Set Yourself Up For Successful Stitching
Hybrid Meeting -- Speaker in Person
Meeting starts at 10:00am
Program starts at 11:00am
Meeting is at Mizell Center 480 S Sunrise Way , Palm Springs, CA
Mary Gorfine has taught quilt making and needle arts for nearly 40 years and is member of the Studio Arts Quilt Associates (SAQA,) the Southern California Quilt Guild Association, the Coachella Valley Quilt Guild, the Desert Art Center and the Artists Council. In addition to many juried shows and festivals over the years, her work has been shown at non-juried quilt shows and invitational community events.
When Mary is not making quilts she is happily creating other things with fabric and/or paper, including art journals, formal bound books—and anything else that puts a smile on her face.
January Class
Sunday, January 10
Mary Gorfine
Designer Handbags
Workshop is 9:00am to 4:00pm
Setup starts at 8:30am and teardown is at 3:30pm
Class is held at Palm Desert Library
73300 Fred Waring Dr
Palm Desert, CA
About a year ago Mary rekindled an old interest in working with pre-loved jeans and started making denim bags. It’s been a long time since Mary has sewn much of anything besides quilts, so the learning curve for creating 3-dimensional objects was pretty steep. Zippers actually made her cry! Eventually Mary got the hang of it all and is now enjoying the whole process. Join her in a little departure from the quilt-making that we all love and have some fun playing with old jeans.
Try your hand at turning pre-loved jeans into a denim tote bag in this beginner-friendly class. We’ll start by “deconstructing” a pair of jeans and then use the pieces to make a bag without using a pattern. This tote has boxed corners, a magnetic snap closure, several pockets, and straps. The pants waistband becomes a sturdy top for your bag. You’ll even install a zipper for one pocket (if Mary can do it so can you!) and Mary will share resources for more techniques in case you catch the denim bag bug.
Cost $35 for Member $45 for Non-Member including lecture
Guest Fee $10 — Pay Below
February Program
Saturday, February 13
Kim Jamieson-Hirst
Dresden Plate: A Creative Spin on Tradition
Hybrid Meeting -- Speaker on Zoom
Note: Speaker begins at 10 am this meeting
Meeting starts at 11:00am
Meeting is at Mizell Center 480 S Sunrise Way , Palm Springs, CA
In the early days of Kim Jamieson-Hirst's journey it was all about the techniques. As she became more proficient as a quilter Kim realized that learning more techniques is not the secret to enjoying your quilting to its fullest. It became clear to her that while it was important to hone her skills, it wasn’t the secret to getting the most enjoyment from her quilting.
Kim found that she enjoyed quilting the most when she was quilting what she wanted, when she wanted, and when she was connected with other quilters.
The classic Dresden Plate block has stood the test of time, but what if you could give it a fresh, modern twist? Join Kim as she reimagines this iconic design with bold fabric choices, unique fan blade variations, and innovative layouts that will breathe new life into your quilts!
In this exciting session, Kim will guide you through creative ways to update the Dresden Plate, from experimenting with asymmetry to incorporating unexpected fabric combinations that give a contemporary feel. She’ll also introduce you to partial Dresden Plates, a fun variation that adds movement and interest to your designs.
Plus, Kim will share her expert tips for creating and using reusable templates to ensure precise, flawless finishes every time. Whether you’re new to Dresden Plates or looking to take your skills to the next level, this presentation will leave you inspired and eager to explore all the modern possibilities of this timeless block!