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GENERAL MEETINGS

General meetings are held on the third Monday of every month, except for January and February when the meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month due to Monday holidays. Please note this isn’t always the Tuesday after the holiday!

In-person meetings are currently held at Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord, CA.

Zoom meetings will be held for speakers who are out of the area.

Registration is required only for Zoom meetings. However, if you register for an in-person meeting you will receive email reminders close to the event date. You can cancel at any time.


GQCCC Event Policies

UPCOMING GENERAL MEETINGS

    • September 21, 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord
    Register

    Kim Brownell

    Join Kim through her quilting and design journey using a variety of different techniques. Her work is sometimes realistic and sometimes totally wacky, and the walk through her collection of works is a truly eclectic trek.

    More About Kim

    Kim's creative journey is equal parts curiosity, chaos, and fun stories. Her love affair with fiber arts is obvious in her quilts, wall hangings, and textile adventures.

    Kim is a well known teacher with a knack for playful instruction, a collection of wild-and-wonderful fabrics, and entertaining, informative lectures. Her philosophy is that fiber art should be as joyful and surprising as finding a forgotten chocolate bar in your sewing kit.

    Check out her website at thewackydoodlequilter.com







    • October 19, 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord
    Register

    Fern Royce

    Improvisational quilting is an intuitive way of creating quilts. Fern often starts her quilts by playing with scraps or an idea, drawing a rough sketch or wondering: What if? In this lecture Fern describes her quilting process and how each decision informs the next, keeping her engaged, focused and often unsure of what happens next.

    More About Fern

    Fern was born and raised in Northern California, surrounded by sewing, textiles and quilts.  She took her first quilt class in 1995 and learned the basics, but never followed patterns. She studied old quilts and quilt books – focusing especially on antique, Amish, and African American quilts. She was also greatly influenced by the books and work of Gwen Marston. and quickly followed her sharp left turn onto the Liberated Quilting path.  In 2012, with Gwen’s blessing and encouragement, she started teaching. 

    Check out her website at fernroycequilting.com

      

    • November 16, 2026
    • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Zoom
    Register

    Patricia Belyea

    Join Patricia for a flashback of the Tokyo Quilt Festival and a tour of the 2024 Yokohama Quilt Festival. She will also show her own quilts, made with vintage Japanese cottons, and will talk about how these special fabrics inspired her.

    More About Patricia

    A creative quilt maker, speaker and teacher, Patricia co-owns Okan Arts with her daughter Victoria. The small family business imports vintage Japanese textiles, hosts online quilting workshops and in-person retreats, and leads textile tours to Japan. 

    Patricia also writes a blog, speaks at quilt guilds and teaches workshops around the US.  She is the author of East-Meets-West Quilts: Explore Improv with Japanese-Inspired Designs , a book about making improv quilts with Japanese fabrics, released in 2017.

    Check out her website at okanarts.com

       

    • December 14, 2026
    • 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    • Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord
    Register

    Join us for a special Holidays Around the World event at the guild’s end-of-year celebration. 


    No passport or plane ticket is required, just simply register.


    Non-members are welcome to this event at no charge, but please register so we know you are coming!


    Secret Pal Gift Exchange --  a friendly reminder for those participating:


    •  Please bring a wrapped gift labeled with your Secret Pal’s name and your own name.

    •  Handmade gifts are encouraged — but remember, it’s the thought that counts!

    •  $30 maximum value, please.

      Evening Highlights

      •  Games – with fun prizes!

      •  Food – At event registration, you’ll be prompted to indicate the finger food you’ll bring to share as either an appetizer or dessert.  International flare encouraged!

      •  Holiday Quilt Show-and-Tell – Please bring a favorite to share.

        • January 19, 2027
        • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
        • Zoom
        Register

        Dana Jones

        You will be transported to a tiny island -- just 13 acres -- in the central Philippines as you enjoy images and stories of the colorful quilts and the more than 100 quiltmakers of Caohagan Island. You’ll see photos of more than 50 of these handmade, one-of-a-kind quilts plus be introduced to the unique techniques developed by these quiltmakers whose tools are simply fabric and scissors, needle and thread.

        Dana spent more than a month on the island, quilted with the residents, went fabric shopping with them on nearby Cebu Island, and snorkeled the reef that surrounds Caohagan. Those who view the quilts come away smiling, inspired by the creativity of these women and men.

        More about Dana

        Dana became passionate about quilts in 2003, when she began taking classes and attending quilt shows whenever possible.  She began teaching In 2007, and in 2009 she moved to Colorado to work as an editor for Quilters Newsletter magazine.  Within a year was running the magazine. She was also an editor of the SAQA Journal (Studio Art Quilt Associates) prior to leaving to research and write the book "Pagtinabangay: The Quilts and Quiltmakers of Caohagan Island." 

        She lives at 9,200 feet in Colorado in the Rocky Mountains where she designs and makes quilts, teaches, and speaks and writes about quiltmaking and quiltmakers. She is also a regular teacher at several quilt shops in Colorado and has taught at Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.

        Check out her website at danajonesquilt.com

          

         

        • February 16, 2027
        • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
        • Zoom
        Register

        Beth Helfter

        This presentation will have you thinking about half square triangle construction in ways you never thought possible!

        Beth's "Accordion Sewn HSTs" technique is a way to make half square triangles without identical twins, less waste when you want to be scrappy, and can even be used in concert with appliqué, quarter square triangles, and so much more! She will bring you through the whole basic process with a short, live narrated video, and then we will be off to check out all sorts of quilts made using its various iterations and techniques. You will never look at making half square triangles the same way again!

        More about Beth

        Beth is a quilt designer, author, and instructor from Massachusetts who’s been quilting for over thirty years and building a business since 2005. Her work has been featured in Quilters World, The Quilter, Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Quilts From Quiltmakers 100 Blocks, and was a member of the 2014 Quiltmaker “Scrap Squad.”

        Her style tends toward the scrappy and her designs mirror her company tagline: "Inspired Designs, Relaxed Attitude." She created the "Accordion Sewn HSTs™" method and authored two books on the process. Beth strives to create a relaxed atmosphere of learning with a fun pattern or technique that doesn’t aim for perfection, but rather a great day of quilty entertainment and learning.

        Check out her website at evapaigequilts.com

            

        • March 15, 2027
        • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
        • Centre Concord, 5298 Clayton Road, Concord
        Register

        Marjan Kluepfel

        This is an educational slide lecture and trunk show with a big dose of humor woven in. You will learn about Marjan's untraditional approach to quilting and how she creates her hand-dyed fabrics. She explains where her ideas and inspiration come from, how her work has evolved over the years and why she does what she does. Learn from Marjan’s mistakes so you won’t make them yourself!

        More About Marjan

        Marjan grew up in the Netherlands. After living in Florida, Hawaii, South Carolina and Australia, she now makes her home in Northern California. Her inspiration comes from the natural wonders encountered in these places, both on land and under water.

        Check out her website at marjankluepfel.com

          

      Past General Meetings

      August 17, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Trunk Show" with Sandra Mollon (IN-PERSON)
      July 20, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: Social and Sew-In (IN-PERSON)
      June 15, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Fashion Showcase" (IN-PERSON)
      May 18, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Stories in Stitches - The Journey Continues" with Sujata Shah (IN-PERSON)
      April 20, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Quilt Show Afterglow (IN-PERSON)
      March 16, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Quilts as Commentary: A Source of Healing, Expression and Action" with Lorraine Woodruff-Long (IN-PERSON)
      February 17, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "Confessions of a Fabric Whisperer" with Ellen Lindner (ZOOM)
      January 20, 2026 GENERAL MEETING: "The Big Ideas" with Christina Cameli (ZOOM)
      December 15, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Holiday Social" (IN-PERSON)
      November 17, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Art-Quilt-Texture" with Luke Haynes (ZOOM)
      October 20, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Everything but the Cotton" with Julia McLeod (IN-PERSON)
      September 15, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Let's Get Rolling On Your Quilting/Creativity Goals" with Mel Beach (IN-PERSON)
      August 18, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Material Matrix and the Paths Taken" with Sandra Bruce (ZOOM)
      July 21, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Exploring Arpilleras in Chile" with Estrella Shoka (IN-PERSON)
      June 16, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: Donation Sew-In (IN-PERSON)
      May 19, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "You Be The Judge" with Kitty Oliver (IN-PERSON)
      April 21, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "My Animal Quilts" with Nancy Brown (IN-PERSON)
      March 17, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Finding Flow in the Process" with Michelle Wyman (IN-PERSON)
      February 18, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "The Chaos of Perfection: Inviting Grace into Our Creative Practice" with Maday Delgado (ZOOM)
      January 21, 2025 GENERAL MEETING: "Sewing & Survival: Native American Quilts from 1880 - 2022" with Teresa Duryea Wong (ZOOM)
      December 16, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: Holiday Social (IN-PERSON)
      November 18, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Letters, Numbers, Words, and Sentences" with Thomas Knauer (ZOOM)
      October 21, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Shared Stitches and Stories" with Laura Nownes (IN-PERSON)
      September 16, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Design Process" with Tara Faughnan (IN-PERSON)
      August 19, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: Donation Sewing Circle (IN-PERSON)
      July 15, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Cotton & Thrift: Feed Sacks and the Cotton of American Households" with Dr. Marian Ann Montgomery (IN-PERSON)
      June 17, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "C&T Publishing: How It All Began" with Carolie Hensley (IN-PERSON)
      May 20, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "It’s Not A Quilt Until It’s Quilted" with Becky Goldsmith (ZOOM)
      April 15, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: Quilt Show Afterglow (IN-PERSON)
      March 18, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Fast and Fun Little Quilt Patterns" with Pat Fryer (IN-PERSON)
      February 20, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Cutting Edge Explorations" with Valerie Goodwin (ZOOM)
      January 16, 2024 GENERAL MEETING: "Minimal Design, Maximum Impact" with David Owen Hastings (ZOOM)
      December 11, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: Holiday Social (IN-PERSON)
      November 13, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "A Magical History Tour" with Eleanor Levie (ZOOM)
      October 16, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Watching Traditions Evolve" with Pati Fried (IN-PERSON)
      September 18, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Spoken in Silk " with Carol Ziogas (IN-PERSON)
      August 21, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: Donation Sewing Bee (IN-PERSON)
      July 17, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Exploring Quilt Collage" with Deborah Boschert (ZOOM)
      June 19, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: Hawaiian Games Night
      May 15, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Four Women Four Quilts" with Pixeladies (ZOOM)
      April 17, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Quilt Show Afterglow" (IN-PERSON)
      March 20, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Spontaneous Creation and Inspiration" with Sheila Frampton Cooper (ZOOM)
      February 21, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "Artful Couching: Texture and Definition" with Rachel Derstine (ZOOM)
      January 17, 2023 GENERAL MEETING: "How to Be a Green Quilter: Making Our Passion More Eco-Friendly" with Bridget O'Flaherty (ZOOM)
      December 19, 2022 GENERAL MEETING: Holiday Social
      November 14, 2022 GENERAL MEETING: "Quilts of Illusions" with Karen Combs (ZOOM)
      October 17, 2022 GENERAL MEETING: "My Quilting Habit" with Kena Tangi Dorsey (ZOOM)
      September 19, 2022 GENERAL MEETING: "Rules and Options of Planned Improv Piecing" with Sarah Goer (IN-PERSON)

      PAST GENERAL MEETINGS (Prior to September 2022)

      • NOV: "Trunk Show" with Lenore Hubal
      • OCT: "Trunk Show" with Claire Witherspoon
      • SEP: "My Life in Quilts" with Joe Cunningham
      • JUL: "Geography of a Quilter" with Lynn Wilder
      • JUN: "Down and Dirty Designs and Terrific Techniques" with Linda Schmidt
      • MAY: "Trunk Show" with Colleen Granger
      • APR: "I Quilt, Therefore I Am" with Laura Wasilowski
      • MAR: "A Fashionista's Journey: Art Quilts, Whimsical to Traditional" with Kathryn Pellman
      • FEB: "American Jane Patterns" with Sandy Klop
      • JAN: "The Art of Treasure Hunting and Wearable Art" with Mary Boyer

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