Teaching at the John C Campbell Folk School
Good Morning, Quilters!
Did YOU miss me? Last week I was teaching at the beautiful John C Campbell Folk School nestled in the Appalachia mountains of North Carolina. The JCCFS was started in 1925 by John and Olive Campbell to teach and share crafts and music in southern Appalachia. Read more about the history of the folk school here.
Third Year Teaching
This was my third trip to the folk school with my sister, Pat and my daughter, Faye. Pat was my trusty assistant in the quilting classroom, while Faye took the “Deconstructing Pizza” class.
In the above photo, Pat and Faye are standing in front of theblacksmithing building. If you look closely you will see the school’s motto “Sing behind the plow.”
Teaching at the John C Campbell Folk School
Pat and I had the great fortune to spend the week with a very talented group of quilters from all over the US.
We worked hard, but laughed even harder!
Five Days of Quilting
The quilters had plenty of time to work on their own projects and to confer with old and new friends.
Personality over Perfection!
One of my goals was to emphasize how quilters should add their own personality to their quilts. We worked on a few small projects together, but spent the majority of the time designing individual quilts.
I am delighted with the results!!!
Teaching and Learning
As you can see, this is a very talented group of quilters. I was inspired by their creativity and as usual, I learned more from them than they did from me!
They have all promised to share photos of their completed projects. Let’s hold them to very short deadlines-LOL…
Teaching Schedule
I’m not sure when I will return to the Folk School–perhaps 2021.
November, 2019 Wausau Pine Tree Quilter
January, 2020 Maui Quilters
February–Faye’s wedding!
March-Arlington and Reston, Virginia Quilt Guilds
April-White Bear Lake, MN (tentative)
May-Spring Quilt Market-Pittsburgh
July-BERNINA Universtiy Palm Springs, CA
I better get TSA pre-check!!
Blogging Schedule
For the next few months, I plan to be a more consistent blogger, quilter, exerciser, duster
Let’s talk about the Quilting Roadmap, couching, more motifs, gifts for quilters, thread, batting….
Inspired in Minnesota,
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy Quilts and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to LKQ. For all other uses, please contact me at Lori@LoriKennedyQuilts.com. Thanks.
PPS…Please read more about copyright here.
Hi Lori! I live in Iowa and would love to take a class with you! I realized that you were going to be at the Folk School too late to be able to go. I will be checking your schedule to see if you will be close by. Your work is fantastic!
Love that cute scarecrow on orange fabric in the photos today. He is precious!
Hi Lori, ❤️ Your blog! I live in Southern California and would like to know if the Bernina University In July in Palm Springs is open to the public, or just to our trusty trade members. Thanks for your commitment to enrich our quilting community.
BERNINA University is for BERNINA Dealers. perhaps another time!?
I’d love to attend when you go there next time. I’ve been there but only to visit. I’m learning FMQ now and would love to take your course.
Hi Lori, crossing my fingers that White Bear Lake turns to “scheduled”!
How great that your daughter and sister were able to go with you. Would love to see all of the learning opportunities the school offers. Thank you for sharing.
Just go to http://www.folkschool.org and you can request a catalog be sent to you, or can browse the online catalog. I was the Quilting Resident Artist until June of 2019 (when I resigned so that I could move to Spokane) and I
can verify that the Folk School is a fantastic place.
Any chance you used to live in Rolla, MO.? Someone has same name…
Oh wow! I missed that! did not know or would have signed up! Please come back ! I’m in NC and there are a lot of folks here that love you!!
You must live in a time warp that has 72 hour days! I don’t know how you do everything you do. Do you ever sleep!? Sure would love to take one of your classes in NC sometime.
I’ve been to John C. Campbell a couple of time to take quilting classes. LOVE the facility. If you get a chance to go, DO IT!! Food is fantastic and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable.
Well, by doggies, I reckon that THAT was one group of blessed ladies!!!!! Love the overalls, dear lady!
Gosh, thank you for complimenting my fashion statement. And, yes, we were blessed to meet and quilt with Lori, Pat and Faye. Our class had a fantastic week of learning, creating, sharing and laughing.
I’m jealous. I’ve always wanted to take a class at the folk school. It is a special place apart.
I am the great procrastinator (sp?Ill look it up later😏), and I was one of the novices. Therefore, being terrified of ruining my quilt and wanting to draw guide lines, I kept finding other things to do. Lori finally demanded I start and said I had to sew two rows in 7 minutes. It worked! Not perfect, but quite acceptable!
Loved the class, the other students and especially Lori and Pat! We had so much fun and to be immersed in this activity was just what I needed! Hope to do it again
Right, Pat. When Lori was encouraging you to start, I took this to heart. Valuable technique for all of us who are creative avoiders. And your project was beautiful. Happy to have met you.
Pat,
Thank you for the kind words. I am the lucky one to hang on to Lori’s apron strings and get to meet wonderful people like you…we did laugh and learn-the essence of folk school!
Keep quilting!!!
Pat
How did all of you find out about this class far enough in advance to register, etc. ? Thanks.
Look at all that happiness!!!! Lori, please come to Columbus Ohio!!! 🙂
Hi Lori,
love your blog daily, just wanted to know what would be a great Bernina to purchase for FMQ. I have bought several machines in the past.
thanks
Glenda
I’ve been following your blog for years and am one of the workshop coordinators for my guild. I would love to have you come to our guild to do a workshop. Please send me your info.
Hi Lori
Interesting to hear about Folk Schools grounded on inspiration from here in Denmark!
We still have a lot of these and it is still very popular to join- at all ages.
There are short classes like a retreat for a week or longer stays for 3-6 months up to a year.
And they can have all kind of topics or a mix. Music, crafts, politics , sports- you name it.
And yes indeed it war a very important place of education in old days- and both now and then people met/meet and become friends for live in spite of geographical, social and religious differences.
I know that my grandparents who came from farming families with just a basic school education went to “Folk School “
Also thanks for all your wonderful quilting ideas and the blog and the silent Sundays.
I love the humor in your patterns!
Pia, Copenhagen, Denmark