Helene Knott

Helene is a popular longtime instructor at Expo and this year she’s our Featured Artist! A special exhibit of her quilts will show the progression of her talent and skills over the years. Helene is teaching two full-day pre-Expo classes this year, each featuring an interesting technique you may not have tried before. Zen Pathways will teach you how to create padded ‘stones’ to applique onto your quilt, and Kantha Stitching will introduce you to an easy Indian embroidery. Helene's website

Helene is teaching:
Zen Pathway (shown above)
Kantha Stitching

Sheila Sinclair Snyder

Sheila is well known in the Pacific Northwest quilting community, first for longarm quilting, then for her books and magazine articles, and most recently for her project classes: your project will be finished in class! Sheila has a well-prepared way of teaching, which makes her classes relaxed and informative. Sheila's website

Sheila is teaching:
Barn Quilt Painting (Thursday)
Barn Quilt Painting (Friday)

Ellie Lum

After starting Klum House Workshop in 2015—a business that combines her passions for teaching and sewing—Ellie took another big step in 2018, launching a line of bag sewing patterns and maker kits. Fully-illustrated, with easy-to-follow instructions, Klum House sewing patterns are informed by Ellie’s twenty years of experience as a bag designer, maker, and teacher. Her maker kits come with all materials you need to complete a bag. Ellie's website

Ellie is teaching:
Fremont Tote (above)

Beth Helfter

Author, pattern designer and national quilting instructor Beth Helfter has one rule about quilting—it's supposed to be fun. With that in mind, along with her company motto of "Inspired Designs, Relaxed Attitude," Beth brings visionary designs and techniques to her patterns and exuberance and encouragement to the classroom.

As a mostly scrappy designer, Beth prefers to dig into her stash to create designs and patterns that appeal to her senses of color and value, using as many different fabrics as possible. Keeping to just a few color families in each quilt palette is one of her best tricks to keeping scrappy quilts from getting too out of hand, but allowing them to sing with tone and movement.

As a traveling quilt teacher, Beth has visited guilds coast to coast and taught at national and regional quilt shows, and never tires of the ah-ha moments and banter of a classroom full of quilters. Beth's website

Beth is teaching:
The Carpenter's Apprentice
Vinnie Loves Maude
Kickin' Stash (shown above)
Intro to Accordion HSTs (TM)
Mod-ified Trees

Melody Crust

Melody is a nationally known fabric artist who loves all things shiny. Her award winning work has been shown in many juried shows and exhibitions. As an active promoter of every facet of the quilting world, Melody co-founded QuiltFest, and has judged and curated regional and national exhibitions. Melody brings her natural teaching ability and contagious enthusiasm to quilters across the country. Her popular lectures and workshops are always well received. Melody's website

Melody is teaching:
Machine Quilting (an example of Melody's machine quilting shown above)
Machine Crazy
Eye Candy Quilts
Super Fast Binding and Piping
For the Love of Color
Paint Stick Magic