Dear Team,
Pinch me! This news is special. If you're new to this newsletter, or have been around the sun with me a many times, thank you. It is because of this incredible community that I get to share:
Soft Magic, my mid-career retrospective exhibition at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts (WMQFA) is quickly approaching, and REGISTRATION IS OPEN for 3 special classes there this spring:
- Framed Quilts (one day: 4/13)
- Quilted Tank Top (two days: 3/13-14)
- Diary Quilting (five days: 5/12-16)
- And, on National Quilting Day, Saturday, March 15th there will be a book signing, panel discussion (with special guests!!!!), and an opening reception.
Also in this newsletter:
- My Artist's Residency at The Pfister Hotel ends THIS month! Join me for Gallery Night 1/17 and Gallery Day 1/18
- Join my February Quilt-Along: The Vignettes Quilt, including a SALE!
- Another special spot has SURPRISE opened for my Woodland Ridge Retreat class this summer: Fast Construction by Hand and Machine
- Try out Hand Yoga with me on 2/8 at the Winter Quilt Show in West Bend, WI
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Soft Magic
This exhibition will be March 6 - June 8, and it's been so exciting WRITING the exhibition catalogue, which will be available for sale in-person and at a distance!! For me, the show title relates to my Magical Thinking Attempt Series (number ten is above!), my love of rabbits, and the centuries old tradition of making quilts filled with wishes, especially at life's moments of transitions.
I've been making quilt tank tops for myself for a few years now, and I've come to LOVE wearing them in winter and summer. This will be my first large group class on clothing, but I did practice with my students in Sardinia, Italy last summer, and we had some great successes.
Framed Quilts and Diary Quilting are two of my favorite classes and topics to teach. They will be so much richer with access to around 25 of my quilts in the museum's exhibition space.
When teaching in person, I love to provide some pre-recorded materials for students, so that you can get a head start on the simple parts and really dig in with questions about composition, fit, and all the juicy details when we're together. This also allows us to feel less rushed and more relaxed together, because you'll have resources from me to refer to after class as well.
Learn more about the classes here.
The WMQFA is about 25-minutes north of Milwaukee, WI. It is about a 2-hour drive from Chicago, and a 90-minute drive from Madison.
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My LAST Gallery Night at The Pfister Hotel
Friday, January 17th 5-9pm
- This is my big closing reception!
- I'll be revealing my legacy work of art, which will be on permanent public display in this historic 131-year-old hotel.
- I'll be highlighting art on the walls that I made in 2024. (some pieces are already away on exhibition, but it's exciting to see so many recent works together)
- Purchase a $13 rabbit scissors, or art starting at $250
- My sweetheart Beau will be performing LIVE ambient music for us as Beau vs. Bots.
- I'll have some lovely discount cards if you'd like to get a drink (or mocktail) at one of The Pfister bars, they were just named the Best in Milwaukee for MANY things by the Shepherd Express!
- Best Happy Hour at Mason St Grill, 4:30-6:30pm
- Best martini at Blu on the 23rd floor, that view might be my favorite part of the residency! Open 4pm-1am 💙
- Gallery Night is a special Milwaukee event, happening 4 times per year, there are many additional great shows to see tonight including my friend Anja Notanja's show Playing Possum at Grove Gallery! Please tickle her fancy for me if you can stop by!
Saturday, January 18th 11am-4pm
- Bring something to sew, crochet, draw, etc! It's been a lovely tradition having an open-sew on these 3rd Saturdays this year.
- Also, you don't have to make anything, you can just pop in to see me sewing, check out the art, ask questions, etc.
- 4pm-5pm will be my final champagne tour of the hotel's art collection
My Artist in Residence studio is on the main/Lobby level of The Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. Free to attend. January is my last month in this yearlong residency.
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February Quilt-Along!
My Vignettes Quilt VIDEO Workshop is 40% off now through the end of February with code: QAL2025
Quilt-Along details are on my blog. This will be the 3rd-ever quilt along for this popular pattern. In the photo above, I made BOTH quilts with this same pattern. It highlights art vocabulary, and a playful approach to machine and hand piecing.
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2025 Happenings:
Pfister Artist in Residence Gallery Night
Friday, January 17th 5-9pm
My sweetheart Beau will be performing ambient music live in my studio!
Saturday, January 18th 11am - 4pm
Bring quilting, drawing, crochet, etc for a FREE open-sew all afternoon
Pfister Art Collection Tour Saturday 4-5pm
The Pfister Hotel
Milwaukee, WI
This is the FINAL event in my residency at The Pfister
Winter Quilt Show
Saturday, February 8th 9am-4pm
Free with admission: 1pm lecture - Hand Yoga for Quilters, Heidi Parkes
YOU can still enter a quilt! 1/30-2/1 drop off at WMQFA
Washington County Fair Park
West Bend, WI
Exhibition: Heidi Parkes: Soft Magic
A mid-career retrospective!
March 6 - June 8
Opening Reception on National Quilting Day, Saturday, March 15th
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Art
Cedarburg, WI
Quilted Tank Top
Thursday & Friday, March 13 & 14 10-4pm Central
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts
Cedarburg, WI
Diary Quilting
Sat April 12, LIVE on Zoom noon-2pm Central, mingling 2-3pm
Optional Mondays 6-8pm : 4/14, 4/28, 5/12
Optional Tuesdays 11am-1pm: 4/22, 5/6
Saturday, May 17, LIVE on Zoom noon-2pm, co-working 2-3pm
I'm so excited for the RETURN of this beloved class!!!!!
More info to come, but save the dates!
We'll have some pre-recorded content alongside this gentler 2-month schedule
This would pair well with the WMQFA in-person class, if desired
Framed Quilts
Sunday, April 13 10-4pm Central
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts
Cedarburg, WI
Diary Quilts: Documenting, Manifesting, and Storytelling with Stitch
May 12 - 16 10-4pm Central
Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts
Cedarburg, WI
Exhibition: Quilt National
May 24 - September 1
Dairy Barn Arts Center
Athens, OH
Minnesota Quilt Show
June 19-21
St Cloud, MN
I'll be teaching and lecturing:
Hand Yoga & Body Care (1 hr lecture)
Visible Hand Piecing (half day class)
Framed Quilting in a Day (full day class)
Improv Hand Quilting (full day class)
Scrap Quilting (full day class)
Meet the Teachers Zoom event on February 5 at 7pm Central
Fast Construction by Hand and Machine
August 12-16, 2025
Woodland Ridge Retreat
Downsville, WI
One spot opened earlier this month!!
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Extras:
- The above photo is a sneak peek of my Pfister Leagacy Piece!!
- I'll be attending QuiltCon in Phoenix, AZ next month
- Quiltmaking 2025 is sold out. Would you like to be among the first to know about the class for Quiltmaking 2026?
- My favorite Milwaukee Yoga Studio is also on the BEST of list this year. Congrats to Collective Flow Yoga!
Thank you for being here & reading my newsletter
Warmest wishes,
Heidi
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Learn about the Vignettes Quilt Pattern in 5-min
This class preview will introduce you to the pattern, so you can decide if this is the right time for you to make this pattern!
Benefits of this Quilt-Along include:
- Increased familiarity with art vocabulary
- Technical understanding of vignettes piecing (by hand and/or machine)
- Community on Instagram
See some beautiful finished versions of this quilt on Pinterest |
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