Calendar

Upcoming Classes & Events

Announcing a new exhibit at the Fiber Arts Center of the Eastern Shore – Polly Mello

Polly Mello is a quilt historian and collector and has been collecting quilts for 40 years. Quilts in her collection have been shown in magazines, books, major quilt shows and quilt museums; such as Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, Quilts of Virginia by Hazel Carter et al, The American Quilter’s Society Show in Paducah, KY, and The New England Quilt Museum. Her collection of over 200 quilts specializes in pre 1850 chintz and applique, crib, redwork, and early 20th century designer quilts.

Her favorite group to collect is the infamous macabre quilts that “go bump in the night”. Polly is a member of The American Quilt Study Group and has presented several Quilt Study Centers at their annual conferences. She also belongs to three local study groups; Hazel Carter’s Dating Club, The Eastern Shore Quilt Study Group, and FVF (Fran’s Vintage Friends) Study Group.
Polly is the author of three articles for Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine that showcased some of her collection; Quilts That Go Bump in the Night (2008) Imaginary Friends (2010), and Snakes Alive (2011). She also writes a quilt history column for her guild, The Baltimore Applique Society where she is also a past president.

When she is not collecting antique quilts, Polly is also an award winning quilt maker and designer. Most recentlyher quilt Deep Within My Heart Lies a Melody: A Memory of Texas where she won the 2nd place in the Texas Independence Award and the In Full Bloom display at the 2011 Houston Quilt Show. In her other life Polly is a retired Registered Nurse and graduate of The University of Texas @ San Antonio. She now resides in Elkridge, Maryland with her husband and chihuahua. Her five grandsons are waiting with bated breath to see who inherits the quilt collection and has to build a museum for all to continue to see Geema’s quilt.

Unfinished Objects at the Fiber Arts Center!

2026 Dates: May 12-14, June 16-18, July 14-16, Aug. 18-20, Sept. 15-17, Oct. 13-15, Nov. – NONE, Dec. 8-10

Time: 9:00 am – 4:00pm

Cost: Members – $30.00 per session (3 days), Non Members – $45.00 per session (3 days)

UFO dates can be reserved with payment. Please call the office to sign up at 443/448-4611 or email at info@fiberartscenter.com.

The Stitch and Sews are scheduled for these dates on Thursdays:

2026 Dates: May 7, June 4, July 2, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3

Times: 12:00-4:00pm

Cost: Member $5.00/Non-Member $10.00

Please call the office to sign up 443/448-4611 or email at info@fiberartscenter.com.

Embroidery, Knitting and Crochet Workshop

Join us for a fun and relaxing COMBO Embroidery, Knitting and Crochet Workshop at the Fiber Arts Center on the fourth Thursday of the month beginning in January, 2026. The sessions will be from 10:00am – 2:00pm. In these gatherings we will share and learn new embroidery stitches, knitting techniques and crochet tricks with each other. Please do bring a project. Beginners are welcome!

Dates: April 23, May 28 and June 25, 2026

Cost: $5.00 Members/$10.00 Non Members

Please call the office at 443/448-4611 or at info@fiberartscenter.com to sign up.

On July 4, 2026, our nation will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The journey toward this historic milestone is an opportunity to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond.

To help celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary, The Fiber Arts Center will be hosting a “Stars and Stripes Forever” Challenge and we would like for you to join us! You can use your artistic creative juices to create what the 250th Anniversary means to you!

Questions? Contact the 250th Fiber Arts Committee
Kay Butler/ mrs.kay.butler@gmail.com
Brenda Zimmerman/ brenda.c.zimmerman@gmail.com
Laura Boehl/ lauraboehl@gmail.com

“Applique-9 Baltimore Album Blocks- Lovely Lane Museum

“Students will explore the story behind the blocks and learn various appliqué tips, tricksand methods in this first series of 3 classes. One block will be created from each class.

Instructor: Mary Zober

Dates: April 18, May 16 and June 13, 2026

Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm

Cost: Members/$120.00 Non-Members/$180.00

For more information on the class and for a supply list, please call Mary at 302/632-4244.

To sign up for the class, please call the office at FAC at 443/448-4611.

Rick Rack Quilt Class

Instructor: Colette Metcalf

Date: April 22, 2026

Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm

Cost: $40.00/Members. $70.00/Non Members

Supply List for Rick Rack Class:

Sewing machine in good working order

Fresh needle

Rotary Cutter with sharp blade

Ruler 9×12 or 6.5” square

Pins

Iron and pressing mat (if you have one). There will be lots of pressing

Jelly Roll fabric for the main focus

Solid contrasting fabric to go with the focus fabric, the sample quilt shown in white

Example: 1 Jelly Roll 10” square

1 Jelly Roll 10” contrasting fabric (white)

Please call Colette to ask questions and to sign up at 443/515-0491.

Introduction to Spinning Wheels

Instructor: Abagale Radle

Date: June 10, 2026

Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pm

Cost: Members/$40 Non-Members/ $60

This class offers the opportunity to “test drive” various spinning wheels while receiving some guidance and instruction on the basics of spinning fiber into yarn. Each student will be given the opportunity to spin a sample and ply it on each of the three wheels provided. You will be able to take home a sample of the yarn you will have spun on the wheels.

For information and a supply list, please call Abagale at 858-527-2544

To sign up for the classes please call Maria in the office at 443-448-4611

Diary Quilt Class

Now you can quilt the story of your life by chronicling your most memorable moments in fabric. With special permission from renown quilter, Mimi Dietrich, we will be using her book to make a lovely Diary Quilt that will tell your own personal story. Class spaces are filling fast!

Instructor: Kay Butler

Dates: June 20, July 18, August 15

Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm

Cost of Class: $60.00/Members. $80.00/Non Members

Questions? Call Kay Butler 410-829-5136 or email: mrs.kay.butler@gmail.com

Class Supply List:

Mimi Dietrich’s book: “A Quilter’s Diary: Written in Stitches”, available on Amazon or from the Instructor

Rotary cutter

Omnigrid ruler: 6 inch x 12 inch

Cream or gray thread -100% cotton

Scissors

Pins

Seam ripper

Fabrics: 1 yard background cream or white; variety of prints/fat quarters

Blue water soluble pen

Applique pins

Working sewing machine

Notebook to take lots of notes for diary ideas

Barn Block Class

Date: June 24, 2026
Time: 9am-4pm
Instructor: Victoria McConnell

Victoria will work closely with students before the class to choose a design. Victoria will then draft the design on a 2’ x 2’ block of exterior 3/4 inch primed plywood. Students will then come to class, receive a short lesson on color, mix their colors and paint their blocks. This is a very popular class, sign up today!

COST: MEMBERS: $100 NON-MEMBERS: $120

To sign up for the class please call FACES at 443-448-4611 For more information on the class and a supply list please call Victoria at 410-253-9716

Class Supply Lists now conveniently nested within class descriptions.

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