Illini Country Stitchers, a Champaign-Urbana area quilt guild, was formed in September 1985. The purpose of the Illini Country Stitchers is to contribute to the knowledge of and to promote the appreciation of fine quilts; to encourage quilt making, quilt collecting and an on-going fellowship among people with a serious interest in the art of quilting; to sponsor and support quilting activities; to contribute to the growth and knowledge of quilting techniques, textiles, patterns, history and quilt makers through education.
Meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month, January thru October, the 2nd and 3rd Thursdays in November while the December meeting is a holiday party on the 2nd Thursday.
Time: 7:00 pm doors open at 6:30
Place:
St. Peter's United Church of Christ
905 S. Russell St.
Champaign, IL
Membership form for the 2025-2026 membership year
Calendar of Future Events
- Nov 20-21 — Candace Grisham rescheduled “Reimagined Dresden Quilt Blocks and Quilts” is the topic of Candyce’s lecture but will also include some items from her “Tools of the Trade.” Candyce’s workshop, “Dresden Quilts Springtime” will incorporate a new pattern. Ruleris required. Candyce canceled her time with us in March 2025 due to illness. Her workshop was full at that time and those who were signed up for it will get first opportunity to sign up for this rescheduled one. Includes a trunk show.
- Nov 21 — Dresden Springtime Candyce’s workshop, “Dresden Quilts Springtime” will incorporate a new pattern. Ruler is required. Candyce canceled her time with us in March 2025 due to illness. Her workshop was full at that time and those who were signed up for it will get first opportunity to sign up for this rescheduled one. This is similar to what we learned 7 years ago when she came to our guild but there are even more edge treatments now that we will learn. If you didn't get a chance to take her class last time, you won't want to miss this. And if you did take her class, did you finish anything? Do you rememberwhat she taught us? If not, you might want to repeat the class.
Class fee: $50 Contact Debbi Dillman or Lynnette Reader - December 10: Holiday Party
- January 22 and 24: — Rachel Derstine originally comes from a music background, but has spent the last dozen or so years focused on quilting. Her works have been featured in gallery shows and fine art/craft shows. She has an art quilting business and does commissions. She employs both traditional quilting techniques such as piecing and applique as well as contemporary applications such as fusing, couching, fabric painting, and non-wovens. She will be presenting over Zoom. Her lecture will be “Artful Couching: Texture and Definition” and the workshop will be “Artful Couching.” The class will show many ways to use couching for definition and sparkle and focus on mastering couching techniques.
- February 26 and 28 — Mel Beach is a quilt artist, teacher, lecturer, and quilt judge who loves to create through play. Her quilts have been featured on The Quilt Show and Quilting Arts TV and have won numerous awards. She will be presenting via Zoom. Her lecture topic is “Bring on the Bling” and her workshop will be “Free Styling and Spiraling.” The workshop will start with sewing square spirangles and experiment with different design options and construction techniques. Then continue with the exploration of new spirangle designs: rectangles, triangles, and other fun shapes.
- March 25 — The Quilting Tradition at Cunningham Children’s Home. Brooke Buzard will present a program on the importance of quilts and how they have become a tradition for the children at Cunningham Children’s Home.
- April 22 — Pizza night is usually centered around eating pizza and working on some philanthropic project like quilts of valor, making hats for the homeless, etc. Prior to the meeting, there will be information shared about what tools you need to bring and the planned activity. It is a productive evening where you do not have to cook dinner, and the conversations are interesting. Come and join us!
- May 28 — Annual guild auctionAn opportunity for guild and community members to make great buys on fabric, notions, kits, etc., and have fun while doing it.
- June 25-26 — Chris Lynn Kirsch will lecture on “Going Round and Round”. It includes a trunk show while also explaining different ways to add arcs and circles to quilts. Her 3-hour workshop the following morning will be “The Seminole Sampler.” It involves simple strip piecing, cross-cutting, and straight or diagonal re-sewing to make a border that will make your quilt fantastic. Samples of Seminole patterns will be made to keep as a reference. There is a $15 kit fee.
- July 26 — DARA Museum Collection: Masterpiece Quilts. Julie Woller is with the Daughters of the American Revolution and will present a program on Masterpiece Quilts. It is an overview of the exceptional quilts of the 18th and 19th centuries in the DARA Museum collection and the women who made them.
- August 27 — Annual picnic and installation of officers.