Nancy Crow quilt art classes
Nancy Crow quilt art classes
Nancy Crow quilt art classes
Nancy Crow quilt art classes
Nancy Crow quilt art classes
Nancy Crow quilt art classes

Nancy Crow

Nancy has been teaching quiltmaking as an art form for over 30 years; she finds teaching both a very creative experience and uplifting. One of her goals is to help students find a path through roadblocks to a more flexible way of approaching composition. Composition is the focus of all of her workshops in which she proceeds sequentially from beginning to very advanced composition while at the same time introducing many wonderful techniques which can be used in machine-piecing. Nancy promotes machine-piecing as one of the most important ways to work for a quiltmaker, paralleling it to oil painting. Nancy was selected for two national honors: Fellow of the American Craft Council and National Living Treasure by the Museum of World Cultures at the University of North Carolina. The National Living Treasure award honors Americans who work in traditional handicrafts. In addition, she has won many Individual Artist's Fellowships from The Ohio Arts Council. She leads art tours to Peru, Mexico, South Africa, France, and Guatemala, and is the author of seven books, including: Self-Portraits: Mono-Prints, Nancy Crow, Nancy Crow: Improvisational Quilts and Nancy Crow: Quilts and Influences.
Nancy’s 2-week classes:

  • • May 3-8 & May 10-15, 2026 | The NEW Potpourri I & II: Challenging Compositional Exercises

    Open or Close
    The NEW Potpourri I & II: Challenging Compositional Exercises
    • Level: Advanced to very advanced
    • Prerequisite: Free-hand cutting skills/good machine-sewing skills
    • Sewing machine:     Yes
    • Materials fee:     No

    • SORRY, class is full To be placed on waiting list, please send in registration & deposit. If space does not become available, a full refund of the deposit will be issued.

    Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Nancy:
    • $3200 | paid in full before December 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($2500) & Meal plan ($700)
    • $3250 | paid in full before February 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($2550) & Meal plan ($700)
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    DESCRIPTION
    This 10-day class has been specifically developed for students desirous of being far more experimental in composition on an advanced level using machine-piecing techniques. Students will be encouraged to work spontaneously and intuitively as they explore design exercises that promote improvisational approaches to composition without benefit of “pre-planning” and “intellectualizing.”

    Students should expect to be challenged and will need to discover their own very individual responses to each design exercise.

    • If students want to learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from “instincts” and “intuition” they must come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking!


    PRESENTATION
    ⁃ Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with a 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (3-5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. Digital presentation is also welcome if well-prepared and professional. The Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop.
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    SUPPLIES
    • Sewing machine/Bobbins
    • Size 10 Microtex sewing machine needles
    • Thread (Aurifil is best, size 40 or 50)
    • Digital camera/Printer (Canon SELPHY printer recommended)/Paper
    • Sharp scissors/Rulers
    • Swing arm lamp or floor lamp
    • 24” x 36” OLFA cutting mat (2 of these if driving)
    • 8’ x 8’ Batting/Flannel (white) on which to pin work (optional)
    • Several 40” x 60” batts
    • Extra large rotary cutter and blades
    • Clover ball-head pins - very fine (Clover #2507) and regular size (Clover #2501) - two boxes each
    • Spray water bottle for ironing
    • Iron/Iron cleaner (optional as Barn has irons)
    • Your own ironing board if driving (optional as Barn has ironing boards)
    • Short (5’ 1/2”) step ladder or step stool if driving (optional as Barn has step ladders)
    • Multiple outlet power strip/Adaptors/Heavy duty extension cords
    • Glue to adhere snapshots into sketchbook
    • Sketchbook (hardcover)/Pens/Other supplies you want
    • Roll of blue painters tape - 1” or 2” wide (not masking tape)
    • Packing tape if shipping boxes (plus return labels)

    Fabrics:
    6-8 yards or more each of:
    • SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE

    1 yard or more each of:
    • Reds, Pinks, Blues,Teals, Greens, Limes, Violets, Browns, Yellows, Golds, Oranges, Purples, Maroons, Turquoises, Rusts, etc.
    • BRIGHTS: Acid yellow, acid lime, hot pink, turquoise, bright orange, bright red-orange, fuchsia pink, really bright blue
    • GRAYS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
    • TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
    • OFF-WHITES (warm white, cold white, cream)

    Note: The fabric shop at the Crow Timber Frame Barn will have a very large selection (hundreds) of solid colors in BRIGHTS, GLOWING, FLATS, RELATIVES, and GRAYS … and many medium darks and darks. We will use a lot of solid colors so bring a good range that includes darks, medium and light values of Browns, Blues, Greens, Reds, Golds, Yellows, Oranges, Purples, Violets, etc.

    Note:
    • Be sure to wash and shrink all fabrics before class if possible. New fabrics contain formaldehyde which needs to be removed. No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle.
    • We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out.
    • DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS.
    • Do not bring prints.

    Note: Any color can be GLOWING or FLAT or RELATIVE but only a few colors can be BRIGHT:
    • BRIGHTS are super saturated colors with such intensity that they literally stick out in a composition. They command attention. One can find BRIGHTS from light value to just above medium value.
    • GLOWING tones are any colors mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface.
    • FLAT tones are those colors mixed with black and which emit a dullness, energy draining very subdued nature.
    • RELATIVE tones are those colors that seem GLOWING when next to FLAT tones … OR … RELATIVE tones can seem FLAT when next to GLOWING tones or next to BRIGHTS. RELATIVE tones are chameleons but serve an important part of great composition.


    NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
    Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be     freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 35+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies.

    Optional Books:
    • NANCY CROW | DRAWINGS: MONOPRINTS & RIFFS, 2020, University of Nebraska Press (catalog from Nancy’s exhibition at the International Quilt Museum) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • COLOR IMPROVISATIONS 2 & CIRCULAR ABSTRACTIONS: BULL’S EYES QUILTS, 2016, (books from two exhibitions curated by Nancy) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • CROSSROADS, 2007, Breckling Press (catalog from one of Nancy’s exhibitions) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • NANCY CROW, 2006, Breckling Press (book covering Nancy's work from 1989-2005) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • NANCY CROW, MONO-PRINTS: SELF-PORTRAITS: FOCUS, 2012 - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn

    Unfortunately, the following titles are out of print, but your local library may have them or order on Amazon.com.
    • GRADATIONS: FROM THE STUDIO OF NANCY CROW, Quilt House Publishing
    • NANCY CROW: WORK IN TRANSITION, American Quilters’ Society
    • NANCY CROW: QUILTS AND INFLUENCES, American Quilters’ Society
    • NANCY CROW: IMPROVISATIONAL QUILTS, C&T Publishing

  • • May 17-22 & May 24-29, 2026 | The NEW Strip-piecing & Restructuring: I & II

    Open or Close
    The NEW Strip-piecing & Restructuring: I & II
    • Level: Intermediate
    • Prerequisite: Good machine-sewing skills
    • Sewing machine:     Yes
    • Materials fee:     No

    • SORRY, class is full To be placed on waiting list, please send in registration & deposit. If space does not become available, a full refund of the deposit will be issued.

    Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with Nancy:
    • $3200 | paid in full before December 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($2500) & Meal plan ($700)
    • $3250 | paid in full before February 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($2550) & Meal plan ($700)
    Stacks Image 30066
    DESCRIPTION
    Strip-piecing is defined as a way of creating a “fabric vocabulary” out of existing fabrics that have been cut selvage to selvage. It is an invaluable way to learn more about color, value usage, proportions, line, shape and scale in a very fluid manner.

    • Part I: Strip-Piecing
    In Part I, students will be given design exercises that outline how to create specific fabric vocabularies known as strip-pieced fabrics. In creating these brand new specific fabric vocabularies, students will develop the muscle memory needed to cut free-hand a large variety of widths of colors quickly and fluidly. In addition, they will also become more efficient machine-piecers. The resulting strip-pieced fabrics will be used in exploring rudimentary figure/ground composition as outlined next.

    • Part I: Restructuring
    Next in Part I, design exercises will push students to cut improvisationally all sorts of SHAPES and LINES (ELEMENTS) out of their already strip-pieced fabrics. These elements will be used in RESTRUCTURING which means combining shapes and lines into new figures or configurations. As a result, students will become more experienced in construction and engineering techniques and more comfortable with generating ideas that promote excellent figure/ground composition.


    • Part II: Strip-Piecing
    In PART II, students will be given new design exercises that outline how to create specific and often more complex fabric vocabularies (known as strip-pieced fabrics).
    These New Design Exercises will encourage:
    — THE EXPLORATION OF LINE
    — THE EXPLORATION OF WIDER WIDTHS OF SHAPE
    — THE EXPLORATION OF SCALE
    — THE EXPLORATION OF A WIDER USE OF VALUE
    — THE EXPLORATION OF A WIDER USE OF FLAT COLORS

    As students become more efficient machine-piecers, they will use the resulting strip-pieced fabrics in restructuring to explore more advanced figure/ground composition as follows.

    • Part II: Restructuring
    Next, new design exercises will push students to cut across and restructure strip-pieced fabrics in an even more improvisational manner to create ever-more complex structures. Students will experiment with all sorts of cross-cuts that create new SHAPES and LINES (ELEMENTS) out of their already strip-pieced fabrics. These will be sewn together and then recut. These elements will be used in restructuring which means combining shapes and lines into new figures or configurations. Groups of configurations will be strung together or combined with other sewn structures to create increasingly complex compositions. As a result, students will become more experienced in construction and engineering techniques and more comfortable with generating ideas that promote excellent figure/ground composition.

    Color - and the values of color from light to dark (5 steps in value) - will be emphasized in all exercises so a great selection of fabrics based on these values must be brought to this workshop. Students will be working in SOLID COLORS and graphic prints, plaids and stripes.
    • Do not bring florals or other types of prints    .


    Note regarding the fabric lists:
    • Concentrate on collecting     DARKS and MEDIUM DARKS!
    • Concentrate on collecting     LIGHTS and MEDIUM LIGHTS!
    • Concentrate on collecting     BRIGHTS!
    • Concentrate on collecting     FLATS and GLOWINGS!
    • Concentrate on collecting     PLAIDS!
    • Concentrate on collecting     STRIPES!
    • Concentrate on collecting     GRAPHIC GEOMETRICS!

    • Students must read the fabric list and supply list and come prepared. These lists are accurate!!!

    If students want to learn to work more effectively, more efficiently from “instincts” and “intuition” they must come with an open mind and no agendas, ready for growth and for risk-taking!



    PRESENTATION
    ⁃ Optional but important: Each student should come prepared with a 3-6 actual quilts and be prepared to make a short (3-5 minutes maximum) but articulate presentation about their work including future goals. Digital presentation is also welcome if well-prepared and professional. The Crow Timber Frame Barn provides use of a digital projector connected to a laptop.
    Stacks Image 30071
    Stacks Image 30074
    SUPPLIES
    • Sewing machine/Bobbins
    • Size 10 Microtex sewing machine needles
    • Thread (Aurifil is best, size 40 or 50)
    • Digital camera/Printer (Canon SELPHY printer recommended)/Paper
    • Sharp scissors/Rulers
    • Swing arm lamp or floor lamp
    • 24” x 36” OLFA cutting mat (2 of these if driving)
    • 8’ x 8’ Batting/Flannel (white) on which to pin work (optional)
    • Several 40” x 60” batts
    • Extra large rotary cutter and blades
    • Clover ball-head pins - very fine (Clover #2507) and regular size (Clover #2501) - two boxes each
    • Spray water bottle for ironing
    • Iron/Iron cleaner (optional as Barn has irons)
    • Your own ironing board if driving (optional as Barn has ironing boards)
    • Short (5’ 1/2”) step ladder or step stool if driving (optional as Barn has step ladders)
    • Multiple outlet power strip/Adaptors/Heavy duty extension cords
    • Glue to adhere snapshots into sketchbook
    • Sketchbook (hardcover)/Pens/Other supplies you want
    • Roll of blue painters tape - 1” or 2” wide (not masking tape)
    • Packing tape if shipping boxes (plus return labels)

    Fabrics:
    6 yards each of:
    • SOLID BLACK and SOLID WHITE

    2-3 yards each of:
    • BRIGHT COLORS - bright red, orange, acid yellow, lime, turquoise, blue, apple green, pink, lavender, etc. (very saturated bright colors … the brightest colors that are never darker than medium value.)

    1 yard or more of:
    • GRAPHIC PRINTS (high contrast)
    • GRAPHIC PLAIDS (high contrast)
    • GRAPHIC STRIPES (high contrast)
    I caution you not to bring mostly middle value solids, rather bring a wide variety, including these 5 steps in value:
    • Light values
    • Medium light values
    • Medium values
    • Medium dark values
    • Dark values

    2-3 yards each of:
    • GRAYS - light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark - bring 5 steps in value

    1 yard or more of each color:
    • SOLID OPAQUE COLORS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark values so you can be free to work) - reds, pinks, blues, teals, greens, limes, violets, browns, yellows, golds, oranges, purples, maroons, turquoises, rusts, etc.
    • TANS (wide range in light, medium light, medium, medium dark, dark)
    • OFF-WHITES - warm white, cold white, cream


    Note:
    • Be sure to wash and shrink all fabrics before class if possible. New fabrics contain formaldehyde which needs to be removed. No need to iron though if you fold at end of drying cycle.
    • We will use everything listed above so do not decide to leave anything out.
    • DO NOT BRING FAT QUARTERS.
    • Bring BOTH the GLOWING and the FLAT versions of as many of these colors as possible.
    • Bring enough variety so you are not hamstrung!

    Note: The fabric shop at the Crow Timber Frame Barn will have a very large selection (hundreds) of solid colors in BRIGHTS, GLOWING, FLATS, RELATIVES, and GRAYS … and many medium darks and darks. We will use a lot of solid colors so bring a good range that includes darks, medium and light values of Browns, Blues, Greens, Reds, Golds, Yellows, Oranges, Purples, Violets, etc.

    Note: Any color can be GLOWING or FLAT:
    • GLOWING tones are any colors mixed with yellow and which have a glow coming off the surface.
    • FLAT tones are those colors mixed with black and which emit a dullness, energy draining very subdued nature.
    Many students arrive with their own hand-dyed solids or stacks they have purchased from other dyers. By all means, bring hand-dyed if you want but they need to be opaque and not have multiple values swimming across them ... meaning white or light splotches on dark colors.

    However flat solids (dyed commercially) are equally acceptable. I usually work with my own subtly dyed flat colors. My own palette includes approximately 500 shades.

    I cannot specifically tell you to only bring 1 yard cuts of each color because I know we will be using at least a yard or more of some to many colors depending on each student’s color preferences. If you bring a yard of each – say 5 blues, 5 reds, 5 yellows, 5 greens, etc., but one each in light values, medium light values, medium values, medium dark values, & dark values, that would be better than not having enough. So bring 1 yard of as many colors as you can afford and shorter lengths for the rest.

    About solid colors - the more shades you have to work with, the more you will learn about how to work with color. Color is Joyous!!! Color does not cause pain!!! Take DELIGHT in color!!! Working in color does not mean only using BOLD colors or HOT colors; working in color means learning to be versatile in all types of colors.



    NOTES REGARDING FABRIC SUPPLY LIST
    Yes, the rumor is true!!! Yes, I do ask that each student bring lots of fabrics. My personal theory embraces the belief that one will be     freer to be creative if one has many fabric choices available in class. After 35+ years of teaching, I consider each class I teach to be on a graduate level and therefore I expect students to arrive prepared with all necessary supplies.

    Optional Books:
    • NANCY CROW | DRAWINGS: MONOPRINTS & RIFFS, 2020, University of Nebraska Press (catalog from Nancy’s exhibition at the International Quilt Museum) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • COLOR IMPROVISATIONS 2 & CIRCULAR ABSTRACTIONS: BULL’S EYES QUILTS, 2016, (books from two exhibitions curated by Nancy) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • CROSSROADS, 2007, Breckling Press (catalog from one of Nancy’s exhibitions) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • NANCY CROW, 2006, Breckling Press (book covering Nancy's work from 1989-2005) - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • NANCY CROW, MONO-PRINTS: SELF-PORTRAITS: FOCUS, 2012 - signed/dated editions available at the Crow Timber Frame Barn

    Unfortunately, the following titles are out of print, but your local library may have them or order on Amazon.com.
    • GRADATIONS: FROM THE STUDIO OF NANCY CROW, Quilt House Publishing
    • NANCY CROW: WORK IN TRANSITION, American Quilters’ Society
    • NANCY CROW: QUILTS AND INFLUENCES, American Quilters’ Society
    • NANCY CROW: IMPROVISATIONAL QUILTS, C&T Publishing
  • • 2026 Spring Art Retreats | Tuition and Meal Plan
    Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week classes with Nancy Crow:
    Both weeks (10-day class) of these workshops are to be taken back-to-back. No registrations accepted for only one week.
    • $3200 | paid in full before December 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($2500) & Meal plan ($700)
    • $3250 | paid in full before February 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($2550) & Meal plan ($700)

    Tuition & Meal plan for 2-week class with David Hornung:
    Both weeks (10-day class) of this workshop are to be taken back-to-back. No registrations accepted for only one week.
    Class size limited to 16 students.
    • $3700 | paid in full before December 1, 2025 | 10-day Tuition ($3000) & Meal plan ($700)
    • $3750 | paid in full before February 1, 2026 | 10-day Tuition ($3050) & Meal plan ($700)
    + $60 facility usage fee

    Tuition & Meal plan for 1-week class with Carol Soderlund:
    • Sign up for one or both weeks of Carol’s workshops.
    • $1600 | paid in full before December 1, 2025 | 5-day Tuition ($1250) & Meal plan ($350)
    • $1625 | paid in full before February 1, 2026 | 5-day Tuition ($1275) & Meal plan ($350)
    + $105 materials & dye facility usage fee for Chromaticity
    + $125 materials & dye facility usage fee for Color Mixing for Dyers 6


    Meal plan
    During the art retreats, Margaret Wolf, will prepare fabulous gourmet lunches and dinners plus a coffee/snack break daily during each week of class. The meal plan is provided so participants may concentrate fully on their work without being bothered by the interruption and inconvenience of cooking for themselves. The break times present a great opportunity to get to know your fellow students, share ideas, and just relax together in this wonderful environment.

    The meal plan includes an opening night welcome dinner, five lunches, five afternoon coffee/pastry breaks, and four more dinners during the duration of the workshop. Coffee, tea and water will be served during these break times. Participants are responsible for any other beverage choices, such as soda pop, beer, wine, milk or bottled water.

    Please keep in mind that if anyone chooses not to participate in the meal plan, they are solely responsible for all of their meals, snacks, coffee, tea, and other beverages. The kitchen facilities are reserved for the resident chef. There is a microwave and a refrigerator in the wet studio for student use. Most restaurants are at least a 20 minute drive away from the barn.

    Please note: Due to facility limitations, meal plans are available only for workshop participants.
  • • Accommodations
    Accommodations:

    New hotel Hampton Inn, Canal Winchester, Ohio (20-25 minute drive to Crow Timber Frame Barn)
    This new, highly rated, clean, comfortable hotel is offering reduced rates. Phone: 614-953-2204
    • For special rate, please book online

    The Morgan Theater Home, Baltimore, Ohio (5 minute drive to the Crow Timber Frame Barn, mention Crow Barn)
    Former silent movie theater converted into a private residence. Three rooms for rent include free cable TV & free high speed internet access. Kitchen/refrigerator/stove & all "kitchen stuff" available. Phone: 740-862-4765 or Email

    Other accommodations, please negotiate your own weekly rates:

    AirBnB options in the area near the Crow Timber Frame Barn

    City of Lancaster, Ohio (20-25 minute drive to the Crow Timber Frame Barn)
    • Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 740-654-4445
    • Hampton Inn, 740-654-2999
    City of Reynoldsburg, Ohio (20-25 minute drive to the Crow Timber Frame Barn)
    • Fairfield Inn, 614-864-4555

    Campgrounds near the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    Rippling Stream Campground, Baltimore, OH, 740-862-6065, (5 minute drive to the Crow Timber Frame Barn)
    KOA Campground, Buckeye Lake, OH, 740-928-0706, (15-20 minute drive to the Crow Timber Frame Barn)
  • • Miscellaneous information
    Roommate
    • Please let us know if you would like a roommate. We will try to match you with another participant to share accommodations.

    Travel to and from the Crow Timber Frame Barn
    • The Barn is located near Baltimore, Ohio (southeast of Columbus, Ohio)
    • Please keep in mind that there is not a shuttle service to and from the motels to the farm, therefore please arrange a rental car or carpool with another participant.
    • John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Columbus, Ohio, is the major airport serving the area (30 minute drive to the Barn)

    Rental sewing machines, cutting mats & lamps
    • Bernina sewing machines are available for $150 per 10-day class.
    • Cutting mats are available for $30 per 10-day class.
    • Lamps are available for $30 per 10-day class.

    Formal class hours
    • Monday-Friday: 9-12 and 2-5 daily
    (Classrooms are open 7 am-9 pm Monday-Thursday, 7 am-5 pm Friday)

    Professional facilities
    Each student is provided with a large work table, an 8’ x 8’ work wall, and a comfortable chair. Classrooms are well illuminated and are open from early morning until late in the evening, plus the classrooms have air conditioning & heating. The surface design/dye studio at the Crow Timber Frame Barn includes large padded tables, lots of light (natural and color-corrected bulbs), 3 commercial stainless steel sinks, & washer/dryer. All facilities are non-smoking.

    Mailing list
    If you would like to be placed on a mailing list for information about upcoming art retreats, please send your contact info.

    Questions? Email
Images of Nancy Crow, student work and classes at the Crow Timber Frame Barn

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