QUILT ENCOUNTER

About Quilt Encounter

Quilt Encounter is a five-day live-in retreat conducted by an SA Quilters Team.  The event is in its 35^th year. It is held each September at the Stamford Grand in Glenelg, South Australia. We offer eight classes each day and activities in the evening.

Want to attend Quilt Encounter?

Information about the program and the application form is only available by the hard copy full colour brochure produced each year. Interested participants pay a fee to cover the brochure printing and postage costs (currently $12). To obtain a brochure please email quiltencounter@gmail.com with your name and address, direct deposit information will be included in the email reply to you. The brochure is posted out in early May.

Your application to attend QE must be completed on the registration form in the brochure and submitted by the June deadline in the brochure. In late June you will receive an email from QE letting you know your classes.

Places in classes are allocated on a fair as possible basis. All class places are allocated after the application deadline, not on a first in basis.  We endeavour to give you your first choice. However, a balloting system is used to allocate places if there is more demand than class places available. This is why we ask participants to nominate three classes they wish to do each day.

Would you like to teach at QE2027?

The Quilt Encounter Team is seeking submissions from tutors to teach at the 35^th Annual Quilt Encounter retreat being held at the Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg on the 29th of August to the 3^rd September 2027.

Workshops to suit beginners through to advanced quilters in traditional, contemporary and artistic styles in both hand and machine work are invited for our event.

If you are interested in teaching for Quilt Encounter 2027 please send through your resume and some workshop options including information on techniques, style and photos of your proposed workshops that you would like to teach.

This information can be emailed through to us at: quiltencounter@gmail.com before the 20^th of December 2026.

Quilt Encounter Team

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Lessa Siegele Scholarship for Quilt Encounter

In 2012 the Quilt Encounter Committee established the Lessa Siegele Scholarship with the inaugural scholarship being awarded in 2013.

The Lessa Siegele Scholarship is named to honour and acknowledge the significant contribution Lessa made in establishing and convening for 20 years this now iconic event, from 1992 to 2012. Lessa continues to contribute to the success of Quilt Encounter, supporting the current team with her vast knowledge and experience. The SA Quilters Leadership Team is pleased to be able to continue with this scholarship as a tribute to Lessa and provide the means for a fellow quilter to experience this nationally recognised event.

The recipient of the scholarship will receive a 3-day package to Quilt Encounter (including 3 nights’ accommodation and guaranteed class selections), plus $150 to assist with the purchase of the requirements for their chosen class/s.

The recipient of this scholarship will be a quilter who has contributed significantly to their quilting community. Many of us may know someone who would be deserving of this award. Nominations are made by a third party. The nominator may be an individual member of SA Quilters or a member of an affiliated group. The recipient must be a member of SA Quilters and have been for at least 3 years. The recipient cannot have received the scholarship previously. The nominator of this scholarship may choose to remain anonymous.

Nominations are to be received by 31^st March each year and will be announced at the SA Quilters Annual General Meeting in May. Nominations are to be submitted to the quiltencounter@gmail.com email address.

Nominations can be made by a third party or by the applicant. The recipient will be included in the mailing list to receive the Quilt Encounter brochure.

With the support of SA Quilters Leadership Team, we are pleased to be able to continue with this Scholarship as a tribute to Lessa and provide the means for a fellow quilter to join us at this nationally recognised event.

Bev McBride
Quilt Encounter Team Leader

Lessa Siegele Scholarship – General Information for Quilt Encounter

1. The scholarship may be awarded annually.
2. Money for the scholarship may come from interest accrued annually on SA Quilters funds invested.
3. The scholarship will be for an individual quilter who has given significantly to their quilting community.
4. The scholarship recipient must be and have been a financial member of SA Quilters for the immediate past three (3) years.
5. An individual can only receive the scholarship once.
6. The aim of the scholarship is to further the quilting knowledge and expertise of the individual by assisting with expenses for Quilt Encounter
7. Lessa Siegele scholarship applications will be reviewed by the Quilt Encounter team and a recommendation submitted to the SA Quilters Leadership Team for a final decision.
8. The scholarship recipient will be announced at the SA Quilters Annual General Meeting in May each year.
9. If it is considered that no application of merit has been submitted, no scholarship will be awarded.
10. A written report of their Quilt Encounter experience must be submitted by the recipient to SA Quilters Leadership Team, suitable for publication in I-Patch, within one month of the end of Quilt Encounter.
11. For enquiries email SA Quilters Secretary or Quilt Encounter

Download the Lessa Siegele Scholarship Nomination Form here, complete and forward to Bev McBride by email at Quilt Encounter Team Leader

QUILT ENCOUNTER 2026

SA Quilters is very proud to continue to present Quilt Encounter in its 34th year to deliver the retreat and support the quilting community. Quilt Encounter is all about learning and catching up with quilting friends, old and new, from the quilting community. This year we had 164 QE participants in total, they came from every Australian state, regional South Australia and Adelaide. We had 18 first timers attend, plus 11 tutors and 11 Committee ladies – so quite busy indeed!

This year we farewelled Kerryn Brand who has been on the QE team for 15 years. Kerryn has done an amazing job as the convener of QE, her organisation skills, knowledge and contacts all helped to make QE a fabulous event and nationally recognised. The Stamford Grand at Glenelg is the current home of QE. This is one of Kerryn’s many achievements. In the early days of COVID, Immanuel College was no longer available as a venue for QE. Finding a new home for QE was a formidable challenge and could have led to QE ceasing to run after 27 years. Kerryn and the QE team got their thinking caps on and found a venue the Stamford Grand at Glenelg, staging the event with border and quarantine restrictions in place. We wish Kerryn well in her new life living on the NSW coast, she has been ensuring the transition for the QE team was smooth and we know she is a phone call away. We asked participants to bring a postcard from where they are from and make a postcard to give to Kerryn. We also had some extras (made by the QE team) available for sale to support our charity. Kerryn was given the box of 160 handmade postcards with their personal messages at our gala dinner on the Wednesday night. Kerryn has left some big shoes to fill indeed!

This year QE had 5 first time tutors teaching at QE, as well as six fabulous tutors returning to teach providing a range of techniques, hand or machine sewing, quilting styles and projects options for participants.

Angela Bradbury (Vic) taught three projects using a Wonder Curve Ruler (Plant Life Quilt, Mini curve table Runner and Chic country). Great projects to explore how to use the curve rulers producing beautiful quilts.

SA quilt icon and treasure Rachelle Denneny is always popular at QE. Rachelle’s mystery classes are always oversubscribed, this year we thought two mystery classes would solve the issue, alas no we had even more demand! Rachelle kept them guessing till the second day with beautiful quilts as a result. Rachelle also taught a one-day class of her Whirly Gig Quilt to eager students.

Jodi Godfey (NSW) returned to teach three English paper piecing projects (Hexie shape family, Monet Quilt and Evensong). Jodi’s students sat hand sewing producing some lovely work. With the sea view from their corner room, I would have been too distracted by the view!

Heather Hopkins (SA) 2-day class on free motion machine quilting produced some amazing quilting that was then enhanced with machine applique to make a Wild Bloom Wall Hanging, it is a beautiful project.

Emma Jean Jansen (Vic) was a first-time tutor at QE and taught three brightly coloured, pieced and appliqued quilts. The vibrant colours and piecing resulting in some stunning projects we can’t wait to see when they return for show and tell at a future QE.

Janine Judge (WA) was a first-time tutor at QE. Janine taught two textile art projects (Under the Surface and Mosaic Banksia). Students were delighted to learn new techniques and produce some stunning works of art, the room buzzing with creativity.

Christina Kazis from Melanns ran a one day Know your Bernina class, the girls in the class said they learnt lots of useful tips, new things about their Berninas and said it was really useful.

Jane MacDonald (NSW) is always popular when she teaches at QE. This year she taught a beautiful Wildflower applique bag, a Sashiko table runner and her Boro vest. Her room was a hive of stitching activity and concentration.

Sharon Nicholls Thomson (NSW) taught for the first time at QE. Her class on Inset Strips using modern quilting techniques was in high demand and produced some stunning inset stripes and grids, students loved it. Later in the week Sharon had a workshop on Modern Transparency, the students had a masterclass in understanding colour, values and hues and the subtle changes that can impact how we view colour.

Claire Smith (SA) a first-time tutor and Riverland local taught a beautiful Night Village tote using recycled denim. The clever use of all parts of the second-hand jeans that were upcycled along with appliqué resulted in some very individual and creative bags.

Alison Watts (SA) returned this year to teach a two-day Sashiko class that was a student favourite. Starting with a single stitch Allison shared her in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and Sashiko.

Sunday night Opening Night was again a highlight, with the introduction of our tutors with their inspiring workshop samples. There is often a pang of envy as students see the other projects and want to do them all! We celebrated this year’s Lessa Siegele Scholarship winner Sarah Addis who does so much for SA Quilters. Another highlight of opening night is Show and Tell from previous years’ classes with oohs and aahs as finished work is admired. The returning tutors were also delighted to see what they had inspired in students’ work.

During the week there were activities for participants each night. This year featured games night on Tuesday night. While antics that happen at Quilt retreat usually stays at quilt retreat we will divulge that this year we had thanks to the mistresses of mirth and chaos (Cindy and Sonia) a stitch and spin human powered pokie machine that proved a lot of fun.

From goody bags and table-draw prizes, to major prize-draw items. Many of our participants like to share their creativity by making various things to be included in our Goody Bags – so 180 “things” are made and donated! Always a lovely surprise and everyone appreciates their time and generosity with these “crafty items”. Olfa Australia continue to support QE. The two shops with their fabulous, tempting displays and providing the “back up” supplies that we all seem to need! Our sincere thanks to Cynthia from Cynthia’s Ark in Mallala and to Lynn from Riverlea quilts in Hyde Park for providing amazing support all week.

Bernina Australia have supported this event for the entirety of its 34 years and Christina from Melanns continued her valued sponsorship with the provision of Bernina machines available to hire for our interstate ladies. The Bernina Bar, a mini shop, the Bernina Bar at QE supplying Bernina accessories, some demonstration sewing machines and Christina able to sort queries participants had with their machines.

You can download a full list of 2026 sponsors from the QE website page.

At Dinner Night this year, we farewelled Kerryn Brand and so didn’t have a fancy-dress parade, but it will be back next year. At the evening dinner we acknowledged and thanked our sponsors for their generosity. We conduct the Major Prize Draw – there are always some delighted recipients of the many, wonderful donations that are received. Our final event on Friday Night was a Trunk show by Sharon Nicholls Thomson. A separate report about the trunk show by Ally Baum is on the following page.

Each year the Quilt Encounter team chooses a country charity to fundraise for and make a raffle quilt. This year we are supporting the McGrath Cancer Care Nurse (Breast Specialist) Riverland, Mallee, Coorong Health Network Service. Funds will be used to support women in the district and buy compression equipment to manage Lymphoedema. The winner of our quilt this year was Gail Phillips from Murray Bridge. The Stamford Grand Hotel donation of High Tea for six people and a large cutting board donated to QE were raffled for the charity as well.

Sonia and Cindy both put little packs in the goody bags for making a block, hand pieced hexie’s from Sonia and machine pieced flower blocks from Cindy. These will be made into two quilts that will be raffled for our country charity in 2027. If you have completed blocks you can hand them to one of the QE team or post it to Cindy or Sonia at: SA Quilters, PO Box 566, Kensington Park, SA 5068.

Attendees provided very happy feedback this year. A reflection of all the work put in by the Stamford Grand, the QE team, our shops and the great line-up of tutors. The Stamford Grand warmly welcome us back each year with staff genuinely looking forward to the return of the Quilters each year, despite all the cotton threads on the carpets! QE appreciates all the work the Grand does to make it a great event. A massive thank you also goes to SA Quilters accountant Keith Holland and Jan Goulter, the SA Quilters assistant Treasurer, who assist us with managing the financial aspects of the event. Thanks also to SA Quilters Leadership Team for their ongoing support to ensure this event continues to grow and maintains the fabulous reputation it holds within the Australian Quilting Community.

Finally, huge thanks to the Quilt Encounter Team for all the volunteer hours that they have contributed to the success of this year’s event.

Bev McBride

Quilt Encounter Team Leader

SPONSORS
We are very grateful to the individuals and businesses who choose to support Quilt Encounter.  Download a full list of 2026 sponsors here.