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Fibre Artist and Teacher in the Art of Fine Quilting

Sandy Simmelink

About Sandy

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"My quilting journey began more than 35 years ago when I wanted to make a baby quilt for my daughter. The journey grew into my biggest passion, and I am blessed to have made many life long friendships along the way. My goal is to teach and inspire fellow quilters through classes and lectures.

 

My quilting style is two-fold - some pieces are traditional; Baltimore Album style miniature block wall hangings made entirely by hand, which tell stories of people, places and history. They showcase fine needle turn appliqué, antique lace, men's ties, and 3D embellishments... they often take years to complete! My others pieces are "wild & crazy"! 3D flowers, painted lace, altered photographs, mixed media, and even canvas! These pieces often take months to make. Both styles satisfy different creative needs."

Sandy Simmelink is a five time Canadian Quilter’s Association National Juried Show winner, and has won an award for "Best Hand Workmanship" at the World Quilt Competition in 2006. She has shown her work in many different parts of the world, was a judge at the National Juried Show in Saskatoon, taught all across Canada, and has appeared in numerous magazines throughout her quilting career.

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About Me

Top National/International Awards

2023 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Halifax, Nova Scotia
2nd Place - Miniatures - "Tulips for Wee Ava"

2021 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Online version
Acceptance - "Cut Glass Cloth" and "Bugle Boys of Valcartier"

2020 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Online version 
Acceptance - "William Morris Takes Flight"

2020 - Fesitval of Quilts - Birmingham, England
Traditional Quilts - Shortlisted Top 10 - "Take Me Back to Ireland"

2019 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Ottawa, Ontario
Award of Excellence using Wonderfil Thread - "Please Don't Leave Yet"

2006 - World Quilt Competition - New England, USA

Best Handworkmanship Award - "Take Me Back to Ireland"

2002 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Edmonton, Alberta

Best Small Wall Quilt - "Fulfilling a Dream"

2001 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Nanaimo, British Columbia

Best Small Wallquilt, and Joseph H. McMurdie Award for Applique - "Her Time is in My Time"

1999 - Canadian Quilter's Association National Juried Show - Charlottetown, PEI

Best Small Wall Quilt & Viewer's Choice - "Jewelbox Memories"

Awards

Classes & Lectures 
Classes are in-person. Lectures can be either in-person, or virtual. 

Classes:

Click here for a more detailed description of each class

Turning Your Own Designs Into Reality

Students will learn more about design, colour, balance, and other features using Sandy's award winning quilts as inspiration. Students will then develop their own patterns using their own ideas, and by end of the class will have their own design partially or mostly completed.

Improve Your Needleturn Appliqué

This workshop is designed for those who want to improve challenging appliqué situations, such as very thin vines, fine flowers, tricks with points, valleys, importance of the grain.

Improve Your Free Motion Machine Quilting

This class will help students build confidence and improve their machine and free-motion quilting abilities. 

Pond Flower Wallhanging

This class will help students build confidence and improve their machine quilting abilities, using Sandy's 3D water lily flowers as inspiration. Students will be provided with pieces of flowers, embellishments, materials from Bali, and other materials to make a 8.5 x 11 water lily flower wallhanging.

"Wild n' Crazy" Flower Wallhanging

Identical to the class above, except that the colours of the kits are wild and crazy, including orange, pink, lime green, etc. Take your choice: pond flowers (soft and soothing), or WILD and CRAZY flowers!

Rose Flower Wallhanging

This class will help students build confidence and improve their machine quilting and free-motion abilities, using Sandy's 3D rose flowers as inspiration. Students will be provided with materials to make a 10 x 10 rose flower wallhanging.

Garden Landscape Quilt

Students will use silk ribbons, beads, buttons and other interesting objects to create a small wallhanging depicting their favourite spot in their garden.

Flower Stamping and Quilting

Students will learn how to cut flower and leaf stamps into eraser slabs, and stamp onto material using acrylic paint. When the paint dries, Students will free-motion quilt around the shapes, and use the creation in small wall quilts.

Custom Class

Is your guild celebrating a certain milestone? Need a lecture to inspire artists on any fibre related topic? Sandy can customize a memorable class for you!

Lectures (Virtual/Slideshow or In Person) 

Click here for a more detailed description of each lecture

Sandy's Trunk Show

Learn more about how Sandy began quilting, and admire her past and present work via virtual slideshow or in person.

Taking Stock

It's important to not only do your best work, but know how to strategically plan what projects you will undertake in the future. This lecture is a look at Sandy's own journey and what she has learned along the way. She'll provide insights, explain why "taking stock" of your situations is important, and will encourage Students on their own quilting journey.

Tactile meets Tech

"Tactile Meets Tech" is a new and innovative technique is far from traditional quilting! See examples of finished pieces (specifically the "Kaleidoscope Series" on the Mixed Media page) where Sandy has taken abstract photographs and turned them into quilts that are a feast for the eyes.

Turning Your Own Designs into Reality

This lecture is meant to inspire Students to step out and design quilts that are original and personal to them. Sandy will bring some of her design boards, quilts, and other inspiring material to take the group step-by-step through how she designs and executes her quilts.

Working Small / Advanced Needleturn Appliqué

This interactive lecture, Sandy will share her favourite advanced appliqué tips and techniques, which are used on small blocks and quilts. Using some favourite "in person" teaching resources, Sandy will show you how to make 1/8" bias binding, circles smaller than your baby fingernail, how to easily apply leaves, and really sharp points and deep valleys.

Working Small / The Making of a Mini

This fun presentation has two purposes: to help Students understand visually what a true miniature is compared to a small quilt, and encourages Students to design and create miniatures that they and their family will enjoy for generations to come.

Design and Create your Journey

We are all on our own quilting journey - that's what brings us together! In this lecture, Sandy will share a summary of her own quilting journey, walk you through challenges she's overcome, skills she's acquired along the way, as well as share some images and memories from recent travels.

"SOS" - SAVE OUR FAMILY STORIES

A picture is worth a thousand words.
A quilt is worth a thousand pictures.

We all have stories that we want to save; some from past generations, and some from today! In this lecture, Sandy will share how you can turn cherished memories into beautiful quilts which are meaningful to a family or loved one.

Custom Lecture
Is your guild celebrating a certain milestone? Need a lecture to inspire artists on any fibre related topic? Let Sandy customize a memorable lecture for you!

Classes & Lectures

Testimonials

"Sandy’s presentation (Design and Create Your Journey lecture via zoom) to our guild was excellent.  Her enthusiasm for her art and her creative focus were the highlights of the program. She showed us a range of art quilts that represent the focus of her work. Her pictures were excellent, including details of her work. She took the time to explain in some detail why she made each quilt, how she went about it, problems that arose and how she solved them. Throughout, she emphasized ways to incorporate creativity into our work. She welcomed questions and gave informed answers. Even though I do not do needle turn appliqué and most likely will not take it up, I came away from her program with a renewed appreciation of the technique and, more importantly, a desire to expand the creativity of my quilting."
 

Meredith Kimball
Vancouver Quilters’ Guild


"If you are looking for a lecture that will inspire/teach and leave your Guild members wishing they could spend more time with the speaker, then you should consider inviting Sandy as a Guest for your Guild program.  Reading her bio you know that she is well qualified, but what you get is someone whose enthusiasm and love for everything involved with Quilting/Needlework/Artwork and Creativity just shines through with every slide and story.  She is an absolute joy and a true artist.  She does not hold back, and freely shares her knowledge and tips and tricks she has learned along the way.  Her stories were very personal and heartwarming and left us wanting more.  Further, she is very responsive and organized, traits that were appreciated by the Program Committee.  We highly recommend Sandy to any Guild wishing to work with a generous, knowledgeable and inspiring lecturer."

Sharon Bourque
Sudbury & District Quilting and Stitchery Guild

Testimonials
Contact

Contact Sandy

1 (437) 224-8624 | sandysimmelink@hotmail.com

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