Jane Sassaman
Leaves in a Breeze
Five-Day Quilting Retreat
June 6, 2027, 5:30 pm: Meet & Greet
June 7-11, 2027
$1395
Capture the beauty of the changing seasons in this five-day Leaves in the Breeze: Applique Patterns retreat with Jane Sassaman. Learn new quilting methods and make a stunning, personalized quilt top with this in-depth experience.
You will discover the innovative Sassaman applique style, which treats fabric like paper. And you’ll learn how to create stable, portable applique pieces effortlessly for spontaneous designs.
You will receive an exclusive collection of large, versatile leaf applique patterns, including burr oak, red oak, acorns, a dynamic maple, delicate ginkgo leaves, and enchanting “breeze” spirals. You can use these independent designs perfectly for your quilt top, and you can repurpose them for countless future projects.
With expert guidance, you’ll design your own quilt top, choosing any combination of leaves and colors. You’ll explore how subtle fabric variations can add depth and dimension to each element, to create a piece that is your unique style. You’ll get help selecting fabrics that bring your vision to life, whether you’re dreaming of a traditional autumn palette or a bold, contemporary statement.
Learn the art of designing and incorporating custom swirly spirals to add a dynamic sense of movement and wind to your creation.
The Retreat Experience:
When Jane was asked, “What’s the best thing about teaching a retreat?” She answered, “Quilters!” This retreat is more than just learning a technique; it’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a joyful creative process alongside fellow quilters. You’ll leave with:
A completed, stunning quilt top that showcases your newfound skills.
A wealth of new knowledge in appliqué design and execution.
Cherished new friendships with a vibrant community of passionate quilters.
Join us and unleash your creative potential. Take home not just a beautiful quilt, but also the confidence and inspiration to continue creating at home.
Learning Objectives
The "Leaves in a Breeze" retreat offers a comprehensive learning experience focused on quilting and applique. The key learning objectives for participants include:
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Learn the Sassaman machine applique style using iron-on interfacings to stabilize, layer, and pre-assemble fabric shapes before securing them to the background.
Use raw-edge & decorative stitches like satin stitch and zigzag, or various built-in decorative machine stitches.
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Understand how spirals can symbolize energy and growth in your work.
Learn to use spirals to make your appliqué art look like it’s moving in the wind.
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Use organic abstraction to make stylized, simplified, exaggerated shapes for dramatic effect.
Experiment with specific geometric or repeating natural motifs.
Discover the use of contrasting lines and heavily layered threadwork.
Skill Level
The class is targeted to all levels of sewers.
What's Included In The Retreat
Meet and greet with hors d'oeuvres on Sunday, June 6th at 5:30 pm
Five days of instruction--Monday through Friday
Five lunches
Retreat Schedule
The schedule is fluid during the retreat. Below is a possible cadence for your five days.
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Sunday, June 6th at 5:30 pm
Join us for an informal gathering with the instructor and participants. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.
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You'll begin by stylizing your elements into simple shapes and designing your applique patterns.
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Compose your quilt top and pre-assemble your shapes and units.
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With your composition and pre-assembly completed, you will spend these days constructing your quilt top.
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Finish construction and discuss your work with Jane and your fellow participants.
Supply List for Jane Sassaman Retreat
There is a $25 materials fee for the Leaf Pattern Packet that is paid directly to Jane on the first day of instruction.
Basic Sewing Tools Required
Sewing machine with satin stitch
If you’d like to rent a sewing machine, click here.
Pinning board or mat -12” or larger wool pressing mat, corrugated cardboard, etc
Pellon ShirTailor 950F IronOn Interfacing— 8 yards
WonderUnder or paper backed light weight fusible web - 1 yard24” roll Golden Threads Quilting Paper
Roxann’s Glue -Baste-It with needle applicator
Fabric - fat quarters of many colors, see above, for leaves- background fabric - 1 yard
Threads, 50wt, to match fabrics
Micron pen
Poster board - inexpensive
Xacto knife with NEW #11 blade
About Jane Sassaman
After a varied career in the design world, Jane began to quilt in 1980. She found that these “soft paintings” satisfied the draftsman, craftsman and artist in her. Consequently, she is now a dedicated (some say “obsessed”) quilt artist and fabric designer.
Her art quilts have been shown in many national and international exhibits, including Quilt National 1989 through 2005 and Contemporary American Quilts, the first major exhibit of American art quilts in England. Her quilt, “Willow” was named as One of the One Hundred Best American Quilts of the Century. Jane is also the author of The Quilted Garden. The book includes twenty years of her work and exercises for making nature-inspired quilts.
Jane’s love for historic decorative arts can be seen in all facets of her work, but it is especially evident in the exuberant fabric she is currently designing for FreeSpirit. Her designs are oversized and colorful and have been coined as “William Morris on anti-depressants.” They are created for quilts, wearables and home decorating. Her latest book, Patchwork Sassaman Style, beautifully illustrates her fabric in action.
Rent a Sewing Machine
Retreat Sewing Machine Rental
We rent the Bernina 350 Ricky Tims' Special Edition which is a great machine for quilters. Standard accessories for the sewing machine includes the slide-on extension table, the practical Free Hand System (FHS), the BERNINA walking foot as well as two additional feet for quilting and patchwork.
There are a limited number of machines available for rent, so reserve yours when you book your retreat. If you don't see a machine rental option, it means all the machines have already been rented.
$100 per retreat
Important Information Read Before Registering
Cancellation Policy
If the Estelle Center cancels a retreat, you will receive a full refund of all payments made.
The $500 deposit is non-refundable.
If you cancel your reservation and the Estelle Center is able to fill your space with another participant, your $500 deposit will be refunded minus a $100 cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 45 days of the retreat's Meet & Greet date, no refunds will be issued unless the Estelle Center is able to fill your spot. In that case, any refund will be subject to the $100 cancellation fee.
We have limited guest accommodations. If you cancel your room reservation at any time, you will be refunded your payment minus a $150 cancellation fee.
Payments
A deposit of $500 is required to register. The balance of $895 is due by April 7th 2027, 60 days before the start of the retreat.
After April 7, 2027, the full retreat cost of $1,395 is required to register.
Meals & Lodging
The Leaves in a Breeze Quilting Retreat includes meet and greet with appetizers, Five lunches, and five days of instruction. Other meals and lodging are not included in the registration fee.
Guest rooms at Estelle's Upstairs are available for retreat participants. There are single, double, and triple occupancy rooms that share a large bathroom down the hall. To book a guest room, scroll down to the payment section below.
Click here to learn more about our guest rooms.
Click here to find other accommodations in La Veta.
What To Expect Next
Please add sunshine@estellecreativearts.com to your safe senders list to make sure you receive our emails.
Service Animal Policy
To preserve a calm and welcoming space for creativity and connection, we ask that guests do not bring pets or emotional support animals.
Service dogs, trained to assist and supported by law, are always welcome. Thank you for helping us hold this space with care. If you have questions or specific needs, we invite you to reach out ahead of your visit.
Click here to learn more about the The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Service Animal Policy.
