QUILT ENCOUNTER

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QUILT ENCOUNTER 2026

13^th to 18^th September 2026

at the Stamford Grand Hotel, Glenelg in Adelaide
For further information – please contact by email:
Bev at Quilt Encounter

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 2025

The 33^rd Annual Quilt Encounter has wrapped up with very happy responses from our attendees this year. A reflection of all the work put in by the QE team, our shops and the great line-up of tutors this year. This was our 6^th year at the Stamford Grand with 164 participants, and 34 first timers coming from around Australia. The Stamford Grand staff continue to welcome us back and genuinely look forward to our event each year despite all the cotton threads on the carpets.

This year we had two new local tutors teaching at Quilt Encounter for the first time, presenting new workshop options for our participants as well as eight fabulous tutors who have taught at QE previously. Wendy Williams (NSW) joined us with her fabulous embroidery and felted wool work. Wendy’s Ollies fish cushion class an instant favourite able to be improv or pieced and a cushion or a quilt. Kathy Doughty (NSW) returned again this year, her Soul Searching class in high demand as it took students out of their comfort zone to consider colour, tone, scale and texture. Lynne Wilson taught a great fat quarter stash buster quilt and how to make a By Annie Duffel bag. Christine Lethlean (Vic) returned to teach two Textile Art classes, one hand project and one machine project. These are stunning art works and one lucky QE went home with one of Christine’s pieces she had donated to our major prize draw. Jodi Godfey taught three English paper piecing projects. Jodi’s students were happy but so was Jodi giving a fabulous review on her Instagram page Tales of cloth https://www.instagram.com/talesofcloth/

Michelle Marvig (NSW) taught her new Whirling Pinwheels quilt pattern and templates , and two classes using classic designs Dresden plate and Mariners compass with a twist. Great projects to use up the stash.

SA quilt icon and treasure Rachelle Denneny is always popular at QE teaching her Little Moments quilt. Rachelle’s mystery classes is always oversubscribed, this year was no different. Heather Hopkins (SA) 2 day class on machine quilting produced some amazing quilting by the participants and they were all really keen to have her back next year. Our first time tutors were two locals. Alli Phillips (SA) experiencing this event for the first time, presented a beautiful, practical sewing journal cover part of her range of practical projects to keep your sewing organised and looking gorgeous . Allison Watts (SA) taught a two day Sashiko class that was an absolute 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 Glyn Singleton (Managing Director of Bernina Australia) officially opening QE 2025. Introduction of our tutors with all their inspiring workshop samples, plus the Show and Tell from previous years’ classes is always great to see. The returning tutors were so delighted to see what they had inspired in students work.

We are very grateful to the individuals and businesses who choose to support Quilt Encounter through Sponsorship and of course SA Quilters. There are so many wonderful sponsors who support QE providing so much – from the Goody Bag items to prizes for our Major Prize Draw.

Many of our participants like to share their own 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”. For a full list of our sponsors is attached to this page, we value all their support and could not run the event without them.

Bernina Australia have supported this event for the entirety of its 33years and Christina from Melanns continues her valued sponsorship with the provision of Bernina Hire machines for our interstate ladies. This year Bernina increased their sponsorship, and we trialled the Bernina Bar at QE. Bernina set up a mini shop the Bernina Bar at QE supplying all the Bernina accessories you may want, and some demonstration sewing machine. Glynn and Christina were also available to sort any queries participants had with their machines. It was a very popular and successful addition.

Our two shops are also major sponsors with their fabulous, tempting displays and providing the “back up” supplies that we all seem to need! Our sincere thanks Widebacks from in Seaford with Tracey providing amazing support all week and to Julie Nixon from The Patchy Affair in Cunningham Yorke Peninsula to the event. With Julies permission we have included her email below.

Hello, I just wanted to also say a huge thank you to you all and the quilt encounter team for firstly inviting me to be this year’s shop. It was an amazing experience, totally beyond my expectations and was extremely beneficial on all levels.  I had a great time meeting the Team members, tutors and participants and putting my face out there for all to know where I am on the Yorke Peninsula.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been there at this year’s Quilt Encounter  and will happily continue my ongoing support for this well organised annual event.

Many thanks again
Julie
The Patchy Affair

Dinner Night with this years Tropicana theme making for a very bright event. This is also the evening that we conduct the Major Prize Draw – always some delighted recipients of the many, wonderful donations that are received. All the sponsors for Quilt Encounter are acknowledged and thanked for their generosity at our dinner. We also celebrated this year’s Lessa Siegele Scholarship winner, Rosslyn Wyatt.

Each year the Quilt Encounter Committee team make a raffle quilt (in applicable colours to our theme) and we choose a country charity group for the proceeds of our fundraising. This year the money we have raised will be going to the Uniting Country Domestic and Family Violence Service. Funds will be used to provide a safe and comforting space to support women and children in crisis housing. The winner of our bright tropical inspired quilt was Di Krause from Proserpine who tells us she loves the quilt and it matches beautifully with her house! The Stamford Grand Hotel also support us with this fundraising too by providing a High Tea for Six, raffled during the week of QE. A beautiful “Hexies quilt” created by many of our ladies from little packs donated by Kornacraft from last year’s Goody Bags and beautifully put together by Sonia Holton was also raffled. It also went to gone to a very delighted winner. A final figure for the Uniting Country Domestic and Family Violence Service will be announced once our figures are finalised.

Our finale evening event on the Friday Night was a “Chat on the Couch” with Wendy Williams and Kathy Doughty – and what a fun, entertaining and insightful night it was! Sonia Holton and Jane Polden from our Committee were the guest interviewers with plenty of interesting questions for our international quilting icons. This was followed by a delicious supper and plenty of chit chat amongst us all.

A collage of some fun photos from 2025 Quilt Encounter

The wonderful staff at the Stamford Grand Hotel are always incredibly supportive of our event. Kirsten from the Events Management team provide the guidance in the months leading up to QE, through the planning and prepping stages. Then each and every one of the staff at Glenelg – from the kitchen and catering, hotel check-in, Concierge, events team and the capable crew on the Conference floor, moving furniture, setting tables etc etc are reliably on hand to assist us at every step. We are all so appreciative of the work they do at the Stamford Grand Hotel in Glenelg.

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. This year we bid farewell a two of our committee Ros Holmes and Margaret Sampson. Ros has worked with Sonia to make sure our classrooms are running smoothly and make sure all the irons are turned off after late night sewing. Margaret has been maintaining and tweaking our database that lets runs QE as well as managing the finances. They will both be missed. Adding to our team are Robyn McDonald and Ellie Sargent. We also owe a massive thankyou to the SA Quilters accountant Keith Holland and Jan Goulter the SA Quilters assistant Treasurer who are always available and assisting us with support and advice. Thanks also to SA Quilters Leadership Team for their ongoing support to make sure this event continues to grow and maintain the fabulous reputation that it holds within the Australian Quilting Community.

The Quilt Encounter Team 

Download the full 2025 Quilt Encounter Report here.

SPONSORS
We are very grateful to the individuals and businesses who choose to support Quilt Encounter.  Download a full list of 2025 sponsors here.