I discovered longarm quilting in 2014, and have been happily sewing and quilting at my home-based studio in Oregon City, Oregon ever since!

My quilting adventure began in September 2014 when I attended a local quilt show to explore quilting as a future hobby.  As soon as I touched the handles of a longarm quilting machine, I knew I had found an exciting tool that I wanted to learn more about – and learning is something that I am very passionate about!  I set out to learn everything I could, and started quilting for others in December 2014.

Since I had never made a quilt, I focused on the craft of quilting fabric first – and not the piecing. With an artistic background in painting and ceramics, small practice whole cloth samples became textural canvases for painting projects as I explored ways to utilize quilted textiles in new ways.  As I shared my progress with others, I also started teaching others what I was learning – and spent the next two years immersed in quilting before returning full-time to teaching special education in 2017.

As a full-time special educator and high school sewing club advisor, I spend most of my sewing and quilting energy working on personal and charity projects these days – with occasional special projects for clients. I also enjoy taking and teaching classes – perhaps we will meet each other someday!

-Coleen Barnhardt

 

Featured on:

• Pat Sloan’s Podcast American Patchwork and Quilting, Episode 283-Nov 2, 2015 click here
• Featured Quilter of the Month on Quilt It! The Longarm Quilting Show (Season 7) click here

Featured in:

• Color Me Quilted – Noteworthy section of Machine Quilting Unlimited July/August 2016.
• Wheels of Commerce: Money Circulates by Virginia Hammond 2017

Classes:

• Coloring Quilt Techniques
• Freemotion Quilting

Taught at:

• Pacific Northwest Quilt Expo 2016 – Featured Quilter
• The Pine Needle Quilt Shop – Lake Oswego, OR
• Modern Domestic – Portland, OR
• Boersma’s – McMinnville, OR

Quilts by me/quilted by me juried into:

• Quilt Con 2018
• Pacific International Quilt Festival 2016
• Houston International Quilt Festival 2016
• MQS – New England 2015
• Pacific Northwest Quilt Expo 2015

Special Exhibits:

• Pacific Northwest Quilt Expo 2017

Featured Quilter:

• Pacific Northwest Quilt Expo 2016

Awards:

• Best Longarm Machine Workmanship:  Pacific International Quilt Festival 2016 –  Admit One to the Sands of Time by Virginia Hammon & Coleen Barnhardt see here
• Best Longarm/Midarm Quilting:  Northwest Quilters Show 2016 – Ocean Waves Francais by Pat Blanchard & Coleen Barnhardt
• Best Large Pieced Quilt:  Northwest Quilters Show 2016 – Ocean Waves Francais by Pat Blanchard & Coleen Barnhardt
• Best Modern Quilt:  Northwest Quilters Show 2016 – Reach for the Stars by Coleen Barnhardt
• Best Mixed Technique:  Northwest Quilters Show 2016 – Cosmic Curves by Tony Haas and Coleen Barnhardt
• 1st Place Small Wholecloth:  MQS New England 2016 – Color Me Quilted by Coleen Barnhardt