Alaskan Explorer Quilt Seminar at Sea

Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses quilt is filled with endless possibilities for fussy cutting and clever fabric placement. English Paper Piecing is an old technique made new with modern techniques. With an assortment of fabrics that have motifs that cry out to be highlighted, along with calmer coordinates that allow the eye to rest, you'll be on your way to a quilt that says, "Wow!" It's the perfect portable project. We will start on a 4-block sampler that you can finish as a wall hanging – or keep going until you have a quilt like Lucy's original 56-block beauty.

Skill level: Skill Builder (for the more experienced paper piecer).

Choose one of your favorite Alaska animals or birds (otters, moose, wolf, grizzly bear, eagle, or auklet) to transfer to fabric and then color in yourself using Gelatos (fabric pastels) and InkTense pencils. After lunch we'll add hand-stitching to enhance the animal and bring it to life! You do not need to know how to draw to be successful in this class – you'll learn a simple technique to get a fabulous result that you can use in your quilting in the future.

Skill level: Fun for all (perfect for all levels of experience).

Make some whale watching good luck while you embroider this Tlingit-inspired orca. You will learn how to transfer the design to fabric, then render the image in thread with an easy backstitch. The pattern to add borders for a small quilt is provided, or you can frame your stitching in an embroidery hoop – a popular way to display stitched textiles. While we stitch, we will learn the legend of how the orca came to be in the waters we visit.

Skill level: Fun for all (perfect for all levels of experience).

Create your own lighthouse using appliquéd wool felt and hand embroidery. Starting with hand-dyed wool felt as a background, you'll stitch elements that will make this Alaskan iconic lighthouse a wonderful memory of your trip. Working in-hand, the wool felt is easily pieced and embroidered, making this a relaxing sewing circle experience.

Skill level: Fun for all (perfect for all levels of experience).

Celebrate Alaska's state flower with an Unforgettable Forget-Me-Not quilt. If you are new to hand appliqué, this easy project is a great introduction. And experienced appliqué artists will enjoy stitching an original design created just for this cruise. Be on the lookout for the real thing when you are onshore – the little pretties bloom in the spring!

Skill level: Fun for all (perfect for all levels of experience).

Using an impressionistic technique of pointillism, you'll choose from 12 different color schemes and collage fabric pieces to create a landscape view of Mendenhall Glacier. After your collage is complete, you can add stitching to embellish, giving your piece dimensionality and texture.

Skill level: Fun for all (perfect for all levels of experience).