Are you a Fabric Store??
No, Textile Dream Studio (TDS) is a Community Sewing Studio & Classroom, developed especially for individuals who love to make things and want to dive into the quilting arts, cloth doll making, and other sorts of textile explorations.
We host Classes and Ongoing Group activities for you to learn and practice sewing and quilting techniques; We provide a supportive and safe space where creative makers can gather together and grow a personal community; and We offer activities for building the tougher skills– such as visualizing strong design composition and developing a personal art/maker practice.
We generally like to encourage fabric lovers in using the fabulous stashes you already have so carefully and lovingly acquired, and give you new opportunities to make very cool stuff using it. And– we like to have a lot of laughs together while doing so!!
Where are you located?
We are located in Berkeley’s Sawtooth Building, which is a vibrant community full of artists and artisan/maker businesses on Berkeley’s west side, not far from the I-80 freeway.
Our building entrance address is 2525 8th Street, just south of Dwight Way. Once inside the building, you will see our “Textile Dream, a Studio for Creating” sign at the back left corner of the lobby.
There is on-street parking as well as a small parking lot on the corner of Dwight and 8th (accessed from Dwight Way) for guests of the building. AC Transit buses run along San Pablo and Dwight Way with stops nearby.
What are your hours?
We are Open when Classes are scheduled in the studio –And/Or– when we have Appointments scheduled with Clients coming by for our Longarm Quilting Service.
In other words, we do not have a set schedule every day—but we are here quite a lot. To make an appointment, contact Sue Fox using textiledreamstudio@gmail.com, subject line: “Appointment.”
You can also call the Studio at 510-849-0908—if one of us is here, we will answer… If you want to drop by, it’s always BEST to call beforehand to make sure one of us is in.
How can I get your Class Schedule?
Contact Sue Fox to get a current class schedule using textiledreamstudio@gmail.com, with “Class List” as the subject line.
And please sign up here to be added to our newsletter mailing list.
What kind of Classes do you offer?
There are many classes in both Contemporary and Traditional Quilt Making, including: Free-form block construction; Understanding Color & Design; Working with non-traditional materials; Painting on fabric for quilts and (gulp) painting on quilts; Classes change with the seasons and visiting artists…
We hold Open Sewing Days with a variety of teachers as guides… These are structured so that you can come and work on your own projects with feedback and guidance from an experienced professional.
Sondra Von Burg specializes in Cloth Doll Making including: Characters (humans and the fairy folk, mermaids, and elves) and Creatures (with an amazing number of Dragons available…)
Ongoing groups, mostly hosted by Sue Fox, focus on developing specific techniques—such as Working with Silks in Quilts, or Exploring Surface Design. Fox also leads the year-long monthly 12×12 Challenge.
TDS also offers classes for Developing Free Motion Quilting Designs and Learning to use the Longarm Quilting machine.
Who are your Teachers?
Our current Resident Artist Teachers are: Sondra (Alexandra) Von Burg (alexandravonburg.com); Fern Royce (fernroycequilting.com); and Sue Fox.
Visiting Artist Teachers will be featured on the web site when they have classes on the calendar.
So, you also have a Long Arm Quilting Machine?
Yes, the studio houses a Gammill Classic Plus machine with a 12-foot frame. The machine frame can accommodate quilt projects up to eleven feet wide.
We host a Long Arm Quilting Service wherein we can quilt your quilt for you. You can make an appointment for Longarm Quilting by contacting Sue Fox using textiledreamstudio@gmail.com, with “Long Arm Quilting Service” as the subject line.
We also teach individuals how to operate the Quilting Machine themselves, and then rent time on the machine so you can do your own quilting. Skills learned in our classes are definitely transferable to other long or mid arm machines.
How much will it cost for you to quilt my quilt for me??
There are so many factors that go into determining cost for Long Arm Quilting—Size of the quilt, Density of quilting, Intricacy of design…
We start by asking you 2 questions: 1) How will the quilt be used? And 2) What is your budget—in terms of time, energy and money?
By working from the answers to these two questions, we come up with an elegant quilting solution that suits both the quilts needs and your budget.
Tell me more about the Community Sewing Studio and Classroom space…
Everyone who walks through the door falls in love with our Studio/Classroom!
The high ceilings (19 feet!) and abundant natural light (from 2 skylights) provide an expansive feeling in the space. Lighting for evening activities is augmented by a good array of ceiling lamps, and we also keep small table lamps (including Ott lamps) available for those who want extra illumination on their work space.
We have a variety of specialty work tables– large cutting and ironing surfaces, spacious general sewing tables (which fold out of the way when not needed), plus dedicated “wet work” tables.
Along with 60 linear feet of design wall surrounding the workspace, this makes for a quilter’s dream space.
Depending on furniture layout, we can comfortably accommodate class sizes up to 12. In smaller class sizes, students get to stretch out a bit more. For non-sewing activities or for meetings, the room can accommodate up to 20 or more with ease.
Several days per month are reserved for Messy Media classes. The workroom is transformed into a “wet” studio for activities such as painting and printing on fabric, wet felting, and working with dyes directly on fabric.
Can I rent time at the Studio for my own activity or event?
Oh, Yes! This is a great space for hosting Art Parties, regular gatherings with your sewing circle, or for teaching your own class or workshop.
By rearranging the furniture, we have also hosted short-term Art Exhibits (and receptions), as well as multi-day quilting retreats.
Contact Sue Fox to learn more about possible Studio Rental, using textiledreamstudio@gmail.com, with “Studio Rental” as the subject line.
Do you make or sell quilts at Textile Dream Studio??
Mostly we teach people to make their own quilts, but we have been known to sell Class Samples, and to make quilts on commission. Contact Resident Artists directly to inquire about quilts for sale or to commission a quilt.
Our Quilting Service also includes quilt finishing*– in other words, we can finish a quilt started by someone else, whether it’s a vintage top that needs quilting and binding, or a project that just got too big for whoever started it… (*Finishing might include: sewing blocks together, adding borders, quilting & binding, adding a hanging sleeve or a label.)
Contact Sue Fox using textiledreamstudio@gmail.com, with “Quilt Finishing Service” as the subject line.
Do you sell *anything else* at Textile Dream Studio?
Occasionally (about 3 times per year* currently) someone will host “Open Studio Sale” events wherein a variety of artists come together to show and sell their goods.
At these events you can generally purchase dolls, quilts, and gift items (like scarves, bags, jewelry…)
*Keep your eye open for Spring Fling/Mothers Day event around the end of April; The 13 for Halloween– Spooky Art Exhibit and Sale in October; and our TDS Student Appreciation Celebration, Party & Sale on Thanksgiving weekend.
Alternately, we like to think that we always sell a Good Time, in terms of hosting fun classes and opportunities to gather together with other crafty folk in our creative environment.
When will the website be fully operational??
Um, as soon as I finish quilting this next quilt…