Quiltworx 7 Day Quilt Retreat October 2026

Come and join us October 9-16, 2026, for a full 7-day retreat taught by Judy Niemeyer Certified Instructors Marianne Martens- Niemeijer and Lisa Leverton! 

Judy Niemeyer Quilting (AKA Quiltworx) is a family owned and operated business that incorporated in 1996. Their first patterns were created to be used as teaching tools to assist Judy in teaching, what was to her, a new technique called Foundation Paper Piecing. She saw the ability in this technique for quilters with minimal previous experience to be able to create intricate and complex heirloom quality quilts. Judy’s insight was based on 20 years of experience as a professional hand quilter where she struggled with the different methods used to create new quilts, finish other people’s quilts, or repair damaged quilts. What she saw in Foundation Paper Piecing was a complete set of easily trained skills that creates an overall process that can be taught over several days.

Judy’s Foundation Paper Piecing process is unique, and in order to maintain the integrity and quality of her process she trains Certified Instructors and does not allow anyone except her trained Instructors to teach her specialty Technique of the Month quilts. Sew Hot is hosting Judy Niemeyer Certified Instructors Marianne Martens-Niemeijer and Lisa Leverton to teach us Judy’s Foundation Paper Piecing process.

Judy’s vision for her company is to play their part in providing the basic tools required to support the quilting industry. Judy has assisted literally thousands of quilters with completing quilts. This experience has provided her company with the insights of what it takes to inspire a customer to go to the effort to start and then complete a quilting project. Every quilt project requires the inspiration to start it as well as a basic understanding of the process required to complete it in a satisfactory fashion. The motivation to start a quilting project is heavily based on a quilter’s perceived ability to complete it satisfactorily. While a quilter may see an impressive quilt that they really admire, if they don’t understand how they, themselves, can complete it, there is no motivation. It is Judy’s desire to provide the process and support structure so that the motivation that is created by inspiration results in finished projects. Judy, Marianne, and everyone at Sew Hot hopes that through our efforts, a quilter, when inspired, will jump immediately to motivation without struggling with the doubt and possible despair of spending money on yet another uncompleted project.

This Retreat was designed to help with that process. In this Retreat, you can choose to make either the gorgeous Carnival Flower Quilt – a special “Technique of the Month” quilt, available only through certified shops or certified instructors, or the brand new Blue Bayou quilt. Both quilts will be available in several colourways and kits can be purchased for these quilts. Carnival Flower can be made as an 80″ x 80″ or 99″ x 99″ quilt depending on which borders you include. Blue Bayou is 96″ x 96″. Learn Judy Niemeyer’s method to make these complex looking quilts with simple techniques. Get perfect points and show off your flat seams! Come and join us and foundation paper piece with Certified Judy Niemeyer Instructor – Marianne Martens-Niemeijer from Oosterwolde, Friesland, the Netherlands, and Certified Judy Niemeyer Instructor Lisa Leverton, from the UK. This Retreat is perfect for intermediate sewists through advanced sewists! Learn all of Judy’s tricks to make a perfect Foundation Paper Pieced quilt! Some previous experience with Foundation Paper Piecing is advised for these quilts.

The Retreat will take place at the beautiful and historic Euston Hotel in Fleetwood, Lancashire from 9-16 October 2026. The North Euston Hotel, considered Fleetwood’s crown jewel by many, is a fine semi-circular building which opened in 1841 and was designed by the foremost architect of the day, Decimus Burton. It derives its name from the fact that it stood at the end of the railway line from London Euston.

The Retreat Price includes:

• Full Board (Dinner, Bed, and Breakfast) from Friday October 9th through checkout on the morning of Friday, October 16th. You can check in after 3:00 pm on Friday and get settled in. Free onsite parking.
• Instruction will start on Friday October 9th at 3.00 pm and runs to 5.00 pm. Daily instruction from Saturday, October 10th – Thursday October 15th from 9.30am – 4.30pm. Friday October 16th 9.30am – 12.30pm. Classes will be given by Marianne Martens-Niemeijer and Lisa Leverton.
• A light buffet lunch (soup/sandwich) will be provided every day, Saturday through Friday.
• Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available in the Classroom throughout the day.
• Dinner will be provided every night in the hotel restaurant, with a variety of meal options available. Special diets can be catered for.
• Classroom will be open in the evenings for free sewing Friday through Thursday until 10pm. Classroom will be locked overnight.
• Classroom set up includes a sewing table plus height adjustable cutting table and desk light for each person.
• Trunk show on one evening by the instructors.
• The Quilt Pattern you have chosen, which will be sent to students the month before the retreat so you can cut out the paper pieces before arriving.
• Goodie Bag
• The Sew Hot shop is very close to the hotel, and will be available during the retreat for any sewing needs. There will be a special evening opening during the week of the retreat.

Pricing:  You get all of the above for  £1,600.

Payment Plan: We are offering a payment plan for those who wish to pay over 7 months. Due now is your down payment of  £340. Down Payment is non-refundable. Starting April 9th, £210.00 a month will be taken from your account, for six months. Your last payment will be September 9th. You can also pay the whole amount up front, if you prefer. £340 of the whole payment amount is considered your down payment and is non-refundable.

Seats are limited to 14 students. Reserve your seat now to ensure you get a spot!

Extra Night Friday, October 16th: If you would like to stay Friday night, October 16th, you can reserve that for an additional £75.00 (includes breakfast the next morning).

Fabric kits will be available in at least 3 colourways, some of the options are shown in the images. Please note that the price of the retreat DOES NOT INCLUDE THE FABRIC KIT, which will need to be purchased separately. Information on fabric kits, and other materials to bring will be available at a later date.

Bio for CI Marianne Martens-Niemeijer

Marianne was born in 1957 and grew up in the eastern part of The Netherlands. From early childhood she learned needlework from her grandmother. All aspects of fine needlework were reviewed: knitting, crochet, embroidery, Hardanger, bobbin lace, etc. She first learned to sew by hand and only when she had fully mastered that, was Marianne allowed to use the sewing machine. In secondary school Marianne discovered quilting, where an enthusiastic needlework teacher taught her the basics. Many small quilts were made and given away as gifts – unfortunately none of these have survived. When, in later life, sewing by hand became difficult because of rheumatism, making a quilt on the sewing machine became a new challenge. First simple patterns, later also complicated patterns: Japanese quilt folding art, patterns by Elisabeth Hartmann and often designed by herself.

In 2015 Marianne discovered the patterns of Judy Niemeyer and, once the spark had passed and the first quilt of a Judy pattern was made, there was no extinguishing the fire. In October 2023 Marianne became a Certified Instructor and Certified Shop for Quiltworx and now she is teaching in shops and community centres in various places in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and in the UK.

Bio for Lisa Leverton

Growing up in the South East of England all through Lisa’s schooling sewing was an integral part of her life. She learnt to use a sewing machine with her mother who was a wonderful machine sewist, although Lisa’s her true passion was in needlework which she continues to this day. Whilst on a course with the military in 2009 she took her first quilting class and made a Jacob’s ladder cushion cover. Following this many quilts were made using old patterns and a few kit projects. In 2016 Lisa found the wonderful world of Tula Pink fabrics and a new era of quilting ensued making many quilts with Tula’s fabrics. Some of these quilts are currently showing with the Grosvenor Shows until Jun 2025.

In 2017 Lisa purchased a Longarm Quilting machine and opened her own Longarm Quilting business (Warm Hugs) which has grown extensively over the last 7 years in Lincolnshire. Throughout the last 15 years all styles of quilting have been tried but for precision and accuracy Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP) has been the most fun. Having completed many Quiltworx patterns Lisa has successfully run her own quilting classes in Lincolnshire on Quiltworx, taking students through all the intricacies of a Quiltworx pattern and what wonderful options they offer the quilter. Lisa qualified as a Quiltworx Certified Instructor in September 2025 and has been busy teaching and making lots of gorgeous Quiltworx quilts.