Finally Finish Every Quilt Top — Confidently & Creatively — Without Standing and Staring!
In 6 weeks, master a simple 3-step design method that turns your UFO pile into OMG quilts.
⭐ Join the Waitlist!Enrollment opens Sept 15 • Classes start Sept 28
You don't struggle with quilting because you don't know enough designs.
You struggle because when it's time to quilt a finished top,
you're left wondering…
Where do I even start?
How do I decide what goes where?
And how do I make it all work together?
Most quilters I work with know LOTS of techniques.
They've taken classes. They've practiced feathers, fillers, straight lines, curves, rulers — all of it.
And yet…
They stand in front of a quilt top and feel completely stuck.
Maybe that looks like:
If any of that sounds familiar, let me say this clearly:
It's a decision problem.
No one ever taught you how to look at a quilt top and make design decisions in a clear, repeatable way. So instead of feeling confident and excited, quilting starts to feel stressful.
But imagine this instead…
You look at a quilt top and immediately know how to break it down.
You understand why certain designs belong in certain areas.
You choose quilting that enhances the quilt — not competes with it.
And instead of guessing, hoping, or playing it safe…you quilt with intention.
That shift changes everything.
What if every quilt didn't require a scroll-fest for inspiration…
second-guessing yourself…
or just winging it and hoping it turns out okay?
This is where the shift happens. Inside the Design Academy, I teach a clear, repeatable framework for quilting any quilt top — no matter the style, size, or level of complexity.
It's called Divide • Design • Fill.
This isn't about memorizing more motifs. It's not about copying someone else's quilting. And it's definitely not about perfection.
It's about having a process — one you can use over and over again.
Most quilting classes focus on techniques — how to make a design.
The Design Academy focuses on the missing piece:
a clear process for deciding what to quilt and where to quilt it. Once you have that process, your quilting becomes intentional instead of overwhelming.
Before joining the Design Academy, most students tell me the same thing:
"I know how to quilt… I just don't know how to decide."
And then something clicks.
They stop second-guessing.
They stop playing it safe.
They start quilting with intention.
"I now look at a quilt and say, 'I can do that!' instead of 'I wish I could do that.'"
"I can look at a quilt top now and not be paralyzed with fear of what to quilt. It's exciting instead of overwhelming."
"Lisa's technique for deciding what to quilt is brilliant. It completely eliminated my fear of 'quilt as desired.'"
These are real students — quilting with clarity and confidence after learning the Design Academy process.
The Design Academy teaches you a clear, repeatable process for deciding what to quilt and where to quilt it — so you can approach every quilt with confidence instead of overwhelm.
If you're tired of second-guessing your choices or playing it safe just to avoid mistakes, this is your next step.
Learn at your own pace • Designed for machine quilters
The Design Academy is a recorded, step-by-step program — but it's not a binge-and-forget experience.
The lessons are released weekly, so you can focus on one stage of the design process at a time.
Each week builds intentionally on the last, giving you time to:
This structure is deliberate.
Because design confidence doesn't come from rushing.
It comes from understanding.
By the time you complete the Academy, you won't just have watched lessons — you'll have practiced the process in a way that actually sticks.
The Design Academy is a great fit if you:
This process works whether you quilt on a longarm, sitdown or a domestic machine.
Because the Academy isn't about equipment — it's about how you think through your design decisions. The principles apply no matter your setup, your style, or the size of your quilts. It's not about being advanced. It's about being ready for a clear process.
No.
You do need to understand basic quilting techniques, but you don't need to be "advanced."
The Academy teaches you a design process — not complicated stitching skills. If you can quilt basic designs, you can apply this framework.
No.
The Design Academy works whether you quilt on a longarm or a domestic machine. The process focuses on how you approach what to quilt and where — not the equipment you use.
The lessons are recorded and released weekly.
This allows you to move through the material step-by-step without overwhelm, while still giving you the flexibility to learn on your own schedule.
You'll have lifetime access to the full program so you can revisit the lessons anytime you need a refresher. Many students tell me this is the piece that finally makes everything else click.
The core material is roughly 9 hours total — so a little over an hour each week.
The bonus material is about 3 hours total.
Most students spend time watching the lesson, then applying the process to their practice top during the week.
This isn't about rushing — it's about understanding and practicing.
Perfect.
The Design Academy doesn't replace technique classes — it helps you use what you already know.
Many students tell me this is the piece that finally makes everything else click.
The Academy is about learning a step-by-step process that you can apply to all of your quilts to help you in your design decision process.
The Society does not teach this process.
To learn more about the difference and where to start, check out the Quilter's Groove Path.
The Academy is organized into six focused modules that walk you step-by-step through the full design process.
Each module builds intentionally on the last — so you don't just understand the framework… you actually use it.
Break your quilt into manageable sections using straight lines and curves.
Execute your dividing plan without second guessing.
Create motifs that enhance your quilt.
Choose fills that support scale and structure.
Complete your quilt so it doesn't become another UFO.
In addition to the full six-module Design Academy curriculum, you'll also receive these in-depth video trainings — designed to help you apply the Divide • Design • Fill process across a variety of quilting styles.
Once you complete the Design Academy, you'll have a solid foundation in the Divide • Design • Fill process — but your learning doesn't have to stop there.
Share your quilts. Ask questions. See how others are applying the process.
This is where design confidence grows in real time — and you'll have access for life.
The Society is an ongoing membership where you can continue to grow your design skills, explore new techniques, and stay connected with a community of quilters who understand your journey.
While the Academy teaches you the process, the Society gives you a place to keep practicing, learning, and evolving as a quilter.
It's the perfect next step for those who want to keep the momentum going.
You need a clear way to decide what to quilt — and where to quilt it.
The Design Academy gives you:
This isn't about collecting ideas. It's about developing confidence.
And once you understand how to approach a quilt with clarity, you'll never look at a finished top the same way again.
Susan Barr - Academy Graduate