Artist, Teacher, Author of Artful Improv and Adventures in Improv Quilts

Cindy Grisdela – Artist, Teacher and Author

Welcome!

I’m Cindy Grisdela – an Artist, Teacher and Author from Reston, VA.

Color and texture are the driving forces behind my contemporary art quilts. Browse my site to see how I combine line and shape, then add stitching lines to create texture and dimension – a process I like to think of as painting with fabric and thread.

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Books

Artful Improv: Explore Color Recipes, Building Blocks & Free Motion Quilting

Adventures in Improv Quilts: Master Color, Design and Construction

Workshops & Lectures

I’m passionate about helping others find the creativity I believe lives inside each of us, just waiting for permission to come out and play.

Online Learning

Take a class on your own schedule in your PJs if you want to! Class content includes video, text, and still photos that give step-by-step guidance to create your own designs.

Latest News From Cindy

Thoughts on QuiltCon 2025

I’m just back from QuiltCon 2025 in Phoenix and it was a lot of fun. I met my friends Heather Pregger and Maria Shell there the Tuesday evening before the show opened and we shared an Airbnb a couple of miles away from the convention center with another friend of Maria’s. On Wednesday, we all…

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A Look Back at 2024

2024 was a busy year of creating, teaching and traveling! I always think its a good idea to look back on the year to reflect on what I did well and enjoyed, and what I need to work on in the coming year. I created 21 new quilts, including five large pieces, seven medium ones…

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Art Quilt Tahoe 2024

I went back to Art Quilt Tahoe (AQT) the first week of November this year to do an independent study and recharge my creative batteries. It’s a beautiful location right on the shores of the lake and in the fall the sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking. AQT has been providing art retreats to quilters for…

Read More about Art Quilt Tahoe 2024