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

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…

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Abstracting from Art in Colorado 2025

I’m excited to announce I’ll be teaching a 5 day workshop at the Estelle Center for the Creative Arts July 14-18, 2025. The class is Abstracting from Art–a fun deep dive into making inspiration a reality. Start with an inspiration–from a photo, a painting, or even a favorite sweater–then take the color, the shapes, or…

Read More about Abstracting from Art in Colorado 2025