Welcome to The Quilt District

About

I am the creative force behind The Quilt District, a place where you can sink your teeth into design, color, and the history of quiltmaking. I have spent several years working my craft as a speaker, instructor, pattern designer, author, and independent researcher. I teach quilting techniques through my pattern workshops, deliver lectures and trunk shows about quilting and women’s history, and sell my own original quilt patterns.

I love to gather with other quilters through my talks and workshops, and you can find my growing list of speaking engagements and class offerings on my Talks & Workshops page.

I am proud to serve on the Board of Directors of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG).

From 2021 to 2022, I produced the monthly AQSG livestream show, Quiltside Chats, in partnership with the International Quilt Museum (IQM), with several episodes sponsored by Quiltfolk magazine. In January 2022, I appeared as a guest on the show, along with IQM curator Carolyn Ducey, honoring the work and life of Jean Ray Laury. You can find Quiltside Chats on the AQSG YouTube channel.

From April 2021 to September 2023, I produced The Six Know-It-Alls, a monthly panel presentation and discussion with Barbara Brackman, Merikay Waldvogel, Julie Silber, Alden O’Brien, Lynne Bassett, and Debby Cooney. In May 2023, I joined as a guest Know-It-All for episode 25. You can find the Know-It-Alls on YouTube and Vimeo. You can also discover me on my own Quilt District YouTube channel, where I share my visits to various museums and quilt industry shows, along with my interviews and discussions with historians and quilters of interest.

I have written articles and patterns for Quiltmania magazine and I appear in the April ’24 issue as both a featured quilter and author of the article spotlighting the DAR exhibition, Sewn in America. In addition, I am also among the featured quilters in Issue 30 of Quiltfolk magazine.

Always learning and growing in my craft, I have several research projects going on at any one time. My current list includes:

  • Recording the stories of the Nebraska quilters who launched the Nebraska Quilt Project (grant funded through the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and the International Quilt Museum)
  • The life and work of Jean Ray Laury
  • Scripture and Biblical quilts in the United States, 1880-1920
My purpose is to inspire quilters to feel confident and connected, to each other and to our foremothers.

Tara Miller, The Quilt District, LLC

Atlanta, GA, USA

quiltdistrict@gmail.com