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Baltic Vikings and Czars
July 9-19, 2021
Dear quilters and friends,
We are very excited to return to Europe in 2021 with a fabulous itinerary. Beautiful cities, rich in history await us as we sail roundtrip from Copenhagen with stops in Finland, Russia Germany and Denmark! We’ll cruise on Holland America Line’s beautiful new ship, the Nieuw Statendam.
Quilting and “sewcializing”
Relax in our floating hotel…why not try the spa? Sit in on exciting port lectures and find out more about the area we’re visiting or plan a few excursions. Or, after an exciting day of exploring, visit with your fellow quilters at our evening “Sew”cials and open sewing sessions. You will also have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills by taking stunning and fun classes taught by award-winning instructor Karen Combs.
Whatever you decide to do, this will be a “trip of a lifetime!” For all of you that have sailed with us before – welcome back! For those of you that are new to the fabulous experience of quilting at sea, we look forward to getting to know you and creating lasting memories. Bring a friend, your spouse or your family. Non-quilters will get a discounted rate and are always welcome to join us! They have many activities to pursue while you are in class.
A Fabulous Itinerary!
We will begin our cruise in Copenhagen, Denmark, famous for the Little Mermaid that greets you in the harbor. Our first port of call is Talinn, Estonia where you can wander the cobblestone alleys beneath turrets and red tiled roofs in Medieval old town. We will then head to St. Petersburg, Russia where an overnight stay allows you 2 full days to explore this fascinating city, home of the Hermitage Museum and Cathedrals galore! From St. Petersburg we will travel to Helsinki, Finland, where you can explore the Rock Church and the stylish and sophisticated shops of Esplanade Street. Then to Stockholm, Sweden, one of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities. On to Germany where we will make port in Warnemunde, the gateway to Berlin. See the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie. Next, we stop in Kiel. A university town, naval base, and Germany’s largest passenger port, Kiel offers the perfect blend of urban charm, culture and history. Kiel also serves as your gateway for Hamburg, a beautiful port city on the Elbe River. Spend a delightful day exploring St. Michael’s baroque church, the St. Pauli District, and the gardens and cafés around Alster Lake. Our final port of call is back to Copenhagen, Denmark. At its center is Tivoli, whose gardens, lakes and fountains are said to have inspired Walt Disney.
We can’t wait to see you in Copenhagen!
Sincerely,
Karen Combs
Amy Ross
Group Coordinator
Quilt Seminars at Sea
For complete details, visit this link or call Amy at 866-573-6351
Quilt Seminars at Sea and I have created a new “Quilt Explorations” cruise, this time we are traveling on a River Cruise! Starting in Paris and sailing on the river Seine, just a few of our stops include Normandy, Monet’s garden and the charming port town of Honfleur. History, art, timeless landscapes, stunning architecture and good food fill this itinerary.
There is already lots of excitement about this cruise, I’m looking forward to sharing it with you!
For complete details, visit this link or call Amy at 866-573-6351
Paris and Normandy River Cruise Quilt Exploration
7 Days • March 25 – April 1, 2021
Paris always sizzles while Normandy beckons. Experience an unforgettable trip with fellow quilters and renowned instructor, Karen Combs.
Each Quilt Explorations cruise revolves around a specific quilting experience presented exclusively by one quilting expert. Intimate and upscale, these unique cruises help you explore quilting in ways you never imagined.
Dear quilters and friends,
Join Karen Combs for an unforgettable journey as you sail from Paris on the beautiful Seine River. Karen is an internationally known quilter, teacher, author and designer who has been nominated by students for Quilt Teacher of the Year in 1995, 2000 & 2005. Teaching since 1989, she is in high demand as a teacher who encourages her students, makes learning fun and makes the complex easy to understand!
A Unique and Exciting Itinerary
Paris always sizzles while Normandy beckons with its stunning coastline, incredible food and artistic beauty. Monet’s Gardens, Rouen’s Cathedral of Notre Dame and the charming harbor town of Honfleur, will inspire you the same way as they inspired the great Impressionists. For inspiration of a different kind, travel the “Routes des Abbayes,” visiting some of the most magnificent monasteries, and to the unforgettable beaches of Normandy where Allied forces landed during WWII’s D-Day invasion. Relive the grandeur of royalty at Château Malmaison, the former home of Napoleon and Josephine Bonaparte, and at Chateau de Bizy, once referred to as “the Versailles of Normandy.” Blend a passion for the good life with culture, art, architecture and timeless landscapes, and you have Northern France.
With get-togethers with Karen, shopping time and surprises along the way, this will be an unforgettable trip of a lifetime!
Best wishes and hope to see you soon,
Karen Combs
Amy Ross and Kim Hedges
Group Coordinators
Quilt Seminars at Sea
For complete details, visit this link or call Amy at 866-573-6351
January 18 – February 2, 2020
2020 starts out with a fabulous trip Down Under. From kangaroos to kiwis, it’s sure to be an adventure you won’t want to miss!
We will begin our fabulous cruise sailing out of Sydney, Australia under the Harbor Bridge and past the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Our first stop is Fjordland National Park, for a day in stunning Milford Sound! The perfect place for some quilting inspiration! We then travel to Dunedin, the Edindurgh of New Zealand! Similarities to Scotland are very noticeable and a number of restaurants honor the city’s Scottish heritage, featuring items such as haggis, Cullen skink, and whiskey. Our next stop is Akaroa, the gateway to Christchurch. Explore the village and enjoy colonial architecture, art galleries, shopping and cafés.
Next we visit Wellington, the capitol city of New Zealand. See the Wellington Botanic Garden, ride the red Wellington Cable Car (a funicular, really) down to Lambton Quay and give the New Zealand capital a walking tour. And if the countryside looks familiar, that’s because many signature scenes from the “Lord of the Rings” movies were filmed in the area! Then it’s on to Napier, A city of vision, rebuilt in the striking, clean style of art deco af-ter a devastating earthquake in 1931 and reinvented as a center for gourmet food and wines. Our next port of call is Tauranga. Site of fierce Maori wars, Tauranga today is a peaceful city in the heart of kiwifruit-growing country.
Farther afield: Rotorua, with its spouting geysers and bubbling mud pools, the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves and nocturnal kiwi houses. We will then head to New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, nicknamed the “City of Sails” for the many boats plying the beautiful harbor. We will spend 2 days here, so you’ll have plenty of time to explore this fabulous city!
Our last port of call is Waitangi Bay of Islands!Located at the top of the North Island it is one of New Zealand’s sunniest and most picturesque playgrounds. Swim with dolphins, take in the history and architecture or enjoy the wonderful shopping and dining.
For complete details, visit this link or call Amy at 866-573-6351
November 10-20, 2019
2019 brings us an exciting opportunity to experience the Panama Canal! We’ll sail on Holland America Line’s beautiful ms Zuiderdam, departing from sunny Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
We will visit some beautiful ports in the Caribbean, Central and South America. You will also be privileged to see one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels with a partial transit of the Panama Canal! It’s an amazing accomplishment and sure to take your breath away. This cruise will fill up quickly, since many quilters bring family members with them.
For complete details, visit this link or call Amy at 866-573-6351
I’m on the road again, starting in January. My January – April schedule is below.
If you would like more information about each class, click on the links provided below.
If your guild would like me to come to your guild, I would love to hear from you!
My 2019 schedule is full and 2020 is almost full. If your guild would like to be considered for the remaining open dates in 2020 or even 2021, please fill out the online contact form .
January 2019
8-9: Lake Country Quilt Guild
Mount Dora, Florida
February 2019
3-20: Hawaii Quilting Cruise!
Aloha! Join me to the tropical paradise of Hawai`i on this fantastic 17 day quilting cruise!
For complete details, click here.
For more information, call Amy at 866-573-6351 or visit Quilt Seminars at Sea
March 2019
19-20: Gwinnett Quilter’s Guild
McDonough, Georgia
Lecture – Quilts of Illusion
Workshop – Ice Crystals
Contact: Gloria Jeld Email: gfjeld@att.net
Guild Webpage: http://gwinnettquiltersguild.org
April 2019
1-2: Quilt North
Clifton, New York
Lecture – Quilts of Illusion
Workshop – Patchwork Illusions
Contact: Angela Pachal Email: angela.pachal@gmail.com
April 11-13: Quilter’s Guild of Plano
Plano, Texas
Lecture – Quilts of Illusion
Workshops –
Contact: Jeanne Smith Email: ymmts2@hotmail.com
Guild Website: Quilters’ Guild of Plano
I’m on the road during October and November. My schedule is below.
If you would like more information about each class, click on the links provided below.
October 2018
6-8: Austin Area Quilt Guild
Austin, Texas
Lecture – Quilts of Illusion
Workshop – Patchwork Illusions
Workshop – Ice Crystals
Contact: Tomasita Louviere-Ligons Email: tligons@yahoo.com
Quilt Webpage: https://www.aaqg.org/
November 2018
7-9: International Quilt Festival
Houston, Texas
Teaching at 2018 International Quilt Festival!
#353 Pick Up Sticks Runner
#412 Ice Crystals
#555 Friday Sampler
Class details and registration will be available mid-summer.
Information about Quilt Festival located here
(I have a few opening in my 2019 schedule and am now booking 2020. If you would like me to come to your guild, please fill out my online contact form I will send your guild my teaching packet and we can see if I can fit your guild into my schedule. Looking forward to hearing from you!)
I’ve just returned from another fantastic quilting cruise with Quilt Seminars at Sea, this time to Alaska, along The Inside Passage.
It is really hard to put into words or show with a photo the beauty of Alaska, but here are a few photos from our trip.
This has to be one of my favorite shots. . . after a morning of thick fog, we were treated to bright blue skies while we cruised along Glacier Bay.
For more information about our upcoming quilting cruises with Quilt Seminars at Sea, please visit: Quiltcruises.com or my website at Karencombs.com
Karen Combs Studio Blog 