Nancy Lee Chong

Nancy learned to make Hawaiian Quilts from Margaret Luika Kamaka in Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii, between 1978 and 1981. Calling on her degree in Education, Nancy began teaching Hawaiian quiltmaking in 1982, when she moved to the Seattle, Washington area with her husband and daughter. In 1988, she made her first pieced quilt, and has been making both traditional and art quilts since. Hawaiian quilting and applique quilts continue to be her specialty. Her pieced and appliqued quilts have appeared in magazines, quilt books, and have traveled throughout the United States and to other countries.

In 1991, Nancy and her sister, Janice Lee Baehr, formed Pacific Rim Quilt Company to sell their Hawaiian quilt patterns and promote Hawaiian Quilting. Together they have produced three distinct lines of applique quilt patterns: Hawaiian Quilts, 2 Fabric Applique Quilts, and Quilt Borders & Table Runners. They have also produced two instructional videos: Hawaiian Quilting with Nancy Lee Chong (2003) and 2 Fabric Applique Quilts with Nancy Lee Chong (2005). In 2012 they published their first book/DVD set, Design Your Personal Hawaiian Quilt.

Nancy lived in the Seattle area until 2007, when she and her husband moved to Gold Beach, Oregon. They returned to the Seattle area in 2015 to be closer to family and a large airport.

Nancy's specialty is stress-free needleturn applique. She puts students directly in touch with their needle, thread, and fabric. She shows how incredibly easy applique is without the use of freezer paper, toothpicks, starch, cardboard, plastic, ironing, or interfacing -- all things that needlessly complicate what is otherwise a very simple process.

Nancy has been teaching needleturn applique and Hawaiian designing and quiltmaking since 1982. She received rave reviews wherever she teaches, including on the internet as an instructor at QuiltUniversity.com until it closed in 2013, and now for Academy of Quilting.com. After taking a class from Nancy, beginners and experts agree that applique is not only possible but positively addicting!

As you will see below, Nancy has taught needleturn applique, hand quilting and even some machine piecing to thousands of quilters across the United States and Canada. If you are looking for a speaker or teacher for your shop, quilt guild or quilting event please contact Nancy today to get on her schedule.

If you would like more information here is Nancy's website and her calendar. You may also download her brochure and pass it along to your guild or favorite shop.