Quilting Workshops with Roberta De Marchi | Italian Quilter

Appliqué, patchwork and embroidery workshops

Let’s Stitch Together!

An invitation to create with me

From my atelier in Milan to your part of the world: workshops for quilt guilds, retreats, quilt shops and textile events, designed around your group.

EnglishFrançaisItalianoIn person or online

Invite me to teach See the workshops

Roberta De Marchi sitting in front of one of her large blue and cream appliqué quilts

Portrait of Roberta De Marchi in her Milan atelier

Textile artist · Quilter · Teacher

Meet Roberta De Marchi

Welcome to Milan. Welcome to my creative world.

My name is Roberta De Marchi, and I am a textile artist, quilter and teacher based in Milan. For over 30 years, I have explored patchwork, quilting, appliqué and creative embroidery, sharing my passion with students throughout Italy and Europe.

My signature style is appliqué quilting, often enriched with hand embroidery. I love bringing together American, Japanese, English and vintage fabrics to create pieces that feel both traditional and personal.

Nature, flowers, beautiful old textiles and the endless shades of blue are among my greatest inspirations.

To me, quilting is more than a technique. It is a way to express creativity, tell stories, preserve traditions and, above all, bring people together.

An open invitation

What if our next quilting adventure took place in your part of the world?

One of the things I love most about teaching is meeting people who share my passion for fabrics, creativity and the art of quilting. After many years of teaching in Italy and across Europe, I would love to bring my projects and experience to new creative communities.

I would be delighted to teach at your quilt guild, quilting retreat, quilt shop or textile event.

Whether your group includes beginners or experienced quilters, we can tailor the project, duration and format to your interests. I am available for in-person workshops in Italy and abroad, as well as online lessons. I teach in English, French and Italian.

Roberta guiding a student during a workshop — A moment from one of my workshops

Roberta standing in front of a large star medallion quilt with floral appliqué — Appliqué and the shades of blue I love

Students stitching together around a workshop table — The pleasure of creating together

Designed around your group

My Workshops

Every workshop is shaped around your group: its interests, its skill level and the time you have together. Here are some of the themes I love to teach.

Appliqué

Choose a deep dive into one specific appliqué technique, or explore several together. I teach both traditional methods and advanced ones, along with the right tools to achieve a beautiful result from your very first try.

Patchwork

From the basics to the most advanced techniques, I love sharing everything I know. A complete course takes time, so for a workshop we can focus on a single block or a single quilt.

Close-up of blue flowers and green leaves in appliqué on a quilted background

Color Theory Mainly theory

Colors have always fascinated me, and I have studied how they speak to each other and how to combine them to create exactly the mood you want. Note: this is a mainly theoretical workshop, but we can adapt it to your needs.

Mixed textile piece with appliqué, embroidery, vintage lace and yo-yos

Slow Stitching

I think of myself as a creative embroiderer. I love to embroider, but I don’t want a project to take years to finish. So I teach a way to create, sew, appliqué and embroider with no patterns, no rush and no pressure to be perfect. Experiment with texture, decorative stitches, textile painting and the pleasure of making something thoughtfully, one stitch at a time.

What matters is letting your creativity guide you and finding beauty in the journey, not in the precision of the result: imperfections are what make your piece truly yours.

Small pouch in blue floral fabric with a mother of pearl button

Sewing

Over the years I have designed countless small creative sewing projects, from simple to more elaborate: bags and pouches of every shape and size. They make wonderful workshops, accessible to everyone.

Embroidery hoop with a blue and green floral wreath

And much more

These are workshop themes, not fixed programs. Projects, techniques and materials are agreed together before booking. Have another idea in mind? Tell me about it, and together we’ll plan a workshop your group will love.

How it works

From first message to first stitch

Tell me about your group
Who you are, where you are, how many people and what you imagine.
I suggest a project
A theme, a format and a duration that suit your group and its skill level.
We plan the details together
Dates, materials, language and travel are agreed before booking.

In person: Workshops and retreats in Italy and abroad
Online: Live lessons, wherever your group is
Languages: English, French and Italian
Who for: Quilt guilds, retreats, quilt shops and textile events; beginners and experienced quilters
Based in: Milan, Italy

“Even when we live thousands of miles apart, a needle, a thread and a shared passion can bring us together.”

Roberta

Let’s talk!

Invite me to teach

Are you an organizer, or do you know a group that might enjoy stitching with me? Tell me about your group and the kind of creative experience you imagine. Perhaps we can create something wonderful together.

Prefer to write directly? Email [email protected]. Your details are used only to reply to your request.