Sit. Stay. Applique. Welcoming Theresa Benson of The AI Quilter to The Handmade Collective 🐶🧵

Applique has a reputation.

Fussy. Finicky. A lot of prep before you ever make a stitch.

Theresa Benson is here to change that - with a technique she invented herself, a Cutterpillar Glow Ultra lightboard, and an unreasonably cute dog made entirely from fabric.

We are so excited to welcome Theresa Benson of The AI Quilter to the Handmade Collective.

Who Is Theresa Benson?

Theresa is the founder of The AI Quilter, where she helps quilters and makers figure out where AI actually fits in a creative life - and where it does not. She is refreshingly honest about it: no hype, no buzzwords, just plain explanations so you can make up your own mind.

She is the author of Digital Muse: Bringing AI Into Your Creative Process, a SAQA member, and the creator of Commando Applique - her own original raw-edge applique technique that strips away all the fussy parts and gets straight to the good stuff.

Theresa teaches at guilds, libraries, and festivals across the country - including h+h Americas and the Fiber + Fabric Craft Festival - and runs AI literacy programs for libraries around Chicago.

Before quilting became her second act, she spent thirty years as a product leader and marketing executive in tech. That background is exactly why she explains things the way she does - clearly, practically, and without the noise.

She is the kind of teacher who meets you where you are and helps you think for yourself. We love that about her.

What Is Commando Applique?

Commando Applique is Theresa's own no-fuss take on raw-edge applique - and the name tells you everything you need to know.

Traditional applique can get complicated fast. Turned edges. Stabilizer. Lots of prep before a single stitch hits the fabric. Commando Applique skips most of that.

Instead, you build your image the way a painter blocks in a canvas - layering simple shapes, building up color and form, and letting the raw edges stay raw. The result is expressive, textured, and full of personality.

It is approachable for beginners and genuinely satisfying for experienced makers who want to work more freely.

What Theresa Is Bringing to The Handmade Collective 🐶

Theresa's HC session is called Sit. Stay. Applique. - and yes, it is exactly as delightful as it sounds.

She will be building an adorable dog entirely out of fabric using her Commando Applique technique - live, from simple shapes, layering color the way a painter works - right in front of you.

And she will be doing it on the CutterPillar Glow Ultra lightboard with the Tempered Glass Mat on top - a combination that makes this technique even easier to pull off.

Here is why that setup works so well:

• The Tempered Glass Mat is heat-safe, so Theresa can fuse her fabric pieces directly on it as she works - no moving things around, no extra steps

• Because the mat is clear and lit from below, she can see exactly where each piece is sitting - which makes placement simple and precise every time

You will leave knowing the Commando Applique method from start to finish - ready to make your own fabric pup to hang on the wall or turn into a pillow.

And Theresa is also giving away a copy of her book, Digital Muse: Bringing AI Into Your Creative Process, as part of the HC giveaway. One lucky attendee is going home with it. 🎉

An Exclusive Discount from The AI Quilter 🌟

Theresa is offering the HC community 15% off everything on her site (excluding her book) through June 30, 2026.

Use code CUTPL15 at checkout at theaiquilter.com

Valid through June 30, 2026 - do not wait on this one.

Follow Theresa & The AI Quilter

Go explore her world before the event - it is genuinely unlike anything else in the quilting space:

• Website: theaiquilter.com

• Instagram: @theaiquilter

• Facebook: The AI Quilter

• YouTube: @theaiquilter

Join Us at The Handmade Collective - June 17-19 🧵

Theresa's session is just one of the incredible experiences we have lined up across three full days of live sewing, creative inspiration, and community.

It is completely free to attend. And if you want access to full recordings, the Elite private Zoom, and exclusive content, the Elite Experience has everything you need.

We will see you there. 🐶🧵✨