Take a class
Learn the ins and outs of quilting with our expert, experienced, and enthusiastic instructors!
We offer classes for novices and seasoned quilters alike - there’s always something to learn, and any time spent in the company of fellow fibre lovers is always well spent.
Classes for the Winter/Spring session 2024, starting in January 2024, are now READY! . REGISTRATION IS OPEN ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 9!! Our very popular “Beginner” Class is ready for registration right now. Come see the samples at the store, check the bottom of this page for updates, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook!
***JOIN US ON Tuesday, January 16 from 5:00pm to 6:30pm for our CLASS SHOWCASE evening to see all the classes, samples and meet the Instructors!
What do you need to take for every class? THE KEY BASIC: A sewing machine in good working order, as the store cannot supply one (and your machine manual if possible, for trouble-shooting). For quilting classes: cutting mat, ruler, rotary cutter, pins. The supply list for the class will tell you what else you need for that specific one.
Key Registration Fee Information (you will receive a more detailed handout when you register): Full, non-refundable payment is required for registration. If you must withdraw, you can send someone in your place. If a class must be cancelled, you will receive a full fee refund. Do not buy patterns, fabric, supplies etc. until five days before the class, as these are not refundable when a class is cancelled. We do not call our customers with a reminder for the class. We will only call you - 5 days before - if the class is cancelled. Please make sure you have ALL THE SUPPLIES you need for the Class as the Store may not be opened at the time of your class and the Instructor will NOT be able to help you with anything you may need, as she is busy teaching the class.
Winter/Spring Classes 2024
Beginner’s Quilting
Our ever-popular and – if we say so ourselves – excellent Beginner’s Class is offered at the start of every season in September and January.
In it, you will be guided by an expert teacher and experienced quilter Hazel Wainwright to learn everything you need to know for future quilting projects: fabric choice; accurate cutting; piecing and pressing; design aspects; layering, quilting and binding.
Hazel has taught this course for many years. She has superb problem-solving advice for practically every issue a beginner encounters. The class always starts on a Saturday, continues the following Friday evening, and finishes the next day (Saturday). This format gives students adequate time to learn and hone their skills by completing a baby quilt from start to finish, from choosing fabric to the final stitches on the binding. You will be so proud of what you accomplish!
Beginner’s Quilting
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
SESSION - Saturday, January 20th, 9.30-4:30; Friday, January 26 6:30-9:30, Saturday, January 27 9.30 am-4:30 pm
COST: $125 plus GST (plus supplies and fabric; must have your own sewing machine and know how to use it)
In this course, you will learn everything you need to know for future quilting projects: fabric choice; accurate cutting; piecing and pressing; design aspects; layering, quilting and binding.
Hazel has taught this course for many years and is a great problem-solver for the beginning quilter. The Saturday-Friday-Saturday format gives students adequate time to learn and hone their skills by completing a baby quilt from start to finish, from choosing fabric to the final stitches on the binding.
JELLY ROLL SNOWFLAKE
The Jelly Roll Snowflake is a cute little quilt that has many options so you can personalize it as we go. This is what I call a quarter quilt. We make one quarter of the quilt and repeat it. It was Quilt Along from the Fat Quarter Shop. Since it is February and we are going to have snow for a few months yet, let’s make a snowflake. Come out and enjoy learning tips and tricks while making a permanent snowflake we can enjoy all year.
Instructor: Marilyn Moran
DATE: Friday, Feb. 2 6:30pm - 9:30pm and Saturday, Feb. 3 9:30am-4:30pm
COST: $75 (plus supplies)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
ONE BLOCK AT A TIME - QUILT-AS-YOU-GO
Would you like to quilt your own quilt but the size is overwhelming? Is this class you will work on one block at a time. Each block is layered and quilted individually making it easy to handle and giving the opportunity to use more complex designs. This quilt takes two packages of 2.5” strips for the top (70 strips or equivalent yardage) and a contract fabric for the ‘leading’ that joins the quilted blocks. A variety of fabrics can be used for the backing making your quilt reversible!
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
DATES: Tues. February 6 6:30-9:30, Fri. February 16 6:30-9-30 & Sat. February 17 9:30-4:30
COST: $100.00 (plus supplies & fabric)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
T-N-T - THREAD, NEEDLES and TENSION
Do you have issues with tension on your machine? Frustrated with trying to get just the right stitch?? In this class I will try to give you some tips and tricks that will help you get your stitches looking perfect every time. It may seem basic, but correcting tension issues is one of the most common issues students have in class so I hope I can share a few pearls of wisdoms that you didn’t know before. While it will be mostly a lecture style class, there will be opportunity to stitch out some samples for future reference.
Instructor: Donna MacDonald
DATE: Tuesday, February 13 6:30pm-9:30pm
COST: $25 (Plus supplies if needed)
Hunter’s Star Table Runner
Star quilts are my favourite. I’ll introduce you to Deb Tucker’s technique for the Hunter’s Star, it is the easiest and most forgiving technique I have found. We’ll make a table runner in class but the possibilities are endless after you learn this technique. I will have some variations to show you in class.
Instructor: Liane Ohrling
DATE: Wednesday Feb. 21 at 6:30 pm-9:30 pm & Thursday Feb. 22 6:30pm-9:30pm
COST: $50 (plus supplies and fabric)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
Bunny Treat Bags
Join us for this mini class and go home with two Bunny treat bags ready to fill for Easter.
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
DATE: Saturday, March 23, 2:30-4 pm
COST: $20.00 includes all fabric and ribbon to make two bags
**Pre-requisite Beginner Class or equivalent
Inside Out
This fun pattern uses different values of fabric (light, medium, dark) to give it “pop”. Learn to cut and sew accurately, and get perfect points when piecing the triangles. This pattern is fat quarter-friendly
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
DATE: Friday, April 26, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm; and Saturday, April 27, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm
COST: $75 (plus pattern & supplies)
**Pre-requisite Beginner Class or equivalent
NO RULERS?? Way Cooler!!
An Intro to improv
As we all know most quilt classes involve the use of some pretty interesting rulers. I have amassed quite a collection of them myself over the years. However…in this class you will learn to create some simple and fun blocks without using rulers. GASP!! Yes, it can be done! Be prepared to challenge yourself, learn some new skills and most of all have fun doing it. With the sample units that we will be making, you can create some pretty interesting quilts that will be unique = all without rulers and as an added bonus - without a pattern!! DOUBLE GASP!! Don’t be afraid. Come give it a try. Quilt shown is my sample - yours will hopefully look completely different**!!
Instructor: Donna MacDonald
DATE: Friday, April 12 - 6:30pm-9:30 pm & Saturday, April 13 - 9:30am-4:30pm
COST: $75.00 (Plus supplies)
SEWING MACHINE BAG
Stretch your skills with this pattern and easily create a unique bag to carry your sewing machine back and forth to retreats, classes or wherever your quilting journey takes you. In this class you will install a double zipper, work with mesh, fold over elastic, foam stabilizer and more! Note: This bag holds the smallest machines like the Janome 4300 - including the table, foam bag, foot pedal and cord.
**The class requires an advance meeting to cover the various material options and prep work required in advance of the class.
Instructor: Linda Whitford
DATE: Friday, April 19 6:30 pm-9:30 pm & Saturday, April 20, 9:30 am-4:30 pm
COST: $75 (plus fabric & supplies)
Pre-Requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
DRAGONFLY WALL HANGING
Oh so many dragonflies! Come and create your very own dragonfly wall hanging or turn it into a beautiful quilt. These dragonflies are made using variety of beautiful batik colours. This is a raw edge applique technique class.
Instructor: Mary Rivers
Friday, May 3, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm & Saturrday, May 4 9:30-4:30
COST: $75(plus pattern & supplies)
*Pre-requisite beginner class or equivalent
CELEBRATION TABLE RUNNER
This table runner is created by using fat eights or fat quarters. It is a quick and easy runner for any season or celebration. You will learn accurate piecing and machine quilting.
Instructor: Mary Rivers
DATE: Weds, May 8, Thurs. May 9 & Weds. May 15 - 6:30pm-9:30pm
COST: $75 plus supplies
Pre-requisite - beginner class or equivalent
“GEM” Carry Bag
This GEM BAG is a stunning tote made from 2.5” - 3” strips and a Dancing Diamond Interfacing Template (Included in the pattern) which remains in the bag. This pattern will give you a great way to use your stash or use 2,5” trips and create something gorgeous.
Instructor: Kathy Yurris
DATE: Tuesdays - May 14, 21, & 28 - 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
COST: $75 (plus pattern and supplies)
Pre-Requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
FOLDED STAR POT HOLDER
This is going to be a fun easy class! Its a great project for Beginners that can be used everyday! Learn how to make a simple Prairie Point into something beautiful. Once you learn this technique, there are a lot of options you can use with this.
Instructor: Linda Whitford
DATE: Wednesday, May 1 - 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
COST: $25
Pre-requisite - beginner class or equivalent , Pattern eq
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Instructors
Hazel Wainwright
My love of sewing was inherited from my granny and I have been using a sewing machine since my early teenage years. I was introduced to quilting about 20 years ago and have explored many techniques & ways of using fabric which come under the heading of “Quilting”. I have been lucky enough to participate in workshops given by national and international teachers in addition to learning new skills on my own. I have been teaching classes for over 15 years in Yellowknife and more recently in Inuvik also. I so enjoy sharing my favourite hobby with students and seeing them enjoy the process and the results as much as I do.
Quilters make great friends too!
Donna MacDonald
After moving to Yellowknife from Sydney, NS in 2000 as a dental hygienist at the Adam Dental Clinic, I became a quilter! The obsession began small: attending (reluctantly) a Quilt Guild meeting in September 2000 and winning the door prize (rotary cutter, ruler, mat). It was obviously meant to be and I signed up for my first beginner class with Hazel Wainwright. As the passion grew I honed my skills through practice and studying with numerous local, national and international fiber artists. I am particularly interested in creating art quilts and hand-dyeing fabric - I’ve taken classes in these areas at the Empty Spools Seminar (Pacific Grove, California) and the Crow Barn (Baltimore, Ohio). I also enjoy teaching: in Yellowknife for the Quilted Raven and the YK Guild of Arts and Crafts, and in Inuvik for the Quilt Guild there.
Linda Whitford
In late December 2012, my daughter Amber asked me to come down to Red Deer – to “sweatshop the quilts she needed to get finished”. While I had done a fair bit of sewing (thanks to Ms. Mansell and Hay River Home Ec), I had never seen the point of cutting perfectly good fabric into little pieces to sew it all back together again. Still, crafts of all sorts have been part of my life and other family members quilted, so why not. The group included Shona Barbour and her mom; while the girls pieced and quilted, the mom’s cut and pressed. Back at home and after some debate with myself, I bought some Walmart fabric to play with, starting with rag quilts and working up the courage to take a beginner class with Marilyn Moran. The rest is history. I am inspired by what others do and I love retreats, quilt shows, show and tell, and learning from other quilters. Sharing the “how to” of things I have learned is a way to pay forward what this quilting community has provided to me.
Marilyn Moran
Marilyn is a Certified Instructor with Quiltworx, which was started by pattern designer and quilter Judy Niemeyer, for the past 10 years. Marilyn has extensive experience in teaching quilt classes in numerous styles and techniques specializing in foundation piecing. Other than teaching classes in Yellowknife, she has also taught in cities in Canada and the USA. She was a partner in a quilt store for 8 years and is also expanding her skills as a long-arm quilter. She is an elementary school teacher in Yellowknife.
Shona Barbour
Shona Barbour is a quilter and textile artist in Yellowknife, NT. She has been quilting since 1998, after being given a beginner pattern from her godmother. Shona leans towards modern versions of traditional quilts, improv quilting techniques and loves joining online challenges and sew-alongs (SAL). Most recently Shona has been busy completing her collection of Tula Pink fabric and teaching her young niece to quilt. She is continually inspired by other Northern quilters, including her network of 8 textile friends in Yellowknife and Inuvik.
Shona was a founding member and President of the Inuvik Quilting Guild from 2006- 2017 and a previous NWT Regional Representative on the Canadian Quilters Association (CQA). She has taught classes with the Inuvik Quilting Guild, Open Sky Festival in Fort Simpson and at the Great Northern Arts Festival in Inuvik. Shona won a CQA Judges Choice Award at the 2018 Quilt Canada. Shona tries to travel once per year to classes and workshops in other parts of Canada and regularly attends the Yellowknife Quilters classes held with out-of-town instructors.
Mary Rivers
Mary started sewing as a teenager in high school home economics class and received her first sewing machine at 15. Before moving North, she completed a Food studies and Fashion diploma. When she lived in Rae-Edzo/ Behchoko, she ordered her first quilt kit from a magazine and her passion for quilting was ignited.
Many of you may know Mary from her teaching of decorative painting to both adults and children. She was able to take this skill and paint on some of her quilts.
To improve her knowledge and skills in the quilting area, Mary has taken classes locally and from instructors while in Ontario and Alberta. In addition, she has just completed an online class, learning new techniques in applique, piecing, long arm quilting, free motion quilting and colour. Mary has an eye for colour and enjoys helping students learn new techniques.
Minnie Joldersma
Minnie started sewing seriously at 13, coinciding with her first job in a fabric store. Through the years she has sewn almost everything - clothing of all kinds, household items, costumes and more. Since retirement, she has focused on developing as a fibre artist, including quilting, dyeing and felting. She sees projects as blank canvasses for experimenting with various fibres, embellishments and techniques. All along she has made larger art-wear pieces, particularly jackets; she is drawn to the simpler lines but eclectic fabric combinations in ethnic clothing. Making costumes was always an interest, but in 2015 she advanced her skills through an intensive four-month course at the Northern College of Costume in York, UK. Minnie lived in Yellowknife for ten years from 2012.