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 2025 Classes starting in January 2025 are now ready for registration. Registration will be open on January 7, 2025 in person at the store. 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 14 , 2025, 5:00 pm 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 2025
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 can accomplish!
Beginner’s Quilting
THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL! We are accepting names for a waitlist if we can arrange a second class soon.
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
SESSION - Saturday, January 18, 2025, 9.30-4:30, Friday, January 24, 6:30-9:30, and Saturday, January 25, 2025 9.30 am-4:30 pm
COST: $150 plus GST (plus supplies and fabric; must have your own sewing machine and know how to use it)
Always wanted to try quilting? This class is for you. You will find out all about the neat tools quilters use. You will learn to make a quilt from start to finish in class. You only need a sewing machine, in good working order with which you are familiar and a few basic precision tools to start. Pattern will be provided.
EASY REVERSIBLE PLACEMAT
This is a simple pattern for 6 placemats. Easy-to-follow directions will be provided in class.
Instructor: Linda Whitford
DATE: Saturday, February 15, 9:30 am-4:30 pm
COST: $60(plus supplies)
More information to follow
*Pre-requisite beginner class or equivalent
CLAM UP BAG
Easy and fun to make these, these “Clam Bags” have 5 sizes! They are perfect for storing make-up, sewing supplies, tech gear and much more! Double-slide zippers and handy grab tabs make the bags easy to open wide and attached side panels preventing contents from falling out.
Instructor: Kathy Yurris
DATE: Wednesday, February 19 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
COST: $30 (plus supplies & pattern)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
FLORENCE QUILT
Have you admired the large-print fabric available but are unsure how to use it? This quilt is for you! It can be made using 12 fat quarters or just two different prints and a contrast for sashing and borders. You will learn tips and tricks to cut large blocks, perfectly match sashing strips, and square up your quilt top.
This pattern is great for your second or fifty-second quilt and sews together easily and quickly. You may even go home with a finished quilt top!
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
DATES: Friday, February 21 - 6:30-9:30; Saturday, February 22, 9:30am - 4:30pm
COST: $90.00 (plus supplies & fabric)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
ANNA BAG
Instructor: Kathy Yurris
DATE: Tuesday, March 11 & Wednesday, March 12 , 6:30 pm-9:30 pm
COST: $60 (Plus supplies)
The “ANNA BAG” is a trendy tote that has been designed for Beginners. Additional pockets can be added on your own if you want interior pockets. Features of this bag are front slip pockets, accented shoulder strap, sturdy base, and an optional recessed zipper closure. This is a fun bag to make for your first bag project.
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
DISAPPEARING 9-PATCH
This quilt is great for all levels of Quilters and is much easier that in looks! Its a cut-sew-cut-sew project so no small pieces to deal with and the results are a wonderful surprise . Accurate cutting, piecing and pressing will be shown in addition to how to use ‘fork pins’’ to make your seams match perfectly. 5” charm squares, 10” layer cares and yardage can be used. A great project for all levels of quilters!
Instructor: Hazel Wainwright
DATE: Friday, March 28, 6:30 pm-9:30 pm; Saturday March 29, 9:30am to 4:30pm
COST: $90 (plus fabric & supplies)
Pre-Requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
DOUBLE RINGS
Instructor: Donna MacDonald
The Double Wedding Ring quilt is quite a classic and is often on a quilter’s bucket list of “must do’s” at some point in their quilting career. SEW KIND OF WONDERFUL has an interesting twist to creating theirs. In this class you will learn about colour, accurate strip cutting and piecing and handling easy curves. You can make this quilt with a very thought out colour scheme, or simple go scrappy. Either way your quilt will turn out stunning. Bust out your favourite batiks or buy some new ones to enhance your stash! Get ready to have some fun and get a good start on the DWR quilt you know you always to make. Quilt shown is the cover of the pattern - yours will hopefully look completely different
DATE: Friday, April 11 - 6:30 pm-9:30 pm; Saturday, April 12 -9:30am to 4:30pm
COST: $90 (plus supplies and pattern)
Pre-requisite: Beginner Class or equivalent
ONE BLOCK WONDER with Cubes
Using one fabric and one shape only you will create a one of a kind quilt. We will use random cutting and a hexagon shape with simple piecing and NO “Y” seams to create a textured quilt with pockets of colour and movement. To build on the ONE BLOCK WONDER we will create new shapes using multiple fabrics to enhance your quilt. You will see and make some unique cubes and varieties of blocks for your beautiful quilt.
Instructor: Mary Rivers
DATE: Wednesday, April 23 - 6:30-9:30; Friday, May 2 - 6:30 - 9:30; Saturday, May 3, 9:30am am-4:30pm; Tuesday, May 13 & Wednesday May 14 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm
COST: $180.00 (fabric & supplies not included, book and a special ruler required)
**Pre-requisite Beginner Class or equivalent
TABLE GRACES PLACEMATS
For this Class you will focus on the placemats. They are so easy, you will want to whip them up every occasion. Piece and quilt at the same time. For a fabulous gift you can add the lined cloth napkins later. Just make sure you get enough at the same time.
Instructor: Linda Whitford
DATE: Friday, May 9, 6:30pm - 9:30pm, Saturday, May 10, 9:30 am-4:30 pm
COST: $90 (Plus supplies)
COFFEE BREAK TABLE RUNNER
This is another great table runner made with the a variety of colours and using the very popular SPIDER WEB ruler from Creative Grids. What a great way to freshen up your table for spring/summer.
Instructor: Mary Rivers
DATE: Tuesday, May 6 and Wednesday, May 7 - 6:30pm - 9:30pm
COST: $60 plus supplies & pattern
Pre-requisite - beginner class or equivalent
More classes…coming soon!
Instructor:
DATE:
COST:
TBC
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.