Courses

About the Courses 2024

There are many courses this year that require little or no previous knowledge or preparation. Many of the courses come with a kit you buy in advance which gives you everything needed to do the course. This includes felting, rug-hooking, book-binding, weaving, and woodworking. Others need a certain amount of prior learning - the three knitting courses, for example, expect you to know how to do a basic cast-on, a knit stitch and a purl. The quilting classes are for two different levels of quilters And Carolyn comes with high recommendations. Extra user-friendly. In fact, that is a criteria for all of our teachers. We don't rehire anyone who does not feel easy to learn from, no matter how skilled. Above all, we want Creative Threads to be memorable in a good way! So browse and choose. Remember to keep checking with the calendar when you are picking so nothing is in the same time slot as another choice. And know that some courses are in demand and have limited numbers of students. The wood-working course is only allowing 3 students and it fills quickly!! However, there are lots of different classes, so look for a second choice and get your name on the wait-list if your favourite is already full. See you in October!

Rainforest Rail Fence

beginner quilt
A two day project for beginner quilters that will cover basic skills to make a quilt top and to possibly quilt it. This class will cover cutting strips, consistent sewing, making strip sets, cutting blocks, squaring up, piecing, adding borders and possibly quilt assembly. Finished Size 47" x 53"
Teacher
Cost of Course
180
Kit Fee
N/A
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Quilting
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Fabric Supplies
Main Fabric:
18 x 2 1/2” strips running Width of Fabric (WOF) in Shades of Green (or Rain Forest Colours)
6 light colours. (All the same or 6 different colours)
6 medium colours (All the same or 6 different colours)
6 dark colours (All the same or 6 different colours)
If only using three different colours, then a half metre of each is required

Optional colour way - Rainbow - 1 light, medium and dark for each of 6 different colours, ie.for yellow, cut strips WOF with 1 light, 1 medium (darker that the first) and 1 dark (darker than both of the other two for a total of 3 Repeat for all of the colour choices.

Note: A pre-cut jelly roll may be used for this.

Border Fabric - should co-ordinate with main fabrics
1 metre
Binding Fabric Can be the same as border fabric (omit if using the quick assembly/no binding method)
1/3 metre
Backing Fabric
3 1/2” metres
Batting - crib sized

Tools
Sewing Machine (user manual, 1/4”foot if possible, walking foot suggested for quilting) with power cord
24” x 6” ruler
6 1/2” wide ruler or two rulers
Cutting mat - minimum size 12 x 18
Rotary cutter
Thread, bobbins
Pins
Design wall - flannel backed table cloth or flannel sheet or batting
Seam ripper
Scissors
Pencil & Masking Tape
Iron & Ironing Board

A Taste of Brush Lettering

CALLIGRAPHY
CALLIGRAPHY #2
calligraphy #3
Lettering with a pointed brush is an innovative form of Calligraphy. Brush lettering is a sign painters alphabet that was formulated mid 20th century. The letters can be quite flexible as there are not a great number of rules, although good form is important. In this class we will explore lettering the lower case letters using an acrylic brush that has a colour cartridge. The colour brush is quite springy. When the brush is used on its side, the stokes will be quite thick and when held straight up, very nice thin strokes will be achieved. Join us for this introduction to pointed brush letters, a different calligraphic hand.
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
$15
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
List of materials
Tools to bring...
- pencil, eraser, ruler
- optional.......a fine liner, black, if you have one\
- optional....... a few coloured pencils
- paper, an exemplar and a colour brush will be provide

Advanced: Hidden Gems / Stained Glass -

advanced quilt
This project uses a surprisingly simple technique with incredible results. At the end of this one day workshop, students will have conquered their fear of half square triangles and of cutting quilt blocks. Finished Size 58" x 72"
Teacher
Cost of Course
$90
Kit Fee
N/A
Course Difficulty
Intermediate
Course Type
Quilting
Course Time
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Supply List

Main Fabric
3 sets of 16 different coloured 10” squares (for a total of 48)- each fabric should read as a solid for best results
Please note that this may be a good way to use up leftover fabrics

Border 1 - 12 inches ish x WOF or 1/4 metre x WOF
Border 2 - 1 yard or 1 metre x WOF
Binding - 1/2 yard or 1/2 metre

Backing 4 1/2 yards / 4 metres
Batting - Twin size package or cut to size

Tools
Sewing Machine (user manual, 1/4”foot if possible) with power cord
24” x 6” ruler
16” Square Ruler or other large square ruler
Cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Thread
Pins
Design wall - flannel backed table cloth or flannel sheet or batting
Seam ripper
Scissors
Pencil & Masking Tape
Iron & Ironing Board

Beaded Change Purse

changepurse
A four hour class which gives you the rudiments of beading on soft leather taught by an experienced moccasin-maker. The kit includes everything you will need but two of the items - the scissors & thimble - are a LOAN, and need to be given back at the end of the class.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$60
Kit Fee
$25
Course Type
Beading
Course Time
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Everything is included in the kit

Beaded Keychain

keychain
A four hour class which gives you the rudiments of beading on soft leather taught by an experienced moccasin-maker. The kit includes everything you will need but two of the items - the scissors & thimble - are a LOAN, and need to be given back at the end of the class.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$60
Kit Fee
$20
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Beading
Course Time
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm

Beaded Moccasins

moccasins
A one and a half day course in which you will make your own set of moccasins. You complete the beadwork on the first morning and then spend an additional day assembling the moccasins. This class must be signed up for no later than SEPTEMBER 1ST as the size needs to be preordered and is then precut by the instructor for each student. Maximum 12 in the class.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$135
Kit Fee
$60
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
The kit includes everything you will need to complete the class but the scissors and thimble are LOANS from the teacher and must be returned after the class.

Beginning Embroidery Jean Cockburn

leaf by Jean
deer embroidery
Beginning Embroidery Morning Session Participants will practice basic embroidery stitches on a linen sampler. The fabric, needles, fabric pen, and embroidery threads will be provided as part of the materials package. Bring a pair of sharp scissors. Beginning Embroidery Afternoon Session Participants may continue their samplers incorporating more advanced stitches, or work on a needle book. Materials and instructions for a simple needle book will be included in the materials package for both morning and afternoon sessions. Participants should not expect to complete the needle book during the session. Experienced stitchers are welcome to enroll in the afternoon session only, but beginners need to start with the morning session. All materials will be provided for a materials fee of $25.00. Bring a pair of sharp scissors and an embroidery hoop if desired. Jean does not use a hoop when stitching. Jean Cockburn has been stitching and embroidering all her life. In the last ten years she has developed embroidery as an art form working large tapestries on hand-dyed linen. She also works on small pieces, and has a love for making stuffed figures and needle books enhanced with embroidery. Her work can be found locally at the Denman Craft Shop.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$45 - $90 (half OR full day
Kit Fee
$25
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Sewing
Course Time
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Participants should bring their own small sharp embroidery scissors labelled with their name, and a thimble if they use one. A variety of thimbles will be available to try out.

Coptic Stitched Journal

coptic journal
Beautiful decorative papers will be used to cover two book boards. The book block will consist of 128 pages of 28 pound text weight paper. We will sew the papers and the boards together using linen thread and the historical coptic and kettle stitching. This type of sewing is beautiful and very strong. The finished size is 4 1/2” by 5 3/4”.
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
Supply fee $15 The supply kit will contain book boards, decorative paper, text paper, glue, linen thread, ribbon for a bookmark, curved needle, instructions and a few other small surprises.
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Hand-building with fibres
Course Time
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
List of materials
Supplies….
metal ruler, pencil, eraser, scissors
Optional - cutting mat, exact knife, awl, bone folder. If you don’t have these supplies… don’t buy any as I have lots of tools and supplies to share.

Cozy Cabled Headband

cabled headband
How do you make those intricate twists and turns of crossed stitches? The projects look complicated, but you will see how simple they can be. In this class for adventurous beginner knitters, we will cover what a cable is, the steps you need to make cables in your knitting, the tools you might need, and importantly, how to fix cable mistakes! We will work from a printed pattern to make a cozy headband – you’ll learn how to read knitting charts and interpret cable symbols on knitting charts. Skill level needed: Students must be comfortable with casting on stitches, knitting, and purling.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
Kit fee: $6 includes cable needles and pattern handouts.
Course Difficulty
Intermediate
Course Type
Knitting
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
List of materials
Equipment needed:
Yarn: Approximately 50g of lighter coloured, aran to bulky weight yarn, preferably not cotton/hemp/linen.
Knitting needles (9-10" straight or 24-32" circular) for knitting flat, appropriate gauge for your yarn (most likely 5 to 6mm). Please contact Sarah at sarsbarknits@gmail.com if you have any questions about materials

Felted Finger Puppets

row of puppets
puppet duo
A very popular half-day class in needle felting to create a little treasure of your choice. There will be time to make one, two or even three finger puppets and material enough in the kit to do so. Christine has taught every year at Creative Threads and her class is always terrific!
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
$10
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Felt
Course Time
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Everything needed is included in the kit.

Heel-Turning Tutorials

Una's Class
One on one tutorial. 1 hour 30 minute sessions Are you stuck with instructions you don't understand? Confused by terms like, needle 1, needle 2? What is a gusset? Where does it go? I will take you through the heel turning process.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$25
Kit Fee
N/A
Course Type
Knitting
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
List of materials
What you need:
A partially finished sock, knit to the start of the heel flap or beyond
A set of double pointed needles and a one size smaller double pointed needle

Hooked Butterfly or Bumblebee

bumblebee
butterfly
Are you concerned about the amount of used clothing going into the landfill? Using upcycled textiles, you can transform ordinary t-shirts into extraordinary rugs bursting with personality. In this hand-on workshop, you will learn the art of rug hooking, blending traditional techniques with eco-friendly flair. Whether you are a seasoned crafter or a curious beginner, this class promises fun and inspiration. Let’s hook into sustainability and style together. In this class, students will learn: a. how to choose t-shirts and other recyclable fabrics for rug hooking; b. how to cut t-shirts into useable strips, c. how to pull the strips into desired width sizes, d. the basics of rug hooking including pulling loops, hooking a corner, a circle and points; e. how to choose colors that make your rugs “pop”, and f. how to finish the rug
Teacher
Cost of Course
$90
Kit Fee
$35
Course Type
Braiding
Course Time
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Kit. Students will be provided with a kit that includes a 8” x 8” design (either a bumblebee or butterfly), on Monk’s cloth backing suitable for hooking with T-shirts, and a rug hook. The design makes a lovely mug rug or hot pad but can also be enlarged for a small rug, table runner, or pillow. Supplies. Students will need to bring to class: - scissors (large and small), - a 12” or 14” hoop (a quilter’s hoop will work but not an embroidery hoop) may be found at a thrift shop or purchased from Sheila for $56.00)

Introduction to weaving: Turn invasive yellow flag iris into placemats

yellow flag coasters
Weave a set of placemats or a runner using the leaves of invasive yellow flag iris. Yellow flag iris is on BC's invasive plant list. The class is intended for absolute beginners who want to learn the basics of handweaving. You will weave a runner or a set of placements on a pre-wrapped table loom. By the end of the class, you will know your weft from your warp and your twill from your tabby. You will also understand how to design a project, how to dress the loom, and how to weave different patterns. Best of all, you will leave with placemats that tell a story.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$180 for 2 days
Kit Fee
$40 (includes loom rental)
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Weaving
Course Time
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
All materials included in kit fee.

Mosaic Mug Rugs

mug rug
Have you been intrigued by the beautiful knit Pressed Flowers and The Shift Cowl patterns? Both are worked with mosaic, or slip stitch, colour techniques! In this 3-hour introduction, we’ll try a couple of different mosaic styles and give you the experience you need to jump right into those beautiful patterns. Your swatches can be used as mug coasters! (Optional – for thicker coasters, you can sew on a piece of wool felt as backing - I'm using pieces of a felted wool sweater). I’ll also demonstrate the Chain Cast-on, which results in a cast on edge that matches the standard bind off.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
$12 includes yarn kit for 4 coasters and pattern handouts.
Course Type
Knitting
Course Time
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
List of materials:
• Knitting needles: 5 mm needles for working flat (straight or 60-80cm circular needle)
• Crochet hook: 4.0 – 4.5mm (optional, for chain cast on)
• Sewing needle and thread, wool felt pieces ~10cmx10cm (optional)

Sculptural Basketry with Cynthia Minden

sculpted basket
Experiment with form and function in this three-day workshop. Starting with a base of found wood, you will learn how to attach upright spokes and weave a form that is completely organic and unique. We will work with hand dyed reed in order to gain some skill with colour and pattern. We may incorporate other fibres and materials as well. You will become comfortable in adding and subtracting spokes to make your form wider or narrower as it develops. You can create windows or openings in the form as the shape undulates and grows! This is an engaging workshop - a combination of ancient basketry techniques and new design.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$270
Kit Fee
$25
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Basketry
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Students to Bring:

1. A couple of pieces of found wood that can sit on a table to use as a base for your sculpture, not too large. I will have some for you also.
2. Sharp secateurs
3. Old towel
4. Soaking tub or bucket
5. Spray bottle
6. Caners awl (optional)
7. Notebook
8. Cordless drill and small bits (if you have one)
9. OPTIONAL: Any materials you might like to experiment with such as flexible thin vines, ornaments with a hole that can be threaded onto your piece


I will supply:
Hand-dyed reed and other weaving materials
Reed for spokes
Extra pieces of wood for the bases
Tools


Stitched Cards

megans cards
Participants will learn how to use fabric and card stock to make custom greeting cards. The possibilities are endless! Kit fee includes card stock and a wide selection of fabrics.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
$10
Course Difficulty
Intermediate
Course Type
Sewing
Course Time
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Supplies needed:

Working sewing machine with extension cord
Machine needle to sew fabric AND old machine needle to sew through paper
Any special fabric you’d like to use
Thread – creams and greys go with almost everything. Bring any special colours you’d like to use.
Sewing kit – scissors, pins
Pencil, eraser and glue stick

Vibrant Colours - Geometric Cowl (3 hrs)

cowl
Ready to add some vibrant colours to your knitting? You’ve mastered knitting and have worked in the round on a toque or cowl. Now join Sarah in this class to learn some tips and tricks for knitting stranded colourwork in the round while working on a vibrant cowl. In our 3-hour class, you'll get a good start on your project. You'll gain experience following a knitting chart and interpreting repeats. We'll explore options for holding your yarns and for catching longer floats. We'll talk about how to choose colours for projects and how to avoid having colours run when you wash your finished items. We will work on the Which Way Stranded Cowl pattern in our time together. Come to class prepared with the ribbing done and jump right into making motifs and watching patterns appear! See homework description below. Skills required: cast on, knit, purl, maintain even tension, work in the round, basic pattern reading skills.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$45
Kit Fee
Kit fee: $6 includes pattern handouts and instructor’s stash yarns for colour accents.
Course Difficulty
Intermediate
Course Type
Knitting
Course Time
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
List of materials
List of materials:
• Yarn: about 300m total of worsted weight to aran weight yarn; you'll want at least 100m of one colour; leftover bits of contrasting colours works for the rest. We can share colours as a class, too. Gauge ~18 sts/ 4" in stockinette. Yarn suggestions: Custom Woolen Mills 2ply, Haynes Creek Heathers Aran, Galway Worsted, Cascade 220.
• Knitting needle: 5 mm 16″/40cm circular needle or size to get gauge
• Stitch marker, small scissors, magnetic board (if you have one)

Homework: Using your main colour yarn, cast on 96 sts and join to work in the round. Work 6 rounds of K2P2 ribbing. Any questions about materials or homework please contact Sarah at sarsbarknits@gmail.com.


Woodworking. Making laminated Cutting Boards or Other?

Wood working projects
This class will take place in the instructor's own woodworking shop and using his tools. The class is limited to three students and the shop will be available for the entire three day weekend for the course. The project will be cutting boards or another project proposed by the student and deemed acceptable in advance by the instructor.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$270
Kit Fee
$50
Course Difficulty
Beginner
Course Type
Hand-building with fibres
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Saturday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Saturday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
Sunday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Sunday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Kit fee covers all required materials

Zippered Pouches

zippers
Participants will learn to make three different types of zippered pouches. The pouches are a perfect size for pens, cables, makeup and other bits and pieces. While fabric will be available, participants are welcome to bring their own if they have something special they’d like to use.
Teacher
Cost of Course
$90
Kit Fee
$20
Course Difficulty
Intermediate
Course Type
Sewing
Course Time
Friday morning, 9 am to 12 pm
Friday afternoon, 1 pm to 4 pm
List of materials
Supplies:

Working sewing machine with regular and zipper feet, extension cord,
fabric – woven cotton is best, not too thick.
thread – greys work well with most fabrics. Cream is also good for contrast
Some pre-cutting is required. Complete instructions will be emailed one month prior to course.
zippers will be supplied. Bring a ‘special’ one if you’d like!
Sewing kit – scissors, pins, marking tools