Register Now for Quilting & Rugmaking Weekend Workshop

A new QUILTING & RUGMAKING WEEKEND at Upper Canada Village will be held from Friday, October 19, at 7:00 p.m. until Sunday, October 21 at 3:30 p.m. This hands-on course at Upper Canada Village’s Guest House is built around an enriching weekend-getaway on the beautiful St. Lawrence. Throughout the weekend, participants can unwind and relax, while at the same time develop new skills from experienced instructors who share a passion for traditional hand work.

The Quilting and Rugmaking course is designed for beginners, or for those who have some familiarity with quilting or rug making and would like to extend their knowledge. As part of the course, participants will receive an overview of the history of these two crafts, and an opportunity to examine some 19th century quilts and rugs from Upper Canada Village’s own collection. From there, they will receive lots of instruction and opportunity to try their own hand at the techniques being taught.

The course instructors will be Ivah Malkin and Sharon Shaver. Both have a genuine love of their craft and lots of experience demonstrating to others from years of working at Upper Canada Village.

A graduate in Home Economic and Museum Studies, Ivah Malkin has been working at Upper Canada Village for 22 years, the last 14 years as their Lead Guide of handwork responsible for making reproductions of original quilts and rugs from the Village collection. She enjoys researching and reading about the 1860s almost to the point of obsession, and is responsible for researching and selecting numerous types of handwork projects made by adult interpreters and youth program participants at Upper Canada Village. Ivah has had numerous courses in quilting, embroidery, rug hooking/braiding and other crafts over the years. Her rug hooking was selected for juried exhibition at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and her original quilt block designs and quilts have been prize winners at community fairs. Ivah was the recipient of the Chesterville Rotary Club Pride of Workmanship Award in 2004. Her passion for her handwork is evident as, by Ivah’s own admission, she cannot walk past a fabric store or bookstore without going in “just for a look”.

Sharon Shaver’s love for handwork began as a teenager when she joined a 4H Club. She has worked at Upper Canada Village for 23 years as a Domestic Interpreter cooking, baking, rug making, spinning and producing all kinds of other handwork such as piecing, quilting, appliqué, knitting lace and embroidery with silk. Her home at Upper Canada Village is in the Ross House, where she has worked on 15 reproduction quilts over the years. She has taught quilting and rug braiding to youth program participants at the Village and to students outside the historic site. At her own home, she has made 13 hand-made quilts and one crazy quilt with lots of embroidery. She is presently working on her second whole cloth quilt – the first one she completed 4 years ago, (appraised at $4715). She has also made over 300 rugs for family and sale. In Sharon’s words, “A quilter can never have too much fabric, I could open a craft store”.

The cost for the course is $295 per person, and includes accommodation on Friday and Saturday nights, a Friday evening wine & cheese ice-breaker, two breakfasts, two lunches and a Saturday evening meal. Materials are extra.

Participants in The Quilting & Rugmaking Weekend workshop will stay at the Guest House which is located just outside of the Village. The Guest House provides a picturesque home-like setting and can sleep up to eight people (two bedrooms with two beds in each, plus one larger bedroom with four beds).

For more information or to register for the workshop, please call 1-800-437-2233.