Events & Activities

Located in the heart of Amish Quilt Country!

We are extremely excited to announce the coming of Quiltworx University to Shipshewana, Indiana! Yoder Department Store and The Cotton Corner will be hosting the fall 2022 Quiltworx University September 25-30, 2022 in the heart of Amish Country.

As you have come to expect with Quiltworx University your week will be an all-inclusive quilting retreat packed with learning and fun with Judy Niemeyer and her wonderful team of teachers giving you personalized instructions on Judy’s legendary foundation paper-piecing techniques as well as traditional piecing, curved piecing, strip piecing, and appliqué.

Students will have the opportunity to learn a process, which simplifies and minimizes waste that has come to be associated with many common foundation paper piecing methods. In addition, you will learn how to use templates and speed-cutting techniques as well as chain-piecing and curved piecing techniques. Your time will also incorporate instruction on selecting colors, designing unique layouts of her patterns, and useful instruction regarding sewing and overall organization. Judy will be on hand to share many of her short cuts and tips when doing her own paper piecing. She will also demonstrate the use of the tools and products she has found over the years that are extremely helpful in completing her patterns.

Don’t miss this once in lifetime opportunity to combine your desire for quilting with a trip to Shipshewana, Indiana!

We can’t wait to see you! ~ Sincerely, the Quiltworx University Team, Yoder Department Store & The Cotton Corner.

Registration opening soon on-line at www.YoderDepartmentStore.com and by phone toll free at (877) 768-1945.

Retreat cost will be $1,600 for the week. An initial deposit of $500 will be due at time of registration and will be non-refundable on March 10, 2022. Remaining retreat costs of $1,100 will be due by August 1, 2022.

Double occupancy hotel accommodations are $395 for a standard room and $450 for a Royal Suite and will need to be indicated at time of event registration. Private rooms are available for $790 and $900, respectively.

This event will have a unique twist. Thursday night dinner will be on your own with an opportunity for an Amish Dining Experience. You will have your choice of two unique experiences each offering something a little different. It would be greatly appreciated if you were to make your choice at time of registration.

located 8 miles south of Shipshewana

5280 S 500 W
Topeka, IN 46571
Limited to 48 Participants

Enjoy an all you can eat Thresher’s Meal and Old-Fashion Quilting Bee at an Amish homestead. Elaine Jones invites you to join her and her family of friends in an Amish Quilting Bee. The ladies will first serve you a delicious home-cooked, 2 meat, traditional Amish meal. Then pull up a chair around 4 original quilt frames filled with hand pieced Amish quilts. They’ll demonstrate how to piece, mark and get the quilt ready to sew. Then you’ll sit beside them and participate, watch, learn or just chat as these Amish ladies lead the novice and experienced quilter in an old-fashioned quilting bee.

Located 4 miles West of Downtown

10667 W 325 N
Shipshewana, IN 46565
Limited to 75 Participants

Relax before and after your meal and enjoy the lake view from our front porch, take in the fresh country air and see our farm animals. It’s almost like Thanksgiving (with someone else doing the cooking) passing large bowls and platters heaped with tasty fresh-from-the kitchen and garden foods. And Amish hosts are happy to chat and answer questions. Be sure to save room for homemade pie – there’s always plenty of choices.

Approximately 5 - 6 months before the workshop, Our team will help guide you through the process of customizing your personal project using design elements never before released by Quiltworx and a special selection of fabrics from Yoder Department Store. The cost of the project is not included in your registration, and therefore will be an additional expense. One pattern option will be available where you can choose your own fabrics if this is your desire. This project will be announced at the time of the block options that will be made available, along with a range of project options to meet every student’s needs.

Use the Quiltster tool (6-month membership is included) to design a project on your own or work with our design team one-on-one to create your project. We have a wide range of current and popular fabric collections from companies such as Hoffman Fabrics, Timeless Treasures, Free Spirit, and more! We will prepare the kit for you, have it waiting at the event, and bring a team of instructors ready to teach whatever you need to know to make your design.

Sewing Machines will be provided at no extra charge for this event. We kindly ask that you leave your personal machines at home so that we can assure power will be adequate to meet the needs of each student!

The event center will have a work station for each person. Every station will have an 8-foot table supplied with a Bernina Sewing Machine provided by The Cotton Corner, your exclusive Certified Shop in Shipshewana! The event center will also be outfitted with ironing and pressing stations. However, even if you must get out of your seat to iron, your sewing station can accommodate much of your trimming needs during the paper piecing process of your quilt.

As a courtesy to other students, extra table extensions will not be allowed. Please understand that these extensions make it difficult to move through the aisles and also encroach on your neighbor’s space. We also ask that any storage containers that are too large to fit beneath your own sewing station be stored in your off-site during the week.

In addition, some students like extra light. LED Lighting Kits for Sewing Machines are allowable, but please do not bring magnifying glass combos. Since we will be providing machines at this event that may be purchased by other customers in the future, please do not bring a light that needs to permanently attach to your machine unless you plan on taking it home with you!

Staff from Yoder Department Store and The Cotton Corner will be on hand throughout the week to help you learn about your machines and will provide some excellent retreat specials for those of you that may be in the market for machines! The prices are so good, that during past events, Quiltworx itself has purchased several machines for its own training center in Montana.

The general program schedule is provided below if you are interested in how your day to day will work. Your week will include special events, check-in, and check-out information!

Sunday, September 25^th:

• 3:00 pm: Check-in, get situated in your room, and customize your sewing station at the event center
• 6:00 pm: Welcome Hors D ’Oeuvre reception
• 7:30 pm: Meet your instructors and receive a basic machine demo, learn basic cutting techniques for Monday’s first workshop

Monday – Wednesday September 26^th to 28^th Daily Schedule:

• 7:00 am to 8:30 am: Breakfast included at the hotel
• 8:30 am to 11:30 am: Morning Workshop
• 11:30 am to 1:00 pm: Lunch
• 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm: Afternoon Workshop
• 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm: Afternoon Break
• 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm: Afternoon Programs (Optional)
  1. Quiltster demonstrations will be provided for interested students
  2. Trunk Shows from Instructors and students will be held on the stage in the dining area of the conference center. Judy will be available for demonstrations on other techniques beyond just those used in the units for the workshop.
• 6:00 pm Dinner
• Open sewing until 10:00 pm

Thursday – Friday September 29^th to 30^th Daily Schedule:

• 7:00 am to 8:30 am: Breakfast included at the hotel
• 8:30 am to 11:30 am: Morning Workshop
• 11:30 am to 1:00 pm: Lunch
• 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm: Afternoon Workshop
• Free time for shopping, sewing or site-seeing
• Dinner on your own – Amish Dining Experience on Thursday for those that pre-registered
• Open sewing until 10:00 pm

Other Schedule notes and information:

Tuesday evening after dinner will have demonstrations in lieu of open sewing. All other evenings are free sew events and one instructor will be on hand during each evening to help answer questions!

On Thursday, there will be free time after 4:00 pm to shop your Certified Shops Yoder Department Store and The Cotton Corner, enjoy your pre-registered Amish Dining experience or simply spend more time open sewing.

The Certified Shops will be available throughout the week for supplies, quilt kits, fabric, and anything else you may need to satisfy your quilting desires! They will be showcasing extra deals and promotions on products throughout the week!

On Friday, September 30th, our event will officially end with class at 4:00 pm. Students will need to check out by 11:00 am that morning. You can head home, stay and sew for the evening, or hang out in Shipshewana!

If you find yourself in need of special hotel arrangements either immediately prior to or after the retreat, please contact us directly and we can help you with accommodations.

Can’t wait see you there!

January - December, 2022