Classes at 50 Acre Woods Retreat Center
Whether you're here to rekindle your creativity or explore a whole new medium, our classes are designed to spark inspiration, encourage experimentation, and build lasting creative confidence.
Each class is led by a handpicked instructor who brings not only skill, but soul—offering deep expertise, warmth, and a passion for their craft. From freeform embroidery to intuitive quilting, botanical printing to storytelling through thread, you’ll find workshops that meet you where you are—and take you somewhere even better.
Let this be the year you say yes to your creative self.
A Celebration of Craft, Community, and Creative Curiosity
Explore Upcoming Classes
Browse our current class offerings below. Each one is part of a greater retreat experience—but they are the heartbeat of why we gather. Click any class to see details, project inspiration, what to bring, and meet your instructor.
Wrapped & Ready
Tailored Quilt Coat Retreat
Instructor: Corrie Burger
Dates: April 29–May 2, 2026 • May 5–9, 2026 • May 27–31, 2026
Skill Level: All Levels
Focus:
Bring your creativity to life as you turn your cherished quilt into a stunning, custom-fitted coat! With Corrie Burger’s decades of teaching and design experience, you’ll explore the techniques that make quilt garments truly wearable—from pattern preparation and lining to seam finishing and fit adjustments. Whether you prefer classic or whimsical, your finished coat will be a reflection of your personality—handcrafted, heartfelt, and completely unique.
From One Pattern:
A Wardrobe Story for Girls
Instructor: Corrie Burger
Dates: September 9 - 13, 2026
Skill Level: All Levels
Focus:
Tap into the world of thoughtful garment making with expert tailor Corrie Burger, where one simple pattern becomes an entire wardrobe of beautiful, one-of-a-kind dresses for young girls.
In this unique, skill-building class, participants will select their own pattern and fabrics, then be guided step-by-step as they create a new dress each day. While the foundation remains the same, each dress evolves with added design elements—think ruffles, sleeves, color variations, and creative details—resulting in a collection of garments that are completely different in look and personality.
Corrie’s background as a professional tailor shines through as she teaches not just how to sew a dress, but how to customize, fit, and elevate each piece. By the end of the class, you won’t just have a finished wardrobe—you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to take a single pattern and turn it into endless possibilities.
This class is perfect for anyone who wants to expand their garment-making skills while creating something meaningful, beautiful, and truly unique.
Quiltworx with Julie Connell, CI
Instructor: Julie Connell, CI
Dates: March 3-7, 2027
Skill Level: All Levels
Focus:
Julie is a very talented Certified Instructor for Quiltworx (the home of Judy Neimeyer patterns). She will be introducing two unique colorway designs she has created, offering participants the opportunity to explore Quiltworx techniques through fresh interpretations of these stunning patterns.
Quilters may choose to work on one of Julie’s featured designs or bring an existing Quiltworx project they would like to continue. This flexible format allows you to receive expert guidance, troubleshooting, and technique instruction directly from a Certified Instructor who understands the intricacies of Quiltworx foundation paper piecing.
Whether you are starting a new project or looking for help completing one already underway, Julie will guide you through the precision cutting, organization, and piecing methods that make Quiltworx quilts so striking.
This workshop is perfect for quilters who:
Want to start a Quiltworx project with expert instruction
Have a Quiltworx quilt in progress and need guidance to move forward
Want to improve their foundation paper piecing skills
Love working with bold color, precision piecing, and intricate quilt designs
Fused Art Quilts from Photographs
Instructor: Sandra Mollon
Dates: June 15 - 19, 2027 or June 22 - 27, 2027
Skill Level: All Levels
Focus:
Learn how to turn a photograph into a stunning fused fabric art quilt using Sandra Mollon’s signature raw-edge collage technique — often described as painting with fabric.
This hands-on workshop focuses on fabric selection, value, tracing, and fusing to recreate light, depth, and detail from an image.
✨ No sewing machine required for class. Quilting is completed later at home.
A rare opportunity to learn from an award-winning textile artist whose work is featured in galleries and the National Quilt Museum.
Quiltworx with Julie Connell, CI
Instructor: Julie Connell, CI
Dates: October 12 - 17, 2027
Skill Level: All Levels
Focus:
Join us at 50 Acre Woods in Palmyra, TN for an immersive Quiltworx retreat led by Julie Connell, Certified Instructor for Quiltworx (Judy Niemeyer Quilting).
This special class will feature the 2027 Quiltworx Technique of the Month pattern, which will be released in 2027. While the final design will remain a surprise until its official release, the focus of this workshop is mastering the signature Quiltworx foundation paper piecing techniques that make these stunning patterns possible.
Each year, the Technique of the Month series introduces quilters to new skills through a carefully designed pattern. Under Julie’s expert instruction, you’ll learn the precision cutting, color placement, and foundation piecing methods that allow even complex designs to come together beautifully.
The images shown represent recent Technique of the Month designs—including Vintage Rose, Dinner Plate Dahlia, Coral Reef, Carnival Flower, and Jungle Magnolia—and give a glimpse into the bold, floral-inspired layouts and striking color movement that Quiltworx patterns are known for.