Bella Fabrics’ program of classes are taken by dedicated and talented teachers, both local and interstate, each bringing their individual talent and creativity to the classes they take.
Classes cover quilting, dressmaking, appliqué, embroidery, EPP, crochet, to name a few.
All classes include light refreshments. Bring your own lunch or we can place an order for you from a local café.
What’s on in September 2026
Wednesday 2nd – Susan Smith Workshop
Thursday 3rd – Bella Workshop
Saturday 5th – Couture Beading Workshop
Sunday 6th – Couture Beading Workshop
Wednesday 9th – Embroidery with Ana
Thursday 10th – Embroidery with Christine
Friday 11th – Smocking with Ann
Saturday 12h – Embroidery with Ana
Sunday 13th – Judy Newman patchwork & Quilting Workshop
Tuesday 15th – Sashiko Workshop with Andrea
Quilt NSW – 17th-18th-19th Shop hours 10am – 2pm
Thursday 24th – Embroidery with Ana
Friday 25th – Smocking with Ann
Sunday 27th – Liberty Lovers Workshop
Sewing Machine Service – have your machine in by Wednesday, of each week – 1 week turn around
Scissor Sharpening Service – Monday 28th
Reduced hours from: Wednesday 16th – Saturday 19th 10am – 2pm as Carolyn and myself are away at Quilt NSW.
What’s on in October 2026
Thursday 1st – Bella Fabrics Workshop
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th – North of the Yarra Quilters Guild QUILT SHOW Eltham Community Centre
Tuesday 6th – Smocking with Ann
Wednesday 7th – Susan Smith Workshop
Thursday 8th – Embroidery with Christine
Friday 9th – Smocking with Ann
Saturday 10th – Embroidery with Ana
Wednesday 14th – Embroidery with Ana
Friday 16th – Lampshade Workshop with Tamica
Saturday 17th – Silk & Velvet Brooch Workshop
Sunday 18th – Liberty Lovers Workshop
Tuesday 20th – Sashiko Workshop with Andrea
Thursday 22nd – Embroidery with Ana
Friday 23rd – Smocking with Ann
Saturday 24th – Table Runner Workshop with Kate
Bella Fabrics Social Sit & Sew – 9.30 am – 4pm
Scissor Sharpening Service – Monday 26th
Sewing Machine Service – Drop of machine by Wednesday for collection on Thursday. 1 week turn around
Bella Fabrics Social Sit & Sew-Saturday 24th October
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Sashiko Workshop
Andrea Taylor Sashiko tutor.
Andrea has been a Sashiko tutor and guide in this space for over 25 years.
All forms of sashiko styles from Hitomezashi, Kogan and classic will be covered in class.
With the correct materials and tools Andrea will instruct and help you explore the various ways of traditional and current pattern transferring techniques to your own fabric choices as well as investigating formal as well as Freeform stitching which opens up a huge chance to explore creativity and your own style.
Classes will also visit creative patching, creating your own “fabric” to use in useful beautiful projects finished in class.
A kit will be available to purchase at class to start you on your journey for $40.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Wedding Ring Quilt Workshop
The 1st class is an introduction to cutting out using templates and hand piecing your arcs together. The 2nd class is the construction of the wedding rings. Morning & afternoon tea included.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Gracie & Luna Workshop
Learn to make “Luna Lapin” the delightful quite & kind bunny with impeccable taste or Introducing Her Royal Highness “Gracie Grenouille” (pronounced Gren-wee) Gracie is never happier than when she is hoping thru wildflowers, chasing butterflies & searching for crystal-clear fairy pools. These friends are from Sarah Peel’s new Book ‘Stitched with Kindness.
Class cost includes: tuition, Stitched with Kindness book and Kit
– Friday class runs from 10am – 3pm. Includes morning & afternoon tea.
– Saturday class runs from 10am – 3pm. Includes morning & afternoon tea.
Please tell us your colour preference in comments. Either: Luna felt either soft grey, grey marle, cream or biege marle or Gracie L to R leaf green, green or spring green.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Silk and Velvet Flower Brooches Class
Anna is a Melbourne-based artist who works from her home studio creating whimsical, nature-inspired pieces under the name Anna Victoria. Her work blends fabric, embroidery, embellishment, and illustration, with a focus on mindful hand-stitching and a deep love of the creative process.
In this workshop, Anna will guide you through making a stunning botanical brooch using silk, velvet, wire and beads. She will teach you an array of clever techniques to create volume, depth of colour and texture in your piece.
All materials are provided in a beautifully curated kit, which is included in your class price.
Class runs from 9.30am to 3.30am and includes morning tea.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Bella Fabrics Workshop
Students individual needs will be met in this class. If you need a hand with applique, hand piecing, EPP, quilting, or putting a binding on a quilt, then this is the class for you.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Jenny Bear Workshop
Jenny will be offering beginners’ classes here at Bella Fabrics on a fortnightly basis commencing on Saturday March 21st 2026. We will be doing a “graded” sampler based on “100% Cotton”. By the end of the ten-week course, you will have patterns for forty 12″ blocks and twenty 6″ blocks. We will then have a break and offer two “finishing school” sessions in the summer months so that you can finish your quilt top.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Deborah Dorward Workshop
We are excited to have Deborah teaching at Bella Fabrics. Deborah Dorward, Author of Stitches Of Time published by Quiltmania, has been a quilting for over 30yrs. She made her first quilt in sewing class in High School and felt an instant connection to the craft.
Deborah has been published in many Australian and International magazines and teaches in Australia and Internationally when she can fit it in around her day job of Cabin Crew for an Australian Airline.
She draws inspiration from antique quilts and is especially inspired by Folk Art quilts and Cross Stitch wall hangings. She prefers to work with reproduction fabrics as she enjoys the history and the senses of “being here before” that speaks to her but likes to choose brighter more interesting prints. Hand quilting is a particular passion of hers and she tries to hand quilt all her quilts when possible as she prefers the softness hand quilting gives to a quilt. Deborah lives in Mt Macedon, Victoria in Australia with her family, two dogs and three cats which also inspire and “help” her quilt.
You may work on anything of Deborah’s designs during the workshop. Head to Deborah’s social media instagram @deborahdorward
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Embroidery with Christine
Starting out with Crewel embroidery Christine has since gone on to master numerous traditional embroidery techniques from tutors across the world. Having completed her Certificate in Technical Hand Embroidery at the Royal School of Needlework in London, Christine has since gone on to study historical embroidery at Cambridge University.
“I have learned so much from some excellent tutors before me and I have been encouraged to pass on my knowledge to others.”
Sharing her skills with today’s needleworkers Christine encourages stitchers of all levels to explore and find the hand embroidery techniques that suit them in a welcoming and fun environment. Christine has been teaching at various retail locations, conventions and with the Embroiderers Guild locally and interstate since 2016 and has had numerous projects featured in Inspirations publications.
Class runs from 10am – 3pm. Morning & afternoon tea included.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Smocking Workshop
We are excited to have Ann Forehan teaching Smocking at Bella Fabrics starting in July. Classes will run from 10am – 3pm & includes morning & afternoon tea.
I have loved Smocking from childhood when my mother dressed me in her own smocked dresses. As a child I was fascinated with the concept of smocking and its artistic nature. This fascination has continued over many years to the point where I have made smocked dresses for my daughter and granddaughters.
Around 15 years ago I started teaching smocking. As well as teaching traditional smocking, I enjoy designing and making patterns for all age groups with the current trends being a focus. I am looking forward to teaching at Bella Fabrics and sharing my Smocking knowledge with students in the hope that this wonderful skill is continued.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Embroidery Workshops with Ana Mallah
We are excited to have Ana teaching at Bella Fabrics commencing in July. Ana will be at Bella Fabrics the 1st Thursday of each month and the 4th Wednesday of each month, 10am – 3pm.
‘I have been a full time embroidery teacher and designer for almost 10 years. I am also a regular contributor to publications such as Inspirations magazine. I absolute love everything textiles, threads and flowers and am forever looking for ways to bring these elements together.
I have admired Bella Fabrics since it opened it’s beautiful doors to us and am looking forward to teaching and meeting passionate stitchers there’
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Margaret Mews workshops
Enjoy a hand stitching class with Margaret as she takes you through her tips to achieve accurate hand piecing and applique. Margaret’s aim is that you will enjoy and embrace hand piecing and hand applique as much as she does. And look at fabric, and use it a little differently than you may have before. Learn the essentials of template use and accurate fabric marking while working on your choice of Margaret’s designs. You’ll learn helpful skills if you have struggled with any of the following … curved piecing, inset seams, smooth applique curves or points in the past, or applique stems. Choose a project from Margaret’s designs, either from her books or patterns; Your fabric requirements will be listed there for each quilt, but for class it is not usually needed to bring all the fabric for the quilt. Under Margaret’s expert guidance, you may wish to do a little shopping to add to what you have.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Learning To Love Your Overlocker – with Kate Marra
This one-day course, 5-6 hours gives students a greater understanding of their overlocker and allows them to continue using it at home confidently. The kit provided covers a comprehensive 23-page workbook and all fabrics required for the day.
The course covers four thread overlocking, understanding tensions, three thread overlocking, rolled hem, understanding differential feed, techniques for better results when stitching a circle, inside corners, outside corners, working with difficult fabrics and so many applications for rolled hem!
Includes morning & afternoon tea.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Learning to Love Your Overlocker – Fabulous Flatlock Extension One
The first extension to the Learning to Love Your Overlocker course covers flatlocking and ladder stitch in depth. The additional pages cover wide and narrow flatlocking and various decorative applications, including ribbon work, decorative thread, beading, lace insertion and creating a blind hem stitch. The second part of the course is constructing a notebook cover using some of the techniques covered in the course. All fabrics provided to complete the workbook and project.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
A Runner for Any Occasion
Learn to make a Table Runner on your Overlocker. Make a centre piece for Christmas!
Class runs from 10am -3.30pm – Includes a printed pattern, morning & afternoon tea. Learn new skills working with your piping foot to create perfectly sized fabric inserts – ‘peepers’. Make and finish the edge of the table runner with perfect piping, use ladder stitch to embellish fabric, decorative flatlock to embellish and construct the pieced panels of this runner. A creative, project you can make more than once and for any occasion.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Susan Smith Workshops
Susan is an award winning, accredited quilt and embroidery teacher who has been teaching patchwork, applique and embroidery for over 40 years. She has a unique and recognizable style to her designs. She is a published author with Quiltmania Editions. Away from the classroom, Susan has made many quilts for film and television and regularly travels to teach in Australia and internationally.
Class includes morning/afternoon tea.
Call the shop on 9870 9500 for more details
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
SUMMER SCHOOL with Susan Smith DEPOSIT
Summer School with Susan Smith December 2026 & January 2027. There will be 2 projects to choose from or you may like to do both. More information to come in September. 2-day workshop $180 — 3-day workshop $270. A deposit of $50 is required. Please choose your date when booking.
Call the shop on 9870 9500 for more details
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Liberty Lovers Workshop
“This year is the 150th year of Liberty Fabrics, 50 years since I bought (& started collecting)my first piece of Liberty Tana Lawn.”
To celebrate Susan has decided to make her Sunday classes at Bella Fabrics all about Liberty. There will be lots of projects, gifts to make, a special quilt, some fun easy ones for the scraps and some embroideries.
Call the shop on 9870 9500 for more details
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Judy Newman Workshop’s
In Judy’s class you can work on any quilt of hers that you may of started, or start on a new project of Judy’s. Judy has a large selection of patterns to choose from. Judy will help you with choosing fabrics & will assist you with hand piecing, EPP & applique. Class runs from 10am – 3pm. Morning & afternoon tea included. Judy has loved needle and thread her whole life. Judy has been designing quilts and teaching for many years, authored books for Quiltmania and now produce my own fabric ranges for Devonstone Collections.
Her quilts are generally made in soft colours with occasional pops of muted brights, vintage style inspired. Hand piecing, EPP and applique are her preferred methods of patchwork and she loves to assist with colour choices, mixing up scale and density to help create beautiful quilts for her students. Judy loves to hand quilt, the gentle rhythm of the needle through the thread is comforting and slow but gives her time to think about what comes next as her quilts are rarely planned from beginning to end, they evolve with the colours and prints as she uses them.
Class runs from 10 am – 3.30pm with a 1/2hr lunch break. Includes morning/afternoon tea.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Lampshade Workshop
Tamica, a mother of two, created Nooshy Design out of necessity. When her daughter was born in 2015, Tamica couldn’t find the perfect lampshade for her bedroom so Tamica designed and made her own and, in the process, experienced the joy of creating something bespoke. This was the beginning of Nooshy Design.
Tamica’s lampshade classes will teach you how to make you very own custom designed 30cm drum lampshade, Or bring along your own lampshade to recover. Tamica will use her creative design skills to take you through the process of making your own lampshade. At the end of the class, you will have created something you have personally hand-made to light up your home.
Tamica’s class is ideal for beginners to advanced – no prior lampshade making experience required.
Workshop includes tuition & kit
Class duration is 10am-12noon
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Embroidered Silk Bracelet Workshop
Enjoy a day being surrounded by sumptuous silks, glass beads, vintage brass charms and slow stitching as Anna teaches you to make your own divine embroidered silk bracelet.
You will be guided through the bracelet construction and then Anna will help you to design a beautifully balanced piece of textile jewellery which represents your own creative expression, combining embroidery, beading and couching techniques.
All materials are provided in a beautifully curated kit, which is included in your class price (there are several kit designs to choose from). Anna also brings along additional materials, if you wish to adapt your piece to make it more personal.
Class runs from 9.30am to 3.30am and includes morning tea.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
Louise Papas Sit and Sew
In memory of our beautiful friend and teacher Louise Papas.
This class is designed for previous students of Louise and new sewers to join in and carry on the love of quilting that Louise imparted to us all.
Third Friday in each month.
For more information email us at jeannie@bellafabrics.com.au
