About Quilters Haven

Our Story | Shop Info | Website Changes | Shop Tour | Staff and Teachers

Our Story

Quilters Haven started life in an industrial unit alongside USAF Bentwaters in September 1993. Unfortunately, the base that housed many American quilters had closed down two months previously. This was not part of the plan. Never the less, Karin had a dedicated number of quilting followers who had attended her classes for three years. Despite there being no Sat Nav in the early nineties and few rural signposts most quilters were determined to find the first quilting centre in Suffolk.

Three years later Karin took pity on her followers and moved Quilters Haven to a village location which some people knew, Wickham Market. She found a 700 hundred year old building which she knew would impress New World quilters and even had a Postcard designed by a local minature artist so that she could be found. This was used as a business card the first time Karin attended a Quilt Market in Houston and the Texans were most impressed with the biggest business card they had encountered.

Quilters Haven started off as a teaching centre with a small shop to provide supplies but has developed into a large shop and online business which still stresses the importance of teaching and great education. The experienced staff delight in helping and informing customers on latest techniques and gadgets.

Shop Information

Address Quilters Haven 68 High Street Wickham Market Suffolk UK IP13 0QU

Phone 01728 746275 01728 746314 Calls from outside the UK replace the 0 with UK dailing code (+44)

Times and Location Opening Times 9am - 5pm Mon - Sat Closed Sundays Find us on Google Maps

To contact the shop via email please visit our Contact Us page


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New Website Changes

(By the web designer). I hope you had a merry christmas and best wishes for the new year. Welcome to the new website, as you can see its still a bit of a work in progress. Over the next few weeks we will endeavour to get as many products up on the site as possible so keep checking back.

So whats changed:-
- Firstly the new layout designed to be both colourfully inspirational and simple to find your way about. Our last design was long overdue for a make over and i'm afraid it was out with the wickham (our mascot feline, wickham the market cat) and in with the new (dont worry wickham still appears here and there).

- With the new layout you'll see we have our main site links on the menu bar at the top of the site. Section links can be found in the left hand bar below them you'll find all our information pages (you're on the About us page now). The Blog and Resources page are currently being built and we should have our brand new blog up by the end of the January.

- You'll also notice we've changed our fabric sections. All our fabrics online can be found in the all fabric section but you can also browse fabrics by colour, theme, manufacturer and designer. Again bear with us on this are still busy sorting the fabrics into the sections.

- The teaching programme should now be a bit easier on the eye and you can now read a profile on the teacher of the class by simply clicking the name link. Useful if you would like to see which staff member it is or visit a teachers website.

Shop Tour

Coming Soon...

Quilters Haven Staff and Teachers

Meet the staff and teachers that work and teach at Quilters Haven.

Karin Hellaby Karin is the owner of Quilters Haven. She is also the author of six books and an International quilt teacher. Karin loves travelling and teaching and advises an established holiday company, Arena Travel, on quilting holidays. Karin writes the Quilters Haven newsletter, send out the email updates and does most of the event planning.

Pam Bailey Pam has worked at Quilters Haven since 1998. She is a very accurate patchwork piecer but prefers to have her quilts quilted professionally. Pam probably understands most about the workings of the Quilters Haven shop. Quilters Retreats, Blocks of the month and International Mystery quilts come under Pam's umbrella.

Debs Gardner Debs is our 'kit' lady. She likes nothing better than working in our kit making room above the teaching area putting together beautiful quilt kits for you. Debs is also an expert knitter and regularly orders our sock wool and Colinette yarns. Debs helps with the website and online orders.

Ann Whatling Annie is our Benina expert. In fact we believe there is very little she does not know about these sewing machines. She has sewn most of her life and her experience makes her a very knowledgeable teacher. Annie has just enjoyed a fantastic week in the Bernina Creative centre in Switzerland.

Trish Turner Trish is our patient little Welsh girl. An knitting and crochet expert Trish has developed her quilting skills and enjoys helping in the shop. She is the lady who types up the teaching programme and requirements lists. Trish also helps with the online orders.

Teresa Wardlaw Teresa steps in whenever we need extra help. An enthusiatic quilter, Teresa is often the one who is suggesting new classes and new ideas. Teresa often attends shows in the USA bringing back ideas to use at QH. She is our hand applique and fabric dyeing expert.

Claire Norman Claire spends much of her working time at Quilters Haven placing products on our website. She also sends out our email updates every Friday, when Karin is not around.

Georgina Smith Georgie has worked for several years in a general fabric shop and has also quilted for many years. This ideal combination works well for us. Georgie takes care of the book shelves and likes to help with the shop displays.

Pamela Lugg Our newest member of staff!

Alice Foreman Alice is our Saturday girl. She is only 15 and enjoys quilting. Alice is great on the computers and enjoys demonstrating at Open House events. Alice's mother, Nicola is one of our teachers.

Marion Barnes Marion is now in charge of the Sampler Quilt course but also teaches many other classes. Marion also loves shows! If Quilters Haven is selling at a show it is often Marion who is there.

Nicola Foreman One of the enthusiastic teachers! Nicola is Alice's mother and teachs stitchery classes and techniques. She is especially fond of batiks and bright austrailian patterns.

Margaret Huddle Margaret teaches the kids classes at Quilters Haven.

Pippa Moss Pippa has taught at Quilters Haven since we started! She has won numerous awards for her hand and machine quilting. Her quilts are fantastic!

Helen Howes A bit eccentric but a great teacher is a description students have given about Helen. She has her own studio in north Suffolk and teaches classes for us each term. Click to see Helens website.

Yvonne Brown Yvonne has wonderful techniques for mixing embroidery and different fabric finishes to produce artistic wall hangings. City and Guild students would benefit from her workshops. See Yvonne's website.

Philippa Naylor Philippa and Karin met a few years ago when they found they were the only teachers from the UK teaching at the International Quilt Festival in Houston. She first taught at Quilters Haven last summer. She was such a success that students begged for her to come again. Hurry if you want a lace on these workshops in July 2009. See Philippa's website.

Sally Holman Sally is based in north Norfolk and is the patchwork and quilting teacher in that area. She has taught at Quilters Haven for many years and teaches on one of our weekend retreats once a year. Her speciality is embellishment.

Yvonne Dawson Yvonne Dawson has many years experience teaching patchwork and quitling in Essex.

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