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Laura's Sewing School

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Laura's Sewing School

Learn to sew and quilt!

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Laura’s Sewing School in Ashland, WI, is the perfect place for aspiring seamstresses and quilters to enhance their skills. Offering a variety of sewing classes and workshops for all skill levels, Laura’s Sewing School provides a welcoming environment where students can learn everything from basic stitching to advanced quilting techniques.

In addition to hands-on instruction, we offer take-home projects allowing students to continue their creative journey at home. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sewist, Laura’s Sewing School is committed to helping you develop your craft in a supportive and inspiring setting. Join their community today and discover the joy of sewing and quilting!

Sewing

Choose from several sewing classes – this is also great for beginners!

Quilting

Always wanted to learn to quilt? We can help you!

Membership

We’ll be launching an exclusive members-only online community in 2025!

Why Choose us

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GREAT LEARNING PACE

Never sewn in your life? No problem! We have sewers of all skill levels.

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LOCAL BUSINESSES

We're proud to be located in downtown Ashland, WI in a thriving business community, not even a mile from Lake Superior.

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INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING

We offer multi-day sewing lessons to ensure we match your own, individual pace of learning.

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GROUP CLASSES AND RETREATS

Ask about our upcoming in-store and off-site sewing and quilting retreats!

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ONLINE MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE

Coming in 2025! An exclusive, members-only portal with video tutorials, free patterns, and more!

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LEARN SOMETHING NEW!

Consider our take-home kits!

Laura Wirkkla is the owner of Laura's Sewing School.

The Story Behind the School

Hi! My name is Laura Wirkkala. I have always been interested in handicrafts, starting embroidery at age eight. My grandmother always did craft projects with my siblings and me when visiting her in Northern Minnesota.

I continued making clothing pretty exclusively for the next 10 years. I finally branched off into home projects in the early 80s and started my first quilt in 1985. I hand-quilted it over four years. I  entered it into a national contest, and it won the state (Massachusetts) level!

I have a degree in Flute Performance and a teacher’s certification in K-12 Instrumental and General Music. I moved to Massachusetts from Northern Wisconsin in 1989 to apprentice at a world-renowned flute-making company. Shortly after I started making flutes, I was commissioned to make a flute case cover, which eventually turned into a part-time business. I had a business. Eventually, I returned to my true passion – sewing and teaching others to sew.

I love to pass on what I know and open a creative realm to others to enjoy.

What Our Clients Have To Say

I was so lucky to have found Laura's sewing school! Laura has a wealth of knowledge and helps you sew what YOU want to sew. Recently, Laura taught me how to draft a pattern from one of my favorite skirts. With Laura's guidance, it is coming out great! Each week, I look forward to MY sewing time, as well as the interesting conversations with fellow sewers! How does three hours fly by so fast! I strongly recommend Laura's sewing school. 😊😊😊
Shelly S Testimonial
Shelley S
Laura's Sewing School is a fantastic place! I truly feel like I've discovered a gem in our community. My daughter started classes there at the age of eight, and in two years time, has become so proficient. Laura's classes are fun and challenging. My daughter is never bored, and always gets to use her creativity. From pillows, totes, and stuffed animals, to beautiful clothing and even upcycling and designing - you name it - my daughter gets to do it all! Laura is so skilled and knowledgeable while being extremely patient and kind. She is an expert at imparting her knowledge to others, and will take the time to answer any question that you may have. I'm so glad we found Laura and her school.
Pam R Testimonial
Pam R
You can’t get better than Laura’s Sewing School. I’ve been coming to Laura’s for the last eight years and I plan to keep on coming. Whatever you want to make you can learn to make it at Laura’s. She always LOVES your projects, your fabrics and you. She has the best method for making something and she will teach it to you. The chitchat among among the students is always fun and you get ideas for ideas and support from the group. What’s better than that?
Sherry L Testimonial
Sherry L
I started taking sewing lessons with Laura 12 years ago as a middle school student interested in learning to make my own clothes. Laura taught by me everything from ironing fabric to laying out sewing patterns to using a sewing machine to altering patterns and beyond. Laura makes everything look incredibly easy and has an amazing talent of being able to see how pieces should be sewn together. Her ability to place pattern pieces perfectly on grain without even using a ruler never ceases to amaze me! As I progressed in her classes, she helped me make a pattern for my prom dress from scratch, fit a pattern for a pair of jeans, work with difficult fabrics such as charmeuse, and match prints across seams. Working with Laura inspired me to continue my study of fashion design in college where I found Laura’s classes had placed me far ahead of my classmates in terms of sewing skills and techniques. I have worked with many sewers and teachers throughout my time in design school and within the fashion industry and Laura is by far the best.
Abby S Testimonial
Abby S
Cornell Student

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PATTERNS, SEWING TUTORIALS, TRAINING VIDEOS, AND MORE!
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