Workshops, Retreats, Classes

Whether you are just starting or you have been making fibar art for decades, Karena can help you archive the skills to get you on your way or finish your project. 

“I have taken quilting and sewing classes with Karena for over 20 years and she is simply a fantastic teacher!  Karena is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about all things quilting and sewing, (she reads sewing machine manuals for fun), and she tailors her teaching for every student's needs, interests, and learning styles. I have watched her work with teenagers and senior citizens, and with beginners and advanced sewers-she works seamlessly with everyone. She is energetic, approachable, creative, patient, and brimming with new ideas for her students to try.   I learn so many new things every time I take her class that my quilting skills always take a giant leap forward. I can't wait to take her class again this summer!”

Sacha B. Los Angeles, California 

Karena Wells is an artist, teacher, tutor, and lecturer. She comes from a long line of sewists, makers, and re-creators. Since she was a small child, she has quilted, tailored clothed, and created with leather and canvas. She made her first quilt in third grade during a project to learn about the American West. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado, where she studied art, history, and education. Her passion for learning has led her to study and attend workshops worldwide.

As a lifelong artist, with a dedication for teaching, quilting and working with textiles, Karena has traveled and lived around North America, Europe, and Asia. She has collected a vast knowledge of different textile techniques including sewing, piecing, dying, fiber manipulation, and quilting from around the world and loves to share her passion for textiles with others.

In 1996, Karena introduced a quilting seminar to the Festival of Arts, at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The Festival of Arts has been a gathering of artists, enthusiasts, and excited beginners. She has been invited back to the Festival of Arts every summer to instruct week long seminars. She enjoys combining her love of traveling with teaching fiber workshops for groups, retreats, shops, and guilds.

In her quest to continue learning and passing on new skills, she has earned multiple certifications from different regions of North America and is always excited to be on the forefront of learning. In 2015, Karena traveled to North Carolina to attend the inaugural Tuffet Source Affiliate program. In 2018, Karena attended the inaugural Gem Affiliate class in Kentucky. 

Karena now lives in her forever home in the Olympic Peninsula. When she is not creating, teaching, or developing her textile techniques, Karena is a managing broker, helping people sell or buy their homes.