Silk Paper Making - Sat April 7th 10 - 4 (the lampshade is silk paper)

Whether you want to make note cards, wedding invitations, lampshades, or special paper to work into collages, bookbinding, or quilting, join Robin for a colorful day of making paper from 100% silk! You'll explore using bombyx silk, tussah silk, and silk hankies and you'll have a chance to blend colors and to incorporate special features like dried leaves, yarns, etc. Instruction fee includes all the silk and embellishments you'll use. You'll have time to make numerous sheets of silk paper to take home. Price: $100

Baby/Kids Sweater Workshop - Every Thursday in March 6-8 p.m.

If you'd like to learn more about knitting sweaters.....from the proper sizing tand making easy adjustments to all those pesky finishing steps like seams and buttonholes that can really make or break a sweater, join us for a baby/toddler sweater workshop. You'll work thru all the tricky points of garment construction while making a great present for a grandchild or for an upcoming baby shower. Pick from a variety of pattern options....all knit from the bottom up. Instruction fee is $55. Yarn for your project is discounted the first night of class.

Fiber Preparation .... Sat Mar 31st 10 - 3

Now that shearing is done and everyone has lots of fleece to work with, come join me to learn about fiber preparation. From sorting your fiber and understanding the characteristics of your fiber and why they matter at this step, to learning both carding and combing techniques as well as blending theory (both fibers or colors), we'll review all the how tos (so don't worry if you've never used combs or drum carders before....we'll cover all that) as well as review the reasons why the choices made at this important step can really make a difference, whether you are spinning or felting the fiber, to your pleasure as well as the outcome of resulting product! Instruction fee includes fiber and handouts. If you have your own fiber that you have questions about, feel free to bring that along for discussion. $95

Felt Bag Saturday Sept 29th 9-5 (photos & more details to come)

If you know the basics of wet felting, join us in this workshop to explore a more complex piece. We'll felt a bag learning to use multiple resists for pockets and flaps. If you're interested in joining Anniemae Koenen's workshop on Felt Yurt Bags (see below), I'll have a typical design here for you to follow so it typifies the bags of Central Asia. If you're not interested in Anniemae's class, that's ok. You'll be able to felt a hand bag, knitting bag, tote....whatever you'd like, with multiple pockets. We'll explore various options for handles.

Orikiri & Weft Felt Fabric - Aug 2nd - Aug 6th with Sachiko Kotaka Just 1 spot left as of 2/6 (max of 12 in class)

I’m very excited to be able to bring Sachiko here this summer to offer what she considers her “dream come true” workshop! Ever since I saw examples of the Orikiri Felt fabric made in a workshop she offered in CT two years ago, I have been anxious to share her artistic felting expertise with you all. As Lynn said of Sachiko after her workshop with her 2 years ago, "Her passion for felting and her joy of discovery is infectious"

The two felting techniques that she has developed & will teach here, Orikiri Felt and Weft Felt, can very effectively be used in the felting of garments, head-wear, ornamental accessories, blankets, throws, hangings, book covers, lampshades, vessels and more! Orikiri felt might be described as cutting intricate shapes from silk and hand made prefelts and inter-twining them with each other upon layers of wool fiber....each piece built from the base up & every layer adding color, texture and complexity to the resulting fabric. Weft Felt, which involves the weaving of prefelt fabrics and fibers before incorporating them into the felt fabric adds yet another dimension to the complex felt cloth created.

Sachiko works intuitively, spontaneously and playfully. She is also inventive - developing new techniques, and combining different methods to achieve unique, exciting and unexpected works....she “can't help pushing the boundaries of feltmaking." "She'll guide you where you've never gone before in feltmaking", says a feltmaker who took a workshop with Sachiko before.

In this workshop, Sachiko will assist participants in creating their desired piece(s) based on their level of felting development. She will help participants create their piece(s) in either 2D or 3D; in traditional wet felt or nuno-felt….whichever medium each participant chooses to work in. First you'll learn her technique for cutting the orikiri and layering the fabric, fibers & orikiri elements to create depth and design. Then she'll teach her weft felt technique and you'll have an opportunity to combine these in a small piece/sample to begin to learn how these techniques combine with your existing wet/nuno/3D/needle etc techniques to achieve your desired visual effect. Then you'll have a chance, with the learning from your sample and the expert guidance from "boundary pushing" Sachiko, to lay out another larger piece of your choice.

Closer to the date (sometime in June) I'll have a specific list of supplies Sachiko would like you to bring with you to class, but you can start collecting/gathering your merino top, silk fibers for embellishment, old silk scarves,, pre-felts, etc. now since you know you'll be using these! I've already started sorting my stash by colors in anticipation of this workshop!

This workshop meets daily 10 - 4 Thursday August 2nd - Monday August 6th here in Williston (details to follow, since it is off-site). Bring your own materials/supplies (tho' any fibers/silks you buy here during the workshop will be offered at a discount). Instruction fee for the entire week: $550. There is a list of campgrounds/hotels in the area here. Check out the Frequent Felters program here to see if you qualify for a discount.

1/25: I've had some calls this morning asking for more details about meals/accomodations for those who might be flying in for this workshop and this is what I've told people:

If you fly into Burlington Airport and don't want to rent a car, I can pick you up/drop you off at the airport (as long as you don't schedule arrival for 2 a.m. or your departure for during the workshop on Monday (since I'm taking the class too, I don't want to have to leave class early to get you to your flight)! If you stay at the Williston B&B, you are walking distance to the shop and the workshop so you don't need a car once you are here. If you stay at either the Mariott Residence Inn or the Fairfield Inn...these two places are close enough that I am willing to pick you up in the morning for class and deliver you back to your hotel in the evening after class. (I have no vested interest in any of these three places....I can only offer assistance from them becuase they are close enough that it will not be difficult for me to shuttle you where you to/from). Food/meals has been a question as well. I believe that all three places provide a breakfast. The Mariott Residence also has rooms with kitchenettes so you could prepare meals there. If you stay at the Fairfield Inn or the Williston B&B, I am happy to have you join in the lunch I'll be providing Sachiko....but I won't be accommodating individual dietary needs (other than Sachiko's if she has any), so you'd have to live with what I offer. Which usually includes some sort of salad (green, tortellini, quinoa, wild rice & pecans, etc), sandwich stuff and beverage. For dinner, there are a number of take out restaurants between here and the hotels, so you could order pizza, chinese, sushi to go to take back to your room for dinner...or there are a couple of sit down restaurants within walking distance of the Fairfield Inn. There is a restaurant/tavern right next to the Williston B&B.

Surface Design in Felt - 2 day workshop - October 2012 - with Anniemie Koenen from the Netherlands (Details being worked out.....but something like.....

Explore various surface design embellishments....from beads and shells incorporated into the felt to handstitching techniques applied after felting....in felt. You'll work up 2 small pieces....such as a cuff, bracelet, ring or amulet pouch the first day and on the second day, learn how to enhance the felt pieces with elements of texture, shape and line added as surface embellishment. Check out the Frequent Felters program here to see if you qualify for a discount.

Wet Sculptural Felt with Anniemae Koenen - 1 day workshop - October 2012. (Details being worked out.....but something like.....

Needle felting is a great way to sculpt figures and faces, but so is wet felting. And wet felting a sculptural piece may have some advantages when it comes to scale and/or blending of colors. So join Anniemae for a wonderful day to learn the basics of wet sculpting wool and make a simple "mother earth". From this simple piece, you'll learn the techniques to apply to making more complex pieces as the dragon or pixie. Check out the Frequent Felters program here to see if you qualify for a discount.

Across the Border - evening lecture/film with Anniemae Koenen (Details being worked out.....but something like.....

The people of Central Asia live close to nature in a pure and simple way. Felting is a part of life for them. Join Anniemae for a discussion/viewing of her filming of nomads' felting in the Central Asian countries and explore the motifs, forms and designs of these ancient customs.

Shibori in Felt with Anniemae Koenen - 2 day workshop October 2012 (Details being worked out.....but something like.....

Learn to use shibori techniques to incorporate wonderful dimension into your felt, all while making either a headband or bracelet/cuff. Check out the Frequent Felters program here to see if you qualify for a discount.

Thrummed Mitten Tutorial Tues Feb 7th 6-7

free tutorial for those of you interested in making some thrummed mittens. I didn't have time to fit in a Thrummed Mitten workshop, but for those of you who already know how to make mittens and just want to know about "thrumming", come with a mitten cuff knit up thru the ribbing and ready to start the hand and I'll show you how to pull thrums, knit them in and secure them, and we'll talk about the various fibers you can use and their pros/cons. If you don't have the fiber for the thrums....we've got lots of great choices here starting at $5 for a lovely merino wool. Sign up required, even tho' this is free, just so I know whether there are people coming!

Felt Boots....Thursday Feb 9, 16 & 23 from 6:30 - 8:30 and Sat Feb 18th 10 - 5.

This class is only for advanced wet felters (this version is not knitted and then thrown in a washing machine, but made from raw fiber). Join me over the course of these 3 weeks and make yourself a pair of fun wool boots. The design possibiilities are endless and the fit is custom. We'll meet for 3 weeknight sessions of 2 hours each....the first 2 sessions to sample and calculate our resist and the last session to attach the boot to the sole and begin the embellishment process. The Saturday session will actually felt the boots. Instruction fee includes handouts. materials available at the store the first night of class. You are welcome to bring your own fiber, but it must felt well....quickly and densely....or you won't keep up with class or be happy with your result. Instruction fee: $250. When you sign up I'll provide the information to you about purchasing your soles, which you must do in advance of class....these typically cost around $45.

Learn to Spin...Sat Mar 17th 10 - 4

The sheep are recently shorn and fleece is everywhere! So now's the time to learn to turn their lovely coat into yarn! Join us for this 1 day intensive workshop to learn the fundamentals of spinning on a wheel. We'll review the entire process from choosing a fleece to carding it, spinning it, even options for dyeing it... but the majority of the day is spent hands on the wheel making yarn. Instruction fee includes handouts and fiber and use of a wheel: $75

Wet Felting Fundamentals....Sat Mar 3rd 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Learn the basics of wet felting .... from the choices of wool form and breed to different ways of laying out the fiber, as well as design considerations and, of course, all the technical how-tos of this magical process! Instruction fee includes fiber and handouts. $45 (sign up with the needle felting class below and enjoy a 15% discount)....the full day of felting for $75)

Needle Felted Gnomes-Intro to Needle Felting Sat Mar 3rd 2 p.m.-5 p.m.

Learn the basics of needle felting while making a wonderulf little gnomish/leprechaunish figure in anticipation of St. Patrick's day!! Materials, including wool, needle and hi-density foam felting matt, included in registration fee: $45 (sign up with the wet felting class above and enjoy a 15% discount)....the full day of felting for $75)

Magic Loop Technique....Wed Feb 29th 6:30 - 8:00

This free tutorial is not about knitting a pair of socks or mittens, but simply to show you how to do so using a long circular needle rather than double pointed needles. So bring a skein of yarn and a 40" long circular needle (any size/scrap of yarn will do for you to get the idea, but if you want to actually start a project, that's fine too) and we'll show you how to cast on, set up and manage this technique. It's easy, easy, easy....so if you've avoided socks or mittens because you don't like using double pointed needles, come join us tonight and learn a way around them!

Weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom Thurs April 6th, 13th, 20th, & 27th 6 - 8 p.m.

Learn how easy it is to weave some pretty amazing fabric using this simple and inexpensive loom! From scarves, to shawls to fabric to cut and sew, this loom has lots of options that will keep you busy for years! You'll learn to dress your loom, plan a project, good weaving technique and finishing steps, while weaving a scarf. Instruction fee includes a 24" Ashford Rigid Heddle Loom and handouts: $200...or whatever the cost of the loom is at the time you sign up (the companies have price increases in late winter/early spring that I am not made aware of until the time of ordering) (If you prefer a 32" loom or a Kromski Harp (just another brand), those options are available but at more cost so you can call for details. If you already have a rigid heddle loom that is in working order and has all its parts, the instruction fee alone is $100. Approx cost of materials for a scarf: $20.

Nuno Felt Silk Scarf Sat Mar 10th 10 - 4

Learn how simple it is to create soft ruffles and interesting puckers in silk using wisps of handpainted merino! From edgy and organic looking to highly structured designs, you will complete 1 scarf in this full day workshop, but leave with the skills and inspiration to make many more! Instruction fee includes all materials: $90

Felt Hats - Intermediate (i.e.previous experience wet felting from raw wool (i.e. not knitted and then thrown in the washing machine) required)

Come join us and make yourself a fun hat for the winter! You do need some previous wet felting experience (if you've taken our beginning/introductory class here, you're all set!). We'll show you how to lay out and felt a rolled brim or small brimmed hat, how to shape it in a range of styles, and size it to your head!

In this 1 day workshop you'll be able to play with adding color and texture to the felt as you lay your hat out, using bits of silk fiber, dyed locks, and bits of yarn and you'll be able to make a simple rolled, cuffed or small brimmed hat. Whether you prefer to shape yours for a fun and funky one of a kind personality (see rust hat left) or prefer to stick with a more traditional shaping like the ochre colored cloche (seen right) is totally up to you....we'll show you both! You'll learn all the basic shaping techniques in class and then you can have fun exploring more complex/time consuming hats (i.e. bigger brims and more extensive embellishments as shown in the animation/slideshow) on your own all winter! Instruction fee includes merino wool for 1 hat and various silks and locks and yarn for embellishing: $95 Saturday January 21st 10 - 4