Courses

Autumn brings a riot of color to the landscape of the North Shore. This workshop is your opportunity to capture a bit of the season with beads. Each participant will bring an autumn image to inspire their design. From your image you will create a unique “bead painting” embroidered on…

Warm up winter by making your own woolen slippers or short boot liners. Using the ancient no-knitting wet felting technique, you will make a cozy, warm pair of slippers or boot liners. The craft hasn’t changed in centuries except we now use soap instead of ash or urine. It’s a…

This class explores the history and contemporary uses of flax, the plant fiber from which linen is made. We will work hands-on to learn hand spinning of tow and line flax using tools and materials supplied by the instructor. Topics included: how to source textile flax seed, growing, harvesting, and…

The three-strand wool braided rug is reminiscent of an era when rag rugs were considered an affordable way to reuse worn clothing and blankets to create a rug for the home.  Early American immigrants and rural pioneers handcrafted the rag rug and created a fiber tradition that has been passed…

Many of the plants which we now consider invasive species were brought to this country for a purpose. This workshop explores several invasive plants which can be used as natural dyes. There's no guilt about peeling off the bark or pulling up the whole plant to make these dye baths!…

Let the colors of the Northern Aurora Borealis sky inspire this delightful winter hat knit with traditional Icelandic wool. It is an intriguing design using Scandinavian stranded knitting techniques, corrugated rib and optional fanciful hat toppers that make every hat as unique and magical as the winter night sky and…

Dyeing cloth using natural materials is a magical process: Add a bit of steam and assorted leaves, flowers, and old rusty nails, and wait an hour…the results are extraordinary. Who knew all the colors of nature were hidden in plain sight? In this course, you’ll learn a bit about the…

Needle felting is fun and therapeutic...and who doesn’t have a little frustration to work through in a creative and positive way these days? In this virtual class with fiber arts instructor Laura Berlage, we will mail you a kit with all the supplies you need (just bring a scissors), including…

Combine bead embroidery and needle felting to create a unique landscape “painting,” while learning the basics of both in this two-day workshop. Participants will bring a landscape image (photo, magazine image, postcard etc.) to inspire their beaded piece. First, you will create a simple needle-felted wool background fabric. Then, you…

Traditional sheepskin blankets with a tanned leather back require that the sheep make the ultimate sacrifice. Yet it doesn’t have to be so! Instructor Becky Utecht has developed a modern approach to an age-old craft. Using felting techniques, students in this course will start with an unwashed sheep fleece and…

Rug hooking is a textile craft, born out of necessity and the desire to bring beauty and warmth into the home. In this class, we will use the natural surroundings of the North Shore landscape to design a rug that is uniquely your own. We will go for walks to…

What type of knitting is associated with the Sámi? The majority of traditional Sámi clothing is made of reindeer skin or wool felt. Very little is knit, except for mittens. This session will explore the knitting motifs of the Skolt Sámi, whose traditional homeland lies at the junction of Norway,…

Dive into the special Swedish knitting technique of tvåändstickning, also called twined knitting or two-ended knitting. With this technique, the knitter works with two strands of yarn at the same time, traditionally from both ends of the same ball of yarn, twisting them between every stitch. While this type of…

Twined knitting, also known as the Swedish specialty knitting technique tvåändstickning, produces a lovely, dense, flexible cloth.We’ll begin with a brief overview of twined knit, twined purl, chain path, and other color work tips. Then, this class will focus on experimenting with two of twined knitting’s specialty stitches–crook stitch and…

Textiles are integral in our lives, yet so often overlooked! Creating one’s own cloth empowers expression through color, texture, and design. In this course, we will explore these elements through weaving on a four-harness floor loom. Students will learn the principles of handweaving, including designing a project, preparing a warp,…