Fiber Arts

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Spring

Visiting Artist HANDMADE BUTTONS: The Dorset Crosswheel

Kelly Brandt / Weaving Studio
Sat 5/6
1-4pm / One Day
$70 / Members: $50

Enhance your custom garments and learn the rich history of Dorset Buttons! In the English county of Dorset, before commercial buttons were widely available, shepherds cut rings from the horns of their Horned Dorset sheep to turn into fashionable buttons. Using threads or finely spun yarns, these rings were covered in a style called Crosswheel. Using these traditional techniques, students will create their own Dorset Crosswheel buttons.

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NEEDLE FELTING OR DRY FELTING

Sarah Nott / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sat & Sun 4/15-4/16
12-3pm / Two Days
$70 / Members: $50

Come make soft wool into three dimensional objects and bas-relief images! Students will learn the terminology, techniques, and materials necessary to create works of needle felting out of wool.

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FLOOR LOOM WEAVING

Gretchen Huggett / Weaving Studio
(B) Thu 4/13-5/18
6:30 - 9 pm / 6 weeks
$150 / Members: $130

Come and join the community centered around one of the few weaving studios in Southwest Michigan. All levels of weavers, from complete beginner to advanced, weaving for years, are welcome. Beginners will weave a sampler to learn the basics. For those familiar with weaving, an individualized plan of study will be created.

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FLOOR LOOM WEAVING

Gretchen Huggett / Weaving Studio
(A) Thu 4/13-5/18
1-3:30pm / 6 weeks
$150 / Members: $130

Come and join the community centered around one of the few weaving studios in Southwest Michigan. All levels of weavers, from complete beginner to advanced, weaving for years, are welcome. Beginners will weave a sampler to learn the basics. For those familiar with weaving, an individualized plan of study will be created.

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INTRO TO DROP SPINDLE

Emily Wohlscheid / Weaving Studio
Sat 5/13
1 - 4 pm / One Day
$40 / Members: $20

Learn the basics of spinning and plying on a drop spindle. Students will be introduced to various wool preparations and learn how to make their fibers ready for spinning. The day will end with creating a two-ply yarn from our newly spun fibers.

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Winter

NEEDLE FELTING OR DRY FELTING

Sarah Nott / Multi-Purpose Classroom
Sat & Sun 3/18-3/19
12-3pm / Two Days
$70 / Members: $50

Come make soft wool into three dimensional objects and bas-relief images! Students will learn the terminology, techniques, and materials necessary to create works of needle felting out of wool.

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SUMMER AND WINTER: THE WEAVE STRUCTURE

Gretchen Huggett / Weaving Studio
Tue 3/7-3/28
6-8:30pm / 4 weeks
$95 / Members: $75

Summer and winter (S/W) is a versatile weave structure that can be used for fine fabrics or rugs, depending on the materials used. This class is intended for someone with at least an advanced beginner level of weaving experience. Students will use their looms at home and classes will include discussions on the origins of S/W, profile drafts, turning drafts, the use of computer software and how the materials used will affect the type of cloth produced.

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STENCIL AND STITCH A STORY!

Rita Petteys / Studio 4
Sat & Sun 3/18-19
Sat 1-5pm, Sun 12-4pm / Two Days
$75 / Members: $55

Stencil and stitch your way through visual storytelling! Students will be led through techniques in fabric painting, creating stencils, and basic embroidery stitches. Students will leave with a 5x7 stenciled piece of fabric of their original design and will have begun stitching details and enhancements.

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NAALBINDING MITTENS

Heidi Bukoski / Weaving Studio
Sat 3/18
10 am - 4 pm / One Day
$80 / Members: $60

Learn the ancient art of Naalbinding, the oldest form of looped garment construction. Using a large specialty needle, students will learn one of the many stitches in Naalbinding to begin a pair of mittens from 100% wool yarn. Students will leave with all the skill and material to complete their mitten project.

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HANDSPUN NOVELTY YARNS

Emily Wohlscheid / Weaving Studio
Mon 2/20-3/27
10 am - 12:30 pm / 6 weeks
$150 / Members: $130

Dive into wild and textural handspun yarn techniques! Building upon foundational spinning skills, students will explore the vast array of possibilities that novelty or “art” yarns can yield. Skills to be covered will include core spinning, alternative plying techniques, creating custom fiber blends, recommended uses for their yarns, and more!

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RUG HOOKING: BEGINNING AND ADVANCED

Martha Rosenfeld / Studio 4
(B) Thu 1/12–3/16
6:30pm-9pm / 10 weeks
$240 / Members: $220

Try something new or advance your rug hooking skills. Beginning students will experience an overview of methods and create a small hooked mat using linen and wool fabric. Continuing students will design original hooked rug patterns and work on their choice of projects, with expert instructor guidance. Bring a tote bag and scissors to the first class. Linen for pattern-making and a limited amount of wool for hooking are included, along with other tools.

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FLOOR LOOM WEAVING

Gretchen Huggett / Weaving Studio
(B) Thu 1/12-3/30
6:30 - 9 pm / 12 weeks
$280 / Members: $260

Come and join the community centered around one of the few weaving studios in Southwest Michigan. All levels of weavers, from complete beginner to advanced, weaving for years, are welcome. Beginners will weave a sampler to learn the basics. For those familiar with weaving, an individualized plan of study will be created.

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TAPESTRY WEAVING

Nancy Crampton / Weaving Studio
Wed 2/22-3/15
6:30 - 9 pm / 4 weeks
$110 / Members: $90

Explore the intriguing process of weaving pictures through tapestry weaving. Students will learn the basic tapestry joins and different ways to shade and blend yarns using adjustable tension copper-frame looms furnished by the instructor. Returning tapestry students will work on using these techniques to plan and complete a small tapestry. Discussions will include making a cartoon or plan for the tapestry, and how to transfer the design to the warp threads. Finishing techniques, lining the weaving and ways to mount it will be demonstrated. No prior weaving experience is needed. Class fee includes use of copper-frame loom and all yarns needed for the sample project. Frame looms may be purchased.

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RUG HOOKING: BEGINNING AND ADVANCED

Martha Rosenfeld / Studio 4
(A) Thu 1/12–3/16
1 - 3:30 pm / 10 weeks
$240 / Members: $220

Try something new or advance your rug hooking skills. Beginning students will experience an overview of methods and create a small hooked mat using linen and wool fabric. Continuing students will design original hooked rug patterns and work on their choice of projects, with expert instructor guidance. Bring a tote bag and scissors to the first class. Linen for pattern-making and a limited amount of wool for hooking are included, along with other tools.

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FLOOR LOOM WEAVING

Gretchen Huggett / Weaving Studio
(A) Thu 1/12-3/30
1-3:30pm / 12 weeks
$280 / Members: $260

Come and join the community centered around one of the few weaving studios in Southwest Michigan. All levels of weavers, from complete beginner to advanced, weaving for years, are welcome. Beginners will weave a sampler to learn the basics. For those familiar with weaving, an individualized plan of study will be created.

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SPINNING

Emily Wohlscheid / Weaving Studio
Mon 2/20-3/27
6-8:30pm / 6 weeks
$150 / Members: $130

Learn the basics or further your yarn spinning practice! Beginners will learn the basics including spinning, plying, and setting their finished yarns while intermediate/advanced students will follow exercises and techniques to aid in consistency, ply structure, custom blending, and more. Wheels may be reserved to borrow at the time of registration.

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INTRO TO EMBROIDERY

Emily Wohlscheid / Weaving Studio
Sat 2/25
1 - 4 p.m. / One day
$60 / Members: $40

Practice basic stitches to create embroidered masterpieces! This workshop will introduce students to several simple embroidery techniques to bring images on cloth to life through texture and color with thread.

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