Workshops

Chris Majauckas    

Learn how to Comb instead of Card a fleece for a very different experience and end product.  Learn the differences between combing and carding and give it a try to see how you like it.  If you have combs and/or fiber, bring them with you.  Combs and fleece will also be provided. Perfect for beginners.  No prior carding or combing experience needed.
Prior experience: A very general knowledge of fiber.
Materials to bring: if they have any fiber or combs they should bring them as well.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $0 fee / includes supplies
Minimum age requirement: Adults and Young Adults (14 +)
Instructor bio: Chris has been a Comb Maker for over 30 years.

Debra Kimball    

Learn to use a variety of needle felting techniques to create a uniquely felted piece. The theme will be a colorful landscape background with birds in the foreground. Materials include natural and dyed wool and recycled sari silk applied to a woven or felt wool base. Design your background first and then add in the foreground objects choosing from several templates for a variety of birds.
Prior experience: a familiarity with working with carded fiber, prior needle felting a plus but not necessary.
Materials to bring: own felting mat and needle if you wish, recommend a clover 5 felting needle tool.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $25 fee / includes supplies needed to complete a 5” by 7” felted mat.
Minimum age requirement: Adults and 12+.
Instructor bio: Deb Kimball has been raising sheep and working with wool fiber for over 30 years. She enjoys spinning, knitting, and felting (both wet and needle felting) wool fibers.

Sheri Bullock  

Wet felt a pod/bowl. Beginnner friendly. Leave with a beautiful pod and kit -just add wool from festival vendors.
Prior experience: knowledge of wet felting.
Materials to bring: bath towel.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $20 fee / includes supplies.
Minimum age requirement: Adults and 14+.
Instructor bio: Sheri is an art educator who started a love affair with fibers when she made her first latch hook rug as an 8 year old. It started with yarn, moved to fabrics and then, when she discovered needle felting in 2014, she added wool to her “collection” of fibers. She opened her own studio, A Fiber in the Woods, where she teachers felting and watercolor to adults and children.

Gina Levesque  

Join us to learn about the magic of indigo as it changes color before your eyes! In this class we will cover tips and tricks of a successful dye bath. Each student will take home a packet of information, yarn samples, and fabric samples.
Prior experience: none.
Materials to bring: wear old clothing or apron, cleaning gloves.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $20 fee / includes supplies.
Minimum age requirement: Adults and 14+.
Instructor bio: Gina works with natural dye stuffs, weaving, and rug hooking. As a biologist, she finds the chemistry of natural dye baths fascinating. She has been dyeing with natural materials and researching their history for over twenty-five years. Gina has taught many natural dye workshops throughout the United States always utilizing historically important dye sources. Her fiber art business, Across Generations, provides supplies and beginning projects to those interested in inkle weaving, rug hooking, penny rugs, and natural dyeing.

Ruth Boisvert    

$40. We’ll wrap wool roving around a styrofoam form. Attach chopstick legs and add a needle felted face. The result is an adorable sheep.
Prior experience: none.
Materials to bring: none.
Material fees paid to the instructor: $25 fee / includes supplies
Minimum age requirement: Children age 10+ if assisted by an adult, adults and 14+.
Instructor bio: Ruth has an BFA from the School for American Craftsmen in Rochester, New York. After moving to Maine her career took a detour into the corporate world but she continued to study ceramics and fiber art at the Maine College of Art. Ruth’s fiber art and pottery have been marketed in many shows and in Gallery 302 in Bridgton, Maine for years. Ruth has been busy teaching felting in Portland, Gallery 302 and fiber festivals throughout New England.

Statia Nesin    

Learn how to achieve color blending and shading on your needle felted sculptures. Just like in painting, shading and color transitions can add depth and interest to your wool projects. I will walk you through the process of layering colors to achieve different effects. I will have some core wool blanks premade to save time, but please feel free to sculpt your own basic shape if you have your own inspiration. All supplies will be provided: foam pad, felting needles, finger guards.. and of course WOOL! See you in class!
Prior experience: none.
Materials to bring: none.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $0 fee / includes supplies.
Minimum age requirement: Adults and 14+.
Instructor bio: Hi, I’m Statia. I have been needle felting since 2019. I work with many different types of wool to achieve different textures and color blends. I use local farms for the bulk of my materials. I started felting when painting became more difficult once I had kids. I can stop and start with wool much easier than with paint and I just vacuum up the fuzzies when I’m done. So easy!! I have always loved animals, real or fantasy. I love seeing them come to life as I sculpt them out of wool. It’s tedious, but I love it. It has been a long road of experimenting, learning, and reaching out to the other artists to figure out the best way of doing things. I am always learning and discovering. I have worked with several local libraries, farmer’s markets, and organizations doing small workshops. Teaching is fun!! Teaching felting is more fun!!

Donna Kay  

This workshop is for the spinner who would like to spin low twist singles for knitting. Spinning singles is a fast way to produce a yarn that preserves the color and texture of the preparation (such as layered batts). We will cover choosing, preparing and handling fibers, drafting methods, twist and diameter control, yarn finishing. Open to all with basic spinning skills – must be able to spin without assistance.
Prior experience: Open to all with basic spinning skills – must be able to spin without assistance.
Materials to bring: Wheel in good working condition, extra bobbins, niddy noddy. Fiber will be provided.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $20 fee / includes folder, handouts and fiber.
Minimum age requirement: 18+.
Instructor bio: Donna is a knitting instructor and designer as well as an accomplished hand spinner. Known for her patient teaching manner, she delights in sharing her knowledge and passion for folk traditions with her students. Donna has worked with Interweave Knits, Harrisville Designs, John C Campbell Folk School, PLY, Spin Off and her company, Tree of Life Designs. You may find her on Ravelry as treeoflife and on Instagram as treeoflifeknitter.

Tiana St. James  

Learn the basics of knitting while making a practical project. In this hands-on workshop, students will learn how to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off while creating a fingerless glove. Participants will complete one glove in class and leave with the pattern, yarn, needles, and the skills needed to knit the second glove at home.
Prior experience: none.
Materials to bring: all will be supplied.
Material fees paid to the instructor:  $25 fee / includes supplies and handouts with links to at home video tutorials for extra support.
Minimum age requirement: Adults and 14+.
Location: Classroom in the education building.
Instructor bio: Tiana St. James has been working in the fiber arts for more than 25 years and teaching for over two decades. She teaches at Aker Fiber Farm and loves helping students build confidence in fiber crafts. Tiana has a special passion for introducing beginners to spinning, knitting, and other fiber arts, making the learning process welcoming and enjoyable.