Get Classy
By Twistie
As much as we love to craft on our own, there’s nothing like a good technique class to help broaden horizons, pick up new skills, and correct bad habits. Heck, just the chance to be in a roomful of people who enjoy using their hands to create things can be a breath of fresh air!
But sometimes you don’t know where to look to find a class. That’s why I sat down and found some courses where you can learn new techniques and hone old skills.
First up is the illustration above. It’s a quilt. The title is Big Sur in May, and it was created by quilt artist Judith Baker Montano. It’s pretty spiffy, isn’t it? In point of fact, I think it’s pretty breathtaking. Well, as it turns out, Ms. Montano is holding a workshop in quilting land and seascapes in May through the Madeline Island School of the Arts in Wisconson. The class is four days long and costs $620.00. See here for details on the class and how to sign up.
If you’re interested in learning about a combination of needle felting, resist dying, and bookmaking, get in touch right away with the Fallbrook School of the Arts in San Diego, CA. They’re holding a two day workshop in May with Chad Alice Hagan that will cover all these techniques. The price of the workshop is $240.00, materials included.
DIY Santa Fe is offering multiple sessions of a course with Robin Pascal in microwave dying techniques. All dyes are provided in class. Students have their choice of bringing their own rovings/undyed skeins of yarn, or they may purchase these on site. Each session costs $45.00 for three hours of instruction.
Have you ever dreamed of making your own custom leather handbag that fits your needs precisely? Don’t dream it, do it! The New Brunswick College of Craft and Design is holding a five day (30 hour) workshop with Steven Taylor that will teach you how to design and create your own leather purse. Never worked with leather before? That’s okay. It’s listed as a beginner’s course. The price is $295.00 (Canadian) with a materials cost of $80.00 (again, Canadian, since this is in Canada).
Of course this is only a tiny smattering of what’s available out there. Even these four venues offer dozens of other opportunities to learn various craft skills. So take a look around you. A great class in a new technique may be lurking in your own neighborhood.
