Classes I Teach

Introduction To Weaving

In this class you will learn how to wind your warp on a warping board, transfer your warp to your loom by winding it over the back beam onto the warp  beam and then threading it through the heddles, then the reed and finally tying it onto the fabric or cloth beam. You will learn how to read a draft / pattern and transfer that draft to your loom. 

You will be weaving a sampler with 4 different threadings using the first 4 shafts on your loom.  If you weave all of the samples you will end up with 60 patterns just by changing the treadling sequence by pressing down on the different levers for a table loom in a particular order or different treadles for a floor loom. 

This can be a 3 day class or divided into several days of 3 or 4 hours each. 

Overshot

For this class you will weave 15 different samples on one warp.  The pattern we will be using is from “Best of Weavers” – “Overshot Is Hot” by Madelyn van der Hoogt. This can be a 3 day class or divided into several days of  3 or 4 hours each. 

Needle Felting A Doll

For this two day class you will be given core fiber for the foundation of the doll, colored fleece for the body, felting needles, a foam mat to use and an armature to work around. First you will needle felt your core fiber around this form and then you will start to design a dress, head, arms and shoes for your doll. Each doll will allow you to show your creativity and therefore each doll will be totally different and wonderful.

Needle Felting A Bear

In this one day class you will learn how to roll and shape your fleece into a head shape, body, ears, arms and legs using several different kinds of felting needles on a foam mat. You will learn how to attach the body parts to each other, add the eyes, facial features and embellish the toes and fingers with embroidery floss.

California Rag Doll & Her Needle Felted Bear

The skirt for this all cloth doll was woven on a Harrisville Peg Loom using a special cutting technique.  Her bodice and arms are from the same fabric as the skirt.  Her legs, cuffs and belt are from a contrasting fabric.  Her face is needle sculpted and her hair is needle felted into her head.  Her teddy bear companions are needle felted using Romney fleece.

Needle Felted Bags

These are 3 bags that my student Micki Donch needle felted as samples for me.  This can be a 3 hour class where you will learn how to needle felt flowers or simple pictures onto a denim/ cloth bag.

Color & Weave On Peg Loom

In this class you will receive a peg/tapestry loom that you will keep as part of your kit fee. You will learn that just by changing the order of the colors of your yarn and weaving in plain/tabby weave (over and under and under and over) you will be able to get some wonderful effects.

Woven Tapestry & Needle Felted Dolls

You will learn how to weave the doll's body on a small portable loom, needle felt her face, crochet her arms and more. This is a two day class. Please look in the section called "MY STUDENTS" and you can see the Woven Tapestry and needle felted dolls that my students made in this class.

Needle Felted Gnomes

You will learn how to needle felt a gnome by using fleece and felting needles. This is a two day class. Please look in the section called "MY STUDENTS" and you can see the gnomes that my students made in this class.

Felted Jewelry

In this class you will learn how to make felted jewelry by using felting needles, water, soap and your hands.  This is a one day class.

3D California Rag Doll

In this class you  will learn how to cut your fabric and then weave an unusual skirt for your doll on a peg/tapestry loom, how to make her bodice, boots, arms and hands with articulated fingers, how to needle sculpt and then paint her facial features, apply her hair and much more.  You will wind up with a standing 3-D doll about 20 inches tall.

This can be a 2 or 3 day class depending on how much sewing can be completed before the class starts.

Woven Tapestry & Needle Felted Pictures

For these creations I wove the background on my Harrisville peg loom and then needle felted the 3-D faces on top of the woven pieces. Going across from left to right on the top row is Gedalya, Devorah, and Flora. The second row from left to right has Yaakov Zev, Chaya Nessa Pearl and Hilda the Red Hat Lady. Gedalya, Devorah, Yaakov Zev and Chaya Nessa Pearl are four of my grandchildren.  I used their real hair for these pieces. Flora is named after my mom and Hilda was the name of my aunt.

California Rag Wall Doll

In this class you will learn how to make a beautiful 25" cloth doll to hang on your wall.  You will learn how to cut your fabric and then weave an unusual skirt for your doll on a peg/tapestry loom, how to make her bodice, boots, arms and hands with articulated fingers, how to needle sculpt and then paint her facial features, apply her hair and much more. This can be a 2 or 3 day class depending on how much sewing can be completed before the class starts. 

Introduction to Cloth Dollmaking

By using my simple pancake style doll pattern you will learn how to cut, sew and stuff this doll. The head, arms and hands with articulated fingers will be added to the body. You can either paint her face or use colored pencil.  This doll has a flat face. You will learn how to sew and attach her hair and if time permits you will make her skirt. You will receive printed instructions with step-by-step diagrams to illustrate each point. This is a 2 day class.

Head On A Pedestal

In this class you will learn how to make, cut, sew, stuff and either needle sculpt the head of the doll or stuff her head with Model Magic. You will learn how to paint her features or use colored pencil. You will learn how to make her pedestal and attach her to it so she can be displayed in your home. The entire piece ranges in height from about 16" to 18". Even though I never took this class and the pattern is my own, I was inspired from a doll that Judi Ward taught at a conference I attended. This is a 1 day class.

Potholder Loom Doll Class

Doll 1

Learn to make this wonderful doll to hang on your wall. It is made on a potholder loom that we used to make potholders on when we were children. This doll is wearing a plaid blouse with a rya knotted skirt. Her arms, legs and hat are crocheted. Her comical face is made from Windsor Comfort knit. You will learn how to needle sculpt her face, place her eyes, sew her mouth and eyebrows and make her hair. She is around 17" tall. This is a one day class.

Doll 3

This white and blue dressed doll is wearing a blouse woven in bound weave and a skirt made of rya knots. Her hair is a wig that I bought.

Doll 5

Potholder doll with a colored pencil face.

Doll 2

This doll is wearing a maroon and white blouse woven in a weave called bound weave and her skirt is woven in plain weave. Her belt is woven in rya knots, her face is needle sculpted and her hands, legs and hat are crocheted. She is around 11" tall.

Doll 4

This was the first potholder loom doll that I made. I had so much fun making it that I made the others that you see and decided to teach this doll.