Fiber Arts Instructor Directory
Welcome to the Explore Fiber Fiber Arts Instructor Directory page! We want to put more groups and instructors together to spread our love of teaching and to pass on our knowledge of the fiber arts! If you want to apply to be included in the directory, please visit the Fiber Arts Instructor Application page, complete the form and submit it. We will post your information ASAP.
The Explore Fiber Fiber Arts Instructor Directory collects broad stroke information about fiber arts teachers. We are not able to keep up with any time sensitive events or information. We will post instructors’ contact information by media, and it is up to an event coordinator or an organization to contact the instructor and get the detailed information they need to see if that instructor will be a good fit for their learning experience.
Explore Fiber’s mission is hosting a collaborative site that showcases and promotes using fiber as a fine art material. We hope the fiber arts world at large will find this information useful and that you will contribute in order to make this resource vital and thriving.
Here are some links to fast track you to a section you want to explore:
- Top of List
- Art Quilts
- Digital Fabric Design; Surface Design
- Dyeing
- Fosshape
- Free Motion Machine Embroidery
- Mixed Fiber Instruction
- Quilting
- Sewing
- Wearable Art; Cosplay; Costumes
- Weaving
Art Quilts
Variety of Workshops, Deborah Boschert, deborahboschert@gmail.com, http://deborahsstudio.com/workshops-and-more/
- Length of Class/Workshop: From 3 hours to five days.
- Area or region: I live in the Dallas area, but travel to teach regularly.
- Additional Information/short description: I offer a variety of workshops including fused applique, improvisational hand embroidery, composition and more! See full descriptions and images here. http://deborahsstudio.com/
workshops-and-more/
Digital Fabric Design; Surface Design
Design Your Own Fabric, Becka Rahn, beckarahn@gmail.com, https://www.beckarahn.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: 3 hour – 5 days, depending on the topic
- Area or region: Minneapolis. But I am willing to travel and teach nearly anywhere.
- Additional Information/short description: I am the co-author of the Spoonflower Handbook, a guide to fabric design. I have taught for art centers, local guilds and groups as well as national fiber art conferences (Surface Design Association, Handweavers Guild of America) and did a class for Arrowmont School in 2016. I was the director of education at Textile Center in Minneapolis for 12 years and serve on the board of directors for the Weavers Guild of MN. I teach a large variety of workshops on designing your own fabrics. I focus on designing for digital printing with services like Spoonflower. I teach high tech tools like Photoshop and Illustrator as well as low tech techniques like using painted and cut paper to create surface designs.
Dyeing
Solar Dyeing – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One day workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description: Learn the techniques of solar dyeing for use in clothing, fabrics, home decor and more! Included with the class is one silk scarf that you will finish and take home to keep or give as a gift! No experience necessary and everything provided!
- You will learn:
- Mixing colors
- Various materials and how they react to the solar dyes
- Creating overlays
- Creating patterns
- Setting the dyes
- Washing instructions
- This class includes: All materials, including ONE silk scarf. Nothing to bring or buy!
Fosshape
Intro to Fosshape – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One day workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description: Have fun learning the basics of working with an extraordinary material called Fosshape in this one day introductory workshop! This incredible material is perfect for theatrical and Cosplay applications, sculptures, as the base for the application of other materials, and much more! Nothing to bring or buy- everything is included!
- This workshop includes: All materials, sewing supplies, and thread. Students will use: a variety of sewing threads geared to each technique, special papers and dissolvable bases– images provided by the instructor to transfer using the techniques
- You will learn:
- What Fosshape is and its origin in the car industry
- How to shape it using three methods: a heat gun, a heat embossing tool, and a steamer
- How to sew it into basic shapes
- How to heat press it
- How to emboss it
- How to spray paint it
Free Motion Machine Embroidery
Free Motion Machine Embroidery – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One day workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description: Explore the exciting, creative technique of free motion machine embroidery — a method of using a sewing machine and thread as art tools — on various 2 dimensional surfaces. Transition common fabric and found materials from flat to dimensional, change smooth surfaces into textural, and make the common, dynamic. Skills learned can be used to embellish functional pieces such as quilts, clothing, home décor or art by adding texture and visual interest to the fabrics they are made from, make “painting with thread” representational portraits, and “draw” using thread (no drawing skill needed!)
- This class includes: All materials, sewing supplies, and thread. Students will use: a variety of sewing threads geared to each technique, special papers and dissolvable basesimages provided by the instructor to transfer using the techniques
- Students will learn:
- basic free motion stitches
- how to transfer images using a common home printer
- how to use special papers and dissolvable bases
- which threads are best for projects
- how to create texture
- how to add dimension and build up a surface
- with hoop
- hoopless
- Students will learn:
Mixed Fiber Instruction
I teach spinning, weaving, dyeing, flat felting, and rug hooking – Mary Berry, mary@FancyFibersStore.com, http://www.FancyFibersStore.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: Varies from 1/2 day to multi-day workshops
- Area or region: Home base is north Texas but I travel nationwide.
- Additional Information/short description: On Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/
FancyFibersStore. Check out the photos for pictures from prior classes. - Also the “Meet Mary” page on my website lists where I will be teaching away from my Shop.
Quilting
Quilts: Art, Baby and More – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One day workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description:
- Additional Information/short description: Make a sweet quilt to give or for yourself! You will go home with a finished quilt in this fun workshop! Nothing to bring or buy- everything is included! There will be a large variety of quilt cottons to choose from. *SEWING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY.
- You will learn:
- How to create a basic design
- Creating a paper pattern for your design
- Applique techniques
- Materials that help simplify the process
- Which needles to use for best results
- Stitches that embellish and enhance your design
- Which battings are best
- Free motion techniques for quilting
- The best materials to use
- Finishing techniques
- This workshop includes: All materials.
Sewing
Learn To Sew: Get Your Machines Running! – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One Day Workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, GA
- Additional Information/short description: Do you have a machine sitting there and don’t really know how it works? Do you have basic sewing machine experience, but not enough skill and time practicing to be comfortable using it? Bring your own machine and attachments and become more proficient at sewing, through information provided by the instructor, hands on help, and practice, so that you can sew with ease at home.
- This class includes: All materials, sewing supplies, and thread.
Learn To Sew: Machines Provided – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: One day workshops on a variety of dates
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description: WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
- Names of the parts of the sewing machine and their uses.
- How to thread the machine and needle, and how to wind bobbins.
- What needle size and type to use with which materials.
- What materials are best suited for which projects, and the best threads to match.
- Cleaning and oiling the machine.
- How to make basic seams.
- Potential challenges, and easy ways to trouble-shoot when something goes wrong.
- How to use a serger.
- The opportunity to book a 20 minute block of time on another date to do an individual consultation with the instructor if you are considering buying a machine, so that you feel equipped to purchase the right one for your personal needs.
- This class includes: All materials, supplies, fabrics, sewing machines, serger, thread.
NOTHING TO BRING OR BUY!
Wearable Art; Cosplay; Costumes
Private Wearable Art Instruction – Leisa Rich, monaleisa@bellsouth.net, http://www.monaleisa.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: Arranged to student/instructor’s schedule
- Area or region: Atlanta, Ga.
- Additional Information/short description: Many skills will be covered that are tailored to the student’s needs and wants.
- Studio is equipped with 5 sewing machines and a serger, as well as a Juki industrial straight stitch, an industrial steamer, a heat press, heat guns and more.
- Work with a variety of materials: how to sew them, how to trouble shoot, draping, basic pattern making, designing, working with difficult and intriguing materials. No challenge too great!
Weaving
Designing for Weavers – Sara Nordling, sanordling@hotmail.com, http://www.saranordling.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: Can range from a 2 hour talk to a 3 day workshop.
- Area or region: I reside in the Midwest but am willing to travel, especially if doing a longer workshop or more than 1 workshop in the area.
- Additional Information/short description: The elements and principles of design have long been used by artist and professional designers. There is not much in print or in weaving classes that applies these principles to weaving. This class introduces you to these concepts. In lecture form you get the information but not the practice exercises. In workshop form students also perform various exercises to apply what they have learned and use the design concepts themselves to create designs they can weave in the future.
Introduction to Double Weave – Sara Nordling, sanordling@hotmail.com, http://www.saranordling.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: Can range from a 2-hour talk to a 2 to 3 day workshop.
- Area or region: I reside in the Midwest but am willing to travel, especially if doing a longer workshop or more than 1 workshop in the area.
- Additional Information/short description: In lecture form this class will introduce you to the concept of double weave and the variety of ways this double-layer structure can be woven and used. In workshop format students will warp their own looms, either 4 or 8 shaft and will explore how to weave different effects in double weave including tubes, 2 layers, double width cloth, stuffed, and pick up.
Introduction to Dyeing – Sara Nordling, sanordling@hotmail.com, http://www.saranordling.com
October, 2015, For Josef and Anni series, double weave. Hand dyed and commercial dyed yarns. 16 shafts, plain weave, cotton. 16.25″ x 35″ Random
- Length of Class/Workshop: Can range from a 1 to 2 hour talk to 1 to 5 day workshop.
- Area or region: I reside in the Midwest but am willing to travel, especially if doing a longer workshop or more than 1 workshop in the area.
- Additional Information/short description: In lecture form this class will look at how to approach dyeing of plant fibers with fiber reactive dyes including equipment needed, safety precautions, and how to mix and use the dyes. In workshop format students will learn the above and then get the chance to put their knowledge to use. Depending on the length and needs of the class this can range from dyeing a color wheel to planning and dyeing a weaving project(s).
Introduction to Weaving Drafts – Sara Nordling, sanordling@hotmail.com, http://www.saranordling.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: Can range from a 1 to 2 hour talk to a full day workshop.
- Area or region: I reside in the Midwest but am willing to travel, especially if doing a longer workshop or more than 1 workshop in the area.
- Additional Information/short description: In lecture form this class will show you how weaving drafts are written, how to make a draw down, and various symbols and codes commonly used in printed drafts. In workshop format, students not only hear the lecture they get to work through some drafts on paper to reinforce the ideas presented.
Painted Warps – Sara Nordling, sanordling@hotmail.com, http://www.saranordling.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: 1 to 5 day workshop
- Area or region: I reside in the Midwest but am willing to travel, especially if doing a longer workshop or more than 1 workshop in the area.
- Additional Information/short description: n a one-day workshop, students will paint a pre-made warp to take home with them to use in a project. In longer workshop, students will be able to dye a weft as well and work to warp a loom and complete a project. Throughout a longer workshop, different dyeing options and ideas will be discussed and further projects planned and perhaps dyed as well.
Weaving with Wire – Christine Miller, explorefiber@gmail.com, https://www.explorefiber.com
- Length of Class/Workshop: 3 days
- Area or region: I live in Dallas, but I’m available to teach this workshop in the United States.
- Additional Information/short description: The woven metal fabric that is created in this workshop is a wonderful, sculptural material that can be used for jewelry, basketry, sculpture and more! There are unlimited possibilities for this material. Beginning to advanced weavers are appropriate experience levels for this workshop.
- This 3-day workshop will cover:
- Presentation by the instructor of the possibilities of weaving with wire and examples of the instructor’s work
- Preparing a warp out of wire
- Beaming the wire warp onto a 4-8 harness small floor or table loom
- Weaving a 3 yard woven metal warp, either 3/8” or 1” wide to be used for jewelry
- Weaving a large, 6” wide sample on the instructor’s loom to get a feel for a wider warp
- Create some jewelry pieces from the woven metal using patterns from the instructor, or creating your own designs.
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