A Chill in the Air
Winter classes and workshops, updates, and more.
Even though I am somewhat allergic to small talk in my day-to-day life, I often find myself talking about the weather in these newsletters. I’m not sure that I realized when I decided to start doing these quarterly updates that I would put myself in this position by default. But yet again, here we are! And I want to talk about weather!
Winter is, without a doubt, the coziest time and a time in which coziness becomes particularly crucial. The woolens come back out again, cozy socks enter constant rotation, couch throw blankets actually get used, and iced coffee switches to hot (Ok maybe not that last one for you die hard New Englanders). I can finally pick up my knitting again and the desire to spend a lot of time on the couch doing a handheld thing instead of being outside increases drastically.
All I know is, with coziness on the brain, it’s the perfect time to do some crafts. I’ve got some offerings that are excellent for all skill levels and perhaps I’ll see you there! More on my personal cozy crafting agenda to follow.
What are your top cozy comforts? Are you a seasonal crafter when it comes to wooly things?
Winter Classes
First thing’s first, let’s get into the class offerings for the winter. I’m super excited about all the fun things on offer! Before the new year begins, I’m holding two fun and beginner friendly crafting workshops perfect for making a special handmade gift for somebody in your life. (Or, perhaps, a way to jump start your own cozy crafty obsession for the winter.)
Saturday Dec 6th you can make a Cyanotype Eye Pillow or a Naturally Dyed Drawstring Bag. Both classes are designed for complete beginners and you’ll head home with at least one beautiful handmade gift (or sign up for both and take home two!)
In January, those looking to level up their skills can take our Make Your Own Jeans class starting Thursday Jan 8th at 6:45pm. This 5 week class will walk you through the process of making a pair of jeans from start to finish. Want some extra help getting the right fit? Book a Private Lesson before or during the course to get some hands on fitting assistance to make your jeans truly custom.
If sewing up jeans is outside your scope, why try your hand at the storied dye technique responsible for denim’s iconic color? In our Natural Dye: Indigo workshop on Saturday January 17th at 10am, you’ll learn about the formula behind indigo dye and learn to use resist techniques to create unique patterns.
Still a beginner? Don’t fret, we’ve got some great classes for you too! Make the perfect tote bag and learn how to use a sewing machine in our Learn to Sew: Patchwork Tote class on Saturday Jan 10th at 10am. All materials are included, just show up and sew! You can also Sew a Beanie on Monday January 26th at 6:45pm, no experience necessary.
In February, come learn how to Sew a Sweatshirt, starting Tuesday February 9th at 6:45pm, and keep the cozy vibes going. This is a great class for ambitious beginners and more experienced sewers alike. And if you decide you need a whole sporty outfit, sign up for Sew a Baseball Cap on Sunday February 22nd at 1pm to complete the look. Yes, you can sew a baseball cap that looks real on a sewing machine and I’ll show you how 😉
We’re also hosting a special Pay-What-You-Can Palentine’s Craft Night in February. Come make fabric collage greeting cards for the special people in your life on Tuesday February 10th at 6:45pm. And, as always, we host our free Community Craft Night every last Tuesday of the month. Upcoming dates are December 30th and January 27th.
Did you know our Private Lessons are always ‘Bring a friend for free’? That means you and a friend can sign up for a private lesson and split the cost, but still get a ton of one on one support!
Gift Cards
Looking for the perfect gift for the craft curious person in your life? We have digital gift cards available for sale on our website here. Gift cards are delivered digitally to the recipient and can be used online or in person. Order gift cards online here!
Projects in Progress
I wanted to share a peek into a cute project I’ve been working on in the studio. This last month I’ve been making a custom Christmas stocking for a dear friend’s little one. The design is inspired by 1960’s art, high contrast baby flash cards (you probably know the kind), and vintage quilts.
I used block printing to create custom printed fabric to add a whimsical and graphic touch to the basic geometric quilt. All of the little pictures represent something about the baby and her parents. I loved carving the little stamps for each symbol and playing with color, especially for the pin oak leaves.
Once the quilting and embroidery is complete, I’ll be adding a thick piping around the edge. The coral pink velvet will be the back and it will be lined with something silky. My goal is to create an heirloom that their family can use for many years.
Do you have any little heirloom projects brewing this winter? I’d love to hear about them!
Bits and Bob(bin)s
Here are some of my favorite little discoveries from around the internet:
I teach a lot of cyanotype classes, including a recent visiting workshop at the RIC Leslie Cameron Greenhouse. I typically use plants and flowers to make botanical prints or cardstock to make geometric designs using cyanotype. I recently stumbled across KSX Art’s lace printed cyanotype garments and am completely inspired to try printing with lace using cyanotype on large pieces of fabric. If you want to try this too, you can pick up some cyanotype chemistry at Patchwork or grab yourself a pre-treated 5’x7’ fabric sheet from Jaquard.
I often use large S hooks for storage (hanging pants, staggering hangers, etc) so I was delighted by this lil hack shared on IG by Cool Your Jets, a design studio in SF. Paracord has so many cool uses and of course you can take the weird strings out and use it to cover hooks. I have a bunch of red paracord leftover from a project (It makes great trim, as seen above!) and have this on my to do list.
Always enamored by a house themed garment, I love these Home Coats by 1000 years. I believe they’re sold out now, but I couldn’t not share because the idea is so precious.
A completely underrated craft, IMO, is needlepoint. Making pixel art on plastic canvas using yar? yes please! (BTW did you know famous 70’s football player Rosy Grier was obsessed with needlepoint and wrote a book about it?) My jaw just about dropped when I saw this needlepoint house purse from Feral Notions. I don’t need it, nor do I carry a purse, but I want to make it immediately.
Seasonal Studio Playlist
I’m still trying to ween myself off of Spotify so this will probably be the last playlist on this platform. However, if you have any of my older playlists saved, they will stay online, so don’t worry. In the mean time, here’s some songs for cold times.