MAIDEN AVALON TEXTILE RETREAT STUDIO Class Outlines 2019 FALL/WINTER
The following classes are hosted at the Maiden Avalon Textile Retreat Studio in Maple Falls, Washington, about 40 minutes east of Bellingham Washington and 1 hour 15 minutes from Vancouver BC, Sumas/Abbotsford border crossing.
All BASIC workshops listed below are one-day classes, with an in-house farm-to-table mid day meal.
The IMMERSION workshop option includes an overnight stay at the Tiny Ski Lodge to expand and extend the workshop experience. More projects and a nature immersion experience are part of the Overnight option. Book the Tiny Ski Lodge at 110$ per night, 2 person minimum. The lodge sleeps up to 8 guests. SEASONAL overnight workshops can include a local guided hike OR an adventure into the Mt Baker Wilderness/ Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and a breakfast stop at the local favourite Wake and Bakery in Glacier, Washington.
all workshops are booked by request, dates determined by availability and the seasons.
TEXTILE AND STUDIO WORKSHOPS YEAR-ROUND (WINTER CLASSES in the Squirrel's Nest Studio to be held at LA SEMILLA PERMACULTURE CENTRE in Bellingham)
Surface design on natural fibers with eco prints (Squirrel's Nest)
Explore surface design on raw silk, cotton and linen fabrics using plant dyes and fixatives found in leaves and minerals. Basic mordanting and applied chemistry partnered with free design using plant motifs and materials. Students observe, and make individual cloth banners that can be appliqued onto other garments, hemmed and hung up decoratively or used as a kitchen textile.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 10)
Bee-ginning and advanced batik
Learn the history and basics of beeswax batik printing and over-dye techniques.
Visit our apiary in Bellingham and harvest some beeswax (only for non-allergic guests)
Print cotton and silk flag panels with block print or freehand tjanting tools, and use immersion dye technique to layer colours. Hot water bath takes off the wax and leaves you with a beautiful sample of your design idea.
$80 per person 6-8 hours (class limit 6)
Indigo dyeing from plant through process (Squirrel's Nest)
Take the indigo process through form start to finish. Use home grown plant material to paste and reduce. Use reduced indigo powder to mix up a predictable batch of viable colour and apply to cloth using shibori dye techniques. Cotton and silk cloth and yarn will be used for each process.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 8)
Raw fleece to rug- a felting basic (Squirrel's Nest)
Using a simple traditional Scandinavian felting process, take a raw fleece and transform it into a one-of-a-kind wool rug in a few hours. History and chemistry of felt-making are presented as the work unfolds.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 6)
Needle felting
This can become habit forming! Using dry felting techniques you can make a 3D or flat felt item which, with the wet felt technique can cross over into a take home wet felt project too.
Large or smaller flat pieces for hot pads, sit upons and small rugs are an easy first step and 3D felt dolls, animal forms and birds are a great next step.
50$ per person 3-6 hours (class limit 8)
Materials provided. 2-6 hours depending on projects (class limit 6)
Embroidery for decorating/embellishment and repairing beautiful things
Global stitchery techniques that reach back through the ages. Joining, flatwork, edges and borders to redesign your old or over-loved favourites. Clothing, bags, leather, accessories can all be assessed for suitability for this class. Students are requested to bring at least 3 items to work on. All materials provided, cotton, linen, leather, and wool threads and a miscellany of adornments sourced from stash offered for your perusal. Basic hand sewing skills an asset.
$70 per person 4-8 hour class with a meal break provided between sessions. (class limit 6)
Bookbinding and paper making
Forage materials for making recycled cloth and paper textile. Paper made in this workshop can be used in the bookmaking process. Coptic style, open spine bookstitching using up cycled fabrics and handmade paper for the millboard covering and linen threads for the stitch up. These make great journals. Immerse yourself in the meditative process of measuring, binding and sewing, a detail oriented and precise craft.
90$ per person. Studio time is 4- 6 hours with a meal break provided between sessions. (class limit 6)
THERE’S MORE….
WINTER 2020
COZY UP WORKSHOPS:
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
with the Mt Baker ski season upon us and the powder piling up we are usually at LA SEMILLA PERMACULTURE CENTER in Bellingham for most all things Crafty. If you want to MAKE with us in the winter months, book the TINYSKILODGE @tinyskilodge1 through the Air bnb website and we'll host you and MAKE IT during your stay! Add a day or two on the mountain for a *5 star* stayover.
Best workshops in January February March April are:
SPINNING A GOOD YARN - sit up close to the wood stove to hear stories told from around the world about the spirit in the spindle, the crone measuring out life by yarn lengths and more! This is not a womens' only retreat! Hold the dainty drop spindle and learn to ply your way to the wheel!
Spinning wheels for rent are available by request. Drop spindles for sale in the TINYSKILODGE store. 1 or 2 day Class limit 8
WEAVING THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE - Hear the tales of old, the lore of the weaver and the place in storytelling of the sacred shuttle, the warp and the weft of life. A 2 day immersion in setting up the floor loom and making a beautiful useful cloth. Make yourself a piece of cloth worthy of use in your everyday. Bring your own yarn or purchase from the TINYSKILODGE store. 2 days only Class size 4
KNITTING AND CROCHET- BASICS AND BEYOND- There's nothing quite like a day or more set aside to sit and knit. Introduction to knitting and crochet while you observe the magic of the winter weather from the comfort of your cozy spot in the TINYSKILODGE. Learn to start, make and finish a piece of yarn craft or expand your skill set. 1 or 2 days Class size 8
ALL COZY UP CLASSES INCLUDE A FARM-TO-TABLE MEAL (your choice) SERVED ONSITE. Inquire for menu options.
The following classes are hosted at the Maiden Avalon Textile Retreat Studio in Maple Falls, Washington, about 40 minutes east of Bellingham Washington and 1 hour 15 minutes from Vancouver BC, Sumas/Abbotsford border crossing.
All BASIC workshops listed below are one-day classes, with an in-house farm-to-table mid day meal.
The IMMERSION workshop option includes an overnight stay at the Tiny Ski Lodge to expand and extend the workshop experience. More projects and a nature immersion experience are part of the Overnight option. Book the Tiny Ski Lodge at 110$ per night, 2 person minimum. The lodge sleeps up to 8 guests. SEASONAL overnight workshops can include a local guided hike OR an adventure into the Mt Baker Wilderness/ Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and a breakfast stop at the local favourite Wake and Bakery in Glacier, Washington.
all workshops are booked by request, dates determined by availability and the seasons.
TEXTILE AND STUDIO WORKSHOPS YEAR-ROUND (WINTER CLASSES in the Squirrel's Nest Studio to be held at LA SEMILLA PERMACULTURE CENTRE in Bellingham)
Surface design on natural fibers with eco prints (Squirrel's Nest)
Explore surface design on raw silk, cotton and linen fabrics using plant dyes and fixatives found in leaves and minerals. Basic mordanting and applied chemistry partnered with free design using plant motifs and materials. Students observe, and make individual cloth banners that can be appliqued onto other garments, hemmed and hung up decoratively or used as a kitchen textile.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 10)
Bee-ginning and advanced batik
Learn the history and basics of beeswax batik printing and over-dye techniques.
Visit our apiary in Bellingham and harvest some beeswax (only for non-allergic guests)
Print cotton and silk flag panels with block print or freehand tjanting tools, and use immersion dye technique to layer colours. Hot water bath takes off the wax and leaves you with a beautiful sample of your design idea.
$80 per person 6-8 hours (class limit 6)
Indigo dyeing from plant through process (Squirrel's Nest)
Take the indigo process through form start to finish. Use home grown plant material to paste and reduce. Use reduced indigo powder to mix up a predictable batch of viable colour and apply to cloth using shibori dye techniques. Cotton and silk cloth and yarn will be used for each process.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 8)
Raw fleece to rug- a felting basic (Squirrel's Nest)
Using a simple traditional Scandinavian felting process, take a raw fleece and transform it into a one-of-a-kind wool rug in a few hours. History and chemistry of felt-making are presented as the work unfolds.
$80 per person 4-8 hours (class limit 6)
Needle felting
This can become habit forming! Using dry felting techniques you can make a 3D or flat felt item which, with the wet felt technique can cross over into a take home wet felt project too.
Large or smaller flat pieces for hot pads, sit upons and small rugs are an easy first step and 3D felt dolls, animal forms and birds are a great next step.
50$ per person 3-6 hours (class limit 8)
Materials provided. 2-6 hours depending on projects (class limit 6)
Embroidery for decorating/embellishment and repairing beautiful things
Global stitchery techniques that reach back through the ages. Joining, flatwork, edges and borders to redesign your old or over-loved favourites. Clothing, bags, leather, accessories can all be assessed for suitability for this class. Students are requested to bring at least 3 items to work on. All materials provided, cotton, linen, leather, and wool threads and a miscellany of adornments sourced from stash offered for your perusal. Basic hand sewing skills an asset.
$70 per person 4-8 hour class with a meal break provided between sessions. (class limit 6)
Bookbinding and paper making
Forage materials for making recycled cloth and paper textile. Paper made in this workshop can be used in the bookmaking process. Coptic style, open spine bookstitching using up cycled fabrics and handmade paper for the millboard covering and linen threads for the stitch up. These make great journals. Immerse yourself in the meditative process of measuring, binding and sewing, a detail oriented and precise craft.
90$ per person. Studio time is 4- 6 hours with a meal break provided between sessions. (class limit 6)
THERE’S MORE….
WINTER 2020
COZY UP WORKSHOPS:
JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL
with the Mt Baker ski season upon us and the powder piling up we are usually at LA SEMILLA PERMACULTURE CENTER in Bellingham for most all things Crafty. If you want to MAKE with us in the winter months, book the TINYSKILODGE @tinyskilodge1 through the Air bnb website and we'll host you and MAKE IT during your stay! Add a day or two on the mountain for a *5 star* stayover.
Best workshops in January February March April are:
SPINNING A GOOD YARN - sit up close to the wood stove to hear stories told from around the world about the spirit in the spindle, the crone measuring out life by yarn lengths and more! This is not a womens' only retreat! Hold the dainty drop spindle and learn to ply your way to the wheel!
Spinning wheels for rent are available by request. Drop spindles for sale in the TINYSKILODGE store. 1 or 2 day Class limit 8
WEAVING THE PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE - Hear the tales of old, the lore of the weaver and the place in storytelling of the sacred shuttle, the warp and the weft of life. A 2 day immersion in setting up the floor loom and making a beautiful useful cloth. Make yourself a piece of cloth worthy of use in your everyday. Bring your own yarn or purchase from the TINYSKILODGE store. 2 days only Class size 4
KNITTING AND CROCHET- BASICS AND BEYOND- There's nothing quite like a day or more set aside to sit and knit. Introduction to knitting and crochet while you observe the magic of the winter weather from the comfort of your cozy spot in the TINYSKILODGE. Learn to start, make and finish a piece of yarn craft or expand your skill set. 1 or 2 days Class size 8
ALL COZY UP CLASSES INCLUDE A FARM-TO-TABLE MEAL (your choice) SERVED ONSITE. Inquire for menu options.
