Classes for kids at the Children's Art Factory!

Beginner Knitting Workshop for Kids at The Children's Art Factory

This beginner knitting workshop is for kids 5 and up!

Over three sessions, the kids will be working on learning the basics of knitting. The workshop cost includes instruction and supplies as well as a visit to the Art Factory!

Dates: Wednesday February 25, March 4 and 11

Time: 4:30 - 5:30 pm

Where: The Children's Art Factory 279 Woolwich St. Guelph

Cost: $55.00 includes instruction, supplies and a visit to The Children's Art Factory

To sign up please contact The Children's Art Factory 

by calling: (226) 500-1544 or emailing: melissa@thechildrensartfactory.com

Taught by Alisa McRonald who has been teaching textile arts to many different age groups for many years.

Beginner Embroidery and Appliqué Workshop for Kids at The Children's Art Factory

This beginner embroider and appliqué workshop is for kids 5 and up!

Over three sessions, the kids will be working on learning basic embroidery and hand-stitching techniques as well as some basic appliqué techniques. The workshop cost includes instruction and supplies as well as a visit to the Art Factory!

Dates: Wednesday February 25, March 4 and 11

Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Where: The Children's Art Factory 279 Woolwich St. Guelph

Cost: $55.00 includes instruction, supplies and a visit to The Children's Art Factory

To sign up please contact The Children's Art Factory 

by calling: (226) 500-1544 or emailing: melissa@thechildrensartfactory.com

Taught by Alisa McRonald who has been teaching textile arts to many different age groups for many years.

Kid's Sewing Class at Necessary Arts Company!

I'm going to be teaching a sewing class for kids at Necessary Arts Company. I'm very excited about it! Please see below for info and visit their website to sign up...

Sewing a Stuffie with Kids at Necessary Arts!

Ages 6+

A 3 session class for beginners geared towards creativity, safety and success. Children are asked to bring in a drawing of a stuffed friend they would like to make and will be walked through the whole process. Learn to make the pattern and sew their design.

$50.00 (instruction and materials are included in the price of the class)

Dates: Thursday February 12, 19 and 26  OR Thursday March 5, 12 and 26

Time: 4:30 - 5:30pm

Limited to 5 participants

Knitting for Kids Class!

Rag Doll Class

I'm so excited to be teaching this fun doll making class in October! See the poster for details!

Tapestry Weaving - The Beginning

Some weaving exercises hanging out on my board. 

I've been playing around with weaving for quite some time and have been very drawn to tapestry weaving. I made the decision to seek out some tapestry classes so that I could learn the techniques properly and start from the beginning. A quick search led me to Ixchel Suarez and her amazing studio. 

In addition to being a renowned weaver, Ixchel runs a small art school called the Oakville Arts Studio. I was excited to see that it was close by and went to visit the studio that very same week. I knew when I entered the studio and spoke with her that she was going to be the teacher for me! She started me on a "weaving journal" - several small weavings that go over the basics of tapestry weaving. 

I started with basics, joins, decreases and circles and moved on to colour gradations. Now, I'm working on texture (my personal favourite)… 

I'm having so much fun and learning a lot. I'm so glad I the studio and get to go once a week, learn from Ixchel and be around all the other artists working on their own projects. It's just such a wonderful community and I'm so inspired every time I go. 

Colour gradation and basic techniques.

Two crochet techniques I need to use more...

I love crochet - a lot. When I'm crocheting I feel cool, I can go fast and make fancy patterns and it just makes sense to me. I've been crocheting for much longer than I have been knitting. When I first started to crochet it was for sculptural purposes - elements to add to my artwork. Now, I crochet garments and still use it in my artistic practise.

The Cloister 

The first technique that I love and want to do more of is Tapestry Crochet (also called: Mosaic Crochet, Jacquard Crochet, Intarsia, Fair Isle and Hard Crochet). It's a technique where you carry and use different colours to make patterns within your work. Much like colour work in knitting. I was first introduced to this technique by Danielle Kassner who is just amazing. I started working on her pattern for fingerless gloves called, "Cloister" during her class and never finished them. They went into my "unfinished" pile, not sure why because I was enjoying making them so much. I think now that I have more experience doing this technique, I'll make them again. It takes awhile to get your tension right. Another pattern I'm almost finished is another from the same designer called, "Camino de Santiago". It's an infinity scarf.
I got super inspired when I went to the David Bowie show that was at the Art Gallery of Ontario late last year. I saw all his wild knit "fair isle" patterned costumes and immediately wanted to make some of my own patterns BUT in crochet not knit! The costumes I am referring to were designed by Kansai Yamamoto.

The Camino de Santiago

The second technique is Broomstick Lace (also called Jiffy Lace). This techniques uses a very large knitting needle that the stitches are hooked around, you then remove the needle and catch the loops in different configurations to create a very unique and lofty lace. It was traditionally done on a broomstick and was called Jiffy Lace because you can create something rather quickly compared to doing other traditional lace making techniques. I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, as I'm making a shawl and it's quite awkward as it's increasing and the stitch count is growing…  I learned this technique the old fashion way - sitting down with an old book and my friend Tamaralda who was taking the Crochet Guild of America's Certification Program (I learned lots of different crochet techniques that year!).


Maybe I'll write about those techniques another time...

Not the best picture, but you see the large knitting needle.

Blending Board Fun!

I have a fun new piece of fibre processing equipment, it's been sitting in my studio for a while. It's called a blending board, or, blending palette. Mine is made by Fancy Kitty. Basically, it's like a giant flat carder that you can place fibre on in any pattern you like. It's great for using up bits and pieces and you can make some really cool rolags. Get into playing with blends and also processing for colour repeats. I felt I could be very creative with it.

I finally got to play with mine when my Spinning Guild had a "Blending Board Party". A bunch of us got together and just played for an afternoon. 

I focused on making vertical stripes and used colours that would usually not blend well together. Because you can be so precise with how you lay your material down, you can do interesting things like that and maintain the colour separation as you spin. You can really pack a lot of fibre on it and I ended up pulling three rolags off for each palette I filled.

I spun them up and really enjoyed the results. It was a little challenging to spin because I really used a lot of different types of fibres, some of which are much easier to spin. All in all, I really love the results and can't wait to play with it more! Now, I just have to decide what to do with the finished yarn… hmmm….