Fiber Arts Classes for Summer Now Online!

Finally the moment you have been waiting for – our summer fiber arts classes for June and July are finally online! From Knitting to Hand Spinning, to various types of Felting and Dyeing, we have a class for the inner fiber artist in each of you. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. So check out our Upcoming Events page for the schedule, and contact us via e-mail or by phone at 513/300-3395 for registration information. Fiori del Campo’s Fiber Arts Center is located on the first floor of the hot new LEED certified, solar powered Brazee Street Studios at 4426 Brazee Street in the Oakley merchant’s district, behind BOCA and across the street from the Cincinnati Ballroom Company.

Fiber Arts Classes

All our fiber arts classes can be taught either at the Fiori del Campo workshop at The Brazee Street Studios in Oakley, or offsite at your school, facility, home or farm.

Introduction to Hand Spinning

This is a fun class for both children and adults alike who are curious about hand spinning but have no experience. Students learn about shearing the fleece off of alpacas, skirting, scouring, carding and combing. Then each member of the class constructs their own drop spindle made with CDs and other common hardware. Finally, the students are taught how to spin fleece into yarn on their drop spindles. This can be taught as an abbreviated 2 hour class or ½ day workshop, or in its entirety as a day-long workshop. This has been a popular workshop with home school groups and is also suitable for the traditional classroom as well.

Introduction to Knitting

This is an on-going class taught in a four week rotation, which gives the students time to practice during the week in between classes. In addition to an introduction to basic knitting techniques (knit, purl, garter stitch, stockinette stitch, seed stitch, cast on and bind off and reading patterns), the class also includes finishing techniques like pom poms, tassels and fringe. The final goal of the class is for each student to complete, or at least have had a start on, a scarf, a hat and wrist warmers. Class is suitable for tweens and teens as well as adult beginners.

Not So Beginner Knitting

This class is a natural progression from the Intro to Knitting class, and this class is run the same way, except with more advanced projects and techniques including pattern work and cables, ribbing, the various increases and decreases and color changes. This class is also be good for those that have had a little previous beginning knitting experience elsewhere and is suitable for intermediate tweens, teens and adults.

Intermediate Knitting

This class is a natural progression from the Not So Beginner Knitting class, and this class is run the same way. This class is also good for those that have had a previous experience knitting pattern work and cables. Topics include knitting in the round, knitting on double pointed needles, pick up and knits and intro to knitting socks. This class is also be good for those that have had a previous experience knitting pattern work, cables, ribbing, various increases and decreases, and color changes. Suitable for advanced tweens, teens and adults.

Intro to Dyeing Yarn

Dyeing classes are especially popular and fun, especially for hand knitters and crocheters who would like to add a personal, unique touch to their yarns. The class is taught how to dye yarns made of natural animal fiber using Kool Aid, Wilton’s Cake Dyes, crepe paper and one shot dyes. Techniques include microwave, migration, hand painted and piece dyeing. Class is be suitable for tweens and teens as well as adults.

Intro to Wet Felting

Felting is one fiber art that is all-the-rage right now! This class focuses mainly on wet felting techniques, with some needle felting thrown in for good measure and the class material can be broken down to be spread over 4 weeks. Techniques include selections from the following: wet felted hot pad with needle felted detailing, watermelon or apple pin cushion, felted soap, felted bangle bracelets, felted “sushi beads”, and wet felted flowers/appliqués. Class is suitable for tweens and teens as well as adults.

Intermediate Wet Felting

Wet felting is back, and as participants in the “Intro to Wet Felting” class found out, it is great fun and full of creative potential. This intermediate class will move into the “resist method” of wet felting where the making of wet felted seams and hems on a two-sided object is the key focus. Participants will learn how to use a “resist” pattern to craft a lovely clutch purse with flap, with no sewing required! We will also explore the technique of applying wet felted appliqués onto a piece during the “soft felt” stage. Some experience with wet felting or completion of Pia’s “Intro to Wet Felting” class would be helpful, but not necessary, to register for this class.

Fiber Arts Boot Camp

Summer break is a great time for fiber arts boot camp! Camp includes a little bit of everything fiber – fiber processing (sorting, skirting, scouring, carding and combing raw fleece), hand spinning (using the students’ handmade drop spindles), weaving, felting, dyeing, knit/crochet, and field trips to Ohio Valley Natural Fiber Mill, my alpaca farm and the Weavers Guild of Greater Cincinnati. Boot camps take place throughout an entire week that run five full days.

Fiori del Campo