Registration is now open for all 2025 Adult Classes! Click here to register!
The Fall Fiber Festival boasts an impressive array of activities including educational classes for adults on the fiber arts. In previous years, we have included instruction on activities like felting, spinning, weaving, rug hooking, and nalbinding.
Be sure to keep an eye out for our full schedule of events and information on our children’s classes.
Learn more about 2025’s talented instructors!
2025 Adult Classes
Friday Classes
Introduction to Drop Spindle
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
Learn how to create your own yarn with the timeless skill of drop spinning. In this introduction to drop spinning you will learn how to choose a fiber to spin, how to draft and apply appropriate twist, how to ply, and how to finish your yarn. Easy to learn and with practice can be a very meditative and peaceful pastime. Adult learners only. Drop spindle and fiber included.
Needle Felt – Landscape “Painting with Fiber”
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$12 Material Fee)
Instructor: Donna Westermann
Class Limit: 12 Students
Use needle felting and color blending techniques to create a fiber painting of a sheepish garden landscape, Learn about needle felting equipment, techniques, various felting materials and mediums. This workshop is ideal for beginners and those looking to expand their felting skills.
Introduction to Wheel Spinning
Friday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
Learn the ancient and timeless art of spinning. Students will start on a drop spindle to learn basic skills, and then move onto a wheel if they wish. Easy to learn and so rewarding, this is a class you will enjoy and a skill you will learn to love. The class includes an introduction to fiber characteristics, basic spinning skills, and hands on assistance from a spinner with more than fifteen years’ experience teaching spinning. Students do not need to bring anything with them but a little patience and a sense of humor. Students will be provided with wool for spinning in class. Students who wish to bring their own wheel to use in class should plan to arrive at least ten minutes early to class to allow the instructor to approve the wheel. The teacher will provide wheels for those who don’t have one.
Needle Felt a Gnome
Friday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Donna Westermann
Class Limit: 12 Students
Use needle felting techniques to create a whimsical gnome or Santa of your choosing. Learn about felting equipment, 3 d techniques, creating facial features, felting on fabric, working with locks and various felting materials.
Learn to Knit
Friday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (No material fee)
Instructor: Rusty Boyd
Class Limit: 10 Students
Always wanted to learn to knit or wish to brush up on your basic knitting skills? This is the course for you!
Learn to knit and purl stitches, to cast on and bind off. Discuss yarn and needle types, reading a yarn label, maintaining tension and the importance of gauge and blocking. Practice these stitches to create a gauge swatch of your yarn.
Students bring: Size 8 knitting needles (straight or circular) and a skein of worsted weight yarn
Saturday Classes
Introduction to Wheel Spinning
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
Learn the ancient and timeless art of spinning. Students will start on a drop spindle to learn basic skills, and then move onto a wheel if they wish. Easy to learn and so rewarding, this is a class you will enjoy and a skill you will learn to love. The class includes an introduction to fiber characteristics, basic spinning skills, and hands on assistance from a spinner with more than fifteen years’ experience teaching spinning. Students do not need to bring anything with them but a little patience and a sense of humor. Students will be provided with wool for spinning in class. Students who wish to bring their own wheel to use in class should plan to arrive at least ten minutes early to class to allow the instructor to approve the wheel. The teacher will provide wheels for those who don’t have one.
The Shape of the Shawl
Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (No Material Fee)
Instructor: Rusty Boyd
Class Limit: 10 Students
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Class Description: You bought that gorgeous hank of yarn on your last vacation. It was so beautiful in the store, but now you are home and not sure what to do with it? Not sure how the colors will match with other yarns in your stash? Here’s a solution: Make a shaped shawl! We’re all familiar with the triangle shawl, but what about heart-shaped, square, or half-circle. This class will show you how to take that unique yarn and create the shape you want for your shawl. We will cover casting on with a garter tab, placing markers, and how to get 4 shapes other than the basic
triangle. Participants will receive a 2 sided guide to 5 shawl shapes for future reference. Let the
beautiful color of the yarn do the work for you.
Skills Required: Knit, purl, yarn over, knitting on circular needles
Supplies to Bring: DK or Worsted weight yarn for practice/sample and knitting needle 1-2
sizes larger than suggested. If you’d like to start practicing and continue to finish the shawl,
bring yarn of choice and needle 1-2 sizes larger (example: fingering weight and size 4 needle).
Wheel Spinning Next Steps
Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$15 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
You have a wheel, and you can spin a basic single ply yarn but it takes longer than it should and you aren’t sure what to do next. Don’t worry! There is more out there – if you are excited to learn, take that next step NOW! Learn back draw and forward draw, and the famous long draw! We will practice some different plying techniques, venture a tiny bit down the art yarn path, and work on finishing techniques as well. Up your wheel spinning game in a safe environment with a teacher who has been spinning for decades. This class comes with a bit of mandatory prep work.
Mosaic Knitting
Saturday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (No Material Fee)
Instructor: Rusty Boyd
Class Limit: 10 Students
Skill Level: Intermediate Beginner
Class Description: Have you ever wanted to knit with two different yarn colors at the same time? Do you want to create patterns in your knitting? Are you nervous about carrying yarns? Mosaic knitting is your answer! Create a beautiful 2 color scarf using only one color at a time, and with no purling. Participants will learn to read a mosaic chart, knit and slip stitches, and how to switch yarns at beginning of rows to create a nice edge. Participants will receive pattern with chart and written instructions and important notes with helpful suggestions.
Skills Required: Knit stitch, slip stitch
Supplies to Bring: Worsted Weight yarn in 2 highly contrasted colors. Needle size suggested
for yarn, usually US 8 or 9. Scissors, tapestry needle, other notions.
Sunday Classes
Introduction to Wheel Spinning
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
Learn the ancient and timeless art of spinning. Students will start on a drop spindle to learn basic skills, and then move onto a wheel if they wish. Easy to learn and so rewarding, this is a class you will enjoy and a skill you will learn to love. The class includes an introduction to fiber characteristics, basic spinning skills, and hands on assistance from a spinner with more than fifteen years’ experience teaching spinning. Students do not need to bring anything with them but a little patience and a sense of humor. Students will be provided with wool for spinning in class. Students who wish to bring their own wheel to use in class should plan to arrive at least ten minutes early to class to allow the instructor to approve the wheel. The teacher will provide wheels for those who don’t have one.
Broomstick Crochet
Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (No Material Fee)
Instructor: Rusty Boyd
Class Limit: 10 Students
Skill Level: Beginner Crochet
Class Description: Broomstick Lace is the only crochet stitch Native to North America. It derives its name from the fact that a broomstick was originally used to create the loops of lace for quick scarves, blankets, and accessories. The stitch dates back to colonial times and is simple to create. Participants will learn how to pick up loops, crochet the loops together, and hold stitches at the edge to keep the rows even. As time allows, instructor will demonstrate hairpin lace, another crochet method which uses loops and a device to create them.
Skills Required: chain, single crochet
Supplies to Bring: Worsted weight yarn in solid or self-striping/long color change. US H
crochet hook, Size 50 Knitting Needle, scissors, tapestry needle
Introduction to Drop Spindle
Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Dorothea Pierce
Class Limit: 6 Students
Learn how to create your own yarn with the timeless skill of drop spinning. In this introduction to drop spinning you will learn how to choose a fiber to spin, how to draft and apply appropriate twist, how to ply, and how to finish your yarn. Easy to learn and with practice can be a very meditative and peaceful pastime. Adult learners only. Drop spindle and fiber included.
Needle Felt – Songbird
Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 Registration (+$10 Material Fee)
Instructor: Donna Westermann
Class Limit: 12 Students
Use needle felting techniques to create a bluebird or chickadee. Learn about felting equipment, 3d techniques, working with prefelt balls, blending fibers/colors, mastering details. Materials for both bird types with be included with class fee.
Scholarships
We have a limited scholarship fund available for adult workshops. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship email [email protected] with your name, class you are interested in taking, and why you think you should be considered for a scholarship.