Classes 2012

Go ahead and grab a new skill in 2012! Ever wanted to learn to knit, spin, felt, dye, garden or just have a fun learning experience out on the farm? We’ve got the perfect class for you – and your day will include a petting tour of the closest pastures where you’ll meet all the animals! Classes are all on Saturdays from 1 to 4:30pm and cost $60 with all the materials you’ll need included. Our curricula are designed with serious adult students in mind, but children are always welcome with an attentive partner (sometimes without, depending on age and experience), but we’ve noted below the classes that are most suited to young crafters. Register with 2 friends and each take $5 off.

Don’t see a class you want that’s offered at a time that works for you? Simply gather a group of 3 or more friends and schedule your own date and class topic.

Sat, Jan 28
Nibbles and Needles: Beginning Knitting
We’ll cozy up on the couches in front of the woodstove and enjoy snacks while you get started on a knitting project. You should be able to leave with something that you’ve finished: a washrag, earwarmer, hat, or some such small goal. This is the best way to truly launch a knitting career – by being immersed in stitches for a few hours!
Kid-friendly class.

Sat, Feb 18
Absolute Beginning Spinning: Spindles and Wheels
For true beginners, this class will give students hands-on time with several types of drop spindles and several types of spinning wheels. We’ll discuss the properties of different fibers, make our own wool rovings with various tools and practice, practice, practice. Students are strongly encouraged to come back the following week for Beginning-ish Spinning.
(ONLY 4 SPOTS LEFT)

Sat, Feb 25
Beginning-ish Spinning: Making a Skein
When you leave this class, you should have a finished skein of yarn you can knit up into something at home! But first, you’ll need to know the basics of using a wheel or spindle. (Absolute Beginning Spinning, Feb 18, is a good primer, but other experiences will do.) This class is for those who have their own wheel or are close to making that purchase. Bring yours if you’ve got it. We’ll spend lots of time tweaking technique so you can begin to consistently spin the yarn you want.
BONUS: Come at 9 am and help with the annual Sheep Shearing down in the barn!

Sat, March 3
Maidmarion at Shake Rag Alley, Mineral Point, WI, 1:30 to 4:30pm

Art Scarves: Nuno Felting with Wool and Silk Shake Rag is a magical location for learning, nestled into a tiny restored miners’ village in historic Mineral Point. In this class you’ll use habotai silk, wool locks, sari threads, kid angora, mylar angelina and maybe even some lint collected off your own clothes to make a one of a kind wearable work of art. A great intro to multiple fiber art techniques, this class employs dyeing, shibori resist, pleating, needle-felting and wet felting. Plan to work hard, physically, and stand for a few hours. You’ll be amazed at the results. Register with Shake Rag Alley School for Arts and Crafts.

Sat, Mar 17
St. Patrick’s Dye Party!
We’ll use more than green in this colorful dye-fest. Spend an afternoon in Maidmarion’s Summer Kitchen Dye Studio, fully stocked with over 100 dye concentrates and various goodies to dip. Learn the basics of dyeing protein fibers (silk, wool, feathers, and eggs) and practice several different techniques you can reproduce easily at home. We’ll provide several sizes of silk scarves and ribbons, a skein of wool yarn and some wool locks. Bring items of your own to experiment with.
(Kid-Friendly Class)

Sat, March 24
Wool Friends: Needle-Felted Animals and Fairies
Create either sculptural toys or dreamy one-dimensional fairy-scapes in this open-ended needle-felting experience. Students will experiment with wire armatures and other sculptural devices as they use a barbed needle to felt their way toward revealing expressive, irresistible wooly creatures.
This class will feature some time in the barn visiting newly-born lambs!
(Kid-Friendly Class)

Sat, Apr 14
Making Stuff Out of Sweaters and Fluff
Dig into our stockpile of shrunken sweaters ans start snipping. Or bring some mostly-wool pre-felted items of your own and we’ll give you some good ideas for how to make something new out of them. The ultimate in up-cycled chic, felted scraps make wonderful purses, oven mitts, pillow cases, hats, toys or jewelry. Embellish with hand-sewing, embroidery, needle-felt techniques and vintage beads and buttons to create one-of-a-kind objects to display, use, wear and share.
This class will feature some time in the barn visiting baby lambs!
(Kid-Friendly Class)

Sat, Apr 28
Gardening From Sprout to Spud: Beginning Veggie Growing
Have you been dreaming of a big, beautiful organic home garden but don’t know where to start? We’ll get you started at the beginning, with seeds. Spend time in our greenhouse learning how to grow plants in flats – and leave with one full flat planted and ready to germinate back home on top of your fridge. Then enjoy a note-taking tour of our CSA gardens, learning what you can start early and what you can keep growing far along into the the late season. Get some good suggestions for succeeding with your particular favorite vegetables. Experiment with a wide variety of hand tools for efficient weeding. And finally, finish with a cup of tea and a visit to the baby lambs!

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL CLASSES. CALL 608-523-4341 or EMAIL maidmarion@circlemfarm.com .