The Fibre Garden : Workshops
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Below is a listing for our workshops coming up in the next few weeks. The available quantity indicates how many spaces we have left in each workshop.
Advance payment is required for all workshops. This can be done by calling us at the store at 1-855-236-3829 and providing a Visa or Mastercard or if in-person also by Interac debit. You may of course also register online.
Payment can also be made by E-transfer. Send your transfer to and please also send us an e-mail with the answer to the security question that you select. For this method, please place your order online first and choose the E-transfer payment option.
For online payment with a credit card, select the PayPal payment option. PayPal will accept various credit cards and is a secure method of processing.
If you place an online order for a workshop, please include a phone number in your customer profile when you create one on our cart. We may have to contact you at the last minute in the event of unexpected cancellation.
PLEASE NOTE: our policy is that we do not give refunds for cancellations made within two weeks of the workshop date. Cancellation due to weather events is unpredictable, and we generally will try to re-book the workshop at another time or to offer you space in a different workshop when available. We may also provide a refund instead.
Our felting instructor, Chris Liszak, has a Facebook page that features many of our class projects. You will find the link listed in most of our felting workshops. Check it out!
Workshops
Cozy Felted Slippers – Saturday January 18, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Saturday, January 18, NOON to 4pm, room for 6 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
Please note: this is a 4-hour workshop, and starts earlier than most other ones. Please arrive 15 minutes early to select your materials.
Make a cozy but sturdy pair of felted slippers in your own choice of colours. We will be using Corriedale wool for this project, available at the store or bring your own from home.
This workshop is a great way to learn the "resist" technique, for creating hollow objects like slippers, hats, vessels, etc.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
Tools and equipment will be provided. Supplies are additional, approximately $25.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Nuno-felted Scarf – Beginner Level – Sunday January 19, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Sunday, January 19, 1 pm to 4pm, room for 4 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
Participants will learn the specialized technique of Nuno felting, using a foundation of gauzy silk fabric with wool and other feltable fibres. This is our most popular workshop and always fills up quickly.
Tools and equipment will be provided. Fancy vintage printed Sari Silk Fabric can be purchased from the instructor (please bring $10 cash), or solid silk chiffon from The Fibre Garden or bring your own from home approximately 2 yards or meters x 18 inches or so. Fibre for felting is additional and may be purchased at the store before the workshop (usually in the range of $25 to $30) or bring feltable fibre from home if you wish. Please arrive a few minutes early to select your materials.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Art Felt in 2-D – Friday February 21, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Friday, February 21, 1 pm to 4pm, room for 6 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
This is a new Art Felt workshop, creating a wet-felted picture based on a photo students will bring from home. It can be your own photo, something you find online or from a magazine, anything to provide inspiration! Chris suggests landscapes, houses, simple animals, etc. She will guide you through the process, and provide tips on how to embellish the finished art piece later at home.
This workshop is a great way to learn flat wet-felting techniques that can be adapted for making things like scarves.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
Tools and equipment will be provided. We will have a "pool" of fibre for participants to use, as well as a prefelt piece to use as the foundation layer. Supplies are an additional $10 which you can purchase at the store the day of the workshop. For additional colour choices bring feltable wool fibre from home if you wish.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Felted Hat or Tea Cosy – Saturday February 22, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Saturday, February 22 2020, 1 pm to 4pm, room for 6 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
TO BRING FROM HOME: tea pot or your head
Participants will make a wet-felted hat or tea cozy using the resist method, which leaves the project open in the centre and is an excellent skill that can be applied to felted vessels, bird houses, slippers and many other 3-D projects.
Tools and equipment will be provided, fibre for felting is additional and may be purchased at the store before the workshop (usually in the range of $20 to $25) or bring feltable fibre from home if you wish. Please arrive a few minutes early to select your materials.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Nuno-felted Scarf – Beginner Level – Saturday February 29, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Saturday, February 29, 1 pm to 4pm, room for 4 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
Participants will learn the specialized technique of Nuno felting, using a foundation of gauzy silk fabric with wool and other feltable fibres. This is our most popular workshop and always fills up quickly.
Tools and equipment will be provided. Fancy vintage printed Sari Silk Fabric can be purchased from the instructor (please bring $10 cash), or solid silk chiffon from The Fibre Garden or bring your own from home approximately 2 yards or meters x 18 inches or so. Fibre for felting is additional and may be purchased at the store before the workshop (usually in the range of $25 to $30) or bring feltable fibre from home if you wish. Please arrive a few minutes early to select your materials.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Art Felt in 2-D – Sunday March 1, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Sunday, March 1, 1 pm to 4pm, room for 6 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
This is a new Art Felt workshop, creating a wet-felted picture based on a photo students will bring from home. It can be your own photo, something you find online or from a magazine, anything to provide inspiration! Chris suggests landscapes, houses, simple animals, etc. She will guide you through the process, and provide tips on how to embellish the finished art piece later at home.
This workshop is a great way to learn flat wet-felting techniques that can be adapted for making things like scarves.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
Tools and equipment will be provided. We will have a "pool" of fibre for participants to use, as well as a prefelt piece to use as the foundation layer. Supplies are an additional $10 which you can purchase at the store the day of the workshop. For additional colour choices bring feltable wool fibre from home if you wish.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Felted Vest – TWO DAYS February 1 & 2, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
TWO DAYS, Saturday February 1 & Sunday February 2 - 10am to 5pm, room for 4 students maximum. For INTERMEDIATE LEVEL students. Some wet felting experience recommended. There will be approximately 1 to 1.5 hours to break for lunch each day.
This 2-day workshop has sold out each time we have offered it. Participants will create a Nuno-style vest, working on top of light silk chiffon fabric.
Day 1: in the morning: you will discuss design, choose materials and calculate and cut a custom resist. In the afternoon, design layout and work all surfaces, wet and start rolling.
Day 2: in the morning: finish felting and shaping. The afternoon you can custom tailor, or embellish (a sewing machine will be available to use). For those quick felters, the afternoon could be used to create a matching scarf or other small project.
A very creative and busy two days!
Tools and equipment are provided. Materials additional: approximately $50 to $100, available at the store. Participants are welcome to bring their own stash of feltable fibres from home. If you bring your own fabric, be sure it is true silk (we recommend doing the "burn test" if you're not certain) and that the weave is light enough you can see your hand through it.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
Felted Bag or Purse – Friday February 7, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak
Friday, February 7, 1 to 4pm, room for 6 students maximum. Suitable for beginners.
Please arrive 15 minutes early to select your materials.
Make a sturdy tote bag or purse in your own choice of colours. We will be using Corriedale wool for this project, available at the store or bring your own from home.
This workshop is a great way to learn the "resist" technique, for creating hollow objects like slippers, hats, vessels, etc.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
Tools and equipment will be provided. Supplies are additional, approximately $25 to $30.
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.
NEW Felted Coat Fabric-making – THREE DAYS April 21, 22 & 23, 2020
Instructor: Chris Liszak, local Fibre Artist
THREE DAYS: Tuesday April 21, 1 to 4pm, Wednesday and Thursday April 22/23 10am to 5pm, room for 4 students maximum. For ADVANCED LEVEL students. with a fair bit of wet felting experience i.e. not just a previous class or two. There will be appropriate breaks for coffee and lunch on the Wednesday/Thursday. We recommend you BRING YOUR LUNCH and snacks. Coffee/tea will be provided.
This is a new workshop designed to instruct on the creation of coat-weight fabric pieces, Nuno-style using silk chiffon fabric as the foundation. Students will design the colours and patterns of the fabric with sewing a coat in mind. The three day workshop will result in enough fabric to sew a coat. Some discussion about pattern cutting and sewing will take place, but NOTE: the coat will NOT be sewn within this three day workshop. Students will be able to take the fabric home to sew after the workshop ends, OR, may choose to commission Chris to tailor the coat for them (at an additional fee). This will be an intimate, creative, master-felting skills workshop. Be advised, it is long days of work, standing, and rolling, with reasonable breaks, but not for those with physical difficulties
Day 1 (April 21): 1 to 4pm at The Fibre Garden. Look at patterns, choose fibres, and fabrics and batts for felting, plan the design, and make small samples.
Day 2 (April 22): 10am to 5pm at Chris' home studio in Niagara Falls. Make back-of-coat felt, and start front-of-coat felt (making flat yardage that will be sewn into the winter coat). Working on design of felted fabric with shape of coat in mind.
Day 3 (April 23): 10am to 5pm at Chris' home studio in Niagara Falls. Finish front of coat, then make third piece of felt for sleeves, pockets and collars.
Tools and equipment are provided. Materials additional, approximately $100 to $150, available at the store. Participants can bring batts, merino wool fibres, and sheer silk fabrics, but they must be tested and approved on the first day at The Fibre Garden, to ensure success. A list of materials will be supplied to students prior to the workshop.
Chris has more photos posted on her Facebook page to provide inspiration!
NOTE: no refund for cancellations within two weeks of the workshop.