Studio Arts: Fiber Arts Classes

Use colorful Akua water-based printmaking ink to create evocative spring-themed prints on fabric.

Take a deep dive into the creation and accession of 6 knitted items from the Smithsonian collection—and discover the iconic fashions and fascinating histories they represent.

Re-create a vacation spot—real or imagined—in fabric. By hand or machine, appliqué basic shapes onto a pieced foundation, then add details with quilting, hand or machine embroidery, and embellishments.

Find your personal sense of color confidence while learning to apply color to embroidery art as would a painter using pigments and a palette.

Find out how to make your clothes last longer by using a host of sustainable fiber practices. They are one part of a new lifestyle that embraces a “regenerative” economy rather than an extraction-based one. Consider taking this class as a step in the right direction for our world and future generations.

Palestinian embroidery, or tatreez, is centuries-old textile art traditionally passed from mother to daughter over a cup of tea. Explore the history and evolution of traditional costuming, the transformation of the art form, and the preservation and study of Palestinian embroidery today.

Hand stitching is a great way to reduce stress, and the portability of handwork projects makes them ideal take-alongs. Expand your skills while working on a small quilt of your choice.

The beginning quilter can use the simple and familiar log cabin block as the framework for exploring color, value contrast, and spontaneity in piecing. Projects may vary in size from that of a table runner to a bed-sized quilt, depending on the student’s experience.

Acquire the basic skills to work with the versatile and portable rigid heddle loom—a great entryway into weaving scarves, placemats, dishtowels, and more.

Find your personal sense of color confidence while learning to apply color to embroidery art as would a painter using pigments and a palette.

Ready to take your knitting to the next creative level? Explore color techniques with expert Ann Richards and find inspiration for your new projects.

Learn the basics of weaving handmade bobbin lace, from winding the bobbins to making four small lace projects.

In this workshop, beginners are introduced to surface freestyle hand embroidery. In this style, the stitches are applied freely, disregarding the weave or structure of the ground cloth. Students learn how to select and prepare fabric using a simple design, ready their hoop, and begin stitching.