Española Valley Fiber Arts Center | 325 Paseo de Oñate | Española, NM 87532 | (505)747-3577 |

Classes

The Española Valley Fiber Arts Center offers a wide variety of classes for adults and children. Classes can range in length from one afternoon to several weeks. Classes are offered year-round in all aspects of weaving, spinning, dyeing, knitting, beadwork, embroidery and other techniques.

Many of our classes are taught by recognized masters in their field, and we proudly offer instruction in Northern New Mexican traditions such as Chimayó-Style Weaving, Jerga, and Colcha Embroidery. Current classes are listed below. The two prices listed are for members/nonmembers (one membership benefit is 20% off on classes). Besides regular youth classes, we also offer a summer fiber arts day camp for children ages 6 to 13.

 

Spring Class Schedule

Class Descriptions and Registration in pdf format 

EASTER EGGS with NATURAL DYES
with Liesel Orend - $21/27
Friday, March 21, 9:30am to 12:30pm   

Participate in the ancient tradition of decorating eggs and celebrate Easter in a more nature way!  Liesel will show us how to color eggs with non-toxic foods and plants, many of which can be found in our own kitchens.  We’ll decorate them using a variety of resist techniques and natural materials that both children and adults will enjoy.  Bring your own hard-boiled eggs (up to two dozen), and you will take them home dyed in a rainbow of shades that you will know are both safe to eat and friendly for the earth.  Adults and children ages 4 and up are welcome; children under 7 require an adult to be present with them.

BEADED SPIRAL NECKLACES
with Ann Shafer - $42/53, materials extra
Saturday, March 29th, 9:30am to 4pm

 Learn how to make a variety of spiral necklaces with beads. Start with the basic peyote stitch and learn several variations, plus other spiral necklaces such as the Dutch spiral and the Russian spiral. In this class you will make a number of samples and learn how to make a necklace. No experience necessary. Ann is an extraordinary beadier, as well as weaver, tailor, and  more.

WEAVING SABANILLA
with Beatrice Maestas Sandoval - $168/210, materials fee $15  
Saturday & Sunday, March 29, 30 & April 5, 6 9:30am to 4pm

Learn traditional weaving skills from a master New Mexican fiber artist. Weave a small piece of sabanilla, the plain woven wool background cloth used for traditional colcha embroidery.  Take this class if you have never woven, or as a refresher course if you are rusty and need review. Beatrice is an accomplished spinner, dyer, weaver and embroiderer whose work has won many prestigious awards.  

BASIC NATURAL DYEING
with Liesel Orend - $49/62, materials fee $8. 
Saturday April 5, 9:30 to 5pm. 

Learn the basics of using natural dyes to color wool or cotton yarns.  This one day class will introduce the properties of well-known dyes such as Osage orange, cochineal, cutch, walnut and madder to make shades of brown, yellow, orange and red.   We will learn safe mordanting procedures, dye bath preparation and use, and record keeping.  Eco- friendly and non-toxic dye practices will be emphasized.  Students will receive samples to keep, and may bring a few skeins of their own to dye as well.

PICTORIAL TAPESTRY
with Robin Reider - $168/210, materials fee $25
Saturday-Tuesday April 12-15 9:30 to 4pm 

Explore tapestry techniques and color grading.  Using a photograph or picture of a landscape, the student will make a cartoon and create their own pictorial or abstract woven image.  Participants will learn to follow curved lines as they grade and combine colors chosen from the instructors hand-dyed collection of wool.  Both vertical and horizontal grading techniques will be taught (also beginning tapestry taught to your level). Requires some previous weaving experience.  Robin shows and sells her tapestries and has won numerous awards.

ALL WARPED UP AND NO PLACE TO GO 
with Trish Spillman - $168/210, materials extra
 Thursday, Friday and Saturday, April 23 - 25; 10:00am to 4:00pm
   
This class will explore multiple warping techniques with a variety of fibers including stubborn mohair, thick and thin fibers.  Each student will make 3 to 5 warps as well as weave one of their warps in class.  The remaining warps can be woven at home or at the Center.  Call Trish with questions; 753-3781.

BASIC NATURAL DYEING, CONTINUED
with Liesel Orend - $49/62, materials fee $8
 Saturday  April 26th,  9:30 to 5pm

In this class, we will learn to dye with indigo.  Students will learn a classic recipe, and will also experiment with the newer freeze-dried indigo.  We will make shades of indigo  blue from light to dark, and we will also overdye skeins from the previous class to create greens, purple, and navy blues.  In addition, we will experiment with different modifiers, such as iron, to create a greater range of colors on our wool and cotton yarns.  This class can be taken independently, for those who are primarily interested in indigo, or it can be the companion class to the April 5th class.  Students will receive samples to keep, and may bring a few skeins of their own to dye as well. 


PINE NEEDLE BASKET
with Irene Smith- $42/53, materials fee $12
Saturday, May 3rd,10am to 4pm
  
Irene will teach coiled basketry techniques using long leaf pine needles and raffia.  Students will learn a traditional coiled basket “start”, increasing shaping, and various stitches to create a small basket in this one-day class.  Tools are minimal: scissors and a small tapestry needle. Irene has been making baskets for 30 years and has worked in the repair and restoration of Indian baskets.  

REPEAT PATTERN-MAKING ON TEXTILES using print making techniques
with Sandra Holzman.  $126/158, materials fee $30
 Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18; 9:30 to 4pm

The use of printmaking techniques to create pattern on textiles is world wide.  From Asia and Indonesia, we learn about block printing to create surface patterns with dyes and resist, as well as on warp threads for Ikat techniques.  Stamping and stencil offers spontaneous pattern possibilities with simple objects.  Silk screen permits repeat patterns to be printed quickly with dyes and resists or paints.  We will look at patterns from all around the world and analyze the elements that produce pattern, borders and fields of patterns.   We will explore the making of repeat patterns, using any and all visual elements to produce pattern on fabric.  For this workshop we will be using mostly dyes and paints on cotton or silk. 
The techniques we learn will be applicable to many situations and the pattern-making approach can be used for all textile applications.   All levels welcome.  Dyes and paints will be supplied. 

PAINTED CANVAS FLOORCLOTHS
with Sandra Holzman.  $126/158, materials fee $40
Saturday and Sunday, May 31 - June 1, 9:30 to 4pm
 
Canvas floor cloths were once found on the floors of colonial period American homes.  This workshop an opportunity to create your own rug design, painted on heavy canvas, for your home.  These sturdy and long-lasting floor coverings can be a delight of color and pattern.  We will carefully develop individual patterns and paint, stencil and stamp the design on canvas.  In the doing of it we will have the opportunity to discuss pattern creation, painting, stamping, stencil techniques, design transfer, and finishing of surface and edges.  Each student will finish a painted canvas floor cloth, using non-toxic, water-based paints.

COLCHA EMBROIDERY
with Beatrice Maestas Sandoval - $42/53, materials included
Saturday, May 10;  9:30am to 4pm

Learn how to use the colcha stitch that has been part of traditional embroidery in New Mexico since the Spanish Colonial era. Absorb the history of this art form as you create a colorful design. Beatrice is an accomplished spinner, dyer, weaver and embroiderer whose colcha embroidery has won many prestigious awards. 

BEGINNING TAPESTRY 
with Andrea Valdez Garcia -$126/158,  materials extra
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 16-18; 10 to 4pm

Learn the basics of traditional tapestry weaving.  Students will produce woven samples to take home.  For beginners or those with some weaving experience.  Andrea has woven since she was 15, weaves for Spanish Market with the Valdez Weavers and works at EVFAC. 

INTRODUCTION TO CHIMAYO STYLE WEAVING
with Lisa Trujillo - $147/184, materials extra
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, June 6-8; 9:30 to 5pm

Learn how to combine angles and forms to create this unique form of woven expression.  To take this class you must be able to warp a loom by yourself prior to class, and control edges in weft-face weave.  Lisa’s work has received numerous awards at Spanish Market and is part of collection around the world.  

FREE WORKSHOPS AT EVFAC 

SPINNING SATURDAYS
April 12, May 10 and June 14; From 10:00am until everyone goes home

Polish your spinning skills or learn to spin in an informal setting.  Bring your wheel or borrow one of ours.  *Jen Fehlau will be teaching in April and May.

BRING YARN OVER, KNIT TOGETHER
Mondays, 5-8pm 

A relaxed, social gathering for knitters and crocheters (not a class, but we do learn from each other) All levels welcome.  Bring your yarn and needles (or buy some here) and join us!