Experience level: Beginner 

Are you a beginner, or interested in refining your wet felting skills? Join us for Wet Felt Bowls on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 12-4 p.m. in the Dining Room.  

In this workshop you will transform wool into art as you use a resist to wet felt into a decorative bowl or vessel. The class will use luxurious silk, dyed wool roving, wool felt sheet, and dimensional inclusions to explore and transform ephemeral materials into a richly textured, sturdy, and functional work of art. Materials will be provided. You will receive a list of suppliers so that you can source materials and continue to welt felt at home. No previous experience is required.  

$130/person*. Registration closes Nov. 4 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*Students should bring the following: 
--two bath-sized towels 
--one 12” ruler two blue or black ink pens 
--one pair of scissors 
--one roll of paper towels 

Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced (need to know how to knit and purl)

Learn a unique knitting technique at Advanced Knitting: Entrelac & Color-Stranding on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 6-8 p.m. in the Studio.

Instructor Charlie Rainbow Wolf will walk students through a basket-weave entrelac stitch, which will enable them to create a knitted, 3D geometric pattern.

$60/person*. Registration will close Nov. 8 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:
— 2 balls of contrasting colors Lion Brand Wool-Ease worsted weight (#4) yearn or its equivalent are required. This is an 80% acrylic and 20% wool yar which is machine washable and available from Lion Brand and Michael’s, as well as many yarn shops. Avoid yarns that are too soft like Caron Simply Soft, Snuggly Wuggly or Facets, as they will not hold the pattern as well.
— 1 pair of US size 6 (4mm) single point, 14” straight knitting needles. 

Experience Level: Beginner (ages 18+)

Join us for a hands-on baking experience and leave with everything you need to bake a homemade fruitcake to share with family and friends this holiday season at Traditional Christmas Fruitcakes on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 6-8 p.m. in the Carriage House.

In this class, participants will learn about the history of the fruitcakes, and make their own richly fruited batter to take home and bake.

There is no fancy equipment needed. All other equipment, including the ingredients and the instructions, will be provided. By the end of the class, participants will have made a traditional fruitcake according to a time honored English recipe to take home and bake in their own oven—a wonderfully indulgent addition to their holiday feast!

$80/person. Registration closes Nov. 5 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students will need to bring their own mixing bowl (preferably glass, ceramic, or stainless steel, not plastic), a wooden spoon (a thick heavy spoon works best), and an 8″ round cake pan.

Experience Level: Beginner (Ages 16+; all minors must have a parent/guardian on-site or a signed participant waiver.) 

Assemble your very own wreath adorned with dried flowers at Everlasting Wreath Workshop on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Arboretum Shed located at 2302 South Lincoln Avenue in Urbana.  

Instructor Maggie Taylor will demonstrate how to create a wreath using a base of grapevine or willow and everlasting flowers harvested and dried at Delight Flower Farm. These dried wreaths are great to hang or use as a table centerpiece for upcoming holiday gatherings.

$65/person*. Registration closes Nov. 7 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

*Students should bring gardening gloves. 

Experience Level: Beginner  

Learn to make your own soap at a Soap Making Workshop on Sunday, Nov. 15 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Mansion Carriage House.  

Instructor Sally Walsh will walk students through the process of making soap including the science of making soap, safety, ingredients used, and the herbal benefits. Students will then learn how to make their own bar of soap with their preferred scents. 

All students will take home four pounds of soap, plus a booklet of instructions and recipes.

$110/person*. Registration closes Nov. 8 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.  

*Students should wear old clothes. 

Entry Level: Beginner (ages 18+)

Have you ever wondered why some numbers repeat throughout your life? Now is your chance to find out at Mystic Mondays: Intro to Numerology on Monday, Nov. 16 from 6-8 p.m. in the Mansion Library.

In this lively and informative class, Llewellyn Worldwide author Charlie Rainbow Wolf will teach you what the different numbers mean when it comes to their significance in your life and the lives of those close to you. You’ll learn about your life path number, your soul path number, your heart’s desire number, and more!

The study of numerology is rich and thick and—unlike astrology—it doesn’t matter if you know your exact time of birth or not! It’s the combination of the name you were given at birth, the name you use now, and the date of your birth that make you unique individual that you are! Want to take a deeper look? Grab a notebook and pen and join us for this fun class. Let’s unlock the secrets of your numbers!

$55/person. Registration closes Nov. 13 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

Experience Level: All Levels

Be guided through the process of making your own woven basket at Basketweaving: Simple Elegance on Friday, Nov. 20 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in The Studio. 

Instructor Bonnie Rideout will teach techniques including start/stop weaving, twining, triple twining with an arrow and a step up, the use of overlays and double lashing. Rolled, leather Amish handles adorn the sides of the basket, and a complementary floral sprig and metal embellishment adorn the front. Accent colors are teal, caramel and chocolate brown.

Dimensions of finished basket: 8 ¼” W x 9 ½” W x 5 ½” H

$95/person. Registration will close Nov. 13 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.