Experience Level: Beginner 

Try learning a new fiber art at Punch Needle Coasters on Sunday, July 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the The Studio. 

Students in this class will learn to design motifs, scale and transfer designs, and set up a tension hoop. Then, students will learn the basics of punch needle to form perfectly looped stitches, change colors, and finish pieces to create beautiful textiles that function as coasters. Enrollment includes a toolkit that students will be able to continue their work at home. 

$145/person. Register here. Registration will close July 19 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodation to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the instructor 

Billie Theide is a former chair of the Crafts Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she is Professor Emerita. Theide is a metalsmith, jeweler and ceramicist. Her work is in public art collections around the world including the Smithsonian, Museum of Arts & Design in New York City, Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City and the Racine Art Museum, among others. 

She is the recipient of a Visual Arts Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and five Artists Fellowship Grants from the Illinois Arts Council. Theide has been recognized for her excellence in teaching and is a Distinguished Member and Past-President of the Society of North American Goldsmiths.

Experience Level: Beginner 

Spend your morning among the flowers at Floriography Bouquet Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 10-11:30 a.m. in The Studio. 

Florist Ava Porter will teach students the basics of floral design using the Victorian language of flowers to create living masterpieces of fresh flowers with special meanings. Students will go home with a custom vase arrangement. 

$75/person. Registration closes on July 18 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn about the art of stained glass at Intro to Stained Glass: Leaping Fish on Friday, Aug. 14 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in The Evergreen Lodge.

Instructor Kari Keller will teach students how to cut, shape and assemble a stained-glass bird to take home. Grinding, fitting and soldering will be covered.

$100/person*. Registration will close Aug. 7 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should wear closed-toe shoes. Safety glasses and gloves will be provided.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Kari Keller has been a Champaign/Urbana resident since 2008, originally hailing from the tiny community of St. Anne. Illinois. She has had a passion for art since she could hold a crayon and loves to experiment with many different styles, rarely sticking to one theme for long.

Keller has dabbled in cartoons, acrylic pouring, zentangles, patterns, logo design, pottery painting and other art forms. Her influences include Alphonse Mucha, HR Geiger and the art of Northwest coastal Native Americans. She also has a thriving side business as a face painter.

Kari is happiest when immersed in a new project and can’t imagine life without art!

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Experience Level: Beginner

Join the barn quilt movement by creating your own painted quilt block to use on the inside or outside of your home at Barn Quilt Painting on Saturday, August 15 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Studio.

Students will begin with one of three options on a pre-primed board with their choice of design already drafted (choose between three star and sunburst designs at registration). Students will tape and paint at their own pace, choosing from a wide variety of colors.

Instructor Jane Cade will share a history of barn quilts, techniques, tips, and discuss how to properly seal your finished piece after the paint has dried for 48 hours. Leave with a 20×20″ wooden ‘quilt block’ to keep for yourself or share your talents and give someone a handmade gift.

$90/person. Registration closes August 7 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Jane Cade is a retired teacher from Clinton Junior High School. She has been painting barn quilts for eight years and sells her work online and at craft festivals. She teaches classes at Parkland Community College and will be teaching classes at her workshop beginning next year.

Experience Level: Intermediate (have taken BW1 and 2 or similar experience) 

Take your weaving skills to the next step at Beyond Beginning Weaving on Saturdays, August 15, 22, and 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium. 

This three-day class is designed to help weavers who want to expand their learning in the craft. Students will learn new skills in drafting as well as tied-weaves, double weaves, and other patterns using a 4-shaft loom. By the end of this course, students will have knowledge of additional weave structures and a sample book to take home.  

$290/person*. Register here. Registration will close May 2 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*Students should bring a 4-shaft loom if they have one. All other supplies will be provided, including a loom if needed. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the instructor 

Sharon Bowles began weaving in 1990 and started teaching shortly after. She was taught to weave in a one-on-one class and wove two table runners in 12 (approximately) 2-hour lessons, and she teaches the same method when she teaches. Sharon has experience in weaving with silk, lace weaving, 8-shaft pattern weaving, parallel weaving, block weaves, and Shaker reproduction towels. 

She has taught many workshops and classes to weavers’ guilds in Florida, Ohio, and Champaign-Urbana. She earned her Journeyman certification from the Weavers Guild of Boston in 2021 and a master’s certification in April of 2022. Most recently, Sharon taught Beginning Weaving I at The Farms, and a 2-day workshop in four shaft patterns for the Champaign-Urbana Spinners and Weavers Guild. 

Experience Level: All Levels

Learn the basics of weaving and take home a basket at Basket Weaving: April Flowers on Friday, August 21 from 12 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Bonnie Rideout will lead students in weaving a basket for their wall or door with a custom “quick weave” handle. Students will learn weaving techniques including start/stop weaving, triple twining, and how to include overlays. Choose from a variety of florals to make this basket seasonal and unique to you. 

$75/person. Registration will close Aug. 14 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Bonnie Rideout wove her first basket in 1994 and quickly caught the “basket bug.” She created a business — Bonnie’s Baskets in Decatur — in 2006 to teach others to weave. She is also a traveling instructor and has taught weaving in 18 states.

Find out more about Bonnie on her website, Facebook, Instagram and Etsy pages.

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Experience Level: Beginner 

Step up your baking game and skip the butter at Baking with Olive Oil on Sunday, Aug. 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Allerton Dining Room. 

Chef Leah Bodine will teach students how using olive oil in sweet and savory recipes can take your baking to the next level. 

$45/person. Register here. Registration closes on Aug. 9 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia at owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the Instructor 

Leah Bodine calls herself the ‘accidental chef’ with years of experience in the food industry. She started her catering company, Blue Dragonfly Catering, to express her creative mind in food preparation and cultivating recipes. She loves sharing her skills with others and seeing the fascination on students’ faces when they realize how creative they can be and how easy it is to do so. 

Her experiences in the food industry have led her to live in Paris and cater for rock and country legends. 

Experience Level: Intermediate 

Get outside and express your creativity at Plein Air Painting on Friday through Sunday, Sept. 4 through 6 from 12 to 4 p.m. in the Studio. 

Plein air painting can feel overwhelming at first — easels, changing light, color mixing, wind, and trying to paint outdoors all at once! This workshop is designed especially for intermediate painters who want a supportive introduction to painting outside. If you have had some drawing and painting instruction, and are ready to continue increasing your skills and understanding, this workshop will be a great fit for you.

Instructor Deb Marett will lead students on the core skills that make plein air painting easier and more enjoyable. Students will learn how to set up their materials efficiently, simplify what they see, mix clean natural color, and recognize strong value relationships in the landscape.

Students will work through short studies and practical exercises to build your confidence in handling paint and observing. You’ll also watch demos to help you understand the approach and decision-making process for creating a successful piece. This workshop is ideal for artists who are new to plein air painting or who want to strengthen their foundational painting skills in a relaxed environment. You’ll come away with all the tools you need to continue to explore the countryside, brush in hand!

All painting mediums are welcome including oils, acrylics, watercolor, and pastel. 

$175/person* (ages 15+). Regististration closes on Aug. 28 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*Students should plan to bring their favorite painting supplies in the medium of their choice. Please find a full supply list here.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu. 

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken. 

About the instructor 

Deb Marrett is a professional artist whose work focuses on equestrian and figurative scenes as well as portraiture. She always travels with her watercolors and a travel journal. 

“It is an amazing way to remember moments of the trip, and spend time soaking up the places I visit,” she said. 

Deb loves sharing her knowledge by teaching and finding ways to make painting and drawing fun and accessible to those wanting to explore their creative side.