Experience Level: Beginner

Learn about crocheting at Granny Squares Sunday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

In this workshop led by fiber artist Billie Theide, students will learn the basics of crochet, create basic stitches, change colors, read work, fix mistakes and bind off. No previous experience is required.

$75/person* (Ages 13+; 13-17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, who does not need to register.) Register by Nov. 14. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:
— 1 Lily Sugar’n Cream 100 percent cotton yarn in two solid colors
— 1 U.S. H/8 crochet hook
— 1 small sharp scissors

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

About the instructor

Billie Theide is a former chair of the Crafts Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she was a 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.

We will be learning the basics of mosaic art, from selecting tesserae, to assembly, to grouting. You will have a unique, hand made coaster to take home at the end of class.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basic mechanics of using a spinning wheel to make your own yarn at Learn to Spin Yarn on Monday, Dec. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio. 

After a brief introduction from instructor Stephanie Block, students will have time for hands-on spinning practice and the opportunity to spin alpaca fiber into yarn using Ashford scotch tension Traditional or Traveler wheels. Discussion of fiber production and preparation methods will also be included.

$100/person. Register by Nov. 29. All sales are final.

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

About the instructor

Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas for more than eight years. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn to get festive with your cookies at Holiday Cookie Decorating on Tuesday. Dec. 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Mansion Carriage House. Participants will use royal frosting and two types of butter cream, and instructor Jennifer Holhubner will demonstrate and explain flooding, wet-on-wet technique, outlining, and how to form flowers and cut out butter cream.

Cookies will be provided and participants should bring a container to take home their decorated cookies.

$75/person. Register by Nov. 24. All sales are final.

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

About the instructor

Champaign-Urbana native Jennifer Holhubner taught herself how to decorate cakes when she was 16 years old and took up cookie decorating in 2019.

“Although they intimidated me, I forged on and got better with each order. I still have room to grow as we all do in whatever task we take on,” she said. “But I love to share the aspects of baking and decorating. I can actually now say, I am cookier!”

Jennifer also teaches decorating classes at Parkland College.

Experience Level: Beginner

Experience the joy of the season at a Holiday Wreath Making on Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the  Mansion Carriage House.

Maggie Taylor of Delight Flower Farm will share basic wreath building and design techniques to help students craft a unique, seasonal decoration. Students will use locally-sourced supplies (fresh evergreens, berries, pine cones, tree nuts, ribbons, dried flowers, etc.) to make a beautiful holiday wreath to take home (about 20 inches in diameter).

A cash bar will be available.

$65/person. Register by Nov. 27. All sales are final.

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

About the instructor

Maggie Taylor is a farm owner who has been growing flowers and leading workshops since 2011. Trained as an artist, she loves turning natural materials into objects of joy and empowering others to as well. Depending on the time of year she may be teaching about fresh flowers or winter evergreen wreaths.

Maggie’s teaching style is accessible, informative, encouraging and often humorous! Other capable farm crew members assist in teaching large groups.

Experience Level: Beginner

Experience the joy of the season at a Holiday Wreath Making on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the  Mansion Carriage House.

Maggie Taylor of Delight Flower Farm will share basic wreath building and design techniques to help students craft a unique, seasonal decoration. Students will use locally-sourced supplies (fresh evergreens, berries, pine cones, tree nuts, ribbons, dried flowers, etc.) to make a beautiful holiday wreath to take home (about 20 inches in diameter).

A cash bar will be available.

$65/person. Register by Nov. 28. All sales are final.

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

About the instructor

Maggie Taylor is a farm owner who has been growing flowers and leading workshops since 2011. Trained as an artist, she loves turning natural materials into objects of joy and empowering others to as well. Depending on the time of year she may be teaching about fresh flowers or winter evergreen wreaths.

Maggie’s teaching style is accessible, informative, encouraging and often humorous! Other capable farm crew members assist in teaching large groups.

Experience Level: Beginner

No barn? No problem! Join the barn quilt movement by creating your own painted quilt block to use at your own home at Barn Quilt Painting on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.

The workshop will start with a pre-primed board with a design already drafted (choose from a cardinal or poinsettia design during registration). Students will tape and paint at their own pace, choosing from a wide variety of colors.

Instructor Jane Cade will also share 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. Register by Dec. 7. All sales are final.

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

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.