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

Expand your weaving skills to learn a new weaving technique at Weaving Twill on Saturdays, May 23 & 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium. 

This two-day class led by Sharon Bowles will lead students in a discussion of various 4 shaft Twill types and design rules. Students will then write their draft pattern, wind and thread a warp to weave a twill gamp. Students using their own looms will wind a longer warp to continue to explore different treadling for the twills on their own. 

Students are encouraged to bring a sack lunch or plan to grab lunch at the Greenhouse Cafe. 

$200/person*. Registration will close May 16 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: 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, May 30 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 a sunflower or star design 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 May 22 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: Beginner (Ages 16+) 

Learn various ways to look at the surrounding landscape and translate it to paper at Drawing from Nature on Saturday, May 30* from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at the Illinois Arboretum (1800 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana)*. (Rain date will be Sunday, May 31st.)

Award-winning artist Mandy Roeing will help students in guided sketchbook work while enjoying nature and using the basic elements of art. After a short demonstration, students will choose a location in the Arboretum to draw from with instructor guidance. Students will meet back at the starting location for the last 20 minutes to share and discuss drawings. 

$65/person** (Ages 16+) Registration will close May 27 or when capacity is reached.  All sales are final. 

*Limited parking spots are available in the lot near the Noel Welcome Garden and along South Lincoln Avenue. Additional parking is available in the lot south of the Japan House. Parking is free after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

**Students should bring:
— A sketchbook and something hard to draw on if needed
— Drawing utensils such as pencils, erasers, etc.
— Water bottle & snacks if you wish
— Sun hat, sunscreen, & bug spray
— Folding chair or lawn chair 

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations 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

Award-winning artist Mandy Roeing resides in Downs with her husband and their two daughters. Inspired by the beauty and tranquility of nature, Roeing creates color-filled landscapes and beachscapes that go beyond representation to capture the emotion of a place. 

All of Roeing’s paintings are done in soft pastels, a beautiful and versatile medium that she is passionate about sharing with others through both her work and classes. She is an instructor at the McLean County Arts Center and the Peninsula School of Art and holds regular classes in painting and drawing at her own studio and gallery space in downtown Bloomington. 

Mandy earned her BFA in Studio Art from the University of North Carolina in 2004. She is the Vice President of the Illinois Prairie Pastel Society and an active member of the Peoria Art Guild. Her work has been published in The Pastel Journal magazine and the IAPS Globe and is in numerous private collections throughout the country and abroad. 

Experience Level: Beginner (Ages 13+)

Learn about crocheting at Granny Squares 101: Crochet for Beginners on Sunday, May 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

Led by fiber artist Billie Theide, students will learn the basics of crochet, how to chain, create basic stitches, change colors, read work, fix mistakes and bind off.

Each student will leave with at least one uniquely designed crocheted “granny square” that can serve as a start for a bigger blanket, scarf, bag, and more!

$95/person* (Ages 13+; 13-15-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, who does not need to register.) Registration will close May 28 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:

OPTION 1
— 2 skeins Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton yarn. 1 each of two contrasting colors. (This yarn is 100% mercerized cotton, results in a beautiful aesthetic, and holds its sheen and structure through repeated washings.) 
— 1 4mm U.S. G/6 crochet hook
— Embroidery scissors

OPTION 2
— 2 skeins Loops & Threads Impeccable Solid Yarn. 1 each of two different contrasting solid colors. (This yarn is 100% acrylic, is super soft and easily worked. Ideal for afghans, sweaters, hats, and scarves.) 
— 5 mm US H/8 crochet hook 
— Embroidery scissors

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations 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.

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 (All Ages 16+) 

Learn how to quilt in one class at Quilt-As-You-Go Potholders on Saturday, June 6 from 1 to 5 p.m. in The Studio.  

Instructor Jennie Ingram will introduce students to commonly used quilting terms, helpful tools like rotary cutters and mats, and heat proof materials used in sewing items like potholders. Then, students will use their sewing machines to both piece and quilt their quilt block at the same time. Finally, students will bind their pieces to have a pair of finished potholders by the end of class. 

Students should bring a sewing machine they are comfortable using.* Closed-toe shoes are recommended. 

$80/person. Register here. Registration will close May 30 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*A limited number of sewing machines are available for rent. Please contact Olivia Bunting to secure a machine. 

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

Jennie Ingram is a lifelong crafter who has been sewing, costuming, quilting, crocheting, and making jewelry since childhood. She received her MFA in Costume Design from UIUC in 2007 and has worked in costume shops across the country including Idaho Shakespeare Festival and Williamstown Theatre Festival. 

She spent six years as the Costume Shop Manager at Western Kentucky University, where she enjoyed expanding her student’s skill sets by offering workshops in quilting, corsetry and jewelry making. Since leaving academia she has run an Etsy shop selling handmade charm bracelets, and other gifts. 

Jennie is also a moderator and active member of LettuceCraft.com, a forum where members share their handmade creations. Her Halloween sampler quilt, titled Stitch ‘n Witch, was shown at the 20th Annual Festival of Quilts in Urbana.

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, June 13 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 two 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 June 6 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

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: Beginner (All Ages 13+) 

Learn basic drawing and watercolor techniques at Watercolor Birds on Sunday, June 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Allerton Mansion Dining Room. 

Instructor Shannon Percoco will lead students in a simple drawing technique to create a graphic transfer of a bird. Students will then learn some basic watercolor techniques to give their drawings life. At the end of the class, students will leave with two completed watercolor birds 

Students are encouraged to bring the following items*: 
— a watercolor pallet 
— watercolor brushes in various sizes 
— pencil and ink pens 
— paper or sketchbook suitable for watercolor 

*Students can choose to use Allerton supplies for a $10 use fee at registration. 

$60/person. Register here. Registration closes June 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 

Shannon Percoco is a local art teacher with almost 30 years experience. She is a current UIUC professor who teaches aspiring art teachers. Shannon earned her BFA in Painting from UIUC and has experience painting with watercolors, acrylics, and oils. 

Experience Level: All Levels (All Ages 15+) 

Create a bright, expressive bird illustration full of personally at Quirky Bird Watercolor Workshop on Saturday, June 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio. 

Instructor Emily Tackitt will guide students through this workshop for all levels focusing on expressive color and loose, playful textures. Students will be able to explore layering vibrant watercolor washes, adding energetic line work, and using splatter and mark-making techniques to bring character and movement into their painting. 

This class focuses on building confidence with watercolor through an approachable, step-by-step process and suitable for all levels of artists looking to experiment and enjoy a relaxed and encouraging experience. 

$110/person*. Registration will close May 9 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final. 

*All supplies 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 

Emily Tackitt is the artist behind Moonbeam Jellyfish and works in mixed media, blending watercolor, acrylic, gouache, ink, drawing, and collage to create whimsical, fantasy-inspired artwork. With a process that is playful and intuitive, Emily is often guided by curiosity, storytelling, and whatever feels magical in the moment. Her classes are designed to feel supportive and accessible, encouraging students to build confidence through a thoughtful, step-by-step creative practice.