Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of working with a loom at Beginning Weaving I (Morning) on Saturdays, Sept. 6 through Oct. 4 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.

This 5-week class led by Sharon Bowles will encompass all aspects of beginner weaving as students create a table runner. Participants will become familiar with weaving terminology, parts of the loom, figuring the weaving pattern for the width of the loom and project, measuring out the warp, beaming the warp back to front, threading heddles, threading the reed, tying on the warp, and winding bobbins.

$250/person*. Registration will close Aug. 30 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 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

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.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of working with a loom at Beginning Weaving I (Morning) on Saturdays, Sept. 6 through Oct. 4 from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Greenhouse Auditorium.

This 5-week class led by Sharon Bowles will encompass all aspects of beginner weaving as students create a table runner. Participants will become familiar with weaving terminology, parts of the loom, figuring the weaving pattern for the width of the loom and project, measuring out the warp, beaming the warp back to front, threading heddles, threading the reed, tying on the warp, and winding bobbins.

$250/person*. Registration will close Aug. 30 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 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

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.

Experience Level: Beginner (16+)

Learn about various stitching methods at Intro to Hand Sewing on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. in The Studio.

Instructor Jennie Ingram will help students learn the basics of practical hand sewing including the basting stitch, running stitch, back stitch, whip stitch, hem stitch, slip/ladder stitch, and how to attach a button and hook & eye.

Closed-toe shoes are recommended.

$50/person. Registration will close Sept. 11 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 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 (Ages 13+)

Learn about crocheting at Granny Squares 101: Crochet for Beginners on Sunday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in The Studio. 

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.

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+; 13-17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, who does not need to register.) Registration will close Sept. 11 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:
— 2 skeins Lilly Sugar ‘n Cream 100 percent cotton yarn or 2 skeins Loops & Threads Classic Cotton (1 each of two different contrasting 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.

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 (all ages; parents/guardians are not required to register with their children, but they are encouraged to be present for those 13 and younger.)

Create a unique piece of art out of locally sourced alpaca fiber at Needlefelt Cardinal on Friday, Sept. 19 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.

Stephanie Block of Sundrop Alpacas will walk students through the needlefelting process to make a cardinal, which can be customized to make them look authentic, whimsical or anything in between. The class is perfect for those wanting to learn a new art form.

Take advantage of a fun opportunity to bring a friend or family member for just a $10 add-on fee as you work together on a single project kit!

$65/person* + $10/person for add-on (limit one). Registration will close Sept. 12 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*A $15 discount is available during registration for those who bring their own needlefelting tools.

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

Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas since 2016. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.

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.

See the complete Fall 2025 schedule here.

Experience Level: Any

Learn to weave a special basket at Basket Weaving: Lunch Tote on Friday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Studio.

Instructor Bonnie Rideout will share information about twining, how to start and stop a weave and weaving with round reed as students create their own unique basket!

$90/person*, Register by Sept 12. All sales are final.

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

Bonnie Rideout wover 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. 

Experience Level: Beginner (Ages 13+)

Whether you want to learn to knit or just need a refresher, enroll in Knitting 101: Knitting for Beginners on Sundays, Sept. 28 and Oct. 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

Fiber artist Billie Theide will teach the basics of knitting, including needle and yarn selection. Students will learn how to cast on, basic stitches, how to read work, fix mistakes, cast off and make fringe and pom poms.

$95/person* (Ages 13+; 13-17-year-olds must be accompanied by an adult, who does not need to register.) Registration will close Sept. 21 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring one of these two supply options (and are advised to purchase them as soon as possible, since availability can change):

OPTION 1:
— 2 skeins of Lion Brand Re-Spun Thick & Quick yarn. This is classified as a Super Bulky 6 yarn made of 100% recycled plastic. There are 223 yards per skein; the two skeins must be of the same dye lot. It is hand washable; lay flat to dry. Avoid purchasing a dark colorway.
— 1 pair of Clover Takumi 9″ Bamboo Knitting Needles, US 13 single pointed straights.

OPTION 2:
— 3 skeins of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn. This is classified as Super Bulky 6 yarn made of 80% acrylic and 20% wool. There are 106 yards per skein; the three skeins must be of the same dye lot. It is machine washable. Choose a solid colored yarn and avoid purchasing a dark colorway.
— 1 pair of Clover Takumi 9″ Bamboo Knitting Needles, US 13 single pointed straights.

Additional Supplies Required:
— pair of sharp scissors
— laptop, iPad, or smartphone
— pencil

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

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.

Experience Level: Beginner (all ages; parents/guardians are not required to register with their children, but they are encouraged to be present for those 13 and younger.)

Create a unique piece of art out of locally sourced alpaca fiber at Needlefelt Pumpkin on Monday, Oct. 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

Stephanie Block of Sundrop Alpacas will walk students through the needlefelting process to make a pumpkin, which can be customized to make them look authentic, whimsical or anything in between. The class is perfect for those wanting to learn a new art form.

Take advantage of a fun opportunity to bring a friend or family member for just a $10 add-on fee as you work together on a single project kit!

$65/person* + $10/person for add-on (limit one). Register here.  Registration will close Oct. 6 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*A $15 discount is available during registration for those who bring their own needlefelting tools.

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.

Consider making a weekend out of it and stay overnight with our Weekend Wind Down. View discounted rooms ($110/night + tax) here and book online or by calling 217-333-3287. Find out more about our weekend Wind Down series here.

About the instructor

Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas since 2016. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.