Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basic mechanics of using a spinning wheel to make your own yarn at Learn to Spin Yarn on Wednesday, Feb. 11 and Thursday, April 9 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.

$130/person. Registration closes one week before each course begins, or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

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 for more than nine years. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.

Experience Level: Knitting experience required

Put your knitting experience to use at Knitting 201: Socks on Sundays, April 19 & 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. in The Studio.

In this two-week course, instructor Billie Theide will help students further their knitting skills by expanding on the Knitting 101 courses taught at The Farms.

Those taking part will gauge, cast on, work with stitch markers, knit rib stitch, increase, decrease and slip stitches; create a heel flap and gusset, read knitting patterns, repair mistakes and graft.

$95/person*. Registration will close April 12 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

Students should bring:

YARN
OPTION 1
— 1 skein - Malabrigo Ultimate Sock. This is a fingering weight yarn of 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon. There are 420 yards in the 100 gram skein. Avoid a dark colorway.

OPTION2
— 1 skein - Cascade Yarns Heritage. This is a fingering weight yarn of 75% merino wool and 25% nylon. There are 437 yards in the 100 gram skein. Avoid a dark colorway.

NEEDLES
OPTION 1
— 1 set 6” long double pointed needles in size US #1 (2.25mm)
— 1 set 6” long double pointed needles in size US #2 (2.75mm)
(Either can be Knit Picks, ChiaoGoo Natural Bamboo, Lykke Naturale or Clover Takumi)

OPTION 2
— 1 set 32″ long circular knitting needle in size US #1 (2.25mm)
— 1 set 32″ long circular knitting needle in size US #2 (2.75mm)
(Either can be Knit Picks, ChiaoGoo Natural Bamboo, Lykke Naturale or Clover Takumi)

Also bring:

— Pair of sharp scissors
— Laptop, iPad or smartphone
— Pencil

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

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, 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 (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 Frog on Monday, April 20 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.

Stephanie Block of Sundrop Alpacas will walk students through the needlefelting process to make a frog, 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 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 April 13 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 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, needlefelt figurines, wet-felted hats and much more 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.

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

Learn a unique knitting technique at Advanced Knitting Skills: Entrelac on Monday, April 27 from 6 to 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. Students must be comfortable with knitting and purling.

$65/person*. Registration will close March 16 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

*Students should bring:

— 2 balls of 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.

— 1 pair of US size 8 (5mm) single point, 14” straight knitting needles.

— 1 blunt end needle for sewing the back seam.

— Notebook and pencil to take notes.

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

Charlie Rainbow Wolf describes herself as an “old hippie” who has studied the “weird ways of the world for nearly 50 years.” She is happiest with her hands in the mud, either making pottery in an ‘artbox’ or tending things in her ‘yarden’ (yard + garden).

Astrology, tarot and herbs are Charlie’s greatest interests, but she has also dabbled in metaphysical topics in the last five decades — because life always has something new to offer.

She is a contributing author for Llewellyn Worldwide, is a ghostwriter for renowned psychic celebrities, and makes a wicked batch of fudge! Charlie lives in central Illinois with her very patient husband and special needs Great Danes.

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.