I envision a wall hanging weaving, perhaps to hang in the Town Hall, or
maybe the Town Offices, which is a reflection of our community, and this is
an invitation for you to participate. It is a gift of thanks from me and
Margie’s Muse for the support and encouragement given over the past 6 years.

The idea is to weave us all together into a cohesive and viable whole, with
all our various colors and textures placed in such a way that the fabric
works as a beautiful work of art, which I believe, together, we are.

Please choose an article of clothing or other significant piece of fabric
from your life which you are willing to have me cut into strips. Write on
that fabric anything you feel inspired to express as you consider your place
in this community. Or maybe you’d like to draw a picture on it. Know,
again, that it will become anonymous and unknown once it is cut for weaving.
Perhaps your fabric carries its significance without any need for specific
alteration or embellishment. I will gather all the materials for the
weaving first, and then weave “our town” out of all that’s been gathered.

The messages from the fabrics will be typed up before the fabric is cut, so
that they can be displayed with the finished piece. They will be anonymous
unless you specify otherwise. If you have a description of what is
particularly significant about your fabric, write that on a separate piece
of paper.

If you would like to be woven into this piece, please bring your fabric to
Margie’s Muse as soon as possible. If you wish to keep it strictly
anonymous, you can mail it to me at P.O. Box 274, Jamaica, VT 05343, or drop
it at my shop in the basket on the porch which is there for that purpose. I
can hardly wait to see what we look like, all woven together! Thank you in
advance for your contribution to the project.

Yours sincerely,
Margaret Silvia

Needle felting with Kathleen Meeks

Saturday January 12, 2008 10 am - 1 pm $30

Sculpt wool with a felting needle. 

Make a face with attitude! 

Kathleen will supply felting kit including needle, roving, core material. 

Call now to reserve your spot!
802.874.7201

Crochet shirret with Ruth Ticknor
Sunday January 20, 2008 10:00 am -2:00 pm

http://www.shirret.com/
TeachersResourcePage.htm

Describes this fascinating and imaginative technique.

$40 for class instruction plus $20 for tools and materials (supplied)

Make Folk Art designs with quilt and sewing scraps and your children's outgrown clothes, or more contemporary pieces with hand-dyed hooking and braiding wool. Combine your love of needle craft with the fascination of the color and texture of various fabrics! Join Ruth Ticknor for a creative Saturday at Margie's Muse on Main Street in Jamaica Village.

Registration: Margaret@MargiesMuse.com or 802.874.7201.

  Leslie Wind
Saturday February 2, 2008
snow date: the following Saturday February 9.

Leslie Wind will be here to do a class in making silver shawl pins to add to your handmade shawls and sweaters.  She has traveled far and wide sharing her skills, and has had sell-out groups.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to make the finishing touch to your lovingly handmade garments. 

This class is geared to knitters, crocheters and weavers who have never worked in metal before and uses only simple hand tools. All materials and tools are supplied, although students may bring or buy some beads to add to their designs. Students will learn several basic forming techniques which include simple forging, wire forming and, for those who want to make earrings to match, ear wire making. Class is $60 including instruction, tools and materials.

Leslie is joined by Roseanne Hunter from Newburyport, MA, who teaches over 30 kinds of rugs which are crocheted, knitted, or stitched from fabric strips at Sturbridge Village. We will benefit from her demonstrations at this class as well!

Minimum four participants.

As an added bonus, Leslie is bringing her handmade shawl pins, scarf slides and button gallery for people to see and buy that day. Prices range from $10 to $80 for buttons to shawl pins.

See her web site for photos of what she makes:
http://www.lesliewind.com/

and her blog written with Maureen McMahon: 

http://www.follycovefiberfreaks.blogspot.com/. 

We’ll need a minimum number of people committed to participating to guarantee her availability, so please let Margaret know if you have an interest.

Margaret Silvia
Saturday February 16, 2008  10am – 1 pm

Table loom weaving – weaving on a loom for beginners!  Saturday February 16, 2008  10am – 1 pm with Margaret Silvia.  $30.  Bring your own loom, or let me know if you need to borrow one.  We will discuss preparing the warp and will take initial steps to dressing the loom.  This introduction will get you started on the path to weaving.  Bring your own yarn or buy at the shop.  Deposit required to hold your spot – space limited. 

Trudy Crites
March or April – date to be determined

Trudy Crites is a local and well known painter who also does fiber art.  She wishes to show you how to imagine your yarn as paint as you join her in a class to create artwork she calls “creative stitchery”.  March or April – date to be determined.  $25 per person per class – two Saturdays in a row, 10 am – 1 pm each Sat.  We need 5 participants minimum. 

Trudy will bring most of the needed materials.  Bring fabric swatches, yarn, sharp scissors, embroidery hoop if desired, a needle with a long eye.  Let me know if you have an interest by emailing Margaret@margiesmuse.com.
 

Beginning Spinning with Lisa Bass

Saturday March 8, 2008, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. $30.

Learn to make your own yarn! This class is an introductory lesson geared toward beginners, or those who have a little experience but want to expand their skills. Students can use either a handspindle or a wheel. (Handspindles are strongly recommended for first-timers.) We'll cover making usable singles, as well as plying.

 If students have their own wheels/spindles, they are strongly encouraged to bring them. If not, spindles are available for sale at Margie's Muse. If a student needs to borrow a wheel for the class, please let Margaret know. Other materials will be provided.

Spinning Art Yarn
with Shannon Herrick of the Spun Monkey

Make your own unique yarn! Your imagination is the only limit in this creative spinning technique. This class will demonstrate several techniques for creative plying...wrapping, coils, fabric and objects, on a spinning wheel. Please come with a good working knowledge of your spinning wheel and spinning a singles yarn for plying. A plying head and bobbin will be needed for spinning the single and then plying. Bring or buy your own materials or purchase a kit from Shannon for $20 (enough for a 4 oz. art yarn skein).

Materials list:
4 oz. of roving or batts, with a small amount of 2 or 3 contrasting colors.
any odd bits of fabric, cut into strips
beads, sequins, or felted bits
thread or thin yarn for plying

Class size is limited – call soon to register!

Rupert artist Jane Davies

A handmade book workshop

Join Rupert artist Jane Davies for a handmade book workshop. Jane has 17 years of experience as an artist and will guide participants in making a multi-section soft-cover book, perfect to use as a nature journal, sketch book or to give as a gift. A simple repeated pamphlet stitch will be used to bind the book. Jane will have a variety of colors of textured, handmade lokta paper for you to choose from to make the cover, which can be further embellished with stitching, fibers, buttons, beads, or tassels. Participants should bring a sturdy pair of scissors. Paper for pages and cover will be provided.

From potter, pottery painter/craftsperson, to collage artist, designer, and teacher, Jane Davies is about using color with passion and panache. Her use of strong, bold color combinations is what sets her apart from other artists. Davies, who studied ceramics at Bennington College in Vermont and the School for American Crafts in Rochester, New York, before opening her own studio in 1991, made her living selling her ceramics at craft shows and through galleries. She gradually transitioned into designing tableware, quilting fabric, paper goods, stationary, and other products for a myriad of prestigious manufacturers. In addition, she has written three books: A Glaze of Color: Creating Color and Design on Ceramics (Watson-Guptill Publications, May 2004), Collage With Color: Create Unique Collages in Vibrant Color (Watson-Guptill Publications, October 2005), and Collage Journeys: a Practical Guide to Creating Personal Artwork (forthcoming from Watson-Guptill Publications October, 2008). Jane is currently working on a book demonstrating projects in collage and fiber mixed media, and teaches workshops in collage, handmade books, card-making, and other paper/mixed media topics.

Jane Elliott

Taught by Jane Elliott of "Not Just Plain Jane Knits"

Saturday, April 19, 2008 10:00 am -5:00 pm (one hour for lunch)
Continuing on Sunday, April 20 from 10:00 am -12:00 noon

The multidirectional sampler square, done in one color or several, features many of the techniques Jane Elliott uses in her Not Just Plain Jane patterns (as in the sweater pictured). Learn each technique as you follow the stitch-by-stitch, row-by-row instructions, changing stitches, direction, and yarns (if you wish). Your finished 15" square can be backed and made into a pillow, combined with other squares for an afghan, or used as the foundation piece for the Not Just Plain Crazy Quilt Vest and Cardigan. You will need approximately 200 yards of DK yarn(s), including some for potential swapping; size 6 knitting needles; crochet hook size C or D; stitch markers and holders; post-its or a magnetic board for keeping your place; patience, determination, and your analgesic of choice. Come a few minutes early to select from Margaret's glorious array of yarns. If you enjoy a good, challenging project, this workshop is for you.

Taught by Jane Elliott of "Not Just Plain Jane Knits"

Fee: $125.00
Please send $62.50 deposit to reserve your spot. (mail a check or call Margaret with your cc#)