Exploring Individual Needle Felted Projects in Wool with Erin Carlson
Mar
18
to Apr 22

Exploring Individual Needle Felted Projects in Wool with Erin Carlson

6-Part Workshop Series

Dates: Tuesdays, March 18-April 22, 2025

Time: 6pm-9pm

Description: Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson of Red Cottage Fiber Studio in exploring the possibilities of sculptural needle felting. This course will begin with an introductory bird project designed to familiarize students with the basic felting skills required to complete a larger project of their own choosing. Students will then be encouraged to think big and employ the use of hand constructed wire armatures to support large and intricate work. Help and advice will be given during the planning stages to ensure students understand the possiblities and limitations of the materials. Felted wool lends itself to many types of sculptural expression and Erin will guide and facilitate each project individually as students bring their amazing creations to life.


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SOW, Part 1 of FLAX: A Slow Journey of Exploration
Apr
26
11:00 AM11:00

SOW, Part 1 of FLAX: A Slow Journey of Exploration

  • Contemporary Craft Timmons Studio (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join Erin Carlson or Red Cottage Fiber Studio—in collaboration with the Rustbelt Fibershed—for a free kick-off celebration and information session for a series of workshops exploring the wonderful bast fiber FLAX: the fiber plant processed to create linen.

FLAX: a slow journey of exploration will take place in four parts (one info session, followed by 3 workshops) throughout the year of 2025, beginning in April with the sowing of the seeds and ending in December with your very own final project, a beautiful decorative frame loom dressed and woven with the linen we have made from the flax sown in April. Along the way you will pick up new skills (weaving, drop spindle,) learn the satisfying retting, breaking, scutching, and hackling process required to extract the line fibers from the flax plant, and learn about the history of flax and the mission and projects of the Rustbelt Fibershed. In addition, participants will be invited to join the Rustbelt Linen Project Circle Group and connect with other flax growers across the region. See schedule below.

APRIL 26 (SOW: an information session and kick-off event!) (free, registration required)

Join us at Contemporary Craft to sow the flax seeds for the year! This demonstration plot will allow us to observe the flax as it grows tall and its delicate blue flowers dance in the breeze. We will also sow the seeds of the project, answer questions, and talk throughwhat participants can expect in the workshops to come, as well as offer other learning opportunities to be on the lookout for through Contemporary Craft and the Rustbelt Fibershed.

Location: Contemporary Craft – Timmons Studios (5688 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201) Note we will begin in the studio, and then spend a short period of time outside, sowing the flax seeds for the demonstration plot.

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Needle Felting: Exploring Individual Sculptural Projects in Felted Wool CR12
Feb
3
to Mar 17

Needle Felting: Exploring Individual Sculptural Projects in Felted Wool CR12

  • Sweetwater Art Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson of Red Cottage Fiber Studio in exploring the possibilities of sculptural needle felting.

This course will begin with an introductory project designed to familiarize students with the basic felting skills required to complete a larger project of their own choosing.  Students will then be encouraged to think big and employ the use of hand constructed wire armatures to support large and intricate work.  Help and advice will be given during the planning stages to ensure students understand the possibilities and limitations of the material. Felted wool lends itself to many types of sculptural expression and Erin will guide and facilitate each project individually as students bring their amazing creations to life.

REGISTER HERE

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Needle Felted Wool Ornaments
Dec
7
11:00 AM11:00

Needle Felted Wool Ornaments

Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson of Red Cottage Fiber Studio in crafting a sturdy 2-dimensional woolen ornament with the help of your favorite cookie cutter! Students will learn about the wonderful properties of wool which allow it to felt into lovely solid forms and experiment with surface decoration to bring their ornament to life. No experience necessary and beginners welcome.

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Hedgehog Pincushions
May
4
11:00 AM11:00

Hedgehog Pincushions

You are invited to join us for a fun afternoon crafting your very own needle felted wool hedgehog pincushion! Adorable! Practical! Perfect for a Mother's Day gift, a weekend activity with a mother figure in your life, or just for you. Students will be able to choose from a variety of soft wool colors and will be encouraged to make individual design decisions. Beginners welcome!


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Small Works, Big Impact Opening Reception
Mar
15
5:00 PM17:00

Small Works, Big Impact Opening Reception

Free and open to the public, refreshments are provided. 

Join us at Sweetwater for our latest exhibition, Small Works, Big Impact. This invitational show presents a variety of mixed media works all smaller than 6″ x 6″ x 6″. Small Works invites the viewer in for close observation, and quiet contemplation, while artists execute their craft with precision and detail.  

Exhibiting artists include Brooke Rothshank, Liz Steiner, Nikki Lau, Erin Carlson, Andrea Finch, Christine Holtz, Matt Zorn, Julie Zaichuk-Ryan, Meredith Bigatel, Claire Mccauley, and Luke Huling. 


More Info Here

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Crafts & Drafts: Needle Felted Wool Ornaments
Dec
1
6:00 PM18:00

Crafts & Drafts: Needle Felted Wool Ornaments

Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson of Red Cottage Fiber Studio in crafting a sturdy 2-dimensional woolen ornament with the help of your favorite cookie cutter! Students will learn about the wonderful properties of wool which allow it to felt into lovely solid forms and experiment with surface decoration to bring their ornament to life. No experience necessary and beginners welcome.

Register HERE

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Fiber Arts Sampler Series
Sep
12
to Oct 31

Fiber Arts Sampler Series

8-Week Series Workshop

Date: Tuesdays, September 12-October 31, 2023

Time: 6pm-9pm

Description: Have you been wanting to explore the world of fiber arts, but you aren't sure where to start? Would you prefer knitting or crocheting? What about weaving or needle felting? Then this is the class for you!

Over the course of 8 weeks, you will be introduced to 8 different fiber arts with seven different instructors. Each week will give you a little taste of each discipline within the world of fiber arts. You will leave each session with an understanding of the basic techniques used, and in many cases, a finished project to take home.

Erin will be teaching the felted ghosts and pumpkins on October 3!

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Needle Felting Basics: A Flock of Feathered Friends
Sep
2
to Sep 3

Needle Felting Basics: A Flock of Feathered Friends

  • Touchstone Center for Crafts (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Learn the craft of needle felting while creating your own flock of wool birds! Participants will closely observe and replicate native Pennsylvanian bird species to practice basic needle felting skills including wool sculpting techniques, surface pattern design, and color blending. This relaxing and forgiving craft yields delightful soft figures from this natural fiber.

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Fantastic Felted Cacti
May
20
11:00 AM11:00

Fantastic Felted Cacti

Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson for a fun and beginner friendly introduction to the craft of needle felting wool! Students will learn the basics of needle felting while sculpting their own unique cactus or succulent creation which can then be “planted” into a tiny terra cotta pot. Inspiration will be gleaned from the vast and varied world of succulents and you will be encouraged to practice sculpting organic forms as well as adding surface design to achieve the plant of your dreams. Guaranteed to be a prickly good time.

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Needle Felting a Fantastical Bird
Apr
29
12:00 PM12:00

Needle Felting a Fantastical Bird

Join Fiber Artist Erin Carlson in imagining and creating your very own fantastical bird! This class will focus on the creative process as we observe and discuss the diverse characteristics of birds from around the world. Each student will then create their very own unique bird and felt it out of colorful wool. This class will be fun, relaxed, and as wild as your imagination! Students will focus on surface details such as color blending and creating texture and patterns in your felted work.

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