Dye Garden - Extracting Color | Virtual Class
2021-06-05 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
This is a 2 session virtual class.
Date: June 5 + 12, 2021
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM PST
Registration Closes: May 25, 2021 in order for receive materials on time.
Discover the alchemy of natural dyes! Learn how to unlock the plants ‘tinctoria’ to discover all the dye plants growing around you. The serendipity of making pigments from plants combined with the ancient traditions of natural dyes yields unique and colorful results. Artist and flower farmer, Julie Beeler from Bloom & Dye, will guide students through exploring ways to work with natural dyes and capture the beauty of the seasonal palette. Every student will receive a kit in advance so they can create their own flower dye color chart.
The first class will cover general natural dye techniques, types of flowers/plants and walk through the process of making dye baths and dyeing the fiber, which the students can do in real time with the instructor from their own home. The second class will look at the participants’ results from the previous week and walk through how to finish off their fibers with a soy milk dip. We will wrap up the class making a lake pigment with one of the dye baths and setting it up to strain, rinse and dry. The instructional craftbook will allow everyone to continue their exploration in more depth at their own pace.
Materials Kit Includes
Flower Power silkscreen color chart
6 different dye flowers
Fabric Swatches OR Wool Yarn (please select at checkout).
1 cotton tea towel
Mordant + Lake supplies
Coffee Filters
¼ cup of dried soy beans
Scouring and mordanting instructions
Students will receive an e-mail with a list of needed supplies to acquire prior to the first workshop.
Ages: 16+
Skill Requirements: Beginner Friendly
Taught by: Julie Beeler
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This is an online class, where we will be using the platform Zoom. Please download and test BEFORE the class so we can start promptly! Fiber Circle Studio is not responsible for any student technical issues. The class will be recorded and available for 1 week after the class. By signing up, you are consenting to audio/video recording.
Please visit our website for class & refund policies. By signing up, you acknowledge that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Thank you.

Fibersheds: Connecting Farmers, Artisans and Consumers to Grow Regional Economies – Panel Discussion
2021-06-19 12:45 - 13:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Fibersheds: Connecting Farmers, Artisans, and Consumers to Grow Regional Economies
Saturday, June 19 – 3:45 PM Eastern Time

Part of the 2021 WARP Annual Meeting – June 18-20 – Unraveling Borders, Weaving Networks. The event will be free and open to all. Please mark your calendars, and click here to view our program of speakers.
Almost a decade ago, weaver and natural dyer Rebecca Burgess developed a project focused on wearing clothing made from fiber grown, woven, and sewn within her bioregion of North Central California. About the same time, WARP member Judi Jetson developed a similar project connecting farmers and fiber artists in Western North Carolina in order to grow a new regional textile economy. Dozens of regional “fibershed” groups have sprung up around the US and in several other countries, all sharing this vision of helping independent local producers and artisans connect with manufacturers and consumers who want more sustainable clothing. Panelists will tell the stories of how their projects got started, what they’re currently doing, and where they hope to go from here.
Three Rivers Fibershed – Maddy Bartsch is an artist, plant-based dye grower, educator and organizer of decentralized textile economies based in Minneapolis, MN. She is a co-founder and Co-President of the Three Rivers Fibershed. Maddy was project manager for the Minnesota Hemp Wool Project and the Three Rivers Fibershed Regional Fiber Sourcebook. She will speak about her communities One Year One Outfit project and the use of the Regional Fiber Sourcebook to aid in community education.
Montana Fibershed – LaVonne Stucky is a farmer and mill owner who helped found the Montana Fibershed. She and her husband Chris live and work on 40 acres of family land they purchased in 1985 from his parents in the Gallatin Valley near Bozeman and also operate Serenity Sheep Farm Stay, renting out antique sheep wagons to guests who come from all over the world. One of the newest Fibersheds, the Montana group started by creating an online directory and is planning a fashion show for October of 2021.
Local Cloth – Judi Jetson is a fiber activist with a community economic development focus. She worked for the Council of State Governments, Southern Legislative Conference, the US Small Business Administration and HandMade in America organizing asset-based community economic development projects. She is one of the founders and current chairman of Local Cloth, a membership organization which started by holding exhibits and fashion shows, connecting farmers with artisans, offering workshops and classes, and most recently launched an online marketplace ShopLocalCloth.org

EcoFashion Webinar - Fibershed and Carbon Cycle Institute
2021-06-24 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Global Shapers Cambridge Hub are happy to host Rebecca Burgess, from Fibershed for a talk and Q&A as part of our sustainable fashion project
About this event
Rebecca Burgess is the Executive Director of Fibershed, and Chair of the Board for Carbon Cycle Institute. She has over a decade of experience writing and implementing a hands-on curriculum that focuses on the intersection of restoration ecology and fiber systems. She has taught at Westminster College, Harvard University, and has created workshops for a range of NGOs and corporations. She is the author of the best-selling book Harvesting Color, a bioregional look into the natural dye traditions of North America, and Fibershed: Growing a Movement of Farmers, Fashion Activists, and Makers for a New Textile Economy released in 2019. She has facilitated an extensive network of farmers and artisans within the region’s Northern California Fibershed to pilot the regenerative fiber systems model at the community scale. Have a look at https://fibershed.org/ !
Rebecca’s work focuses on developing the vision and funding required for operational planning and execution. She oversees the implementation of the organization’s programs and projects and executes and manages special projects for Fibershed specific to the development of strategic partnerships with sister organizations within the fields of agriculture and design.
The EcoFashion Project is a Global Shapers Cambridge Hub initiative to promote knowledge of the impact of fashion and clothing on climate change.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85955194070?pwd=[REDACTED] 859 5519 4070Kenncode: 002011Have a look at our website for previous webinars at ecofashion.earth!

Tapestry Weaving - Virtual Class
2021-06-26 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
This is a virtual class.
Date: June 26, 2021
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
If weaving has caught your eye, but you’re not sure where to start, tapestry weaving is a great place!
In this workshop you’ll learn how to warp, weave, finish and hang your tapestry, leaving with a beautiful, finished woven wall hanging, giving you a foundation in the world of weaving!
If you are supplying your own materials, please be sure to have them all ready to go to reserve all of class time for technique and weaving.
Materials
Tapestry Loom + Tools (shed stick, stick shuttle, comb beater, tapestry needle)
Yarn – The warp should be a strong cotton. The weft can be an assortment of fibers, textures, and thicknesses.

Ages: 14 +
Skill Requirements: None
Taught by: Alisha Reyes
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This is an online class, where we will be using the platform Zoom. Please download and test BEFORE the class so we can start promptly! Fiber Circle Studio is not responsible for any student technical issues. The class will be recorded and available for 1 week after the class. By signing up, you are consenting to audio/video recording.
Please visit our website for class & refund policies. By signing up, you acknowledge that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Thank you.
This is a virtual class.
Date: June 26, 2021
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm PST
If weaving has caught your eye, but you’re not sure where to start, tapestry weaving is a great place!
In this workshop you’ll learn how to warp, weave, finish and hang your tapestry, leaving with a beautiful, finished woven wall hanging, giving you a foundation in the world of weaving!
If you are supplying your own materials, please be sure to have them all ready to go to reserve all of class time for technique and weaving.
Materials
Tapestry Loom + Tools (shed stick, stick shuttle, comb beater, tapestry needle)
Yarn – The warp should be a strong cotton. The weft can be an assortment of fibers, textures, and thicknesses.

Ages: 14 +
Skill Requirements: None
Taught by: Alisha Reyes
——————————————————-
This is an online class, where we will be using the platform Zoom. Please download and test BEFORE the class so we can start promptly! Fiber Circle Studio is not responsible for any student technical issues. The class will be recorded and available for 1 week after the class. By signing up, you are consenting to audio/video recording.
Please visit our website for class & refund policies. By signing up, you acknowledge that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Thank you.

Wine Country Yarn Hop
2021-07-22 - 2021-07-25 | Various Locations in Northern California
July 22 – 25, 10 am – 5 pm
Join us for our annual Northern California yarn lovers experience! The Wine Country Yarn Hop is a 4-day event, July 22 – 25, for you to safely explore the 6 yarn shops located in the beautiful Wine Country of Northern California.
The Wine Country Yarn Hop consists of 6 shops located in the beautiful Wine Country and is a fiber enthusiast’s dream tour. The hop spans from the Valley of the Moon in Sonoma, through Sonoma County up into Mendocino County to the redwoods in Ukiah. We encourage you to explore and indulge in each shop and their unique assortments of yarn and fiber online, in-person, or both! Please visit the “NEW INFO” page for more information about how we’re adapting to and following the current health orders due to COVID-19.
This year, we are offering the hop for in-person and/or online participation. See details here!
Yarn hoppers pay a $5 admission and receive one passport card and one Wine Country Yarn Hop custom tote bag. $1 from each hopper goes to the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
Receive a stamp on your passport when you visit each shop in-person (stamps are not available for online hoppers). Fill up your passport by the end of the event and be entered to win your choice of grand prize basket!

Wet Felting
2021-07-24 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McIntyre Ranch, 1 St. John Mine Road, Vallejo, CA, United States
Wool fibers have tiny scales that stick out from the hair shaft a microscopic bit. When wool is shocked by dramatic changes in temperature or by rubbing (especially with soap), those scales lift up, then lock down the nearby fibers into a dense mass. That’s felt. If you’ve accidentally put your wool sweater through the hot wash cycle and/or the dryer, you have intimate knowledge of this process.

Not all felting is destructive. You can use the same process to produce some wonderful wooly art. In this class you’ll use a white batt as a base, and embellish with a wide variety of dyed wool. You’ll leave with a finished piece and the equipment you’ll need to create more at home.

Register by completing this Google Form. Receipt of payment secures your spot. Venmo is best; PayPal if you don’t use Venmo. melanie@crockettfiberstudio.com
Limited to 15 participants
Sponsored by Crockett Fiber Arts Studio and McIntyre Ranch
Questions? Please call Melanie Perkins at 925-262-7487

Stash Sale and Swap
2021-08-14 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McIntyre Ranch, 1 St. John Mine Road, Vallejo, CA, United States
If you’re like us, you’ve been building and building your stash since this Covid-19 thing started. Starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the volume? We sure are!
Alternatively, are you just starting out in fiber arts and want to build your stash? We can totally help you with that!
Bring your stash of yarn and fiber, or your overwhelming desire to buy said items, to McIntyre Ranch! We’ll be setting up tables in the yurt and under patio covers so we can socially distance ourselves. We won’t insist on a mask if you’ve been fully vaccinated, but will ask you to wear one if you haven’t. We’re limiting this event to 30 participants.
Coffee, tea, water, and pastry of some sort will be provided.
Register by completing this Google Form. Receipt of payment secures your spot. Venmo is best using, PayPal if you don’t use Venmo. melanie@crockettfiberstudio.com
Sponsored by Crockett Fiber Arts Studio and McIntyre Ranch
Questions? Please call Melanie Perkins at 925-262-7487

Ice Dyeing Wool
2021-08-28 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | McIntyre Ranch, 1 St. John Mine Road, Vallejo, CA, United States
Fiber, water, acid, and dye are the ingredients needed to dye a skein of yarn. In this class the water source will be ice. The dye is delivered to the yarn gradually as the ice melts, resulting in some remarkable color results. Way too much fun!

The class cost includes two skeins of wool yarn, plenty of ice, and lots of dye color choices. We are limiting the class to 15 participants. You might want to bring a project to work on while you wait for the ice to melt. You can also choose to go for a hike or visit with the many animals on the ranch. We’ll have some cold drinks for you, too.

Register by completing this Google Form. Receipt of payment secures your spot. Venmo is best; PayPal if you don’t use Venmo. melanie@crockettfiberstudio.com
Limited to 15 participants
Sponsored by Crockett Fiber Arts Studio and McIntyre Ranch
Questions? Please call Melanie Perkins at 925-262-7487

Fibershed Learning Center Opening Workshop
2021-09-18 09:00 - 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Our Northern California Fibershed Learning Center will hold a soft grand opening, September 18, 2021, celebrated through the classes that will provide hands-on skills to the community, as well as time to gather in appreciation of local design community graduates who generated beautiful textiles within Fibershed’s Zero-Waste design challenge.
Available classes:

Make a Twined Basket of Tule with Charlie Kennard and Charlena Valencia (sold-out)
Indigo Extract Process — from leaf to pigment — with Judi Pettite
Making a Lake Pigment from Natural Dyes with Judi Pettite
Sashiko Mending with Rimiko Berreman (morning class, afternoon class)

Classes and registration links with full details for September 18 can be found on the website here. We expect these classes to fill quickly. To make the Learning Center Opening available to more people, attendees are asked to only purchase a ticket for one of the five workshops taking place that day. If additional tickets are purchased, one will be canceled.

Mushroom Dyeing - Virtual Class
2021-10-23 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
This is a 2 session virtual class.
Date: October 23 + 30, 2021
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM PST
Registration Closes: October 13th, 2021 in order for receive materials on time.
Curious about fungi? Have a love of fiber? Combine your interests and learn how to use mushrooms to create beautiful, vibrant, and nontoxic dyes perfect for any natural fiber. Artist and flower farmer, and mycophile, Julie Beeler from Bloom & Dye, will teach participants how to unlock the famed Dyer’s Polypore ‘tinctoria.’
Everyone will create a mushroom color chart that will document the colors of this famed mushroom across different fiber types. A kit will be sent in advance so everyone can create their own mushroom color chart.
The first class will cover general mushroom dye techniques, types of mushrooms and walk through the process of making dye baths and dyeing the fiber, which the students can do in real time with the instructor from their own home.
The second class will look at the participants’ results from the previous week and walk through how to finish off their fibers with a soy milk dip. We will wrap up the class making a lake pigment with the dye baths and setting it up to strain, rinse and dry. The instructional craftbook will allow everyone to continue their exploration in more depth at their own pace.
Materials Kit Includes
Dyer’s Polypore silkscreen color chart
Dyer’s Polypore mushroom
Fabric Swatches OR Wool Yarn (please select at checkout).
1 cotton tea towel
Mordant + Lake supplies
Coffee Filters
¼ cup of dried soy beans
Scouring and mordanting instructions
Students will receive an e-mail with a list of needed supplies to acquire prior to the first workshop.
Ages: 16+
Skill Requirements: Beginner Friendly
Taught by: Julie Beeler
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This is an online class, where we will be using the platform Zoom. Please download and test BEFORE the class so we can start promptly! Fiber Circle Studio is not responsible for any student technical issues. The class will be recorded and available for 1 week after the class. By signing up, you are consenting to audio/video recording.
Please visit our website for class & refund policies. By signing up, you acknowledge that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Thank you.

Natural Palettes of Seasonal Color in West Marin with Sasha Duerr
2021-10-24 10:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Join Sasha onsite at the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station for a day of exploring fall color and the natural palettes of seasonal color in Northern California. We will gather a variety of onsite ingredients, then make and use natural dye baths with those ingredients and others. Together we will create a local fall dye palette from a curated selection of gathered ingredients, including weeds and food and flora waste. Explore the nuances and beauty of color terroir, and create an array of take-home, naturally dyed textiles, saturated in the seasonal tones of West Marin.
For full details and the registration link, please click here.

Sasha Duerr is an artist, designer, and educator who works with plant-based color and natural palettes. Sasha centers her practice and research on the collaborative color potential of weeds, food and floral waste, and local and seasonal ingredients. Teaching for over a decade at California College of Arts with a joint appointment in Textiles and Fine Arts, Sasha lectures, consults, and widely designs curriculum and courses in the intersection of natural color, slow food, slow fashion, and social practice. In 2007, Sasha founded Permacouture Institute to encourage the exploration of regenerative design practices for fashion and textiles. From “Dinners to Dye For” to “Weeding Your Wardrobe” and “Seasonal Color Wheels” her extensive work with plant-based color palettes has been featured in the New York Times, American Craft Magazine, Domino, Elle Decor UK, Selvedge, and The Huffington Post.

Sasha is the author of The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes (Timber Press/Workman 2011), Natural Color (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/530292/natural-color-by-sasha-duerr/9781607749363/) (Watson-Guptill/Ten Speed Press 2016), and Natural Palettes (https://papress.com/products/natural-palettes-inspiration-from-plant-based-color) (Princeton Architectural Press 2020).

NJ Fibershed: Fall Fleece and Yarn Sale
2021-10-24 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Windswept Acres Sheep Farm, Windswept Acres Sheep Farm 173 Whitebridge Road, Pittstown, NJ, 08867, United States
Need a fiber fix? Longing to see sheep? You’re in luck because we’re holding a Fleece & Yarn Sale Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021, from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m (Rain date Oct. 31st).
The Sale will feature fleece, yarn, spinning fiber, honey, and other farm products from local fiber producers and artisans.
Are you a spinner? Pack your wheels and spindles and join us for a Spin-In, hosted by the North Country Spinners and the South Jersey Guild of Spinners & Handweavers!
Throughout the day, there will be sessions on growing your own natural dye garden, biosecurity (with a Feed Store Goodies Raffle), and a fleece-to-yarn demonstration. We’ll also be rolling out our get involved program #NJFibershed Fashion and #NJfibershed Made!!!
This is an outdoor event, with field parking and shopping.

Location: Windswept Acres Sheep Farm, 173 Whitebridge Rd, Pittstown, NJ 08867
COVID-19 Safety Precautions:
To ensure the safety of all attendees this will be an exclusively outdoor event. Masks welcome!
There are no public restroom facilities, but there will be a hand washing station.
Local fiber producer/ artisans wanting to participate – see Call for Vendors.
Vendor List: available soon

Botany for Beginners with Ayesha Ercelawn
2021-10-30 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Join Ayesha for a morning to learn about the basics of botany at the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station.
During this hands-on class, you will improve your observation skills and learn to look for some of the key characteristics that botanists use to identify plants. Fall season classes will focus on leaves, bark, seed structures, and stem arrangements. We will touch on plant families and discuss the natural history and ecology of some of the plants we see. Our last hour will be focused on how to use the tools of nature journaling (simple sketching and/or writing) to deepen our plant observation skills.
Class will take place outdoors in the beautiful gardens at the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station . It will include a variety of hands-on activities, with a focus on having fun and connecting to the plants around us!
Please be prepared for some walking, bending, and kneeling.
Students should bring layers, comfortable shoes, a hat, sunscreen, water and a camera/phone. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch to eat in the gardens afterwards.
A mask is required indoors.
Ayesha Ercelawn is a Marin-based naturalist, gardener, and environmental educator, who has been exploring, and teaching and journaling about the natural world of the Bay Area for 20 plus years. Ecology and ethnobotany classes during her Master’s at Yale School of the Environment, inspired her on her journey – a lifelong quest to deepen her understanding of the natural world around her – its fascinating ecology, as well as how people use plants for healing, dyes, fiber, basketry, and, of course, food.
Ayesha has been fortunate over the years to keep learning from teachers at Fibershed, Point Reyes Field Seminars, Gathering Thyme, Marin County Parks, Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, California Academy of Sciences, and the John Muir Laws Educator group, as well as the many plants and animals along the way. Her teaching style is light-hearted, with a focus on joy, curiosity, and connection to the natural world.

Introduction to Nature Journaling with Ayesha Ercelawn
2021-11-06 09:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Join Ayesha for a morning of nature journaling at the Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station.
Bring your curiosity and love of nature to join Ayesha for a morning of nature journaling in the Fibershed gardens. We will draw inspiration from the practices of renowned Bay Area Nature Journaler John Muir Laws to focus our attention and deepen our observations of nature. You do NOT have to be an artist or writer to join us! Just bring your sense of wonder and a favorite pencil. Some natural watercolor pigments will also be available from the Fibershed gardens!
Please bring layers, comfortable shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and water. You can bring your own journal or use the paper provided. You are welcome to bring a packed lunch to eat in the gardens afterwards.
A mask is required indoors.

Ayesha Ercelawn is a Marin-based naturalist, gardener, and environmental educator, who has been exploring, and teaching and journaling about the natural world of the Bay Area for 20 plus years. Ecology and ethnobotany classes during her Master’s at Yale School of the Environment, inspired her on her journey – a lifelong quest to deepen her understanding of the natural world around her – its fascinating ecology, as well as how people use plants for healing, dyes, fiber, basketry, and, of course, food.
Ayesha has been fortunate over the years to keep learning from teachers at Fibershed, Point Reyes Field Seminars, Gathering Thyme, Marin County Parks, Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, California Academy of Sciences, and the John Muir Laws Educator group, as well as the many plants and animals along the way. Her teaching style is light-hearted, with a focus on joy, curiosity, and connection to the natural world.

Hand Made Closet Sale at Fiber Circle Studio
2021-11-12 11:00 - 2021-11-14 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fiber Circle Studio, 113 Kentucky St., Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Fiber Circle Studio is hosting a Hand Made Closet Sale — November 12-14!

This event is focused on bringing new life to our handmades, whether they are knitted, crocheted, woven, or sewn! We’ve all made things over time that we just simple aren’t in love with, or would love to find a new home for. Whether you are a maker or not, buying something handmade is so special, knowing that every inch was made with love and passion. It can be the perfect time to start adding handmades to your wardrobe or get gifts for the holidays!

EVENT HOURS
Friday 11 – 5
Saturday 11 – 5
Sunday 11 – 3

TO SELL
All items are sold on consignment. If you’re interested in selling, please contact Alisha (alisha@fibercirclestudio.com) to set up an appointment. Items will be selected based on quality, style/trends and diversity for a well rounded, cohesive offering. Each seller may submit as many items as they’d like, but only a maximum of 10 will be accepted. Alisha will recommend retail prices.

We are looking for hats, scarves, shawls, and clothing in all natural materials. Last year, there was a heavy request for sweaters, tops and ponchos!

2021 Fibershed Wool & Fine Fiber Symposium
2021-11-13 09:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Virtual
Register Here
This year’s symposium will begin with a conversation between those living and working to produce our global demand for textiles and those that receive the mounds of material that is discarded once clothing is deemed “uninteresting” or damaged. We’ll hear from members of the OR Foundation Community and the Garment Worker Center, who will share the consequences that they personally and professionally experience due to current rates of production within the fashion industry.
The day will include a presentation by Local Futures, an organization founded on the work to uplift place-based regional economies; including efforts to ‘expose the big picture’ and ‘unite and connect’ farmers, mainstreet business owners, indigenous communities and everyone in between. We will hear from artist and textile reuse maker Karen Hampton who’s art and life is shaped by connection to her ancestry– a lineage versed in care and regard for soil, textiles and dyes.
The second half of our day will focus on our region’s water and agriculture. With rapid changes in weather patterns, our soil based systems from which we rely upon for material culture are undergoing transitions. We will hear from hydrologists, farmers, those leading people powered solutions, and researchers in two panel discussions focused on realities and solutions of California water and the growing agroforestry movement. We will hear lightning talks from Fibershed Producer members focused on stories of how they are implementing carbon farming practices and enhancing biodiversity and soil carbon within their working landscapes.
The Fibershed Marketplace Showcase will feature a range of the region’s soil-to-soil textiles and will highlight our region’s farmers, artisans, weavers, felters, knitters, mills and natural dyers who will be offering freshly farmed and ranched goods from our range and cropland systems.

Schedule:
9-9:15am: Opening Remarks
9:15-10:15am: Conversation between a member of Kantamanto Market and the Garment Worker Center
10:15-11:15am: Presentation by Anja Lynbaeck from Local Futures
11:15-11:20am: Short Break
11:20-11:45am: Presentation with Karen Hampton & Conversation Between Karen Hampton and Teju Adisa-Farrar
11:45-1:15pm: Agroforestry Panel with Sonja Brodt, Liz Carlisle, Guido Frosini, Jesse Smith facilitated by Mike Conover
1:15-1:45pm: Fibershed Marketplace Showcase
1:45-1:50pm: Short Break
1:50-2:30pm: Lightning Talks with Marcia Barinaga, John Bailey, Kelli Dunaj, Sarah Keiser
2:30-4pm: Water Systems Panel with Andy Fisher, Regina Hirsch, Dennis Hutson, Brad Lancaster
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/183037559267
For speaker bios, visit our 2021 Symposium page: fibershed.org/2021-wool-fine-fiber-symposium
Weaving Voices illustration by Laurie Sawyer

Live Sale at Valley Oak Wool Mill
2021-11-27 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Valley Oak Wool Mill, 41501 Co Rd 27, Woodland, CA, 95776
Join Valley Oak Wool Mill for a LIVE sale for the holidays! You can buy supplies just in time for any gift crafting (carded fluff, roving, yarn), or buy some of the pre-made gifts available.

Beginning Spinning Class with Windrush Farm
2022-01-15 13:00 - 2022-01-16 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Windrush Farm, 2263 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Beginning Spinning Class with Windrush FarmSaturday, January 15th & Sunday, January 16th 1:00 – 4:00pm each day
You must take this class if you do not know how to spin and what to take the Fleece to Garment Class. Spinning wheels are provided. Also open to anyone who wants to learn how to spin.
If you have ever wanted to create a continuous thread from a fluff of fleece, then this is the class for you. You will learn how to spin on a spinning wheel which you can take home after the Saturday class to practice on. Sunday, you will continue to try out different types of roving and at the end of the class, you will have your first skein of plied yarn to take home.
Wheels will be available for continued rental.
$225 – Spinning materials are included
Online Registration: Eventbrite

Fleece to Garment Series with Windrush Farm
2022-01-29 11:00 - 15:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Windrush Farm, 2263 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
Fleece to Garment Series with Windrush Farm

Learn to create a garment from shearing day to a finished piece.

January 29. Fleece to Garment. 11 to 3pm. Witness a sheep shearing and choose your fleece you will be processing for the class. We will have corriedale cross fleeces and Shetland fleeces for you to choose from. You will learn how to skirt a fleece, and how to judge the quality of the fleece, and how parts of the fleece relate to garment design. Staple length, crimp, and hand will be discussed as well as the micron count and its relation to the design of the yarn from that fleece.
February 13. Scouring Your Fleece. 1 to 4pm. We will teach you how to wash your fleece without felting it. Included will be the different prepping steps you will want to make in order to prepare your fleece for spinning.
February 27. Carding Your Fleece. 1 to 4pm You will learn how to card fleece on hand cards, with drum carders, or with hand combs. This class will introduce yarn design and its relation to garment design. We will also introduce the garment patterns and what yarns will work best with the different designs.
March 6. Open Carding Lab. 10 to 3pm. This is the time to finish carding your yarn before getting going on spinning.
March 20. Spinning Your Fleece. 1 to 4pm. We discuss yarn design, gauge, swatches, and plans for your garment. You will be spinning different types of yarn in preparation for deciding your final yarn for your project.
April 3. Progress on Your Project. 1 to 4pm. Bring in your projects and get class reaction and support for your efforts.
May 1. The Fashion Show. 11:30 to 3pm. Bring a potluck lunch dish and dine together. Then walk the fashion runway and show off your garment. Family and friends are invited.
$550 includes one fleece
Online Registration: Evenbrite
Mail in Registration: Please send a check made out to Windrush Farm. Include your name, email address, phone number and class you want to attend. Mail to: Windrush Farm 2263 Chileno Valley Rd, Petaluma, Ca 94952

Knitting a Steeked Farm Yarn Cardigan
2022-02-19 14:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Four classes included: February 19, March 19, April 16, May 21 — from 2 to 4 pm
Join a 4-session “Steekalong” knitting class taught by Gayle Ravenscroft of Pacific Knitting Retreats, using our own Fibershed farm yarns. Students will knit a colorwork garment together and then cut it open (steek it) to create a cardigan. The class is limited to 12 students, and will take place at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center at Black Mountain Ranch near Point Reyes Station.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knitting-a-steeked-farm-yarn-cardigan-tickets-220405527867
Students should choose and purchase either Solbein or Stopover by Mary Jane Mucklestone. Solbein is designed as a steeked cardigan pattern, but Gayle will be explaining how to convert a pullover pattern into a cardigan for those who choose Stopover … a good skill for all participants to have! (NOTE: If the pattern choice is Stopover, a small amount of extra yarn will be required for the button bands.)
These patterns are QUICK knits (another good feature!) and produce long wearing and eye catchingly unique pieces. The techniques of these designs are particularly suited to our Fibershed yarns and while the project uses a number of skills, these patterns are friendly to those with basic knitting skills, and of course fun for experienced knitters looking to expand into trying new things with company and help.
Prior to the first session, students need to purchase their chosen pattern, select yarn and gather basic supplies as well as prepare their swatches. Our Fibershed producers’ yarns are all perfect for colorwork and steeking with our own California “Lopi Spun” types being particularly lovely. However, your choice might be handspun, or already in your stash. Worsted/Aran weights are ideal — the gauge should be your guide. Barinaga Ranch has beautiful yarns on hand for this class. Please contact Marcia directly by email (marcia@barinagaranch.com) and she will help you with yardage conversions and color choices. Or feel free to contact Gayle (gayle@pacificknittingretreats.com) with any questions and she will respond personally.
Session 1 (Feb 19, 2-4pm): Review swatches, discuss a plan for getting the project done successfully (measurements and how to pick a size you want), and review the skills involved. Both are yokes — Solbein is a top down and Stopover is a bottom up — and we will talk about that. We will also explore increases, decreases and simple stranded colorwork within a basic seamless structure. We will cast on together before leaving.
A note to those who raise sheep: Anyone who misses the first session due to lambing season can attend a virtual class with Gayle to catch up. Please email her to discuss (gayle@pacificknittingretreats.com).
Session 2 (Mar 19, 2-4pm): We gather to review works in progress and get help where needed. We will also try on garments in progress.
Session 3 (Apr 16, 2-4pm): Steeking! This is a technique that can sometimes challenge knitters, but it will be foolproof with our farm yarns!!! And we will review finishing techniques to complete our cardigans.
Session 4 (May 21, 2-4pm): Final Celebration — the wearing and photographing of the cardigans, with refreshments and lots of laughs!
Important note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, masks are required for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the classes.
Gayle Ravenscroft has been on a fiber adventure since she learned to knit from her grandmother when she was five years old. She is passionate about all aspects of the craft, as well as the cultivation of a mindfulness and appreciation for the history and labour represented by each piece of fabric a knitter creates. She is a teacher herself (on Zoom during the pandemic), and collaborates with other teachers, designers and yarn producers around the world to offer as many opportunities to grow as possible to the local knitting community through her tiny business, Pacific Knitting Retreats, LLC. Gayle is amazed by her Fibershed and truly grateful for opportunities to participate.

Photo of Gale Ravenscroft above by Paige Green. Sweater photos at top courtesy of Mary Jane Mucklestone — Solbein photos on top left by Carrie Hoge and Stopover photos on top right by Anna Markle; yarn photo at top courtesy of Gayle Ravenscroft.

Sewing a Tunic with Pia Andersson
2022-03-12 10:00 - 2022-03-13 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Learn how to sew a great looking, well-fitting garment
Join us for a 2-day sewing workshop from 10 am to 4 pm each day, at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station, California, and learn to make a tunic—a most versatile garment that can easily be accessorized/dressed up or down. It is also one of the easiest garments to sew, as it’s made of only four pieces—two front and two back (joined with center back and front seams). Pia will demonstrate various construction techniques as we work—bias tape application, facing, top stitching and side or patch pockets. Tunic pattern is provided.
You’ll need to have basic machine sewing skills to follow the course material. If you need to brush up on old skills, Pia teaches private classes in her studio in San Rafael or Novato (https://www.marinsewinglab.com/).
Having many years of design and technical experience, Pia teaches with a light touch. She will teach you to make clothes with spirit and integrity that you will love to wear and that are reflective of you! We will have a great time together, and you’ll come away with a great looking, well-fitting garment. But Pia reminds us that perfection is elusive!
Bring: personal snacks, lunch and beverage; your sewing machine (in good working order); fabric (suggestions below); and sewing supplies.
Questions: Please contact Pia with any questions you may have about the class content: marinsewinglab@gmail.com or 415 328 4598.
Fabric suggestions: You’ll need mid-weight fabric— 2.5 yards if the fabric is 44/48” wide and 2 yards if the fabric is 60” wide. You may use any mid-weight fabric from any fabric source. Denim is a great choice.
Fabrics by Fibershed producers to consider:
Many of you have bought the Climate Beneficial Community Supported Cloth fabric from Lana’s Lana (https://www.lanislana.com) in the past, and now might be the time to make something from it!
Fox Fibre: https://www.vreseis.com/shop
California Cloth Foundry: https://clothfoundry.com
Huston Textile: https://www.hustontextile.com
Fibershed Marketplace: https://www.fibershedmarketplace.com/products/fiber/Fabric
Natural dye sources, if you would like to dye your own fabric:
Botanical Colors: https://botanicalcolors.com/
Stony Creek Colors: https://www.stonycreekcolors.com/
Register here!

Pia Andersson has an educational background in the textile arts with a college degree from University of Gothenburg, Sweden, where she grew up and lived until her late twenties. She was the founder and CEO of Mimi the Sardine from 1990 until she retired in 2014, so most of her professional life was spent in design and textile product development in the SF Bay Area. Besides her own line of children’s accessories, she designed and produced children’s clothing for Hanna Anderson and Garnet Hill.

Photo credits: tunic photos at top by Keha McIlwaine; sewing photo at top by Koa Kalish; photo of Pia by Koa Kalish

Beginning Embroidery at Fiber Circle Studio
2022-03-20 11:30 - 13:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fiber Circle Studio, 113 Kentucky St., Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
This is a 1 session in-person workshop.
DATES/TIMES
Sunday, March 20, 2022; 11:30am – 1:30pm
LEVEL
Beginners.
MATERIALS
Materials kit included! There will be a selection of kits to choose from in class.
DETAILS
Embroidery is a lovely way to embellish and personalize your clothing and linens. We’ll have iron-on patterns or you can do free-form embroidery, learning a variety of outlining stitches including backstitch, split stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch, and French knots.
Ages: 10+
Skill Requirements: None
Taught by: Kira Dulaney
The Finer Details…
All students are required to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. This class involves some close proximity.
Please visit our website for class & refund policies. By signing up, you acknowledge that you are aware of and agree to our policies. Thank you.

Cordage-Making Materials and Techniques with Charlie Kennard
2022-04-02 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Learn several techniques to make cordage with a variety of plant fibers
String and rope are made from various parts of many native and non-native plants, taking on distinctive appearances, fragrances and strengths. We will learn about the different types of fibers, process a variety of plants used by California Indians and others, and use several techniques to make cordage with them. Never be at the end of your rope again!
The class is limited to 14 students, and will take place at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center at Black Mountain Ranch near Point Reyes Station. (Address provided upon registration.) Weather permitting, we will be sitting outdoors in a shaded area. (You are welcome to bring an outdoor folding chair or cushion, otherwise outdoor seating is on wooden stools.) In the case of rain, we will be in the garage classroom, which has plenty of ventilation and wooden folding chairs.
Participants should bring large scissors, a pocket knife, and a small water bowl; plus any personal snacks, lunch and beverages. Lunch is not included.
Register here!
Important note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, masks are required in indoor spaces for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the class.

Fibershed Scholarship Program
Fibershed is offering two scholarships to most workshops; one scholarship if it’s a small class. If you would not otherwise be able to attend, and would like to be considered as a scholarship recipient, please answer a few brief questions on this Google Form. Responses will be reviewed by Learning Center staff and kept strictly confidential.

Charlie Kennard of San Anselmo is a long-time basket weaver and student of California Indian and other traditional basketry techniques. He has taught for the Point Reyes Field Institute, East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden, the Laguna Center in Santa Rosa and in many schools and at teacher trainings. Tule boats made in his workshops can be seen at the Bay Model in Sausalito, Lake County Museum, and another is in the collection of the Oakland Museum. You can also visit a basketry plant garden Charlie has created at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross. Charlie is active in native habitat restoration in Marin, managing several projects for Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed.

2 Day Natural Dye Full Spectrum Workshop with Fiber Circle Studio
2022-04-02 11:00 - 2022-04-03 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fiber Circle Studio, 113 Kentucky St., Petaluma, CA, 94952, United States
2 Day Natural Dye Full Spectrum Workshop with Fiber Circle Studio
This is a 2 session in-person workshop, running April 2 & 3, 2022, 11am-5pm
All materials are included. Each student will get to take home 12 different mini skeins of yarn!
Fiber Circle Studio’s 2-day Natural Dyeing Rainbow workshop will be a hands-on experience where students will dye a range of colors ROYGBIV. You’ll use both indigo and other natural dyestuffs and extracts to dye 12 1oz skeins of Sincere Sheep custom-spun American Cormo wool.
Day One: Mordanting and Indigo dyeing.
Day Two: Overdyeing and non-indigo colors.
Please bring/wear:
Comfortable shoes
Apron or clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
Rubber Gloves
Sun Hat
Notebook + Pen
Ages: 18+
Skill Requirements: None
Taught by: Brooke Sinnes
Register here!

Cover photo credit: Cecilia Campochiaro

Buckskin Brain Tanning Process — Traditional California Native Regalia
2022-04-08 09:00 - 2022-04-10 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm each day
Location: Fibershed Learning Center, Point Reyes Station, CA (address provided on enrollment)
Cost: Free. Enrollment eligible for self-identified Tribal Members in Marin, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Counties
Teachers: Jay Sliwa – Traditional hide tanner, with 25 years experience in the tanning arts
& Tišina T. Parker – Southern Sierra Miwuk / Yosemite Paiute / Kashia Pomo
Join us for this traditional making of California sacred regalia. In this class we will explore processing techniques involved in brain tanning buckskin leather. We will also hold council together about ethics in material collection, tribal sovereignty and land access issues, ceremonial practices of working with animal ancestors and cultural sharing through re-making tradition together.
All natural and wild gathered materials of buckskin hides, animal brain for tanning & wood punk for smoking provided. All tools provided.
This is a 3 full day class — Friday, Saturday & Sunday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. This class requires a good amount of physical work & can be taxing on the body, please be prepared to put some muscle into it! Elders or people with physical differences may wish to send a family member to process the hide as an offering for them. This process requires intimate interaction with animal elements. Please wear old work clothes & shoes that can get dirty, messy and wet.
Out of mutual respect for each other, teachers and our collaborators, students are asked to commit to attending class for full length and time on all days. Lunch & drinks will be provided. If you have strict dietary needs, please consider also bringing some of your own personal nourishment.
To register, email: cimcc.interns@gmail.com
Important note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, masks are required in indoor spaces for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the class.
This cultural class offering is generously & collaboratively supported by Fibershed and California Indian Museum and Cultural Center.
Download a PDF flyer: Buckskin Flyer, April 2022
(Photos courtesy of Tišina T. Parker)

An Evening on Batik and Javanese Culture with Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
2022-04-14 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
The Brahma Tirta Sari Studio (Yogyakarta, Indonesia) founded by Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam in 1985, explores the roots of Javanese traditional batik, continuing its essence in a contemporary spirit.
Javanese philosophy speaks of karti kerdating sukma, work created by the vibration of the soul. Their dedication to this principle, including an understanding that such work must be collaborative, has given birth to the form of batik that is the signature of their studio in Indonesia and expresses the traditional belief that the creative process can touch upon the sacred.
Join us for a talk on batik and display of their work by Nia and Ismoyo at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center near Point Reyes Station, CA.
The Learning Center will open at 6:00 pm for tours of the gardens and classrooms. The talk will begin at 7:00 pm.
Please RSVP to learningcenter@fibershed.org, so that we can get an estimate of the number attending.
Download a PDF flyer here.

Ismoyo and Nia will also be teaching two hands-on workshops at the Fibershed Learning Center:
Indigo and Ceriops Natural Dyes
Learn to prepare and use two traditional Indonesian natural dyes
1-day workshop: April 15
Enroll here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/297496378677
Batik and the Creative Process
Learn batik with cultural wisdom guiding the creative process
2-day workshop: April 16-17
Enroll here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/235168414057

(Photos courtesy of Threads of Life, Bali, except student batik and indigo vat above by Jerri Linn)

Indigo and Ceriops Natural Dyes with Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
2022-04-15 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Learn to prepare and dye with two traditional Indonesian natural dyes: Indigo and Ceriops (mangrove tannin)
Please join us at the beautiful Fibershed Learning Center near Point Reyes Station, CA, for a 1-day workshop on dyeing with indigo and Ceriops (mangrove tannin), taught by artists Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam from Brahma Tirta Sari Studio in Yogyakarta. Javanese philosophy speaks of karti kerdating sukma, work created by the vibration of the soul. Their dedication to this principle, including an understanding that such work must be collaborative, has given birth to the form of batik that is the signature of their studio in Indonesia.
We will be learning to make and use an indigo vat with indigo paste from a farmer’s collective near Yogayakarta in Java, and a Ceriops vat (copper color) with dye material harvested from an FSC-certified, responsibly-managed concession in West Papua. The Ceriops extract is supplied by Threads of Life in Bali, and is now being offered by Botanical Colors in Seattle.
Nia and Ismoyo hope to promote these grassroot projects by using the dyes in their workshops, and look forward to sharing what they know of working with the dyes in this mutual growth process with the students. The focus in their workshops is to involve students in a creative journey that emphasizes becoming one with nature.
Enroll here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/297496378677
Students may bring to dye: swatches of personal fabrics or small garments — must be of natural fibers only; otherwise fabric swatches will be provided.
Please bring any personal snacks, lunch and beverages. Lunch is not included.
Important note: Depending on conditions at the time of the workshop, masks may be required in indoor spaces for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the workshop. If conditions change and it becomes necessary to cancel because of the pandemic, your tuition and fees will be refunded.
This workshop will take place in the garage classroom, with doors open and plenty of ventilation. Restrooms are in the adjoining house. Lunch may be eaten on the deck or other outdoor areas.

Nia & Ismoyo will also be teaching a 2-day workshop on Batik and Creative Process on April 16-17: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/235168414057
FREE EVENT: An Evening on Batik and Javanese Culture with Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
Join us for a talk on batik by Nia and Ismoyo, whose work explores the roots of Javanese traditional batik, continuing its essence in a contemporary spirit.
April 14th, 6:00 to 9:00 pm. The Learning Center will open at 6:00 pm for tours of the gardens and classrooms. The talk will begin at 7:00 pm.
More information here

Fibershed Scholarship Program
Fibershed is offering two scholarships to most workshops; one scholarship if it’s a small class. If you would not otherwise be able to attend, and would like to be considered as a scholarship recipient, please answer a few brief questions on this Google Form. Responses will be reviewed by Learning Center staff and kept strictly confidential.

About the instructors: Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
Crossing both visible and invisible boundaries—of nationality, ethnic background, the traditional, the contemporary, art-craft—Agus Ismoyo (Indonesian) and Nia Fliam (American) have been working collaboratively to produce contemporary textiles in their fine art batik studio, Brahma Tirta Sari in Yogyakarta, Indonesia since 1985.
Ismoyo’s ancestors were batik makers in the court city of Solo in Java. He was trained in industrial management at the Industrial Academy (AKPRIND) in Yogyakarta. Nia originally explored dye resist techniques from Africa and Asia in America. She completed her fine arts degree at Pratt Institute in New York City before coming to Indonesia in 1983 to study traditional batik.
“This collaborative art team is renowned for their intricate, nuanced and time-intensive contemporary fine art textiles. They have exhibited at many prestigious exhibitions including biennale and the triennial exhibitions in Indonesia and around the world and worked with world distinguished curators. Their work has been collected by museums throughout the world in public and private collections. Since 1994 they have explored and worked in collaboration with Australian Aboriginals, American First Nation, African artists from Mali and Nigeria and various Asian, American, European and Australian artists. They have received critical acclaim for their successful use of traditional textile techniques in exploring their own realm of creativity while pursuing an understanding of the value, role and meaning of tradition in the development of our world culture.” — Christine Cocca, Director Yogyakarta Open Studios, Yogyakarta Indonesia

When Ismoyo and Nia founded their studio, they were committed to exploring the rich lessons of traditional Indonesian art both in terms of technique as well as symbolism. Beyond the creative process and symbols of these ancient techniques they have found an unending rich source of inspiration in an ever-expansive journey of artistic discovery.
Their studio, Brahma Tirta Sari—which means “creativity is the source of all knowledge”—produces fine art batik and was founded on the belief that there are many relevant traditions rooted in cultures throughout the world which are important resources in the creation of contemporary art. Brahma Tirta Sari is a division of the Culture House Babaran Segaragunung which Ismoyo, Nia, Pang Warman, Desmond Anabrang and Agung Harjuno founded to support their exploration of traditional cultures, in order to understand basic cultural principles found through local wisdom that act as a guide through an integral artistic process. The focus of the culture house activities is the understanding and teaching of batik’s intangible culture found through its ancient creative process.
Regarding their own work, Ismoyo and Nia explain:
“We seek to read the visual texts of traditional Javanese batiks which are expressions of the knowledge imbued in batik’s cultural heritage and to express it in a contemporary form. This richness is founded in a deep connection to nature and manifested in an artistic ecology which supports the growth and development of all forms of artistic creativity.”
IG: brahmatirtasari
www.brahmatirtasari.org
The Brahma Tirta Sari batik studio explores the roots of Javanese traditional batik, continuing its essence in a contemporary spirit while expressing the traditional belief that the creative process can touch upon the sacred. (Photos courtesy of Threads of Life and Jerri Linn)

Batik and Javanese Cultural Wisdom with Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
2022-04-16 10:00 - 2022-04-17 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Learn the art of batik, with Javanese cultural wisdom guiding the creative process in this 2-day hands-on workshop
The Fibershed Learning Center in Point Reyes Station, California, welcomes Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam of the Brahma Tirta Sari Studio (Yogyakarta, Indonesia), for a 2-day workshop on the art of batik — based on their 36 years of creative exploration and research as artists in the medium. In addition to the technical aspects of batik, they will be sharing their creative process, which includes some movement exercises as well as explorations of our connection to nature to integrate creativity and aesthetic expression. Javanese philosophy speaks of karti kerdating sukma, work created by the vibration of the soul. Their dedication to this principle, including an understanding that such work must be collaborative, has given birth to the form of batik that is the signature of their studio in Indonesia.
Students will be working with various forms of batik to create several pieces dyed with indigo and Ceriops (mangrove tannin). The indigo vat is made with indigo paste from a farmer’s collective near Yogayakarta in Java, and the Ceriops vat (copper color) with dye material harvested from an FSC-certified, responsibly-managed concession in West Papua. The Ceriops extract is supplied by Threads of Life in Bali, and is now being offered by Botanical Colors in Seattle.
Open to beginners, as well as all levels of experience. Based on reports from others who have studied with Ismoyo and Nia, this workshop will be a unique opportunity to grow creatively.
If additional time is needed for students to complete their project, the ending time may go beyond 4 pm each day.
Materials: Materials are included in the cost.
Please bring: Drawing pad, pencil and eraser for sketching your design ideas, rubber gloves, apron or lap cloth (or clothes that can get stained or dirty).
Also bring any personal snacks, lunch and beverages. Lunch is not included.
Important note: Depending on conditions at the time of the workshop, masks may be required in indoor spaces for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the workshop. The classroom is open to the outdoors and has plenty of ventilation. If conditions change and it becomes necessary to cancel because of the pandemic, your tuition and fees will be refunded.
This workshop will take place in the garage classroom, with doors open and plenty of ventilation. Restrooms are in the adjoining house. Lunch may be eaten on the deck or other outdoor areas.
To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/235168414057
Photos courtesy of Brahma Tirta Sari Studio, Threads of Life, and Jerri Linn

Nia and Ismoyo will also be teaching a separate 1-day workshop on preparing and dyeing with Indigo and Ceriops natural dyes on April 15th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/297496378677
FREE EVENT: An Evening on Batik and Javanese Culture with Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
Join us for a talk on batik by Nia and Ismoyo, whose work explores the roots of Javanese traditional batik, continuing its essence in a contemporary spirit.
April 14th, 6:00 to 9:00 pm. The Learning Center will open at 6:00 pm for tours of the gardens and classrooms. The talk will begin at 7:00 pm.
More information here

Fibershed Scholarship Program
Fibershed is offering two scholarships to most workshops; one scholarship if it’s a small class. If you would not otherwise be able to attend, and would like to be considered as a scholarship recipient, please answer a few brief questions on this Google Form. Responses will be reviewed by Learning Center staff and kept strictly confidential.

A more detailed description of the batik workshop follows:
In this workshop, Ismoyo and Nia offer tools and understanding that enable participants to carry out their creative projects using batik, but this can be applied to other art mediums in the future. The goal of this approach is to create a space for growth and understanding without sacrificing the cultural knowledge of this ancient technique, which can be expressed within a contemporary framework. There is a need for such values to support a sustainable ecosystem honoring nature and crafts. In this way, cultural wisdom may be a compass in explorations of art to enhance creativity. This is not only with respect to the evolution of aesthetics, but also to the wisdom found within the medium.
The Methodology of the Workshop
The workshop will be structured on the Javanese concept of Ngelmu Iku Kelakoni Khanti Laku or learning by doing. The elements of work shop will be:

Ngelmu—Seeking Knowledge
Laku—Gathering Skills and Experience
Kelakon—Putting It into Practice

DAY ONE
NGELMU—Seeking Knowledge—The Tribawana Creative Process
We will begin with an introduction to the theory and history of batik’s creative process found in the ancient Javanese concept of Tribawana that describes how we exist in three realms of the self: nature, community and connection to the source of creativity. We will explore the meaning of this and the implications in creative work.

How do we connect to nature?
We will look at a few historical Javanese traditional batiks showing the ecology of place
Utilizing our body in movement is one of the important lessons taught through this method—creating with our whole body

Olah Rasa—Utilizing Our Inner Sensibilities

Utilizing our inner sensibilities as well as our outer sensitivities is part of the integral creative process taught through batik

Nyawiji (As an analog: return to the feeling of becoming a seed)

Utilizing your whole body and becoming one with universe, to feel the touch of an intimate communication with nature (Father Sky and Mother Earth, humans, flora and fauna, and the source of creativity. As an example, like the light from an oil lamp that is used to illuminate a shadow puppet performance)
Prep—Movement and breathing exercises/stretching/walking in place

LAKU—Learning How to Do It
An explanation of projects to be carried out in the workshop. The focus of these projects are on the process not the product.

Batik layering with dots in three colors
Batik layering with lines in three colors
Introduction to cap batik and experimental cap batik techniques
Introduction to dyeing with indigo paste
Homework to create a personal symbol

DAY TWO
NGILMU—Seeking Knowledge
The Tree as the Nest of the Wind/Kayu Gong Susu Ing Angin—how Bima found his true self
Olah Rasa—Utilizing Our Inner Sensibilities

Utilizing your whole body and becoming one with nature
Prep—stretching/walking in place

Laku—Learning How to Do It

Create a batik of a personal symbol—free to use hand and/or cap batik
Create a multi-layered cap batik

Kelakon—The Synthesis—Evaluation of Work

Final questions
Sharing knowledge—a group discussion and showing the work you have accomplished
Complete the final evaluation form and return it to Ismoyo and Nia

About the instructors: Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam
Crossing both visible and invisible boundaries—of nationality, ethnic background, the traditional, the contemporary, art-craft—Agus Ismoyo (Indonesian) and Nia Fliam (American) have been working collaboratively to produce contemporary textiles in their fine art batik studio, Brahma Tirta Sari in Yogyakarta, Indonesia since 1985.
Ismoyo’s ancestors were batik makers in the court city of Solo in Java. He was trained in industrial management at the Industrial Academy (AKPRIND) in Yogyakarta. Nia originally explored dye resist techniques from Africa and Asia in America. She completed her fine arts degree at Pratt Institute in New York City before coming to Indonesia in 1983 to study traditional batik.
“This collaborative art team is renowned for their intricate, nuanced and time-intensive contemporary fine art textiles. They have exhibited at many prestigious exhibitions including biennale and the triennial exhibitions in Indonesia and around the world and worked with world distinguished curators. Their work has been collected by museums throughout the world in public and private collections. Since 1994 they have explored and worked in collaboration with Australian Aboriginals, American First Nation, African artists from Mali and Nigeria and various Asian, American, European and Australian artists. They have received critical acclaim for their successful use of traditional textile techniques in exploring their own realm of creativity while pursuing an understanding of the value, role and meaning of tradition in the development of our world culture.” — Christine Cocca, Director Yogyakarta Open Studios, Yogyakarta Indonesia
When Ismoyo and Nia founded their studio, they were committed to exploring the rich lessons of traditional Indonesian art both in terms of technique as well as symbolism. Beyond the creative process and symbols of these ancient techniques they have found an unending rich source of inspiration in an ever-expansive journey of artistic discovery.
Their studio, Brahma Tirta Sari—which means “creativity is the source of all knowledge”—produces fine art batik and was founded on the belief that there are many relevant traditions rooted in cultures throughout the world which are important resources in the creation of contemporary art. Brahma Tirta Sari is a division of the Culture House Babaran Segaragunung which Ismoyo, Nia, Pang Warman, Desmond Anabrang and Agung Harjuno founded to support their exploration of traditional cultures, in order to understand basic cultural principles found through local wisdom that act as a guide through an integral artistic process. The focus of the culture house activities is the understanding and teaching of batik’s intangible culture found through its ancient creative process.
Regarding their own work, Ismoyo and Nia explain:
“We seek to read the visual texts of traditional Javanese batiks which are expressions of the knowledge imbued in batik’s cultural heritage and to express it in a contemporary form. This richness is founded in a deep connection to nature and manifested in an artistic ecology which supports the growth and development of all forms of artistic creativity.”
IG: brahmatirtasari / bsg.culturehouse / baragung.bsg
www.brahmatirtasari.org / www.babaransegaragunung.org

Feather Top Knots — Traditional California Native Regalia
2022-04-23 09:00 - 2022-04-24 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Fibershed Learning Center, 14000 Pt. Reyes - Petaluma Rd, Point Reyes Station, CA, 94956, United States
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm each day
Location: Fibershed Learning Center, Point Reyes Station, CA (address provided on enrollment)
Cost: Free. Enrollment eligible for self-identified Tribal Members in Marin, Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino Counties
Teachers: Shawn Padi – Member of the Hopland Band of Pomo Indians
& Tišina T. Parker – Southern Sierra Miwuk / Yosemite Paiute / Kashia Pomo
Join us for this traditional making of California sacred regalia. In this class we will explore construction techniques involved in making a feather top knot. We will also hold council together about ethics in material collection, tribal sovereignty and land access issues, ceremonial practices of working with animal ancestors and cultural sharing through re-making tradition together.
All natural and wild-gathered materials of natural fiber twine & hand-collected turkey feathers provided. Please bring any feathers you may have of your own to incorporate into your top knot.
This class a 2 full day class — Saturday & Sunday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Out of mutual respect for each other, teachers and our collaborators, students are asked to commit to attending class for full length and time on all days. Lunch & drinks will be provided. If you have strict dietary needs, please consider also bringing some of your own personal nourishment.
To register, email: cimcc.interns@gmail.com
Important note: Due to the ongoing pandemic, masks are required in indoor spaces for all participants, and we will maintain appropriate physical distance during the class.
This cultural class offering is generously & collaboratively supported by Fibershed and California Indian Museum and Cultural Center.
Download a PDF flyer: Feather Top Knot Flyer, April 2022
(Photos courtesy of Tišina T. Parker)

Papermaking Workshop in Santa Rosa with Jane Ingram Allen
2022-04-23 10:00 - 16:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | CA
Hand Papermaking Workshop with Jane Ingram Allen in Santa Rosa
Address: 5017 Maiden Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95409
Phone: 857-2344-2432
Email: info@janeingramallen.com
https://janeingramallen.wordpress.com and www.janeingramallen.com
EXTREME Hand Papermaking! – Saturday, April 23, 10AM to 4PM
Workshop Fee: $150 – Includes all materials and use of equipment. Send check to Jane Ingram Allen, 5017 Maiden Lane, Santa Rosa, CA 95409 or pay with a credit card using Paypal to info@janeingramallen.com
Due to so many wanting to take the March 19 workshop, I decided to offer it again in April! Join me in my Santa Rosa studio for some indoor and outdoor EXTREME and Experimental Papermaking using a variety of pulps such as kozo (paper mulberry bark), cotton blue jeans, sisal, flax and abaca as well as at least one plant fiber gathered locally.
We will do such things as make really big paper using pouring methods, make really thin but strong paper using Japanese techniques, make thick sculptural cast paper, burn handmade paper using a flame retardant, make holes, tear and shred paper, make paper that moves and produces sounds and blend some strange and exotic pulps for special effects. Come prepared for some extreme experimental papermaking to produce unique handmade paper for artwork of all kinds. This workshop is suited for beginning and experienced papermakers and promises to challenge you to stretch and expand your ideas about papermaking.
Class size is limited to 4 people, and all must be vaccinated. All Covid protocols in effect will be followed.
