Want to know what kind of different, fun things you can do with fiber arts? Set aside a Saturday afternoon (1-3pm) and let our talented fiber artists teach you a new, fun craft. If you have questions, call us at 979-822-5684 or email weavebrazos@gmail.com. Register and pay online for upcoming Play Days here.
1st Saturday of the Month: Weaving Wisdom
Open house! Weavers – old and new – bring in your rigid heddle, inkle, frame, beading, or other loom and work on your project, show off your latest pieces and discuss what you are working on, your successes, problems, and questions. We all learn so much from each other. You can also start preparing for your entry into the CHT2025 Biennial Conference Members Exhibit.
2nd & 4th Saturday of the Month: Play Days
Come and play, ask questions, hang out with like-minded people. Activities on a Play Day vary – always check the list a week in advance. The activities are make it and take it with you (see below). The suggested donation is $10.00 per student. Open for young and old, from 1-3pm. Register here
December 14 — Dragon Boat Ornaments, Ages 8 & up, Kay McWilliams
December 28 — Weaving with Paper, Ages 12 & up, Helen Dewolf
Spring 2025 (January to May)
I pm – 3pm, class sizes 6-8 students, register 1 week in advance
January 11– Dyeing Mohair with “Kool Ade,” Ages 12 & up, Laurie Schlitter
January 25 — Paper/Ribbon Beaded Jewelry, Ages 12 & up, Kay McWilliams, Helen Dewolf
February 8 — Swedish Hearts, Ages 12 & up, Helen Dewolf, Kay McWilliams
February 22 — Ancient Viking Lucet Cord Making, Ages 8 & up, Helen Dewolf
March 8 — Slow Stitched Note Cards, Ages 12 & up, Helen Dewolf (intro to Slow Stitched Fiber Art Collage class)
March 22 — Dream Weaver Hoops, Ages 12 & up, Helen Dewolf
April 12 — Kumihimo, Ages 8 & up, Mary Vanduzer
April 26 — Tiny Tapestries – Woven Gems, ages 12 & up, Laurie Schlitter
May 10 — Wet-felted Soap for Mother’s Day, Ages 8 & up, Helen Dewolf
3rd Saturday of the Month: Spinning a Yarn
Spinners encouraged to come to the shop with their wheels, e-spinners or spindles and enjoy the company of other spinners. Show off your hand-spun yarn, practice your spinning skills and start preparing for your entry into the CHT2025 Biennial Conference Members Exhibit.
Here are some of our Play Day activities
Custom Wire Jewelry
In the space of two hours, make a pair of totally unique earrings! Your friends will want the know where you found them and you can say “I know the jeweler!”
Felted masks
Instead of a mask from the party store that looks like all the rest, we will make a felted mask that is a custom fit, soft to the touch and unique to you. Playing with fiber and your imagination are the two best things to do on a Saturday afternoon!
Dragon Boats Ornaments
A handmade ornament is something you can cherish for a lifetime. These ornaments are not only very pretty but fun to make. Bring the whole family to produce the special memories that these ornaments will bring to mind.
Arm Knitting
Here is something that will instill laughter and a large scale knitted item that you can take home with yourself wrapped up in your knitting!
Embellished Note Cards
Have you ever settled on a card for an occasion that was close but not quite ideal. Here is your chance to make the perfect card for your next special event. We will take an ordinary note card and give it the personal touch that makes it special. (Instructor: Helen Dewolf)
Nålebinding
Nålebinding (with Laurie Schlitter) – This is an ancient Scandinavian textile technique of creating flexible fabric with loops of yarn and a blunt needle.
Painted fabric/bookmark
You choose the fabric and the paints and pens and we will decorate a unique bookmark for your favorite reader. This could be someone who truly appreciates the old-fashioned joy of having a book in your hand or for a new reader who is just starting on a lifetime’s adventure of reading.
Dorset Buttons
A Dorset button is made by stitching and weaving thread onto a button-sized ring. The thread used can match the garment to which the button will be attached – to become almost invisible. The thread can be an accent color for the button on a garment. Or the thread can set the button apart by using specialized yarns or colors and become an embellishment for a garment. The choice is yours! It is time to have fun. In a single Play Day, you can finish 2 or 3 small buttons or one large accent button. (Instructor: Helen Dewolf)
Drop spindle spinning
Have you thought you would like to learn to spin yarn but don’t own a spinning wheel? This is your chance to start with the basics. Instructor Laurie Schlitter will guide you through the process and in no time you will be producing yarn that your friends will envy.
Tiny Tapestry
This workshop introduces the beginning weaver to weaving basics, shapes, color and texture to make a coaster or even a small wall hanging. You will start with a pre-warped tiny loom and get a chance to weave in only minutes. (Instructor: Helen Dewolf & Laurie Schlitter)
Coiled Coasters
Kay will introduce you to a practical and creative skill that results in a handcrafted coaster you can use everyday under your Iced-Tea glass.This activity is wonderful because it is the first step in the adventure of making coiled baskets. (Instructor: Kay McWilliams)
Mini Pocket weaving
Weave a small “purse” in an afternoon. You will get a feel for weaving on a very small loom and take home a finished pocket for a special keepsake. This workshop is something almost any age group (from 6 to 96) can do. (Instructors: Kay McWilliams, Helen Dewolf}
Wet felted Flowers
This is your chance to make a custom flower pin for your Mom, Grandmother or best friend. In the space of just an afternoon you can learn to wetfelt colorful wool and exotic fibers into fantastical flowers to adorn a collar, a hat or even a purse. (Instructor Helen Dewolf)
Kumihimo
This ancient Japanese Braiding technique is a skill you can use to produce a multitude of practical and pretty cords, shoelaces, friendship bracelets, lanyards for IDs, and necklaces. This activity is great for almost all ages. (Instructors: Mary Van Duzer, Helen Dewolf, Toni Wilson)
Off Loom Weaving
This could be the beginning of your Hallowe’en decorating. We will take a branch or two and with some yarn we will weave an interesting and maybe spooky hanging to take home.
Blue Jean Seams
We have all heard of using the denim from jeans to make bags, vests or other garments. Kay has a great way to recycle/use those cast off seams to produce cool woven table toppers and coasters. (Instructor Kay McWilliams)
Wet felted Soaps
Helen will lead you through the clean and slightly messy joy of felting wool and other fibers onto bars of soap. You will be able to take it home with you and you can continue to felt it as you use it as you bathe or shower. (Instructor: Helen Dewolf)