Nov
2011
Craft Classes at the Castle!
We’re offering something new for 2012 – Join us this Winter for one of our New Craft Classes and learn about making Victorian Fabric Lamp Shades or take an Introduction to Heirloom Buttons. A full list of courses can be found here. Book early as class registrations close 1-2 weeks in advance (in order to custom order the materials) and space is extremely limited! More info and registration forms are available from Elisabeth Hazell at 250-592-5323 x32 or Email your request.
Please note that the cut-off date for registration may be as early as 2 weeks prior. This will allow the instructors sufficient time to order the rare materials necessary for the course. Please register in advance to avoid class cancelations.
Course Title: The Lost Arts of Darning and Mending
Instructor Name: Grace Morrison
Date: Day: Saturday Date: January 7, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $40/student Materials Fee: $5.00
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description:
Have you ever felt like throwing out those socks with a hole in the heel is a waste? Ever wish you had a personal seamstress on hand to replace lost buttons or stitch pockets back on to your favourite shirts? With this course ‘How to Mend it’ we will work through the basics of repairing rips, tears, and holes of various sizes in your well loved clothing. You will learn the basics of darning socks, sewing on buttons, and repairing split seams. Bring your clothing in need of some love with you to the course and get some hands on help from an expert mender.
Materials Students must bring: an assortment of needle sizes (can be purchased at any craft store) Thread to match what needs mending (there will be extra thread/yarn available.) Articles of clothing that need to be mended. A sharp pair of small scissors.
The Instructor will be responsible for: extra thread options
Materials to be purchased from instructor: $5.00 darning egg
Course Title: INTRO TO VICTORIAN LAMPSHADE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
Instructor Name: Marion Corber
Date: Day: Saturday Date: January 14th, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $75/student Materials Fee: $40
Class Size: Min. 4 - Max. 20
Class Description(s):
The design elements of the Victorian era are easily recognizable, especially in the expression of lighting and fabric lampshades. Ornate layers of fabrics, such as silks, satins, and laces are hand-stitched to the metal frame, and are finished with trimmings, silk and rayon fringe, beaded fringe, and tassels. As England’s trade markets opened up to the world, influences from China, Japan and India began to appear in the home furnishings of the British middle class, creating the Victorian era of highly ornamental, sumptuous, eclectic, and sometimes “over-the-top” interior design.
In this one-day course, Introduction to Victorian Lampshade Making, we will learn how to wrap a bare, 6” scalloped wire frame with a cotton tape. We will then learn how to sew a fabric panel onto the frame, add a decorative overlay panel, and finally finish the shade with trim and fringe. While we are sewing and gluing, we will discuss how to choose the correct lampshade for a particular base, how to create mood via lighting, and how to care for our beautiful creations. If possible, please bring something soft (an old pillowcase or scrap of fabric) to work on while you sew and glue. If you like to sew with a thimble, please bring that along as well.
The Instructor will be responsible for: Providing all materials to be purchased.
Materials to be purchased from instructor:
1 (6”) wire lampshade frame $10.00
½ yard fabric $ 7.00
¼ yard overlay fabric $ 3.50
2 yards trim $ 10.00
3 yards twill tape $ 7.50
Fabric glue $ 5.00
Materials Students must bring: If possible, please bring something soft (an old pillowcase or scrap of fabric) to work on while you sew and glue. If you like to sew with a thimble, please bring that along as well. (Please bring a lunch as well for this class.)
Course Title: Heirloom Button Making – Beginner
Instructor Name: Jean Betts
Date: Day: Saturday Date: January 28
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $40/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 10
Class Description: Learn to make needle woven buttons using small amounts of yarn. Match an outfit or add beads for fun. Victorian woven buttons were used from about 1850 until 1920. An introductory class will start with a Dorset button and a following class will introduce variations and a fabric button.
Materials Students must bring: Students can bring yarn or embroidery floss if they have some.
The Instructor will be responsible for: All materials (rings for the buttons, thread, needles, etc.)
Course Title: Introduction to Crochet
Instructor Name: Rebecca Hardy
Date: Day: Saturday Date: January 21st 2012
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $45/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 4 - Max. 12
Class Description(s):
This beginners workshop will allow you to learn a few basic stitches, how to read a pattern, and send you home with the warmth of a chunky weight slouchy hat. Join Rebecca, a hobbyist crocheter to learn the trade. Within a few short hours of instruction, diagrams and assisted crocheting you will become familiar with beginning chains, single crochet stitch, double crochet stitch, increasing, decreasing, and joining rounds. The most exciting part—you will complete a project that will serve you, or a loved one well! Keep those heads warm, and create it yourself!
Materials Students must bring:
-approximately 220 yards of “chunky yarn” (Paton’s Shetland Chunky or Bernat Softee Chunky is recommended) I personally recommend a colour blend to give a striped and colourful look to your hat.
-6mm crochet hook (may also be found as J or 5)
The Instructor will be responsible for: Providing examples and samples.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA — Bring Your Own crochet hook and yarn.
Course Title: Victorian embroidered sachet
Instructor Name: Rebecca Hazell
Date: Day: Saturday Date: February 4, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $75/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description:
In the Victorian era, ladies made sachets filled with cotton balls infused with subtle perfume or delicate powder. These they tucked into drawers to scent their favourite linens. In this one-day workshop, textile artist Rebecca Hazell will teach basic embroidery stitches for you to use in creating your own one-of-a-kind sachet from authentic designs that she will provide.
Materials Students must bring: You bring your own embroidery or small scissors. To finish this project at the workshop, bring your own scented cotton for filling your sachet.
The Instructor will be responsible for: Basic materials will be provided: pre-cut cotton, patterns for you to transfer onto your sachet, transfer paper, embroidery thread and needles.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA
Course Title: Decoupage (Possibly a Valentine)
Instructor Name: Julia Andrews
Date: Day: Saturday Date: Feb. 11, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $75 Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description(s): We will design and personalize a beautiful keepsake to keep or to give as a gift to that special someone. You can bring in a small item of your own to decoupage or use one of the supplied pieces from the class. Using beautiful papers and decorative touches to create something really wonderful and unique.
Materials Students must bring: good paper cutting scissors, a small (up to 12”)wooden item they would like to decorate in the class and any special decorative paper they have. Please bring their own lunch.
The Instructor will be responsible for: a wide selection of papers & decorative supplies, glues, glazes and paints etc.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA
Course Title: Intermediate Crochet
Instructor Name: Rebecca Hardy
Date: Day: Saturday Date: February 18th
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $45/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 4 - Max. 12
Class Description(s):
Continue to Crochet! (a D.I.Y wrist warmer or mitten workshop)
An intermediate workshop will teach you to shape a thumb hole, and offer the ability to include fancier textures to your creations. Rebecca will teach you to further read a pattern to allow shaping techniques and optional texture stitches to be formed. You will practice previously used stitches such as, the beginning chain, single crochet stitch, double crotchet stitch, and increasing stitches. You will further your skill with the front post stitch, the back post stitch, and learning to shape a thumb hole. A pattern will be supplied with options to suit your personal preferences. Warm your hands with style!
Materials Students must bring: -4 ply worsted weight yarn (100g) -size 4mm or 4.5mm crochet hook
The Instructor will be responsible for: Providing samples and examples.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA — Bring Your Own crochet hook and yarn.
Course Title: Victorian Floral Watercolour painting
Instructor Name: Rebecca Hazell
Date: Day: Saturday Date: February 25, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $75/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description(s):
One of the skills of a Victorian lady of refinement was the ability to paint in watercolour; flowers were a favoured subject. In this workshop, artist Rebecca Hazell will introduce you to the basics of watercolour painting and provide authentic floral patterns for you to transfer onto the watercolour paper provided.
Materials Students must bring: Bring 2 buckets for rinsing brushes, watercolour paints & brushes if you have them.
The Instructor will be responsible for: Basic materials will be provided: watercolour paper, paints & brushes. (Feel free to bring your own paints and brushes.)
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA
Course Title: Heirloom Button Making –Intermediate
Instructor Name: Jean Betts
Date: Day: Saturday Date: March 3rd
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $40/student Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 10
Class Description:
Learn to make needle woven buttons using small amounts of yarn. Match an outfit or add beads for fun. Victorian woven buttons were used from about 1850 until 1920. This intermediate class will introduce variations and a fabric button onto the Dorset style taught in January.
Materials Students must bring: Students can bring yarn or embroidery floss if they have some.
The Instructor will be responsible for: All materials (rings for the buttons, thread, needles, etc.)
Course Title: Needle Tatting
Instructor Name: Carolyn Bright
Date: Day: Saturday Date: March 10, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $50/student Materials Fee: $5
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description:
Needle tatting is a method of making beautiful, sturdy lace, which reached the height of its popularity in the Victorian era. It can be used to make jewelry, edgings and insertions, doilies and tablecloths, veils, framed artwork and more. In this class, learn to tat a motif using a variety of basic tatting shapes, how to analyze the parts of that motif to make smaller objects from it, and how to read and design your own simple tatting charts and patterns.
Materials Students must bring: -pens and at least a piece or two of paper.
The Instructor will be responsible for: -scissors (students cannot keep them) -copies of the pattern for everyone (students can keep these)
Materials to be purchased from instructor: -1 skein of thread -1 tatting needle $5.00
Course Title: Fabric Flowers
Instructor Name: Julia Andrews
Date: Day: Saturday Date: April 14, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 1 PM
Cost: $50 Materials Fee: NA
Class Size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
Class Description(s):
A flower explosion just in time for Spring! You will make several styles of fabric flowers perfect to decorate furnishings, hats, purses, brooches, headbands and hairclips. Beautiful fabrics to sew or glue and embellish to your taste with beads, buttons, sequins.
Materials Students must bring: good fabric cutting scissors
The Instructor will be responsible for: a wide variety of beautiful quality fabrics and decorative trims, glue, threads, brooch backs, headbands, hairclips, and anything else they might need or want.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: NA
Course Title: Leather Venetian Bookbinding
Instructor Name: Vladimir Flad
Date: Day: Saturday Date: April 21, 2012
Time: 10 AM – 3 PM
Cost: $140 Materials Fee: $60
Class Size: Min. 8 - Max. 10
Class Description(s):
During this workshop you will create your own Venetian bound leather journal. Known as one of the oldest methods of bookbinding, these one-of-a-kind journals are not only visually stunning, but also fun to make. You will learn about different kinds of leather and how to work with it. You will also learn how to handle leather tools safely. These quality books will last for generations and can be used as sketchbooks, diaries, dream or travel-journals as well as photo-albums.
Materials Students must bring: Each participant must sign a disclaimer stating that I will not be liable for any injuries that could happen during the workshop.
The Instructor will be responsible for: Providing samples and materials to be purchased.
Materials to be purchased from instructor: $60 – This kit includes leather, twine, archival paper, 1 utility scissors and a sewing awl for each participant. All other tools will be provided by me and shared between each other.
An additional optional tool kit can be ordered and purchased through me. This kit allows the participant to work with leather and make journals at the convenience of their own home in the future. Kit includes: 1 cutting board 18 x 24 inches, 1 straight edge, 1 fabric/leather cutting tool, 1 lace cutter, 1 hole punch tool, 1 exacto knife, 1 pliers, 1 marker and enough leather and archival paper to make at least 2 more journals. Cost for this kit is $250.