Your browser is not optimized for viewing this website.

More information »

Waterford Craft School



Our Classes

Historical Stitches: Introduction to Wool Embroidery

$225

with Shelagh Jessop

Calendar Apr 27, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Spend a relaxing afternoon learning the basics of wool embroidery (or crewel wool embroidery) with Stuart Moores Textiles' plant dyed wool embroidery floss and fabric. We will cover all of the stitching techniques necessary to create a small embroidered motif inspired by 18th century wool embroidery. Each student will receive all of the materials needed to create a motif in class as well as a pattern and all of the materials needed to make a large embroidered pin keep (biscornu) at home.

This workshop is being taught in conjunction with the Loudoun Museum. There will be a presentation and talks about the history of needlework in Loudoun County throughout the day.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $75, covers all supplies students will need to complete a sampler in class as well as supplies to create a biscornu at home.

Items Students should bring: Thread snips, tweezers, reading glasses and a craft light if the student normally uses one for crafting. A chair cushion is also useful for sitting for a long time.

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, April 27th from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 6 hours plus 1 hour of presentations.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: My name is Shelagh (sounds like Shay-la) and I am the one-woman-show behind Stuart Moores Textiles (Stuart was my great-grandfather; you can read about our story on the SMT website). I am a textile artist and professional natural dyer, specializing in traditional natural dyes and dye techniques. My art is predominantly inspired by the history of textile arts and crafts, from grand tapestries made by 11th century master artisans to hand stitched home goods made by 18th century homemakers. I have a degree in Textile Design and a two-year certificate in Horticulture. I currently work out of my home-studio along the Potomac river in Maryland and share my passion for textile craft as an instructor, teaching in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

Payment plan available: $100 deposit plus 2 payments of $62.50, paid every two weeks.

Spoon Carving (1 day workshop)

$200

with Ian Hart

Calendar Apr 27, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Let the wood guide you! In this one-day course, you’ll learn basic spoon-carving techniques, including selecting the best trees for carving, breakingdown logs into usable spoon blanks, and practicing the basic axe and knife skills needed for safe and efficient carving. Using only three tools (axe, straight knife, and hook knife), you'll begin carving your own wooden spoon. You will leave with a few blisters on your hands, an appreciation for the therapeutic nature and addictive qualities of spoon carving, and the basic technique, confidence, and reference material needed to continue carving on your own. The small group format allows for safe and individualized instruction. 

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 7 hours.

Materials fee (included in total class fee): $25 and covers greenwood spoon blanks for carving, a dedicated workstation, use of carving tools, course materials, personalized instruction, coaching, and encouragement.

Items Student should bring: light duty work or gardening gloves, safety glasses (optional).

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: Ian Hart operates a one-man traditional wood and metal shop near Lexington, VA. His work lays heavily on historic tradition, both in design and manufacture, largely involving the same tools and processes used by 17th and 18th Century craftsmen.  Ian formally learned traditional metalwork at the American College of the Building Arts and is a self-taught woodworker.  He apprenticed with Richard Guthrie, a Journeyman Blacksmith and 20-year veteran at Colonial Williamsburg, who taught Ian a passion for taking the time to make things properly, regardless of the cost.  Ian has worked in production, design and management at Cardine Studios, eventually transitioning to his own shop in Lexington, VA where he currently makes direct copies and original iron and wood works rooted in period examples, primarily using a coal forge and hand tools with a few modern pieces of equipment to speed things up. Every piece is hand finished to match historical ironwork. Ian is scheduled to teach an advanced woodworking class June 3-4th for us so if you want to take the skills you learned today to the next level, please consider signing up for his class on our website.

Will run

Ecoprinting on Leather (1 day workshop)

$160

with Theresa Brown

Calendar Apr 28, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Learn how to ecoprint on lambskin leather naturally as well as in color! In this exclusive one-day workshop, students will put ecoprinting skills to work on lambskin leather! Ecoprinting (also known as botanical printing) involves collecting leaves, plants and flowers to imprint the plant images directly upon leather.

Students will learn:

• Leather-everything you need to know to understand, locate, select and work with leathers that accept ecoprinting no matter where you live!

• Equipment-what you need and how to use it (most of which you already have!

• Plants-All about plants, leaves, weeds and flowers and using them on Leather

• Mordants- descriptions and ratios

• Dyes- easy to use selections for permanent results

• Tools- cross over tools many crafters already have for leather work.

• Sources for leather, dyes and mordants and tools (in US and online).

At the end of class students will leave with 2 samples (approx. 8” x 18”) of ecoprinted lambskin leather- naturally ecoprinted and in color and the ability to continue the process with the knowledge learned in the workshop.

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Sunday, April 27th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 5 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $35 and covers 2 lambskin leather sections (8” x 20”), all equipment use (turkey roasters, dowels, fabric strips, baskets, scissors, paper towels, latex gloves,plastic) mordants, use of 1 pre-dyed carrier, resource list and mordant mixing instructions.

Items Students should bring: Although we will collect leaves from home prior to class, students should bring additional leaves from their area with emphasis on high tannin leaves such as oak, maples, rose, blackberry, hickory, sumac and interesting weeds. Fun additional plants (usually store bought) are eucalyptus and colorful flowers such as daisy type flowers. No thick plants. Students will also need to bring 1 roll of paper towels.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: M Theresa Brown is a professional artist whose long art career embraces many areas of the Arts. She uses natural dyes and low impact synthetic dyes and merges them into unique, beautiful designs on silk, wool, paper and leather. She turns her transformed work into artisanal clothing, accessories, and art. Her articles and designs in the fiber arts have appeared in international publications such as "No Serial Number" and "Belle Armoire".   She has a line of instructional PDF’s on ecoprinting techniques and is the first instructor to teach ecoprinting on leather in the US. She has been an instructor at many fiber art shows including Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, Southeastern Animal Fiber Fest, Carolina Fiber Fest, Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival, Michigan Fiber Fest, Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival, Southeast Fiber Arts Association, John C Campbell Folk School and many upcoming new venues.

 

Payment plan available: $100 deposit plus 1 payment of $60.00, paid every four weeks.

Introduction to Basic Clothing Mending

$190

with Shelagh Jessop

Calendar Apr 28, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Spend a relaxing day learning the basics of clothing mending with Shelagh Jessop of Stuart Moores Textiles. Shelagh will teach you the fundamentals of clothing mending along with some basic stitching techniques that will not only repair your clothing but make them stand out as you prolong the life of your much loved clothing. Each student will take home a mending kit that will include Stuart Moores Textiles plant dyed flosses and fabrics as well as everything you need to continue your mending practice at home. This workshop is offered in partnership with the Chesapeake Fibershed and their Sustainable Cloth 2024 Challenge - Mend. Make. Do.

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Sunday, April 28th from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 6.

Materials Fee: $40 (included in total class fee), and covers all supplies students will need to complete a sampler in class as well as supplies to continue mending at home.

Additional supplies students should bring from home:
Thread snips, tweezers, reading glasses and a craft light if the student normally uses one for crafting. A chair cushion is also useful for sitting for a long time.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: My name is Shelagh (sounds like Shay-la) and I am the one-woman-show behind Stuart Moores Textiles (Stuart was my great-grandfather; you can read about our story on the SMT website). I am a textile artist and professional natural dyer, specializing in traditional natural dyes and dye techniques. My art is predominantly inspired by the history of textile arts and crafts, from grand tapestries made by 11th century master artisans to hand stitched home goods made by 18th century homemakers. I have a degree in Textile Design and a two-year certificate in Horticulture. I currently work out of my home-studio along the Potomac river in Maryland and share my passion for textile craft as an instructor, teaching in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions.

Payment plan available: $100 deposit plus 1 payment of $90.00, paid every four weeks.

Asymmetrical Willow Basket Weaving (2 day workshop)

$340

with Jesica Clark

Calendar May 18, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: In this class, students will make an asymmetrical form basket of out willow. Using traditional willow weaving techniques, we will create this contemporary design inspired by Polish basket maker, Stanislaw Dzuibak. A round base is woven in reverse pair, the stakes are inserted and the sides woven up in three rod wale and French randing. The asymmetrical element and the border of the basket is then woven from the stakes themselves! A sturdy branch handle is incorporated to finish the basket.

Class Date and Time: This two-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, May 18th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday, May 19th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm with a one-hour lunch provided each day. Total teachable hours are 12 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $40 and covers willow, branch handle, and tool use: bodkin, rapping iron, hand pruners, side nippers, saw, fid, basket weights.

Items students should bring: Lightweight gloves.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio:  Jes Clark (they/them) is the farmer and weaver at Willow Vale Farm in Stanfordville, NY. Jes weaves traditional and contemporary functional pieces and the basket forms created are a result of their conversation with each stick of willow. All of their willow is grown without pesticides using regenerative practices and with loving care.

Full Course

Bowl Carving (1 day workshop)

$200

with Ian Hart

Calendar May 18, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Let the wood guide you! In this one-day course, you’ll learn basic bowl-carving techniques, including selecting the best trees for carving, breakingdown logs into usable bowl blanks, and practicing the basic axe and knife skills needed for safe and efficient carving. Using only three tools (axe, straight knife, and hook knife), you'll begin carving your own wooden bowl. You will leave with a few blisters on your hands, an appreciation for the therapeutic nature and addictive qualities of bowl carving, and the basic technique, confidence, and reference material needed to continue carving on your own. The small group format allows for safe and individualized instruction. 

Class Date and Time: This one-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, May 18th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 7 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $25 and covers wood blanks for carving, a dedicated workstation, use of carving tools, course materials, personalized instruction, coaching, and encouragement.

Items Students should bring from home: Lightweight work or gardening gloves and safety glasses (optional).

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: Ian Hart operates a one-man traditional wood and metal shop near Lexington, VA. His work lays heavily on historic tradition, both in design and manufacture, largely involving the same tools and processes used by 17th and 18th Century craftsmen.  Ian formally learned traditional metalwork at the American College of the Building Arts and is a self-taught woodworker.  He apprenticed with Richard Guthrie, a Journeyman Blacksmith and 20-year veteran at Colonial Williamsburg, who taught Ian a passion for taking the time to make things properly, regardless of the cost.  Ian has worked in production, design and management at Cardine Studios, eventually transitioning to his own shop in Lexington, VA where he currently makes direct copies and original iron and wood works rooted in period examples, primarily using a coal forge and hand tools with a few modern pieces of equipment to speed things up. Every piece is hand finished to match historical ironwork. Ian is scheduled to teach an advanced woodworking class June 3-4th for us so if you want to take the skills you learned today to the next level, please consider signing up for his class on our website.

Payment plan available: $100 deposit plus 2 payments of $50.00, paid every two weeks.

Will run

Papermaking + Bookbinding (2 day workshop)

$325

with Elizabeth Goins

Calendar May 18, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Students will create handmade paper from junk mail and plant material. Students will experiment with different size and shaped deckle and molds as well as putting decorative items in the pulp. On the second day students will create a Japanese stab binding journal using their handmade paper. Students will learn bookmaking techniques—covering a book, binding, surface design, and much more.

Class Date and Time: This two-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, May 18th, 2024 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday, May 19th, 2024 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Total teachable hours are 12 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $25, covers mixers, trays, junk mail, plant sheet molds, mold and deckle (students will take home with them), paper, decorative materials and use of bookbinding tools.

Items Students should bring: Ruler, pencil, apron, shoes that can get wet, any decorative materials students might want to use to decorate their paper or their journal.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: Elizabeth resides in Charles Town, West Virginia where she offers workshops in her studio, teaching Book Arts, Papermaking, and Papercutting. She accepts commissions for special projects and paper arts.

Elizabeth has taught art through The Council for the Arts, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and the Art Center, Sarasota, Florida. Elizabeth worked as a resident artist in the Jefferson County, West Virginia school system and served on the board for the Jefferson Arts Council, Teaching Arts Creatively (TAC). She is a participating juried member of the Over the Mountain Studio Tour, Jefferson County, West Virginia and a juried member of Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia.

Acrylic Marbling on Papers, Cottons, Silks & Scarves (2 day workshop)

$375

with Peggy Wertheim

Calendar Jun 22, 2024 at 9 am

Class Description: Unlike many art forms, which take years to master, marbling will inspire you with instant gratification and success! Learn traditional marbling techniques with carrageenan (powdered seaweed) and acrylic paints. Using rakes, combs, broomstraws, and other tools, you will learn patterns such as Feather, Bird Wing, Thistle, Frogs, Foot, Chevron, Peacock, Spanish Wave, Stone Marble, and more. Create marbled papers, fat-quarter fabrics and a silk scarf. Use your papers and fabrics in collage, framed artwork, quilting, cards, journal covers, and more. Browse reference books in class & leave with an extensive take-home handout packet. Bring your love of art, your creativity, and curiosity--everything else is included in the class fee!

Class Date and Time: This two-day workshop is hosted on Saturday, June 22nd from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm and Sunday, June 23rd from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm with a one-hour lunch provided each day. Total teachable hours are 12 hours.

Materials Fee (included in total class fee): $75, covers all supplies and tools including aprons, gloves, paper towels, etc.

Items Students should bring: None.

Lunch: Lunch is included in the class fee. If you have any dietary restrictions, please note them when you register.

Instructor Bio: Peggy J. Wertheim, M.A.T. Surface Design Artist and Master Teaching Artist in marbling, silk painting, batik, shibori, and complex dyeing. Her 40+ year career began with textile color exploration and completion of a Master of Arts in Teaching from Miami University. Ms. Wertheim has exhibited at hundreds of juried and invitational shows and galleries simultaneously while offering workshops. This allows her to share her expertise and creativity with her love of teaching. In 2013, she was the only Teaching Artist in the USA selected to attend the prestigious Rauschenberg Foundation Power of Art Conference. She currently devotes herself to teaching workshops, private classes, and creating her Art to Wear and framed artworks.

Payment plan available: $100 deposit plus 4 payments of $68.75, paid every two weeks.




Forgot password?
Staff Log In