Join our mailing list to learn about upcoming workshops and events at Craftfolk Collective. We offer free and paid in-person experiences at our schoolhouse in Colfax, CA. We also share stories about makers and craft traditions across the globe through our semi-monthly newsletters.
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Resending: Week of June 29th: Classes and Events at Craftfolk
Published 2 months ago • 3 min read
Resending with fixed image links!
This past week was filled with two of my favorite things....craft and music!
On Saturday we learned to make felted purses with the wonderful Beth Leydon, and the process was super engaging and active. We started by choosing our colors of wool roving and decorative materials, then laid out our designs before wetting the fiber and putting it through a series of steps to felt and full it (agitating and shrinking the wool until it transforms into a dense, sturdy fabric). We shocked our pieces with hot and cold water, rubbed vigorously, rolled, and beat them into shape. I loved the clever found objects Beth brought as fulling tools (pool noodles, foot massagers, netting, bubble wrap) whatever it takes to get the wool to bind and shrink. Each participant made a small purse, and it was so fun to see how different and personal everyone's designs turned out.
Laying out the purse design in wool roving.
Laurel laying out her design (notice one of the tools...a pool noodle!)
Adding soap and water.
We also had a lovely turnout for Craft Club and the Bluegrass & Oldtime Jam at the Colfax Farmer's Market. Folks worked on painting, crochet, scrapbooking, knitting, and punch needle, and the jammers played a mix of bluegrass, country, and old-time tunes, including favorites by Claire Lynch, Dolly Parton, and Tony Rice.
JD leading a song on fiddle.
Join us for Craft Club this Thursday, July 2nd at the Colfax Farmer's Market (4-6pm). Bring any craft project you want to work on and a chair. We provide the space and sweet treats to enjoy. RSVPs are helpful so we know how many cookies to bake, but walk-ins are also welcome. The Bluegrass & Old-Time Jam follows from 6-7:30pm. We welcome all levels of players and singers, or folks who just want to pull up a chair and listen. Bring your instrument, chair, and a few tunes to share!
We still have a few spots left in our gel plate printing and frame looms classes in July and hope you will join us! Our fermentation and cheesemaking workshops have sold out (thank you!), but if there is enough interest, we may add new sessions in the fall, so let us know. We'll be taking a break from workshops in August, but Craft Club and the Bluegrass & Old-Time Jam will keep going all summer long. Hope to see you there!
Wishing you a creative week and hope to see you soon, Gretchen
Gretchen Boyce Founder, Craftfolk Collective
Featured Workshop:
Saturday, July 11, 1-3:30pm: Print & Play: A Gel Plate Printing Workshop
Last call! Registration closes Tuesday.
We are thrilled to have Jill McCann back to teach the process of gel plate printing: a fun way to create collage-style, one-of-a kind prints utilizing a variety of techniques.
This beginner-friendly class is designed for adults who want to explore a playful, hands-on approach to printmaking. You’ll learn the basics of creating layered textures, patterns, image transfers, and one-of-a-kind prints using a gel plate. You get step-by-step guidance and plenty of time to experiment and create prints.
Each participant will receive a take-home kit that includes a 5 x 7 gel plate and brayer tool so the fun doesn’t stop when class ends. No experience needed, just curiosity and a willingness to get a little inky.
All levels welcome. All materials provided.
Tuition: $90 | Materials: $30
About the instructor: Jill McCann is a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans painting, fiber arts, printmaking, collage, mixed media, and digital art — a practice shaped by over two decades of experimentation and a deep connection to the Sierra Foothills landscape she calls home. Her creative roots reach back to age fourteen, when she apprenticed at the Kirmeyer School of Fiber Arts, where she developed a lasting appreciation for process, material, and craft. Alongside her studio practice, Jill has worked for many years in public education, supporting students with disabilities and designing professional development for educators across Placer County and California, and currently teaches in a special education teacher intern program. She also leads adult art workshops through community education programs. For Jill, time spent with paint on her hands or in creative collaboration with others is always time well spent.
Join us for an informal gathering of makers, neighbors, and friends. Bring your own project and work in the company of community. We offer the space and light snacks to enjoy.
Free! Bring a chair and your own materials/projects.
Location: Colfax Farmers Market, South Main Street, Colfax.
a gathering place for creative community in the Sierra Foothills.
Join our mailing list to learn about upcoming workshops and events at Craftfolk Collective. We offer free and paid in-person experiences at our schoolhouse in Colfax, CA. We also share stories about makers and craft traditions across the globe through our semi-monthly newsletters.
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