To sign up for any of our classes, please give the shop at call at 978-456-8669.
KNITTING
Knitting Club
Monday mornings (10:00 a.m. – noon ) January 8 – April 29
$85 for 17 weeks
OR Tuesday afternoons (1:00 – 3:00 p.m.) January 9 – April 30
$85 for 17 weeks
OR Thursday afternoons (1:00 – 3:00 p.m.) January 11 – May 2
$85 for 17 weeks
OR Thursday evenings (7:00 – 9:00 p.m.) January 11 – May 2
$85 for 17 weeks
OR Friday mornings (10:00 a.m. – noon) January 12 – May 3
$85 for 17 weeks
Advisors: Suzanne Kelly, Carol Quinn, Karen Johnson
This is not a class, but a “support” group for beginners through advanced knitters. Bring your own projects and enjoy the company (and knowledge) of other knitters. One of our staff is always available if you need more help than the group can give you. Some knitting experience is required: you must know how to knit and purl. Members receive a $5 merchandise credit for each week in attendance PLUS 10% OFF all yarn. Feel free to join anytime, even after the sessions have started. (We will prorate the fee). Not sure if this is for you? Try a class for free.
SPINNING
Spinning Club
First Monday of each month (1 – 3 p.m.)
No charge
Advisor: Suzanne Kelly
This is a drop-in class. Join us to sit, spin and relax with your wheel or spindle once a month. We’ll share techniques, tips, and conversation. All levels are welcome. Participants will receive 10% OFF spinning fibers the days the club meets.
Beginning Drop Spindle
Minimum 3 participants, max 6; one 3-hour class
Thursday (5:00 – 8:00 p.m.) January 25
OR Saturday (2:00 – 5:00 p.m.) April 13
$50includes materials
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
Love fiber? Love yarn? Learn to make your own yarn from commercially prepared wool fibers using a drop spindle. Spinning with a drop spindle is relaxing and portable. Students may bring their own drop spindle, borrow one from the instructor, or purchase one at the shop. Each student in this half-day class will go home with a small skein of handspun yarn.
Beginning Spinning on a Wheel
Minimum 3 participants, max 5; one 4-hour class (with a break for lunch)
Monday (10:00 – 3:00 p.m.) February 12
OR Saturday (10:00 – 3:00 p.m.) April 20
$75 includes materials
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
Do you want to be able to spin your own yarn for knitting, weaving or gifting? Do you want to try different wheels to see what works best for you? Do you want to understand the difference between roving and top, and how to use them? Students will learn to spin from different types of commercially prepared fiber and try several types of wheels. Equipment and fiber will be provided for use in the class. Students may bring their own wheel in good working order if they have one.
Great Wheel Spinning
Minimum 3 participants; one 2.5- to 3-hour class
This class is not scheduled. If you are interested in taking it, please call to put your name on the list.
$45 includes materials
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
Are you interested in learning to spin on a Great Wheel/Wool Wheel/Walking Wheel? This is a rare opportunity to learn to use the wheel that was left in your grandmother’s house, or the one you picked up at an antique store, or the one at the historic house where you volunteer. Students will practice different techniques with a variety of fibers. Learn to dance with the wheel! Prerequisite: Students must already know how to spin. Being able to bring your own great wheel is preferred, but arrangements may be made to rent one.
WEAVING
Beginning 4-Shaft Weaving
Minimum 3 participants, max 5; two 6- to 7-hour classes (with a break for lunch)
Saturdays (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) February 24 AND (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) March 2 (a snow date is scheduled for March 9 if necessary)
OR Fridays (10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) March 29 AND (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) April 5
$200 plus materials (includes loom rental fee)
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
This 2-day class is a start-to-finish beginning weaving experience on a 4-shaft loom. The first day, students are guided through measuring out a warp, beaming the warp, sleying the reed and threading the heddles. The first few rows of weaving will be complete before the end of the day. The looms go home along with students with instructions for weaving a sampler between the classes. Support is available between the classes. On the second day, the samplers are completed and we take a step back to get an introduction to project planning and drafting. Portable 4-shaft tabletop looms are provided for use during and between the classes as part of the class fee. An additional materials fee covers the yarn used for the sampler. Materials fee: cost of 6-9 oz perle cotton (~$2 per ounce) and the optional purchase of Learning to Weave by Debbie Chandler.
Special offer for Beginning Weaving only: Take the class with a friend for just $30 more! You’ll work on one loom and make one sampler, but you will both learn just as much!.
Inkle Weaving
Minimum 3 participants, max 5; one 5-hour session (with a break for lunch)
Monday (10 a.m. – 3 p.m.) January 29
OR Monday (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) March 18
$75 (includes borrowing a loom during the class if needed)
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
Inkle weaving is a simple and inexpensive way to weave narrow bands of fabric. There are limitless possibilities of color design. Participants will learn to make heddles and efficiently warp the loom in different color patterns and will weave a narrow band, bookmarks, or shoelaces. When signing up, please indicate whether you have an inkle loom or not. Some looms are available to borrow for the class and will be available for purchase at a discount following the class. 
Inkle Writing and Pickup
Minimum 3 participants, max 5; one 5-hour session (with a break for lunch)
Sunday (11 a.m. – 4 p.m.) April 14
$75 (includes borrowing a loom during the class if needed)
Instructor: Penny Lacroix
This class is for people who are already familiar with plain inkle weaving but would like to learn about weaving bands with alphabets, messages and other pickup patterns. We’ll look at different methods of warping an inkle loom for letters and discuss the pros and cons of each. Then students will design their own message, warp their loom, and start “writing” their message! It will likely need to be finished after the class. If you need to purchase a loom, please indicate this when you register for the class. Yarns will be available for purchase. Prerequisite: Intro to Inkle Weaving or familiarity with warping an inkle loom on your own. Please bring at least 30 heddles for your inkle loom.
Scarf in a Day
One participant at a time
Call to schedule a date – allow 4 hours
$75 includes materials, instruction and use of the pre-warped loom for a day
Come in and weave a rayon chenille scarf on a pre-warped loom. You will receive personal instructions on how to wind bobbins and weave the scarf. You’ll weave the scarf on your own, but someone will be available for questions. When you are done weaving, you cut the scarf off the loom and take it home for finishing. Fringing and washing instructions will be provided. No need to invest in a loom, warping, or materials. Let us do that for you!
CROCHET
Beginner Crochet
Minimum 2 participants, max 6
Wednesday (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) March 20
OR Wednesday (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) March 27
$35 plus materials
Instructor: Harry Reardon-Daley
This class is suitable for the absolute beginner. In this two-hour session, you will learn how to hold the hook and keep tension as well as make the foundation chain, single crochet, and half double crochet stitches while making a 7-by-9-inch afghan block. When finished, you will learn how to measure your block. Students may also learn how to make the half double crochet stitch once the fist gauge swatch is completed. Materials needed: one skein Plymouth Encore and size I (5.5mm) crochet hook
Crochet Color Changing Techniques
Minimum 2 participants, max 6
Wednesday (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) February 7, 14. 21 AND 28
$80 plus materials
Instructor: Harry Reardon-Daley
The first week, you will learn how to graph a design and choose yarn. You will also figure out gauge with the chosen yarn to determine the desired size of your square. Please bring crochet hooks suitable for the yarn you choose. The second week, we will learn the intarsia crochet technique designed from the square that you designed in the first class. For the third week, we will concentrate on learning the Fair Isle technique which will be based on a second graph design prepared in advance. This technique is best used on garment sections or patchwork pillows. The tapestry crochet technique will be covered in week 4. Based on a third square prepared in advance, this fabric can work up thick so it is best used to make rugs or wall hangings or a thick sweater. Prerequisite: Students must be comfortable making standard crochet stitches (sc, hdc, dc) in rows.
Crochet Scarf
Minimum 2 participants, max 6
Wednesday (1 – 4 p.m.) February 28
$45 plus materials
Instructor: Harry Reardon-Daley
Learn to make your own scarf with the yarn and hook of your choosing.(5.5mm hook and weight 4 yarn suggested). This class is suitable for the beginner through intermediate crocheter. You can design your scarf by either using the basic stitches or take it more advanced with various textured stitches. Prerequisite: Must be able to work and be familiar with basic crochet stitches worked in rows (single crochet and half double crochet, double crochet).
FELTING
Needle-Felted Pet Rock
Minimum 2 participants, max 6
Wednesday (10 a.m. – 12 p.m.) March 6 AND 13
$50 plus materials
Instructor: Harry Reardon-Daley
Learn to needle felt a pet rock! We will use beginner needle-felting techniques to shape the nose, eyelids and eyes and then use a smaller needle and different techniques to make the moss. Prerequisite: Must be able to work and be familiar with basic crochet stitches worked in rows (single crochet and half double crochet, double crochet). Materials: Any color wool for the core wool and rock colored wool for the outer layer. Multiple scraps of wool for the small details such as the eyes and the moss. Tools and needles will be supplied for in class use only.
Felted Snowman
Minimum 2 participants, max 4
Wednesday (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.) January 17 AND 24
$60
Instructor: Harry Reardon-Daley
In this two-part workshop, you will learn various techniques to create a needle-felted snowman. Learn to felt around wire for the arms (limited colors and wire will be supplied in class or you may bring your own colors). The snowman above was made using wool for the core and hand-dyed wool for the eyes, nose, and arms. This is a two-part two-hour course so you can make the snowman as complex as you want or you can start small and make multiples. Many techniques will be taught in class; however, some techniques for the bigger snowman may require some at-home work. Prerequisite: You must already know now to needle-felt.
PRIVATE LESSONS
Want to take a class but can’t make the scheduled session? We offer private spinning or 4-harness weaving lessons at $40 per hour by Penny Lacroix. Our private rigid heddle weaving lessons are $40 per hour and are taught by Ann Murphy. We also offer private crochet lessons (taught by Harry Reardon-Daley) for $40 per hour. Give us a call at 978-456-8669 for more information or to set up an appointment.
Penny Lacroix is a weaver, spinner, knitter, dyer and lover of all things fiber. As a historian, she appreciates the manual creation of useful products and enjoys sharing this knowledge and skill with others. She’s been weaving and spinning since 2000 and also teaches at the Weavers’ Guild of Boston and other venues. She is a member of the Boston Area Spinners and Dyers and is co-chair of the Nashoba Valley Weavers’ Guild. See her work at http://pennylacroix.com and www.instagram.com/penoix/
Harry Reardon-Daley is a Craft Yarn Council Certified Instructor. Harry has taught both in nursing homes (he is a Certified Activity Director) and various other settings (such as Fabrics n Things). He will provide in-home instruction for a groups of three or more people. To see samples of his work, visit his Facebook page: Harry’s Hooks And Needles.
Ann Murphy is a weaver and spinner. She has been weaving since the 1970s and is proficient in both 4-harness and rigid-heddle weaving. Ann belongs to both the Boston Area Spinners and Dyers Guild and the Boston Weavers Guild.
THINGS TO KNOW
We accept Master Card, Visa, Discover, and American Express, as well as checks and cash. Phone registration accepted with credit card. Tuition for classes will be charged 4 days prior to a session. No refunds after that time. Tuitions will be refunded if class is cancelled.
All materials can be bought at the shop, either ahead of time or the day of the class.Unless otherwise noted in the class listing, the cost of materials is additional. While enrolled in a class at the Fiber Loft, students receive a 10% discount on yarns and fibers. Teenagers are welcome in all adult classes. Please plan on either bringing your lunch or buying it elsewhere for those classes that run all day.
If the weather is bad, give us a call or check our Facebook page for information on either the shop closing for the day or opening late.