Workshop Wonders!

This year marks Phaedra's 4th year of teaching workshops in beginner and intermediate wet and dry felting projects; Waldorf doll-making; dying silk; and is also the 2nd year to offer private workshops and professional development classes for teachers in other like-minded schools and organizations. "I am thrilled to be teaching a class for art doll felting at the Taos Wool festival this year in October 3-4th and will attend the annual PWS Festival of Art as an artisan on April 25th. Please do come and visit, I will have gift certificates for all workshops this year some surprises!"

A Note of Caution: This activity is for adults or older children (age 10 and up) only with strict adult guidance and supervision due to the long and very sharp needles. Do not allow your child to attempt these projects alone!

Something out of nothing workshop Classes: Spring /Summer 2009
held at locations around coastal Los Angeles and Topanga, Ca.

All workshops offered can be tailored to fit most schedules during the day, evenings or weekends.
Most classes start mid morning 10-11am and light snacks are provided.

Beginning basics felting 101: - 2 hours - $25 plus materials fee $7: - Anytime!

• Dry needle felt 2d or 3d seasonal items i.e. small animal, mineral or vegetable! Felting 101 cheat sheet, project pattern and basic kit provided.

Sculpted Wool ART Doll - 4-6 hours -$45 plus $15 materials fee - May 16th-17th

• Here's your chance to make a captivating, magical felted wool art doll to proudly display in your home and sturdy enough for gentle child's play. The finished 8 “ doll will have pose-able arms and a sturdy firm base. Attention to detail and cover techniques for creating clothing of various styles (including shawls, aprons and accessories) and the ever important hair-styling tease tips. Bring your imagination!

Tall Tale Tree Sculpture - 4-6 hours $48 plus $12 materials fee June 13th-14th & 20th

• A really fun class for any level. In this class you will learn how to make a 3-dimensional, free-standing tree sculpture perfect for any chosen season. This is a rather large piece, standing approximately 10 inches tall. At the close of this class you'll have learned the techniques for making ‘firm’ felt using multiple and single needles and know the inside scoop for making tall pieces stand.

Painting with Wool - 3 hours - $35 plus $5 materials fee - Anytime!

• Create your own unique wall hanging from your imagination, a picture, painting or even a poem. Perfect for beginning or advanced felters. We will pay attention to the nuances of ‘painting’ or layering with raw wool and how to make the roving take on different textures like water, stone, wood, flower etc. At the completion of this class, you will have a one of a kind frame-able piece of art for your home or simply use it for embellishment!

Fantasy Playscape - 6-8 hours split over 2-3 sessions - $65 plus $12 materials fee - August dates TBD

• One of the most challenging but satisfying workshops! You will learn every trick in the book (or close to it!) using many skills and techniques to sculpt your very own land of happy! Waterfalls, woodland, marsh, streams and nooks are all perfect hide-aways for your imagination. Bring rubber gloves, a towel and a bamboo mat!

Summer fruit basket - 2-3 hours - $27 plus $5 materials fee – May 23rd or 24th TBD.

• All the how-to’s in the fruit world. Fake food is always fun to look and play with, you will learn both wet and dry techniques to create your own basket of favourite fruit or veg and instructions to make your own bowl too!

Traditional Waldorf dollmaking: 6-8 hours split over 2-3 sessions - $50 plus $30-40 materials fee.
July 9th, 10th and 12th ( third date can be used as a catch up or make up session).

• Learn how to create a unique gift for any child with all natural materials and age old tips! Choose your skin, hair and face combinations to really customize your doll. 12, 16 or 18” dolls. We will cover, making a sturdy head from raw wool, sewing your own skins from a pattern or you may use a ready sewn pattern, learn stuffing techniques to ensure a long life, wig making and finishing touches. Simple clothing patterns are provided to take home.

Design your own workshop - 2 hour minimum

• Do you have a group of friends who want to learn to felt? Can’t make it to a scheduled class time or date? Design your own workshop for private groups or a really different birthday party with spectacular results! Create a custom class for any group of 3 to 10 people and schedule it when it's convenient for you! Prices will be determined based on length and class content.

Goddess Vision Dolls - Coming in September! Please inquire....

• Clearing a room can reap a bounty of goodies to be used for your OOAK ( one of a kind) creation! We will transform your collection of keepsakes into a unique transitional doll. This extremely liberating class may also be used to inspire both maturing pre-teen girls and older women...to creatively and positively express themselves. Only basic sewing skills required. Original patterns will be created and used.
  

Contact Phaedra(at)thephoenixgift.com to schedule your class and receive registration info.


Recent comments from students of the 08-2009 workshops:

“Thank you so much, everyone had a great time and loved that they learned to felt!” Connie

Cat, “It was awesome! I came home feeling absolutely rejuvenated! Better than a spa! Lol!”

“By the way, the class was fantastic. Thanks, Phaedra, for all your help.” Karen B

Spectacular! I'm carrying it all over the place showing it off. Thank you so much for being an AMAZING instructor! I had so much fun and it's just beautiful. I can't wait for more classes.” L Wilde

“I appreciate your help and look forward to learning more felting techniques and tricks” Sandra

“It was great meeting you, thank you for guiding us with your talent!” Lilian

“I am always excited at an opportunity to share a fantastic and fulfilling fiber arts skill and continue to offer free community classes once a season.” More examples of Phaedra's work and musings can be seen HERE: and at her online Shop (Phoenix420.etsy).

Something out of Nothing Workshops

There's a new workshop offered on Sept 21st at A Mano Yarn Center in Venice 9am-12pm on Painting with Wool, sign up at the shop and get your spot! ( limited spaces)

Here's some info on what's coming up this Autumn and Winter from PhaedraPhoenix, pick your favourite or design one for yourself, a group or party.

All workshops offered can be tailored to fit any schedule. Only 3 person minimum required. available times are Mondays: 9-1pm & after 6pm, Tuesdays: 9-1pm , Thursdays: 9-1pm & after 6pm, Fridays: 9-1pm Saturdays & Sundays: by appointment - email - phaedra@thephoenixgift.com

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Beginning basics in dry or wet felting : 2 hours - $20 plus materials fee $7:
Dry needle felt- flat or 3d pumpkins, toadstool, fruit, flowers or small animals, could choose a different one each week to make a horn of plenty!
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Sculpted Wool Doll-Making - 4-6 hours -$45 plus $12 materials fee

Here's your chance to make a captivating, magical wool doll to proudly display in your home and sturdy enough for gentle child's play. The finished 8" doll will have pose-able arms and an armature base. We will pay attention to decorating details and cover techniques for creating clothing of various styles and cultures (including shawls, aprons and accessories) and hair-dressing options. Bring your imagination!

Tall Tale Tree Sculpture - 4-6 hours $45 plus $12 materials fee
A really fun class for any level. Learn how to make a 3-dimensional, free-standing tree sculpture ready for the current season. The piece stands about 8-10" and upon completion of this class, you'll have learned the techniques for making wool tall and sturdy for play!

Painting with wool 2-3 hours - $35 plus $5 materials fee

Create your own unique wall hanging from your imagination, a picture, painting or even a poem. Perfect for beginning or advanced felters. We will pay attention to the nuances of ‘painting’ or the layering with wool and how to make the roving take on different textures like water, stone, wood, flower etc.
At the completion of this class, you will have a one of a kind frame-able piece of art for your home or simply use it to embellish a felted purse!

Fantasy Playscape 6-8 hours - $60 plus $12 materials fee –
One of the most challenging but satisfying workshops! You will learn every trick in the book (or close to it!) using many skills and techniques to sculpt your very own land of happy!

Pee-wee People 2 hours - $20 plus $5 materials fee–
From mermaids to queens, gnomes to pixies, fairies to unicorns, just what you need to fill your beautiful designs with something ‘alive!’ Based on the fabulous Wee Felt Folk by Salley Mavor, wrap technique and both traditional Waldorf techniques and new original patterns using wood frame - best suited to those who like to work in small formats and basic sewing and embroidery skills are required. Create every character you may wish in mini format!

URBAN farm 2 hours - $20 plus $5 materials fee –

All the how-to’s in the animal realm! From frogs and foxes to dogs and donkeys, pigs, sheep, cows, chickens and their eggs!
(pig made by Julie)

Design your own workshop - Min group of 3 people and 2 hours. Don’t see what you really have a desire to learn or make? Design your own workshops for private groups or a really different birthday party with spectacular results.

Summer Workshops 2008!

Fantasy 3D Playscape with Phaedra Phoenix - Full

Great for beginners and experienced felters alike as it provides many 3-D construction skills, preparing students to create and work on their own designs at home. The opportunity to engage your own creativity is almost limitless and so it is a very liberating class.
The playmat part of your creation will be about 10 inches square, this can be a hand felted base or felted sweater. We then build our layers of design. Perhaps a cave or fairy glen is your fancy, or a tree stump, a river or stream rolling through the landscape among rocks. You may want to add a wooden bridge, flowers or a toadstool clump. Maybe you'll create a mermaid lagoon or desert island complete with palm trees and sand and water lapping at the edge. Create your fantasy playscape from your own imagination, a picture or book. NO PREVIOUS FELTING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! Tools and supplies provided, you are welcome to bring your own.

Summer Knitting Circle Workshop with Mary Beth

Come with your own projects and let the skills and grace of Mary Beth help you along. You may be a beginner or halfway through a complex project, no matter! Plenty of smiles, support and shared skills abound with this knitting group.

Dying Your Project with Phaedra - Full

Create your own unique play-silks, felt colours, wool roving or custom yarn ready for other projects with natural dyes from Australia. I’m basically doing my own dying session anyway and no dye should be wasted, so please join me and enjoy! Bring your own projects, gloves and paintbrushes! I’ll make snacks!

Waldorf Dollmaking with Phaedra - Full

Have a doll half finished and need some group energy to get it done? Want to experience the magic of making your own doll with traditional Waldorf techniques? Have never done any doll-making before and want to learn how? All levels of sewers are welcome to create your very own unique doll. Choose your comfort level of making directly from the pattern or start with a pre-sewn body. You will learn how to form a head, sew and piece your doll together and correct stuffing techniques to ensure the “life” of your doll!

Vision Doll Workshop with Phaedra. Open/TBC

Autumn - Capture your moment in time by creating a personal doll from what is presented in a very unique way. An extremely liberating class that may also be used for maturing teen girls to creatively and positively express themselves. Only basic sewing skills required. Original patterns will be created and used.

Tall Tale Tree Workshop with Phaedra. Open/TBC

Autumn - Create your very own felted tree 8-15 " with it's own freestanding base, for use on a nature table or just as a perfectly interesting center piece or home decor your friends will go wild for!