Textiles are unique due to their tactile, hands-on nature and their connection to human history and culture throughout time.

Textile Center’s unique educational outreach programs allow for creative group activities, community engagement, team-building, and skills development for youth, adults, educators, and corporate events! Inquire now to host a 60-90 minute class at your site. Our offsite in-person programs are perfect for library and community center programs and small group events. Fill out our inquiry form below, and contact Chloe Russell at crussell@textilecentermn.org with any questions!

© Textile Center • 2024

Interested in holding your event or organizing a group class at Textile Center?
Click here to learn about our Make+Take Experiences!

Needle Felted Bookmark

Learn about felting – the oldest fabric technique in the world! You’ll use a special needle for felting to transform soft fluffy wool into a strong fabric. Cut the felted fabric into a rectangular shape and finish with embroidery. You now have the perfect bookmark for your summer reading adventures!

Pounded Flower Print Bandanas

Let’s decorate with nature! Using flowers from Textile Center’s Garden to Dye For, you’ll create flowery bandanas by extracting pigment from blossoms and foliage using rocks. Customize with fabric markers and simple embroidery techniques. Continue exploring this technique at home with flowers from your own back yard or neighborhood!

(Available May – September)

Mending for Kids

Oh no! Does your favorite t-shirt has a snag or a stain? Let’s fix it with mending! Learn how to patch and personalize your wearables by creating a customized iron-on fabric patch. You can even bring a clothing item you’d like to patch, or take your patch home to use later.

Wet Felted Accessories

Learn the most ancient fabric-making technique to create beads and charms to wear! Using colorful wool roving, soap, and water, create colorful beads that can be turned in to jewelry, keychains, and more. 

*Requires access to water

Mending for Teens

Mending your wearables allows you to refresh your style, keep your clothes in your closet longer, and customize your garments! Learn embroidery and applique techniques to fix rips, cover stains, and add personality to your closet. Bring clothing items you’d like to fix, or create a sampler of techniques to take home with you!

Crocheted Scrunchies and Bracelets

Crochet your way to cute and colorful accessories! Learn to create a slip knot and single crochet layers of yarn around an elastic hair tie to create a hair scrunchie or bracelet.

Contemporary Tapestry Weaving

Learn the basics of tapestry weaving to create a small wall hanging. Use a variety of colorful, textured materials like bulky yarn and wool roving. Get fancy with fringe, loops, and color blocking to create a weaving that is as unique as you are!

Wet Felted Vessel

Learn the process of dimensional wet felting as you create a miniature vessel out of vibrant-colored wool. Using warm water, soap, and pre-carded wool, create vessel to hold small treasures!

*Requires access to water

Visible Mending Sampler

Rips, snags, and stains don’t have to ruin our favorite clothing items. Don’t ditch it — stitch it! Create a reference library of three simple visible mending techniques to use on your wardrobe to extend their longevity, and keep them out of the landfill.

CLASS COST:

• $340 for each class session, includes all materials and teaching fees, for up to 15 students in a class; 12 students max for youth-oriented classes — for ages 7 – 12.
• Pricing includes up to 60 miles of round-trip travel for instructors, from Textile Center to your site. If your site is more than 30 miles from Textile Center, $15 will be added for each additional 30-mile increment, rounded up.
• Additional miles are added to the contract and invoiced at current IRS rate of 65.5 cents/mile.

CLASS LENGTH:

• 60 – 90 minutes per class, customized to length and program needs.

AGES AND CLASS CAPACITIES:

• Each session is a stand-alone project designed for beginners at the minimum age listed; students do not need any prerequisite skills.
• Our classes are open to all ages, over the minimum age listed. Please respect the age listed on the descriptions when registering students for class.
• Having a guardian present doesn’t override age requirements.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Please notify us in advance if there are additional accessibility requests for the class. We make every effort to accommodate all students with advance notice.

TIMING AND LOGISTICS:

• Classes can be scheduled on both weekdays and weekends. Zoom sessions will open 15 minutes prior to start time, to allow for a tech check and a supply check.
  Sessions with a * will note additional required supplies not provided by Textile Center.
• We ask that sturdy work tables be provided, in a pandemic-safe environment, to keep our instructors and your patrons and staff safe.
  Most class projects will be finished within the 60 – 90 minute class.
• Depending on how much of the supplies is used during the actual class time, you may have extra materials to make another project.

INSTRUCTORS:

• Teaching artists are contracted per their experience in the medium. Our artists are skilled in instructing students of all ages and abilities.

COVID:

• Please provide your organization’s COVID safety policies so we are aware of the liability that may occur at your site.

PROMOTING CLASSES:

• If you need to revise or clarify class descriptions, please check with us first. We want to ensure that the instructor is prepared to teach the same class your patrons are expecting.
• We love it when classes are full! If you need anything to help with promos, please contact us.
• Please note that materials used in class might differ slightly from ones pictured in the finished projects that accompany the class descriptions.