SPEND some TIME at the TCT STUDIO

Class Schedule

WEAVE YOUR OWN TOWEL

2 hour workshops

$115

Spend two hours getting lost in the rhythm of throwing the shuttle as you weave your own towel in The Cultivated Thread’s restored timber frame barn. Register

  • Students will gather at TCT’s studio, and start by demonstrating how the loom works. We will go light on technicality because most of your time will be spent weaving! The looms will be pre-set up with a color pattern, but you will get to choose from a range of colors to be woven into the set up. You can mix and match as your artistic eye guides. Our goal will be for each participant to weave a tea towel which will be shipped back to you after being washed and hemmed.

    This workshop is for a range of skill levels and is especially suited to those with little to no weaving knowledge. It is great if you have some experience with rigid heddle weaving and want to try a floor loom. One goal of the workshop is to offer you a chance to weave without the financial burden of purchasing a loom or the time burden of dressing one. Our other hope is that this workshop can offer an artistic respite of sorts; a chance for you to get lost in the rhythm of throwing the shuttle for a few hours in the beautiful setting of our farmhouse studio. 

    Each workshop is 2 hours long and can accommodate 4 weavers. Tuition includes instruction, materials, and postage for returning your finished towel to you.

LEARN TO WEAVE

3 day classes

$640

A three day intensive for learning all the steps from start to finish of weaving. No previous experience required. Students receive a discount on future loom rentals! Register

  • In our time together, you will learn the basics of weaving through the hands experience of making either cotton kitchen towels or a wool scarf. We will start at the very beginning and you will learn to measure a warp, dress a multi-shaft loom, and weave.  

    Friday and Saturday will be focused on warp preparation, dressing the looms, and weaving. On Sunday morning, we’ll go over how to finish the woven cotton cloth. Students will be able to hem their towels or finish their scarves (time and weaving speed permitting) or will have the skills to do so at home. In addition to the knowledge they gain, students will leave with their own set of absorbent, handwoven towels!

    No experience with weaving is necessary. Students familiar with weaving have the option to experiment with more complex four-shaft weave structures.

    Classes take place 9 am - 5 pm with an hour break for lunch. Downtown Wiscasset, 7 minutes by car, has food offerings or students are welcome to bring their own lunch.

ENGLISH PAPER PIECING

HAND QUILTING

With Guest Teacher Holly Hoffman

9:00-12:00 June 21st
$96

Learn the hand quilting technique of English Paper Piecing by making ‘hexies’ (hexagons), with fiber artist and educator, Holly Hoffman. Participants will work on their hexies in class and those who don’t finish during the three hours will leave with the skills to complete their pieces at home. Register

Group of people holding fabric quilt blocks with various colorful patterns.
A woman wearing a green sleeveless dress standing in front of a quilted backdrop with hexagonal patterns in various colors and designs, with red flowers and plants at the bottom of the image.

  • Join fiber artist and educator Holly Hoffman to learn the basics of English Paper Piecing, a traditional style of hand quilting. This method of quilting creates intricate shapes that would be difficult to sew by machine. It’s perfect for using small scraps of fabric. During this three hour hands on workshop you’ll learn techniques for creating pieced hexagons, affectionately referred to as ‘hexies’. Participants will work on their hexies in class and those who don’t finish during the three hours will leave with the skills to complete their pieces at home.

    The class will gather in The Cultivated Thread’s timberframe barn-turned-studio where Holly will begin with the history and basics of English paper piecing. All tools and materials will be provided but feel free to bring any favorite fabric or special scraps you’d like to incorporate into your hexie.

    We’ll have coffee, tea, and goodies from TREATS to fuel your stitching!

    No experience required. This is a great class to attend with a friend or family member.

    Skills you will learn:

    • The history and basics of english paper piecing

    • Paper piecing templates and how to use them

    • Trimming and gluing fabric to templates

    • Hand stitching hexies together

    • Affixing finished hexies to tote bag(if desired)

    • Tips on quilting finished projects

    • Ideas for other projects to adorn with hexi quilt clusters

  • Holly Hoffman is a fiber/textile artist and teacher living in Portland, Maine. She loves keeping her hands busy with all different craft,including; embroidery, english paper piecing, knitting, quilting, and sewing and feels passionate about sharing these with others. You can also find her flexing her creative talents at Open Studio, Past and Future Craft Exchange, and Olde School Fiber and Craft. When not deep into a textile project, you can find her enjoying beach walks with her husband, searching for the best ice cream cone and laughing around a crowded table with loved ones.

Box filled with sewing supplies including thread spools, scissors, a ruler, and other sewing tools.

A note about our studio: You will be crafting in our restored 200 year old timber frame barn, located on the second floor. Styled after the Haystack Mountain School of Craft, our space is not winterized. Please look at the weather before your class and pack a few more layers than you think you need!

Register for a class

Your Questions, Answered

  • While we aim to be as accommodating as possible, please recognize that we are a small business and cancellations have a direct and significant impact. In case you must withdraw you have 8 weeks prior to class for a 50% refund. After this date all payments are non-refundable, no exceptions. You may, however, transfer your seat to someone else.

    • Illness: If you are sick, please wear a mask or transfer your registration to a friend.

    • If we decide to cancel a class, you can choose to receive a refund or store credit.

  • You’ll receive several email reminders about your class including a reminder of timing, location, and what to bring.

  • Our studio cat, Caper, loves visitors and might pop in to check on everyone. If you have cat allergies, please let Hilary know in advance.

    Please leave your 4-legged friends at home.

  • In the case of poor weather, we will email you within 24-48 hours of class to reschedule or cancel. Weather events that could prompt a class cancellation/reschedule: 6” or more inches of snow predicted to fall in the Wiscasset area, significant freezing rainfall, or predicted wind gusts above 50 mph.

    If we decide to cancel a class, you can choose to receive a refund or store credit.

  • Curiosity and creativity! All tools and materials are provided.

    Many weavers prefer weaving without shoes - so we recommend wearing shoes that slide off easily.

    If your workshop runs all day, plan to bring a lunch, snacks, water bottle, etc.

Multiple cones of colored thread arranged on shelves, including red, blue, green, white, beige, gray, and black.
Person working with strands of purple and pink yarn, on a large floor loom.
Six glass jars filled with wooden sticks, rulers, and weaving shuttles are arranged on a shelf. A framed cross-stitch embroidery hangs on the wall behind them.
A domestic cat with gray and black fur lying on a wooden floor near a glass door, with sunlight casting shadows on the floor.