It’s on the books, so we can finally share – the Shibaguyz are coming! Mark your calendars for September 16 & 17, and join us for four fantastic Master Classes. Shannon & Jason Mullett-Bowlsby will be teaching some truly stylish techniques, and you won’t want to miss a single one! With just 20 spaces available in each session, you’ll want to get signed up ASAP.

Read on for more about these fabulous teachers, and the 4 Master Classes they’ll be teaching come September.

More About the Shibaguyz

Including information from their website, Shibaguyz Designz.

Shannon and Jason are an enormous force in the Yarniverse, known for their striking patterns and equally stunning photography. Shannon is an award-winning designer, for both knit & crochet! His patterns have been featured in and on the covers of publications in the US, and abroad. Jason creates the memorable images of Shannon’s designs, as well as designing book packaging for other crafting designers and publishing companies.

Can you believe these two?!

As a pair, they’ve published 300 patterns and 9 books, and they’ve been teaching together for 20 years. Students love their hilarious teaching style, and their passion for what they do. Visit their website, where you can see their impressive portfolio (and cute photos of their three dogs!).

The Shibaguyz Master Classes

Visible Mending on Crochet and Hand Knitted Fabric, 9/16 10am – 1pm

• Tuition: $90 Through August 13; $110 after August 14.
• Shibaguyz 2 Pack $160, available through August 13.
• *Payment plan available! Must be paid in full by August 13.
• Skill Prerequisite: No previous sewing experience needed.

Visible Mending

Moth holes in your favorite sweater? Rip in a comfy cardigan? Tore your hoodie getting out of the car? Take these happy accidents and turn them into one-of-a-kind acts of creation.

With sustainable fashion at the forefront of everyone’s minds right now, visible mending is one of the hottest trends in the fashion world. Why buy new, when you can fix up the old and make it a one-of-a-kind treasure?

Easy, inexpensive, and artistic at the same time, learn how to take your crocheted and knitted garments, as well as your home decor items in need of some repairs and turn them into works of art you’ll be proud to show off.

In this class, we’re going to walk you through patching those potential wardrobe malfunctions and home dec disasters. In just a few hours you’ll be able to use yarn, thread, and fabric, along with swatches, doilies, and patches to turn moth eaten and torn crochet and knitted fabric into functional and stylish pieces.

By the end of class, you will probably find yourself making visible mends to perfectly good items just to embellish your favorite pieces!

To enroll in the Visible Mending Master Class, and learn what to bring with you, click here.

Boro and Sashiko, 9/16 2pm – 5pm

• Tuition: $90 Through August 13, $110 after August 14.
• Shibaguyz 2 Pack $160, available through August 13.
• *Payment plan available! Must be paid in full by August 13.
• Skill Prerequisite: No previous sewing experience needed.
• Materials Included: Fabric, thread, sashiko needle, thimble.

Boro and Sashiko are the hot new trends in hand sewing. They embrace both sustainable fashion and the slow stitching movement. Boro dates back to 17th Century Japan where common folk repaired their garments and household items with scraps of fabric. We know this from pieces passed down through generations that were made more durable and enriched visually with each mend and additional patch.

We’re going to use the fabric-piecing principles of Boro and the associated Sashiko hand-sewing skills to take a pile of scrap fabric and make something FAB and new! In fact, in this class we’re going to create a new panel of unique fabric from seemingly unusable fabric remnants and odd pieces. We’ll learn to match up suitable fabric pieces to create a beautifully imperfect textile.

Then, we’ll use the “little jabs” of Sashiko hand-sewing to bind those pieces together into fabric that can be used to enhance a favorite garment, accessory, or home décor item; used by itself as your own personal work of fiber art; or used as the basis for a larger project like a quilt top. We’ll get you started with the skills you need to take it from there!

Beginners encouraged! No sewing experience necessary! Even if you have never done any hand sewing and never fused two pieces of fabric together with a needle and thread, this is the class for you! And, if you’ve always wanted to try but were intimidated by traditional quilting techniques, Boro is the perfect art form for you.

This highly accessible technique for creating textiles is perfect for the maker who is ready to try their hand at something new and exciting that takes your creative expression to new heights.

This is a unique opportunity to explore hand sewing and quilting or use this as a jumping off point to explore more and join those of us who are more than a little obsessed with the versatility fo this technique when used for mending, quilting and creating works of art.

To enroll in Boro & Sashiko and find out more, click here.

Fast & FAB Crochet Rag Rugs, 9/17 1pm – 4pm

• Tuition: $90 through August 13, $110 after August 14.
• Shibaguyz 2 Pack $160, available through August 13.
• *Payment plan available! Must be paid in full by August 13.
• Length: Three hour session.
• Skill Prerequisite: Should have an understanding of basic crochet stitches – ch, sl st, sc, and dc

Sadly, this sweet dog won’t be joining for class!

Grab your old sheets, t-shirts, and fabric scraps and transform them into cozy one-of-a-kind home décor projects. Nothing is as cozy as a handmade crochet rag rug beneath your toes… and now you can learn to make them for yourself! All it takes are the most basic of crochet stitches, chain and single crochet, and you can make your own little piece of Americana home décor.

We will start by learning to cut old sheets, t-shirts, and fabric scraps and put them together using a no-sew joining technique. Then we’ll move on to how to make shapes like circles, ellipses, and strips using two simple crochet stitches: the chain, and the single crochet. In the end, you’ll have small sample projects you can either finish off or add on to after class to create a larger home décor piece. We’ll bring the big hooks, you bring your fabric scraps… we’ll have a FAB time and you’ll leave with a new treasure for your home!

Goals

• Learn the no-sew technique for making continuous fabric strips
• Make 3 Shapes: circle, ellipse, rectangle
• Complete small sample projects you can add on to after class

To enroll in Crochet Rag Rugs, and learn what to bring, click here.

Shadow Stitch Crochet Cables

Shadow-Stitch Crochet Cables, 9/17 5pm – 8pm

• Tuition: $90 through August 13, $110 after August 14.
• Shibaguyz 2 Pack $160, available through August 13.
• *Payment plan available! Must be paid in full by August 13.
• Length: Three hour session
• Skill Prerequisite: Must know how to make post stitch crochet cables.

Building on your existing knowledge of crossing post stitches to create crochet cables, you’ll learn to “float” your post stitches on the surface of any stitch pattern with this FAB shadow-stitch crochet cable technique. Even if you have only previously worked basic post stitch cables, you will LOVE this exciting method for next level crochet cables.

In class, you’ll learn how to work crochet cables in any stitch pattern and you’ll immediately see how these cables pop right off the surface of your crochet fabrics. And, because there are no unworked stitches, your finished fabrics are solid on the front and back side making them perfect for everything from garments to home décor and accessories.

When you’re ready to see just how far you can take post stitch crochet cables, this is the class for you!

To enroll in Shadow-Stitch Crochet Cables & learn what to bring to class, click here.

We’ll see you in class!

We can’t wait til the Shibaguyz arrive, and we hope you’re excited, too! Their classes are sure to be unlike anything you’ve taken before. Plus, with such a wide variety of techniques offered, there’s a class just right for you no matter where you’re at in your crafting journey. We’ll see you in September!