September 2023
Introduction to hand quilting
$30 + $10 materials fee We will explore the fundamentals of quilt making and discuss what makes a quilt a quilt. You will learn basic hand piecing, hand quilting, and hand binding and leave with the knowledge to complete your very own tiny quilt. A selection of fabrics as well as batting, needles, and thread will be provided for class work. No previous quilting experience is necessary although a basic knowledge of hand sewing will help you get started. Class…
Find out more »Weed walk
$15 Join us in a walk along the Detroit River waterfront where we will explore the diverse plant life flourishing right here in our own backyard. The walk will depart Artspeak promptly at noon and we’ll head directly to the waterfront. Wear comfortable shoes and feel free to bring sketch materials and/or your camera. This event is rain or shine, so please come prepared for the weather. Class space is limited. Registration is required for each workshop. Ready to join…
Find out more »Cordage
$20 Using locally foraged plant material such as bindweed, rhubarb, corn husk, and tiger lily, we will show you how to prepare and twist plant fibres into rope and string. * This in a one-hour workshop. Class space is limited. Registration is required for each workshop. Ready to join the class? Please click this link to go to asil.ca and register: TAKE ME TO ASIL.CA!
Find out more »Mordant painting and plant based dye dips
$40 + $15 materials fee This *three hour workshop will provide an opportunity to explore: we will have several dye vats set up, including marigold, walnut, avocado, and onion skin. Two 22"x22" cotton bandannas will be provided for dyeing, and you can buy additional bandannas for $5 from us or bring a t-shirt (or equivalent) from home to dye. You will experiment with painting and drawing with mordants and dye modifiers to create richly varied shades from a single dye.…
Find out more »January 2024
Introduction to hand sewing, a six part series
Thursdays January 11 and 25, February 8 and 22, and March 7 and 21, 6:30 until 8 pm (6 x 1.5 hrs) $35 individual session, $30/session for 3-5 sessions, $25/session ($150) for entire series This six-week series is designed to cover the basics of hand stitching. Each class can be taken as a free standing class but the techniques will build from week to week. Week 1: The basics of the basics. Learn to thread a needle and to tie…
Find out more »Trace monotype
Saturday, January 27, 2024, 1 pm until 3 pm (2 hrs) $40 plus $5 materials fee Trace monotype is an easy and beautiful method for creating a mix of bold and delicate lines in your one-of-a-kind prints. It’s very responsive to the artist’s hand, giving a rich atmospheric quality to the image. In this class you will learn how to specially prepare oil based ink for trace monotype, and will create at least one beautiful print on Japanese paper. Depending…
Find out more »February 2024
Introduction to knitting
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 1 pm until 4 pm $75 (includes all materials and knitting needles) In this three hour class, you will learn to cast-on stitches, how to work a basic garter stitch, how to increase and decrease stitches, and how to cast off and finish. You will leave with a sturdy cotton dishcloth, a set of knitting needles and enough cotton to make a second cloth. This class takes place at asil gallery & studio, 518 Chilver Road,…
Find out more »Introduction to hand quilting (series)
Saturdays, February 24, March 9 and March 23, 2024, 1 pm until 2:30 pm (3 x 1.5 hrs) $90 plus $10 materials fee In this three week series, we will cover the basics of hand quilting. The course is designed with ample time between sessions for you to practice and work on your hand quilted pieces. You will choose the size of your piece ranging from tea mat to place mat size. During Week 1 we will discuss some quilting…
Find out more »April 2024
Print and stitch
Thursdays, April 4 and 11, 2024, 6:30 until 8:30 pm (2 x 2 hours) $50 plus $10 materials fee This two-week class will teach you how to print and embellish your own custom fabric. In Week 1 you will learn how to make richly coloured block prints on fabric using our collection of pre-carved blocks and design elements you can layer in different ways. In Week 2 you will add depth and detail to your piece with some simple embroidery…
Find out more »Retchoso bookbinding
Saturday, April 27, 2024, 1 pm – 3:30 pm (2.5hrs) Saturday, April 27, 2024, 1 pm - 3:30 pm (2.5hrs) $60 plus $10 materials fee Retchoso bookbinding is a unique style of Japanese binding that joins folded sections of paper with a complex yet elegant stitch using one or two needles to create a slender notebook that opens perfectly flat. Sturdy multi-layer paper covers are built onto the book’s sections before binding. It’s a perfect binding for a portable notebook…
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