Good grief! Five great workshops await you in the month of October – all over Southern California, from Ventura to Santa Ana! Find all of the locations and links immediately below – and then scroll down for complete descriptions. I’d love to have you join me in person, spend a few hours in an amazing venue, make a few new friends and tackle a new crafting technique!
Anatomical Embroidery
Superbuzzy, Ventura, CA
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Kawaii Candy Surprise Balls
Leanna Lin’s Wonderland, Eagle Rock, CA
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Anatomical Embroidery
Sew LA, Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Wool & Wood Pajakis
Meng & Mahar Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Anatomical Embroidery
Studio Cresendoh, Santa Ana, CA
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Anatomical Embroidery
Superbuzzy, Ventura, CA
Saturday, October 3, 2015, 1pm-4pm
Class fee: $75. including all materials
In anticipation of Halloween, join us for an workshop of corporeal crafting and create a ghastly embroidered sampler inspired by vintage anatomy charts. Choose from a selection of beautifully macabre early 19th Century anatomical imagery custom printed onto cotton linen fabric which you’ll then embellish with hand embroidery.
You’ll learn to stem stitch along the circulatory system, back stitch along the backbone and even get a little fancy with a Pekingese stitch around the pancreas. Perfectly suited for both beginners as well as advanced – instruction will cover basic to more intricate embroidery stitches.
All materials (fabrics, embroidery floss, hoops and needles!) along with instructional diagrams are provided and included in the cost of the class.
Don’t live in Ventura? No worries! I’m also teaching my Anatomical Embroidery Workshop in Los Angeles and Santa Ana!
Kawaii Candy Surprise Balls
Leanna Lin’s Wonderland, Eagle Rock, CA
Sunday, October 4, 2015, 12-3pm
Class fee: $65. including all materials
Looking for the ultimate sweet for this year’s trick-or-treat? Join me in creating old-school surprise ball party favors dressed up as super-sized kawaii candy!
Create the perfect gift for your favorite kid (big or little!) this Halloween and rediscover the fun of a vintage craft last popularized in 1950s America. Surprise balls consist of small treats and trinkets, jokes and candies artfully concealed in hundreds of feet of crepe paper streamers. Recipients are showered with fun as they unroll their surprise balls, revealing the goodies you’ve selected and creating a happy mess!
Each participant will learn techniques, tips and tricks to successfully create their own surprise ball party favors – stylized as super cute kawaii candy. This project is highly customizable and once you learn the basic construction methods, you’ll find yourself recreating the fun at home – for every holiday and festive occasion! Get inspired – check out Robert’s Pinterest board of surprise balls to see how others have styled and decorated their versions of these fun novelties.
- Beginners class. No experience needed.
- All tools and materials will be provided.
- 12 years old & older. (ages 7-11 must attend with an adult)
- Robert will provide a sweet selection of kawaii and vintage inspired items to include in your surprise balls (enough for everyone to complete at least three!) but if there are specific, small scale items you’d like to use, please feel free to bring them with you (think tiny charms, novelty jewelry, stickers, notes on paper, little hard candies, etc.) You might also consider adding to the fun by purchasing some tiny treats from the shop – little blind-boxed vinyl toys work perfectly for this project!
- Complimentary refreshments will be served.
- 12 spots available.
- Free Sunday street parking!
Anatomical Embroidery
Sew LA, Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, October 11, 2015, 3-6pm
Class fee: $85. including all materials
Another opportunity to join me for an workshop of corporeal crafting and create a ghastly embroidered sampler inspired by vintage anatomy charts!
This workshop will be hosting at my neighborhood sewing studio Sew LA, which I’m very sorry to say will be closing at the end of October. I would absolutely love for you to lend your support to the amazing owner of Sew LA, Shaerie Mead, and pack this class for a fantastic evening of fun, camaraderie and stitching! xoxo
Wool & Wood Pajakis
Meng & Mahar Studio, Los Angeles, CA
Sunday, October 18, 2015, 11am-2pm
Class fee: $65. including all materials
There is a Polish expression “Błogosławiony dom w którym pająki są” which roughly translates to “Blessed be the house where spiders are” – a sentiment that may very well have played a roll in the development of the traditional Polish folk craft, the pajaki. The literal translation of pajaki is “spiders of straw” and they traditionally symbolize a wish for good health and happiness. Pajaki are festive mobiles (often referred to as paper chandeliers) customarily created from natural rye or wheat straw in a riotous palette of happy colors.
Join us in rediscovering this old-school craft as we create and construct a reimagined version created from wool, wood, paper and string. Our modern pajaki will embrace a pared down design and quieter color palette.
Each participant will learn techniques, tips and tricks to successfully create their own modern pajaki mobile and decorative pom poms. All tools and materials will be provided to begin your mobile along with extra goodies to continue crafting at home. If you have a specific color of worsted weight yarn you’d like to incorporate into your pajaki, please feel free to bring it along!
Get inspired – check out Robert’s Pinterest board of pajaki chandeliers to see how others have styled and decorated their versions of these impressive mobiles!: https://www.pinterest.com/robert_mahar/pajaki/
We can comfortably accommodate six students for each workshop – click on the link to purchase and reserve your seat.
This workshop will be held in the Meng & Mahar Studio Space located in the historic core of downtown Los Angeles – this is my personal studio space that I share with my dear friend and talented artist Molly Meng. Click here for the address, directions, a map and parking information.
Anatomical Embroidery
Studio Cresendoh, Santa Ana, CA
Saturday, October 24, 2015, 9:30am-4pm
Class fee: $85. including all materials
I’m excited to return to the amazing Jenny Doh’s Studio Cresendoh for one final opportunity to create a ghastly embroidered sampler inspired by vintage anatomy charts. Choose from a selection of beautifully macabre early 19th Century anatomical imagery custom printed onto cotton linen fabric which you’ll then embellish with hand embroidery.
You’ll learn to stem stitch along the circulatory system, back stitch along the backbone and even get a little fancy with a Pekingese stitch around the pancreas. Perfectly suited for both beginners as well as advanced – instruction will cover basic to more intricate embroidery stitches.
Unlike my other sessions of Anatomical Embroidery in October, this will be a full day workshop with a wonderful lunch break in downtown Santa Ana – I hope you can join us!