We are back to in-person workshops for MAFA 2o23!
- All workshops are offered as single, 2-1/2 day, intensive sessions. Students will choose ONE workshop.
- Find details about all our classes in the list below. Use the filters in the sidebar to refine the class list.
- Have questions about workshops? Visit the Workshops FAQs, or email the Education Chair at education@mafafiber.org.
- For classes that fill quickly, there WILL be a waitlist.
Click here for the list of 2023 Instructors
Click here for the Workshops FAQs
The YarnSmith
Hand dyed yarn in merino, BFL, alpaca, and cotton-linen. Project bags to fit every project.
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Stackpole Books
Stackpole Books offers books on weaving, spinning, knitting, crochet, and other fiber arts.
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Cottontail Farm
We offer handmade project bags and needle cases suited for every type of fiber artist.
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Naps & Nites Studio
Hand dyed silk Shibori scarves, ponchos, and many types of clothing, including kimonos, vests, ruanas and more.
Learn MoreInstructor Reimbursement Request
Fill out the form below completely for expenses you incurred for teaching at MAFA 2023. All expense fields are to be entered as dollar amounts except for the miles traveled […]
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Allen B. Carr Works in Wood
Hand-crafted wood items for fiber artists – weaving, spinning, and knitting tools.
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Bauer Family Farm
Beautifully colored roving for spinning and felting, hand-crafted spinning tools.
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Flannel Cakes Fiber
Indie-dyed wool and wool blend combed top, dyed cellulose fibers, batts, rolags, handspun yarn, custom blended combed tops.
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Mirrix Tapestry & Bead Looms – VIRTUAL
Tapestry and bead looms, loom accessories, yarn and yarn kits kits. VIRTUAL BOOTH!
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Wheeler’s Chairs
Great Wheels, footstools, spinner’s chairs, rockers, tables, cutting boards and hand forged ironwork.
Learn MoreMAFA 2023: Beta Tester Home Page
Beta testers, Thank you for helping review the draft 2023 Conference web pages! Please follow the links below from this page since not all are linked from the sidebar or […]
Learn MoreMAFA 2023 Workshop Locations
Get acquainted with your workshop location and the Millersville University campus with this table and the campus map, which is here. (link coming in Spring 2023) Download the workshop locations […]
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2023 Instructor Exhibit
Instructor Exhibit Full details about the exhibit will be posted here in Spring 2023.
Learn MoreMillersville University Campus Map 2023
Please note: this is the 2019 campus map, for information only. We will update this to the 2023 map when we have classroom buildings confirmed by MU. We will still […]
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Last Minute Information
Check list for MAFA 2023 Directions to Millersville University (MU). Click here. MU campus map. Click here. Need the updated map from Tina. Workshop locations. Click here. Schedule for MAFA’s […]
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Getting There
The MAFA 2023 conference will be held at Millersville University, Millersville, Pa. This university campus is located in south-central Pennsylvania’s historic Lancaster County. Directions to Millersville University Download directions to […]
Learn More 19th Century Fiber & Textile Tools Exhibit
19th century Fiber Tools Exhibit with Milissa Ellison Dewey Milissa returns to MAFA 2023 with an exhibit of late-19th century fiber and textile tools and equipment. Find the exhibit adjacent […]
Learn More Free Your Mind Interactive Exhibit
This exhibit is supported by Touchstone Center for Crafts Free Your Mind – Public Textile Social Justice Art Project, an interactive exhibit with Theda Sandiford, in the Marketplace Learn […]
Learn MoreMAFA 2023 Welcomes Day Trippers!
The Marketplace and Exhibits are open to the public. In addition, you are welcome to attend the Open Studio Tour on Saturday evening to see examples of the work that […]
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Trivia Night 2023
Gather your friends or play solo, and test your fiber trivia knowledge at Trivia Night, Friday June 23, at 7:30 p.m. EDT Open to in-person and virtual participants! Host Jen […]
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Schedule & Events 2023
Spend the weekend—or spend a day—with fiber artists from around the world at MAFA 2023 MAFA 2023 is not only about the weekend-long workshops and shopping in the Marketplace. Other […]
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Workshop FAQs
Where will my workshop be located? Classroom locations will be posted on the website when they become available. Because classrooms are used by many groups at Millersville in the summer, […]
Learn More Useful Information (FAQs)
You have questions. We have answers. MAFA has received lots of questions over the years, many of which are the same from conference to conference. This compilation is for those […]
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Housing and Dining Info
Housing and Dining Info: Housing Options Housing and Dining Questions Meal Questions and Costs for Day-trippers and Commuters What housing options are available? In 2023, we will again be housed […]
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Registration
What you need to know about registration for MAFA 2023 Registration Dates: Early Registration: February 4, 2023, 9 a.m. Eastern, for MAFA-affiliated Guild members and Associate members only. Open Registration: […]
Learn More Towel Exchange 2023 – Project Info Form
Please fill out the Towel Exchange Project Info Form below to the best of your ability. Info from this form helps us include your towel in the MAFA Sample Database. […]
Learn More Kitchen Towel Exchange 2023 – Entry Form
Kitchen Towel Exchange Entry Rules, Requirements and Information: Show off your weaving and towel making skills by having a good old-fashioned kitchen towel exchange. Everyone who participates takes home a […]
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Kitchen Towel Exchange 2023
Our thanks to Long Thread Media for their support of the Towel Exchange. Show off your weaving and towel making skills by having a good old-fashioned kitchen towel exchange. Open […]
Learn More Hat Exhibit – Entry Form
Hat Exhibit Entry Rules, Requirements and Information: MAFA conference attendees and members are invited to submit hats of all sorts, functional and artistic, appropriate to the theme Mad Hatter! Entries to […]
Learn More Hat Exhibit 2023 – Mad Hatters
*NEW* at the 2023 conference will be a Hat Exhibit featuring hats of all sorts, functional and artistic, appropriate to the theme Mad Hatter! The Hat Exhibit is open to […]
Learn More Fiber Art Exhibit – Entry Form
Fiber Art Exhibit Entry Rules, Requirements and Information: MAFA conference attendees and members are invited to submit non-wearable, artistic works with the theme Hands On: The Art of Making. Fiber […]
Learn More Hands On: The Art of Making – Fiber Art Exhibit
Our thanks to Central Virginia Fiberarts Guild for their support of the Fiber Art Exhibit. Returning to the 2023 conference will be a Fiber Art Exhibit featuring non-wearable, artistic works […]
Learn More Fashion Show & Exhibit – Entry Form
Fashion Entry Rules, Requirements and Information: MAFA conference attendees and members are invited to submit original wearables. Consider choosing an item related to the 2023 Conference theme: Hands On. We […]
Learn More Spotlight on Fashion
Our thanks to Long Thread Media for their support of the Fashion Exhibit. The 2023 Fashion Exhibit will feature garments and accessories created by conference attendees, as well as MAFA […]
Learn MoreExhibits and Exchange
MAFA 2023 brings us back to Millersville for an in-person conference, and we have added the ability for those who can’t attend to participate in our exhibits! We are planning […]
Learn More2023 Advertiser Form
Fill out the form below to submit an advertisement for the MAFA 2023 Conference. We will follow up with you to confirm placement of your ad, and for logos or […]
Learn MoreAdvertise at the Conference
Advertising Opportunities for MAFA 2023 Who are we? MidAtlantic Fiber Association is a non-profit, all-volunteer fiber arts organization consisting of 50+ member guilds from Connecticut to North Carolina, with a […]
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2023 Virtual Vendor Application Form Submitted
Thank you! We have received your Vendor Application for the 2023 MAFA Conference. If you have any questions, email the Vendor Coordinator at vendors@mafafiber.org.
Learn More 2023 Vendor Payment Form
If you have been approved as a 2023 vendor, please use this form to make payment for the booth space or page for which you have been accepted. The SUBMIT […]
Learn More 2023 Vendor Application Form
GOOD NEWS! We have a few Vendor booth spaces still available, so we are accepting new applications for the vendor hall at our 2023 Conference to be held Thursday, June […]
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Marketplace 2023
VENDORS: Apply HERE to be a 2023 in-person or virtual vendor. The Marketplace has convenient access to yarns, fiber, tools, and equipment related to weaving, spinning, dyeing and related fiber […]
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Red Stone Glen Fiber Arts Center
Fiber arts equipment, tools and supplies, including yarns, dyes and fiber for spinning; books and digital video support products.
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Hand-Sewing a 19th-century French Chemise
Students will re-create a 19th-century French chemise which can be worn in the 21st-century as a dress/tunic or nightgown.
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Introduction to Japanese Temari
Come and learn all the skills necessary to create temari, the ancient Japanese art of embroidery on a ball!
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Mixed Barks Pouch
Design a slim natural purse shape of willow and cedar barks to carry your phone, day book, or sketch pad.
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Takadai Braiding Demystified
Braid on a traditional Japanese takadai designed for making flat, double layered, and three-dimensional braids in simple to complex structures.
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Pictures, Piles, Potpourri, and Perplexing Curiosities ~ FULL
Expand your knowledge and experience in weave structures you may have heard of, but may not have woven. It is a weaving adventure for intermediate-to-advanced weavers, and even adventure-seeking beginners.
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Fabric Necklaces
Recycle clothing and fabric scraps to create one-of-a-kind necklaces and jewelry items that incorporate layers of fabric embellished with beads, buttons, and found objects.
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Warp it! Paint it! Weave it! ~ FULL
Explore on-loom and off-loom warp painting using fabric paints to apply color to yarn for functional or non-functional pieces.
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Paper. Book. Art.
Using a fusion of Eastern and Western techniques, we will work with common garden plants to bring these fibers to their fullest expression as handmade paper.
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Start to Spin, and More! ~ FULL
Learn to spin–and so much more! Explore wheels, fiber prep, drafting techniques, and plying. Perfect for beginners or spinners looking for a refresher.
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Draft and Sew Your Own Top or Tunic
Sewing your own clothes is satisfying and practical. Drafting your own patterns goes one step further and puts the entire design process in your hands.
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Come Ply with Me
From basic plying to novelty yarns, this course will take you into the world of plying with lots of time for practice and experimentation.
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Evening Bags to Market Bags
Bags, purses, and totes – create a carrying vessel of any shape or size, using handwoven or stash fabric.
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Downy Fibers and Silk—a Spinning Match Made in Heaven ~ FULL
Learn to spin downy undercoat fibers and take control of those expensive little bags of precious fibers you’ve bought.
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Spin The World!
Take a trip around the world making handspun yarns using fibers and materials from around the globe!
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Worsted, Woolen, Woven ~ FULL
Gain inspiration and skill at matching different fleeces for spinning different types of yarn for weaving, and sing about it!
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African Vegan Art
Explore dyeing techniques inspired by Bògòlanfini, Africa’s most unusual and unique traditional textile arts.
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A Natural-Dye Color Wheel
Learn how three primary colors of natural dyes, along with mordants and additives, can be used to dye a color wheel of yarns and fibers.
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Paint, Drip, Dip: Kakishibu Persimmon Tannin & Thickened Dye
Patterning cellulose, silk, and paper using Kakishibu, natural dyes, and thickened fiber reactive dye–techniques suitable for quilts, collages, book making, and art textiles.
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Dye-licious: Colors to Feast On
Breath new life into yarns by creating unique colorways from inspirational images, and dyeing cellulose fibers for use in weaving, knitting, and crochet projects.
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Needle Felting: Finishing and Embellishing Textiles
Learn fun needle felting techniques and create pictorial panels to embellish and construct garments, accessories, and furnishings.
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Fabulous Felt and Nuno-felt Hats
During felt exploration, there will be ample time for experimentation, as well as inspiration, in the creation of fabulous felt and nuno-felt hats.
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Weaving for Felt ~ FULL
Suitable for RH or shaft looms, this class combines two of fiber arts’ best weaving and felting techniques to create new textures that no other method matches.
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Echo and Jin: Playing with Color Chords ~ FULL
An on-loom study of the color wheel and theories of color harmony, based on theories of 20th-century artists Johannes Itten and Josef Albers.
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Creating Space and Manipulating Texture in Freeform Tapestry Weaving
Want to go beyond the standard “under-over” technique on your tapestry weavings? Let’s explore some advanced closed-shed methods of creating space and texture!
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The Subtle Beauty of Southern Counterpanes ~ FULL
Learn about and weave the structures used to weave fine cotton southern counterpanes – including honeycomb, dimity, spot, huck, and huckaback.
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Block Twills, Their Many Faces and Color Harmonies
Explore the many creative possibilities offered by the combination of block twills and color harmonies to weave a reference sampler.
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Flote Work
Learn to read historical drafts with a focus on flote werk, an old name for a favorite weave structure that came to be called overshot in the early 20th century.
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Huck and Friends
Learn the basics of huck, a versatile weave structure that produces lacey fabric. Weave examples of both spot huck and huck lace, and learn how to design using huck structure.
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Shifted Warp Ikat Scarf ~ FULL
Learn to design, wrap, dye, and begin weaving a single dye ikat scarf, learning the basic techniques of the warp ikat process.
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Weaving with Linen
This workshop will provide how best to weave, work with, and store linen with focus on the basics of huck lace.
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Mug Rugs, Miniatures, and More!
Working with the miniature patterns of Bertha Gray Hayes and Josephine Estes, study overshot–and end up with more than samples!
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This Doesn’t Look Like Plain Weave
An exploration of eight different weave structures or techniques with plain weave roots with a special focus on how they relate to plain weave.
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Exploring Rep Weave and Its New Variations ~ FULL
Learn the many applications of rep weave – both classic and non-traditional methods, on 3 to 8 shafts. Many new rep weave structures are inspired by traditional block weaves such as shadow, honeycomb, krokbragd, warp/weft rep.
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Rigid Heddle Immersion ~ FULL
This is a step-by-step rigid heddle weaving class with no weaver left behind and suitable for all levels. Learn quick and easy warping and the basics of weaving.
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Weaving Two Ways on the Rigid Heddle Loom
Weave a bag and warp faced band for the strap on the rigid heddle loom, and learn various techniques to create texture and surface design.
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Western Sakiori
Make a sakiori scarf from silk fabric using the historical Japanese rag-weaving technique. Suitable for RH or shaft looms!
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Exploring Freestyle Weaving
Learn to weave freestyle and free-spirited on a highly approachable and easy-to-use two-shaft SAORI floor loom.
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Sashiko Ori ~ FULL
Learn to weave Sashiko Ori, the distinctive stitched sashiko patterns of Japan that use supplementary warp and weft techniques.
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Weaving 101: Weave a Twills Scarf
This class includes getting to know a loom, how to prepare/dress a loom, understanding weaving terminology, and weaving a twill sample scarf on your own loom.
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Split-shed Weaving: One Threading, Multiple Structures ~ FULL
Break out of blocks with split-shed weaving and weave curves and blend colors using continuous wefts on a 4-shaft loom with no special equipment.
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Focus on the Warp: Controlling Creative Chaos ~ FULL
Students learn non-traditional techniques that allow them to work effectively and efficiently with multiple warp chains and diverse warp elements while designing at the loom.
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Hachures in Contemporary Tapestry ~ FULL
Learn the design theory of why hachures work and the logic behind how to use different types of hachures in tapestry design.
Learn MoreVolunteer at MAFA 2023
The MAFA Conference is an all-volunteer effort, with many opportunities to get involved both before and at the conference. Before the Conference Volunteers are already working – Many hours […]
Learn MoreProtected: MAFA 2023 Workshop Proposal Form – Extended Deadline
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Learn MoreMAFA 2023 Workshop Proposals
The MAFA 2023 Conference will be held June 22 – 25, 2023, at Millersville University, Millersville, Pennsylvania (between Harrisburg and Lancaster). We are seeking proposals for workshops in weaving, spinning, […]
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MAFA 2023: June 22-25, 2023
MAFA 2023 – Back to In-person at Millersville University! With dozens of classes in weaving, spinning, dyeing, felting, basketmaking, and other fiber arts, MAFA 2023 is sure to be […]
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Weaver House
Carefully curated specialty yarns and fibers sourced from around the world, looms and weaving equipment.
Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Oops, anyone arriving here looking for Arrowmont workshops info, CLICK HERE. You have questions. We have answers. This year, with an entirely different virtual format, we know you will have […]
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The Weaver / Henceforth Yarns
Hand-dyed, handwoven silk jackets and scarves, and skeined silk to weave, crochet or knit.
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Mary M Waite, Weaver & Dyer
Pre-wound, hand-dyed weaving warps and skeins, hand made buttons, scarf pins, and orifice hooks.
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Opalessence Fiber Studio
Hand-dyed yarn weaving kits, weaving patterns, warping helpers, pre-wound warps, handwoven items for the home and body.
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Nistock Farms – VIRTUAL
Cotswold fleeces, roving, curls, batts, and yarn, wool quilt batting, silk, handcrafted fiber tools, Oxford and UltraPunch products. VIRTUAL BOOTH!
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