Explore Philly’s fiber art scene with these 6 classes

When sustainable fiber artist Melanie Hasan attended her first Art Star market in 2019, she remembers the confused looks from people walking up to her booth of hijabs and bandannas dyed with onion skins.

”'Does it smell like onion?” she recalled customers asking.

The owner of Modest Transitions, a textile shop and studio in Fishtown, quickly learned just how little Philadelphians knew about fiber arts, until the pandemic, when she noticed people finding comfort in the craft. Hasan opened her brick-and-mortar shop in 2021, where she teaches classes on how to use natural dyes.

“It was so rewarding to see people who were really stressed [making] something beautiful — their mental health was in a lot better spirit,” she said.

Art made of natural or synthetic materials and fibers has long had a vibrant presence in Philly’s art scene, despite many people unfamiliar with the process behind hand-dyed socks, artisanal knitwear, and tufted rugs. Now, studios and stores offer classes for all ages and levels to create art from natural and synthetic materials and fibers.

What makes fiber art fun is experimenting with various materials and techniques to create often practical and useful pieces like cute bucket hats and cup cozies, said fiber artist Chloe Tai.

When Tai moved to Philly from South Florida in April, they were pleasantly surprised to see a flourishing community of artists showcasing work at neighborhood markets and even the Philadelphia International Airport.

Tai, who runs Chloe Tai Designs, began experimenting with various fiber materials as an outlet for their ADHD — they call their art a “love letter to many hyper fixations and not having anywhere to put it.” On Tai’s social media, you’ll find handmade knit pies, crochet tapestries, and more.

For Miranda Lopez, her “sip and string” class at Hilo Fiber Bar (pronounced e-lo) on Chestnut Street is a way to educate people about fiber art. The 26-year-old’s studio “lets people learn a different type of art,” one where colorful yarn can become 3D images.

“I’ve noticed from Fiber Bar that people need something new [to do],” Lopez said. “It’s just as important as going to the gym or getting a pedicure spa and keeping yourself up — art is, honestly, a form of therapy.”

Whether you’re looking to pick up a new skill or get your dose of self-care, we’ve compiled a handful of places with classes from tufting rugs to tapestry weaving.

Inside the Bok Building, Tuft the World offers instructor-led introductory, project-based, and group classes focused on tufting rugs. Instructors guide you through the process, wherein strands of yarn are punched into backing material to create a loop, which becomes your take-home masterpiece. (Tufting is all the rage on TikTok, with artists creating everything from pop culture-inspired rugs and carpets to coasters.) Each class begins with a 30- to 45-minute demo and runs for up to five hours, with a completed item. Most classes are for beginners, though additional ones are available for advanced creators.

The intro to tufting sessions cover the basics: setting up a tufting frame with stretched primary cloth, threading, operating tufting machines, and learning how to cut, glue, and finish a piece. The classes are typically on Saturdays, offered twice a month for $225. Project-based classes focus on creating a specific item over several sessions for $215. Bring a date or friend to “Drink & Tuft” for a class complete with snacks and drinks (the group plans to partner with Bok breweries and caterers) for $150 per person. Supplies are included for each class.

Take home your fiber art at the end of each class or pick up later if you prefer the instructors to finish. Register for your class online.

📍1901 S. Ninth St. (Room 501 on fifth floor), 🌐 tuftinggun.com, 📷 @tuft_the_world

This 18-year-old shop on South Street has been educating folks with friendly instructors since day one. New or intermediate knitters can build confidence in their projects, grasping the basics of knitting and crocheting sweaters, hats, socks, amigurumi (Japanese crocheting) pieces, and cowls. Students can also tinker with unfinished projects to make something new. Class prices range from $60 to $125 per person, which vary in time, limited to eight students. Reserve your spot online.

📍1914 South St., 📞 215-893-9939, 🌐 loopyarn.com, 📷 @loopyarn

“Sip and string” with your date, friends, or by yourself at this BYOB fiber art studio for $65 per person. Pick out a stencil designed by owner-artist Miranda Lopez, grab yarn from the designated wall, outline the design on a wooden board with nails, and use the yarn to string the image together. The final product is a 3D art piece you can hang at home. All materials are included in the two and half hour class, including hammer, goggles, and earplugs.

📍723 Chestnut St. (inside the “HOT BED Art Gallery”), 🌐 hilofiberbar.com, 📷 @hilofiberbar

Go beyond tie-dye and venture into the world of artisanal dye traditions at this tranquil studio on East Girard Avenue. The intimate classes, hosting up to eight guests, are beginner-friendly and perfect for ages 7 and up. Owner Melanie Hasan leads sessions priced $25 and up, with materials included in a supportive environment.

Try the botanical bundle-dyeing workshop, to learn about botanical prints, patterns, and organic dye effects using dried and fresh flowers, bark, and extracts. You’ll get into various tie-dye prints and patterns, hot bath extraction, color modification, and more as you create mini bandannas, pairs of socks, or both for $80, which includes workshop materials, handouts, and lecture.

In the intro to yarn dyeing, you’ll learn firsthand the process of coloring yarn, perfect for fiber artists who like to knit, crochet, and weave. The workshop offers an opportunity to hand-dye five one-of-a-kind skeins (length of thread or yarn) of 100% super wash merino wool using low-immersion dye-baths, hand-painting, and speckling techniques for $200.

You can also sign up for free “community hangs” on the second Wednesday of each month or bring up to 10 friends for a group classes. Sign up online.

📍312 E. Girard Ave. Floor #1, 📞 267-312-9136, 🌐 modesttransitions.com, 📷 @modesttransitions

Across from Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, you can play with one-of-a-kind hand-dyed yarns and spinning fibers. The shop offers one-on-one or group classes, up to $65. Learn knitting, weaving, spinning (a twisting technique to form yarn), and crocheting with all the materials at your disposal. Expect three sessions for the beginners class. Call to schedule.

📍5743 Lower York Road, Lahaska, 📞 215-794-3020, 🌐 twistknittingandspinning.com, 📷 @twistknitting

At this Mount Airy shop, which hosts a monthly free Fiber Folk Night, community is woven into classes for crafters of all ages and abilities. Instructor-led classes include a macrame plant hanger workshop, where you’ll learn basic knotting techniques and incorporating ceramic beads for $85, and tapestry weaving with lessons on how to warp the loom, work with weaving tools, create basic patterns, and select materials and colors for $140. If you’re looking for a retreat, the two-day wheel spinning class focuses on beginners/intermediates hoping to hone drafting techniques, treadling (weaving with pedals on a loom) tips, and spinning with hands-on support. Prices and dates vary for each class, which you can sign up for online.

📍606 Carpenter Lane, 📞 267-766-5239, 🌐 wild-hand.com, 📷 @_wildhand_

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