Mending with Wool with Erin Carlson

2-Part Workshop Series

Dates: Thursdays, September 25-October 2, 2025

Time: 6pm-9pm

Description: Join local fiber artist Erin Carlson of Red Cottage Fiber Studio in exploring the possibilities of mending clothing with felted wool! Mends can be subtle or dramatic, basic shapes or pictorial masterpieces. We will be using a combination of needle felting and wet felting to ensure the most durable felt possible, but please keep in mind that special washing instructions may be recommended.

Don’t have a suitable piece in need of a mend? This technique is also useful for infusing your wardrobe with personality. Have a wool hat that you would love to adorn with a felted slice of pizza? Or an ice cream cone? Or a cocktail shrimp? This class is for you, too.

Please bring 2-4 clean clothing items to work on. Mends should be limited to small to medium holes (like moth holes,) and not large or shredded areas. While all clothing is deserving of mending, this specific technique works best on natural fibers, particularly wool and other animal fibers. An ideal candidate would be a medium-weight wool knit, although it is also possible to felt on heavy cottons, including denim.

Tuition: $130 + $20 materials fee

Note: We really want you to join us in the studio! Full and partial tuition scholarships are available to offset some of the financial burden of attending a class.

Please fill out the application here! You can expect to hear from someone on the CC staff within 2 weeks.

If you have any questions, email Jamie Boyle, Fibers Program Manager, at jboyle@contemporarycraft.org, or leave a voice message for them at 412-465-1639.

Materials: All materials for mending will be provided. Participants are asked to bring 2-4 clean clothing items to work on. Mends should be limited to small to medium holes (like moth holes,) and not large or shredded areas. This specific technique works best on natural fibers, particularly wool and other animal fibers. An ideal candidate would be a medium-weight wool knit, although it is also possible to felt on heavy cottons, including denim.

Location: Contemporary Craft, TImmons Studios (5688 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201). Note, this workshop will take place in the Paper Studio, which is on the first floor of the building.

There are 2 entrances to the Timmons Studios.

• One entrance is facing Butler Street. To access the Paper Studio from the Butler Street facing entrance, there are a total of 8 stairs to ascend.

• One entrance is facing 57th Street. This entrance is accessible by ramp, with no stairs to ascend. The Paper Studio is located down the hall from this entrance.

If there are accessibility accommodations we can provide, or if there is anything that would be helpful for us to know before you arrive, please leave a message for Jamie Boyle at 412-465-1639 or by email jboyle@contemporarycraft.org.

Cancellations and Refunds: Workshop cancellations are decided three business days before the start date. If workshops must be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, the entire class fee will be refunded by check, to your credit card, or Contemporary Craft account for future workshops.

Refund Policy: Student refund requests must be made at least three business days before a class begins. There will be a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be given without three-business days notice. Processing of refunds takes approximately three weeks.

About the Artist

Erin Carlson is a multidiscplinary fiber artist working and teaching in th Pittsburgh area for the last decade. She loves to help students explore their creativity through the use of fibers.