MAFA

About MAFA

The MidAtlantic Fiber Association (MAFA) represents and supports a community of fiber arts guilds in the greater Mid-Atlantic region. Although MAFA is best known for its biennial conference - and now for virtual programs - the all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization also provides ongoing financial grants, fellowships and scholarships to promote education, development and public outreach in the fiber arts.

For more information on registration access and closure, class cancellations, refund policy & more, please visit the MAFA FAQS page. Also check out MAFA's virtual landing page: mafafiber.org/virtual

If you are a member of a fiber arts guild in the Mid-Atlantic region, check the Find a Guild page to see if your guild is a MAFA member (which makes you a member). If not, or if you live out of the area, please consider joining MAFA as an Associate member here.

Event recordings: Unless otherwise noted, for most classes and lectures, recordings are available for rewatching for 30 days. In the case of classes with more than one session, the recording availability period starts counting after the last date in the class schedule.

Upcoming MAFA Classes and Lectures

Fiber Fun Without the Fuss: Teaching Dyeing, Spinning & Weaving to Kids

with Geri Forkner

Bring fiber arts to life in energetic classrooms, scout groups, or any space full of busy hands. This class offers simple, adaptable projects in dyeing, spinning, and weaving—plus practical tips for managing materials and keeping things running smoothly. We’ll explore yarn dyeing...

Starts Thursday, September 10, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

From Four to Eight and More

with Marcy Petrini

Most four-shaft structures can be expanded to eight shafts or more, but the strategies are different depending on the specific weave. We will discuss the strategy for the various group of weaves, the exceptions to the strategies and the chameleon nature of some weaves as we expand...

Starts Tuesday, September 15, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Clasped Warp and Clasped Weft Scarf

with Deborah Jarchow

Discover the beauty of combining clasped warp and clasped weft in a single, eye-catching scarf. In this session, you’ll learn how to create striking, flowing patterns that seem to dance across the fabric—while discovering just how approachable these techniques can be. We’ll cover...

Tuesday, October 13, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Understanding and Designing Huck Lace

with Jill Staubitz

We'll cover the fundamentals of threading, tie ups and treadling using four shaft Huck Lace, then transition into designing six blocks using eight shafts with Huck Lace's unique plus/minus template. I'll demonstrate how a Huck Lace motif can be implemented to create pattern across...

Starts Thursday, October 15, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Spin Smarter: Fine Tuning Your Yarn Making Skills

with Kim McKenna

This workshop is designed for spinners who want more from the yarn they create: more consistency, more control, and a deeper understanding of how technique shapes your handspun. In this course, we’ll explore the characteristics of worsted and woollen yarns and how your choice of...

Starts Wednesday, November 4, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Intro to Creative Mending: Needle Weaving

with Riley Kleve

Extend the life of well-loved clothes using basic darning techniques! Whether your vintage sweater has a snag or your favorite socks are getting worn out, you’ll learn skills to mend, darn, and patch all sorts of items with ease. Class will start out with a hands-on overview of basic...

Thursday, November 12, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Weave Motifs Using an Overshot Technique

with Margery Erickson

Looking for something fun to weave? Know about overshot, but have not tried it? Are you ready to weave with two shuttles? Join me as I share a few of my patterns, how they can be woven, and a look at how I and why I started designing these. You will have the opportunity to weave...

Starts Tuesday, December 1, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Phoenix Top

with Deborah Jarchow

This session focuses on weaving with purpose—transforming your handwoven fabric into a beautiful, wearable garment. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of wearing something you’ve made yourself, and this tutorial will guide you through every step. You’ll learn how to put...

Thursday, December 10, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Bayeux Stitch Dragons, Wool Embroidery

with Laura Berlage

Explore and celebrate early medieval wool embroidery with these interwoven Nordic dragons! The Bayeux stitch (a type of laid and couched work) is named for the famous 33-meter long stitched “graphic novel” called the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the Norman conquest of England in...

Starts Wednesday, January 6, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Planning, Preparing and Presenting the Perfect Kitchen Towel

with Gail Pilgrim

Kitchen Towels (aka Dish Towels, Tea Towels, Bar Towels, Glass Towels) are the workhorses of the weaving world. By popular opinion they are the most often woven project and not only fulfill a practical functional role but also make happily received gifts and highly successful sale...

Starts Saturday, January 9, at 2 pm ET | 11 am PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Small Looms, Wide Views: Weaving Landscape with Handspun Yarn

with Sarah Boink

In this online class, students will create a tapestry sampler on a mini loom inspired by landscape, using hand-spun, sustainable yarns. Through guided demonstrations and step-by-step instruction, participants will explore how color, texture, and line can be used to suggest sky, land,...

Starts Tuesday, February 2, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Blending and Turning a Draft

with Jill Staubitz

Blending and Turning a Draft Follow along as I guide you through blending two four shaft drafts into one 8 shaft draft where either structure can appear on the cloth as you weave. Sound complicated? No worries. I will take you step-by-step through the process. After blending the...

Thursday, February 4, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Fiber to Fabric: How the underlying fiber informs the knitted fabric

with Margaret Radcliffe

From dependable sheep’s wool to tricky rayon, every yarn is individual. Each type of fiber, from a specific breed of sheep or other fiber-bearing animal, from plants like bamboo, hemp and flax, manmade or remanufactured, brings its own distinct benefits and challenges to a knitting...

Starts Saturday, February 13, at 2 pm ET | 11 am PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Create pictograms in your pattern with using sketchpad in Fiberworks for Windows

with Maryse Giroux

Did you know that you can simply draw a picture and apply functions to it to turn it into a weaving pattern? In my work, I use Sketchpad for this purpose. During this workshop, you will learn a practical method for converting simple drawings or pictograms into woven designs, along...

Starts Monday, February 15, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Beyond Rectangles: Shaped Edges in Weaving

with Sydney Sogol

Unlock the world of creative possibilities in weaving by breaking away from the standard rectangle! In this immersive online workshop, participants will delve into the art of weaving shaped edges. Learn to create geometric and organic shapes that can stand alone or are connected...

Starts Thursday, February 25, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Designing a Twill Dish Towel Pattern in Fiberworks for Windows

with Maryse Giroux

In this workshop, you will be guided step by step to design a twill dish towel pattern using Fiberworks for Windows. To build a solid pattern, we will cover the key technical elements: sett (ends per inch), reed selection, and the fundamentals of the twill progression (twill wheel)....

Starts Wednesday, March 17, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Introduction to Summer and Winter Four Shaft Fundamentals

with Jill Staubitz

This class is perfect for those who have limited or no experience weaving Summer and Winter. We’ll focus on using 4 shafts to learn the necessary essentials for understanding this structure’s unique threading, tie up, and treadling rules. Included in this session: the four ‘styles/fashions’...

Starts Thursday, March 25, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Designing a Twill Dish Towel Pattern in Fiberworks for Mac

with Maryse Giroux

In this workshop, you will be guided step by step to design a twill dish towel pattern using Fiberworks for Mac. To build a solid pattern, we will cover the key technical elements: sett (ends per inch), reed selection, and the fundamentals of the twill progression (twill wheel)....

Starts Wednesday, April 7, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Adventures in Paper Weaving

with Molly Elkind

Paper weaving is a quick and fun way to play with color, image, and pattern—without a loom! Even if you’ve never seen a weaving draft and don’t know warp from weft, you’ll be weaving by the end of the workshop. We will begin by viewing the diverse work of several artists working...

Starts Tuesday, April 20, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Even More Finishing Techniques for Handwovens

with Deborah Jarchow

Deborah previously gave a class showing many end finishing techniques. This session explores even more techniques that can enhance the look of your finished pieces. Through lecture and demonstration, she will guide you through such techniques as chaining, blanket stitch, the woven...

Tuesday, May 11, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

Joining Handwoven Panels

with Deborah Jarchow

Is your loom too narrow to weave the finished products youʼd like to make? Do you enjoy weaving on narrow looms but want to create blankets or garments? Deborah will show you various ways to join panels together to make those wide finished pieces. Depending on your preference, your...

Thursday, May 13, at 7 pm ET | 4 pm PT - Learn More and Sign Up

About Lessonface

Lessonface has been connecting students with great teachers for live online lessons and classes since 2012. Our mission is to help students achieve their goals while treating teachers equitably. We have hosted hundreds of thousands of music, language, and arts classes and lessons.