Artist Melissa Arnold offers felting technique class

Master textile artist Melissa Arnold will offer an advanced felting technique class, “Layered, Collaged, Stitched and Felted: Collage within a Collage,” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 17, 18 and 19 at the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center.

Arnold has been creating textiles for the last 30 years. She has been collaborating with fashion designer Catherine Bacon professionally for the last 12 years. She is a master dyer, felter and surface designer. She teaches workshops across the country.

In this workshop, Arnold will explore the creative possibilities of layering, collaging, stitching and felting. Working with merino wool, prefelt, sheer patterned silks and assorted scraps of fabrics, participants will play with the variety of design options available when wool and fabric are layered together and stitched through. Participants will then further collage and felt the stitched pieces to create a dynamic collar or wrap.

This is an advanced felting class: Participants need to have a good amount of experience felting, as well as a working sewing machine that does free motion stitching, with the proper free motion foot attachment and some experience with free motion stitching and felting. A full supply list will be provided to registered participants.

The fee for the three-day workshop is $425 with an additional $25 supply fee for prefelt and stabilizer. Arnold will also supply ridged mats for the tables and olive oil soap.

Workshop space is limited, and requires registration and a $100 deposit to hold a spot. Registration deadline is Oct. 2.

The Bigfork Art and Cultural Center is located at 525 Electric Ave. in Bigfork. For more information or to register, call 406-837-6927 or visit http://bigforkculture.org/.