You can create your own April fool’s cap by joining Vasanto for a day of foolish felting fun at Tryon Arts and Crafts School on March 31 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Start with a handmade felting geode, proceed to a wall hanging that can be turned into a flower and then finish with the fool’s cap. Learn the hat on a ball technique and felting basics in this day-long workshop. Make flaps, dangles and thingamajigs or keep it simple.
In this workshop, students will learn felting methods that compress wool roving and create dense fabric that is used in hats and winter garments.
Vasanto has been working with wool and color since she learned to knit as a child. She has been exploring spinning, dyeing, knitting, crocheting, weaving and felting wool fibers.
“Wool is one of the first man-made fabrics. It is soft, rich, and extremely versatile,” said Vasanto.
She began to felt by learning to make hats from Beth Beede. Lately she has been “nuno-felting,” which is felting onto woven silk, cotton or rayon. She has also studied with Pat Sparks, Inge Evers and Chad Hagen, among others.
Vasanto teaches at SAFF,  Friends and Fiberworks Winter Retreat and her home. She is a member of the Fiber Arts Alliance of Asheville and part of a number of spinning and knitting groups.
There will be a small materials fee per person to cover wool roving and other supplies.
Advance registration for all workshops is required. For more information about the instructor or workshop, including tuition and supply costs, contact Tryon Arts & Crafts School at 828-859-8323 or tryonartsandcrafts@windstream.net.  More details and examples of projects are available on the Tryon Arts and Crafts School website, www.TryonArtsandCrafts.org.
Tryon Arts and Crafts School is a non-profit crafts organization located at 373 Harmon Field Road in Tryon.
– article submitted by Julia McIntyre