Stitch Club!

Wednesday, November 12, 5:30-7:30pm

Level: All levels welcome

Age requirements: Ages 12+

Registration fee: $10* (There is a small fee for this program to pay our teaching artists and for associated supplies. Scholarships are available to make this offering FREE - email us for information.)

Teaching artists: Sarah Best, Matt Lyga

This Month's Focus: Book Weaving with Matt Lyga

Stitch Club (formerly Youth Maker Meetup) returns to the Textile Arts Center this fall! Middle schoolers and high schoolers meet up at TAC to stitch.

Bring your own project to work on, or learn a new skill. This month’s focus is Book Weaving with Matt Lyga.

• Did you know you can use a hard-cover book as a loom for weaving? Participants will wrap thread around a book and weave through the threads to make a simple tapestry weaving. This method is great for learning a bit about weaving, and allows everyone to jump in!

• If you want to bring another project to work on, supplies available to use at TAC include sewing machines, thread, scissors, cutting mats, irons, ironing boards, and access to our Little Free Scrap Library.

Registration is required.

REGISTER

About Matt Lyga: Matt is Textile and Fashion Design Major at University of Wisconsin-Madison (graduating in 2026) focusing in creative knitwear and textile development. Matt has a wealth of experience teaching youth, and brought his textile and education skills to TAC in summer 2025 serving as a teaching assistant for TAC’s summer camps, including quilting, crochet, felting, and sewing.

About Sarah Best: Sarah is a lifelong apparel designer with a focus on knitwear and textile design. Her passion to sew and knit as a young girl led her to pursue an Apparel Design degree, with a Textile Arts minor, at VCU in Richmond, VA. Her career has included working for Armani Exchange and Ralph Lauren in New York City, and at Lands’ End in Wisconsin. She currently works as a contract designer and educator, expanding her creative interests across interiors and textile arts.

Beginning Crochet for Youth

Saturday, November 15, 1-3pm

Class level: All levels welcome

Age requirements: Ages 10+

Registration fee: $40

Teaching artist: Rachel Schindler (@rlschind)

This beginning crochet class will provide students with a basic introduction to the tools and foundational stitches of crochet. Participants will make a crocheted cotton washcloth or coaster - a perfect project for learning basic crochet stitches and gaining skill while creating a useful item. The workshop will cover: -The supplies needed for crochet -How to read crochet patterns -Creating a foundation chain with the chain stitch -Single Crochet stitch -Finishing off your project.

These foundational crochet techniques are ones that can then be applied to other patterns and projects you want to try!

Note: All supplies are included. But if students wish to bring their own crochet hook, size G, H, or I is recommended.

REGISTER

Bio:

Rachel’s craft practice began with learning crochet when she was young and the craft continues to be one she turns to when seeking to make meaningful handmade projects to share as gifts. In addition to crochet, her work focuses on quilting, hand-stitching, and embroidery using repurposed materials and natural fibers. She enjoys exploring the way that fabric and textiles hold memory and meaning, and how both the act of making and the end result can be sources of reflection and comfort.

Social: @rlschind

Stitch Club!

Wednesday, December 10, 5:30-7:30pm

Level: All levels welcome

Age requirements: Ages 12+

Registration fee: $10* (There is a small fee for this program to pay our teaching artists and for associated supplies. Scholarships are available to make this offering FREE - email us for information.)

Teaching artists: Sarah Best, Matt Lyga

This Month's Focus: Sew a Tote Bag with Sarah Best

Stitch Club (formerly Youth Maker Meetup) returns to the Textile Arts Center this fall! Middle schoolers and high schoolers meet up at TAC to stitch.

Bring your own project to work on, or learn a new skill. This month’s focus is on sewing a reusable tote bag with Sarah Best.

• Sarah will show participants how to sew a simple reusable tote bag. Bring your own fabric and/or sewing machine if you’d like, but you can also just bring yourself - TAC will have all the supplies, tools, and sewing machines necessary.

• If you want to bring another project to work on, supplies available to use at TAC include sewing machines, thread, scissors, cutting mats, irons, ironing boards, and access to our Little Free Scrap Library.

Registration is required.

REGISTER

About Sarah Best: Sarah is a lifelong apparel designer with a focus on knitwear and textile design. Her passion to sew and knit as a young girl led her to pursue an Apparel Design degree, with a Textile Arts minor, at VCU in Richmond, VA. Her career has included working for Armani Exchange and Ralph Lauren in New York City, and at Lands’ End in Wisconsin. She currently works as a contract designer and educator, expanding her creative interests across interiors and textile arts.

About Matt Lyga: Matt is Textile and Fashion Design Major at University of Wisconsin-Madison (graduating in 2026) focusing in creative knitwear and textile development. Matt has a wealth of experience teaching youth, and brought his textile and education skills to TAC in summer 2025 serving as a teaching assistant for TAC’s summer camps, including quilting, crochet, felting, and sewing.