I offer private lessons in weaving, sewing, and dyeing to teens & adults (16+). You’ll have one-on-one support and access to the resources you need to build skills or finish a project. We’ll customize the lesson to match your needs and interests. Lessons can be held at my studio in The Alameda Artworks in San Jose, in your home, or online. To inquire about private lessons, please reach out via my contact form.

Please note that my studio is a small carpeted space with no sink access, which means that I am somewhat limited in what I can offer onsite. “Dry” lessons only!

Weaving

I offer multi-shaft weaving lessons on your own loom.* Bring your table loom or portable floor loom to my studio, or I can come to you.

Topics I can cover:

• Get to know your loom

• Project planning and documentation

• Winding a warp on a warping board

• Dressing a loom front-to-back

• Reading weaving drafts and weaving techniques

• General project support & fixing common mistakes

• And more – reach out if the topic you’re interested in isn’t listed

*I am not currently able to provide loom rentals, but it’s something I hope to offer in the future. Check out the Micro Fiber School website for group classes where looms and all materials are provided.

Sewing

I offer machine sewing lessons and can teach some hand-sewing techniques. You can use my studio sewing machine (Janome Sewist 725a) while at my studio. If you have your own machine, you can bring it to the studio or I can come to you.

Topics I can cover:

• Get to know your sewing machine

• Sewing 101, including project planning, material selection, reading a sewing pattern, sewing with woven and knits, basic tool use, and more

• Project support for clothing, accessories, quilts, fabric art, and home goods

• Hemming and basic alterations

• General sewing machine use and project troubleshooting

• And more – reach out if the topic you’re interested in isn’t listed

Dyeing

I don’t have “wet” dyeing facilities at my studio. Anything that requires water or sink access would need to be done at your home with your tools. I hope to have a traveling dye setup soon!

Topics I can cover:

• Dyeing cellulose fibers with natural and fiber reactive dyes

• Preparing fabric and yarn for dyeing (scouring, tannins, mordants)

• Immersion dyeing fabric & yarn

• Painting and printing with mordant paste on fabric & yarn

• Indigo – basic vat set up and maintenance, dyeing technique

• Rust printing on fabric

• Shibori dyeing on fabric

• Ikat and warp painting

• And more – reach out if the topic you’re interested in isn’t listed

A note on “consumable” supplies

Private lesson fees cover instruction and tool use. Any consumable supplies (e.g. fabric, yarn, dyes, etc) are generally purchased and provided by the students themselves. I can offer suggestions on which supplies are needed and where to purchase them. In some cases, I may be able to source supplies and provide them for an additional fee.

Lesson Rates & Schedule

(Subject to change, last updated February 2025)

Private lessons are $80/hour in-person (1 hour minimum) and $60/hour via Zoom (30 minute minimum). If the lesson or workshop takes place at an off-site location, an additional transportation fee is included and depends on distance from my studio at the Alameda Artworks in San Jose.

In-person lessons at my studio are typically available Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays as long as there is no scheduled class or event. Lessons at your home or via Zoom have more flexibility on dates & times.

After you reach out via the contact form, we can chat via email or Zoom to make sure it’s a good fit and discuss timing & duration. When the date and time are confirmed, you’ll be sent an invoice. Payment is required in-full before the date of the lesson or workshop. Once scheduled, the cost is non-refundable. Transfers to a different date/time may be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

Get in Touch

To inquire about private lessons, please reach out via my contact form. Not sure private lessons are for you? See the Micro Fiber School website for group classes: https://www.microfiberschool.com.