Improv Quilting

Learn how to let go of measuring and patterns and build a quilted wall hanging using an improvisational method. Students will be led through scores (or prompts) to unleash their creativity. We will cover both machine and hand quilting, using the machine to piece together the face of our quilt and then transitioning to hand quilting the face to the backing. Students will walk away with a completed small wall hanging and the skills to continue improvisational quilting on their own.

The Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts Schoolhouse

Summer Program for Children: Superheroes, Superpowers

Calling all heroes and sidekicks!&nbsp;Projects will encourage children to create art inspired by their own unique superpowers. Participants will tap into the power that is their creativity and imagination! Our hands-on programs focus on craft, curiosity, creativity, expression, and exploration in a fun and supportive environment. Our summer teaching staff are artists who are passionate about working with young people and specialize in 2- and 3-D visual arts, sewing and other fiber arts, and woodworking. The Summer Program for Children is open to students ages 6-8 and 9-12. We offer four classes concurrently during each of the morning and afternoon sessions. Full and half-day programs are available each week. Half-days may be for either morning&nbsp;(9:00 AM-12:00 noon) or afternoon&nbsp;(12:30-3:30 PM) sessions. <a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-early-drop-week-one-1m25">Early Drop-Off</a> (8:00-9:00 AM) and <a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-extended-day-week-one-1m25">Extended Day</a> (3:30-5:30 PM) are available for up to 15 students weekly. Here are the available classes for the week! No class July 4 for Independence Day holiday. Morning Session:<ul><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-woodworking-ages-6-8-1m25">Woodworking (Ages 6-8)</a></li><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-art-zone-ages-6-8-1m25">Art Zone (Ages 6-8)</a></li><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-fiber-arts-ages-9-12-1m25">Fiber Arts (Ages 9-12)</a></li><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-mixed-media-ages-9-12-1m25">Mixed Media (Ages 9-12)</a></li></ul>Afternoon Session:<ul><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-fiber-arts-ages-6-8-1m25">Fiber Arts (Ages 6-8)</a></li><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-mixed-media-ages-6-8-1m25">Mixed Media (Ages 6-8)</a></li><li><a href="https://eliotschool.org/classes/spfc-art-zone-ages-9-12-1m25">Art Zone (Ages 9-12)</a></li></ul>

A Case Study in Buttons

This workshop will take place in both the wood and sewing studios! All parts of the workshop will be beginner-friendly and this is a perfect way for woodworkers to try their hand at sewing and sewers to try their hand at woodworking! In the woodshop, we will be making buttons and then we will use these buttons to make a pillowcase in the sewing studio! Students will begin in the woodshop by drilling button holes with the drill press in thin wooden boards. Next, they will use palm gouges, coping saws, rasps, and carving knives to form their three buttons into any shape they desire. Finally, students will sand and finish their buttons to make them ready for sewing! In the next session of the class, students will move to the sewing studio to sew their pillowcases. A pattern and pillows will be provided, and students will cut and sew their pattern pieces together; finally sewing on the buttons they made to complete the project! Woodworking skills: Students will learn to use the drill press, palm gouges, carving knives, rasps, and vices. Additionally, they will learn how to sand and finish their three buttons. Textile skills: Students will learn simple pattern drafting/measuring skills, sewing straight and curved lines on a sewing machine, hand stitching buttons on, and using a sewing machine to sew buttonholes.

Knitting for Beginners

In this beginner course, students will learn how cast on, knit, purl, and develop a good tension. Students will start with a simple scarf to practice basic knitting skills. As students progress, they may explore circular knitting as well. Students will walk away with a project such as a scarf, hat, or coaster. Take your skills home and create amazing gifts for loved ones or add a cozy handmade item to your wardrobe!

Decorative Handbuilt Clay

Learn how to build pinch pots, coil pots, fist pots, and slab pots in this adult class. Learn&nbsp;how to create sculptural vessels using the technique of your choice. You will learn how clay responds to&nbsp;touch and movements and how to manipulate clay to widen, lengthen, thin, and thicken. We will also explore&nbsp;how to use objects as molds to create&nbsp;vessels. Students will walk away with a variety of small pots with different hand-building techniques.&nbsp; This class uses self-hardening clay that behaves like kiln-fired clay when worked. The pieces created in class will not be waterproof nor food-safe. Pieces can be painted with acrylic and other paints.

Introduction to Sharpening

In this course, we will briefly touch on metallurgy, plane iron geometry, the definition of sharpness, and techniques for controlling the aforementioned subjects. Attendees will bring in tools that need to be sharpened and some will be provided for those who don't have tools. We will focus on how to sharpen straight blades (plane Irons and chisels primarily.) In doing so, students will learn how to use bench grinders to rough out the geometry of their irons and the next steps of polishing and honing on water stones. Students will walk away with the knowledge of sharpness and how to attain it which is a critical and fundamental skill in woodworking, particularly when dealing with hand tools. If they brought in a tool of their own they will also walk away with a well-tuned tool and the knowledge to maintain it.

Layered Accordion Books

Of all the non-traditional book structures, the Accordion, or&nbsp;“Concertina” is a favorite for its dramatic presentation. Experienced&nbsp;by the viewer as both a display easel and&nbsp;a book, the accordion book&nbsp;provides multiple interactions and perspectives that a traditional book&nbsp;cannot. The long, folded, or hinged panel is especially successful in&nbsp;presenting&nbsp;photographs, collage, small artworks, or anything that has a narrative&nbsp;or linear progression. From a simple single sheet to more complicated&nbsp;variations, the&nbsp;possibilities are endless. By the end of this one-day&nbsp;workshop, you’ll fall in love with this book structure too!

The Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts Annex

Three Legged Stool

In this two-session workshop, we will take hard wood from a rough state to a stool ready to be sat on! We will shape, form, and glue up all of the stool components on the first day and then focus on sanding and finishing on the second day. The simple construction of this stool makes it a perfect project for someone wanting to start building more complex chairs and stools. The stool we will make in this class will be constructed wedge which will secure the leg into the seat. After shaping the three legs and the seat, we will glue up the assembly. In the second session, we will focus on sanding and finishing the stool, perhaps adding personalized elements of texture or color. In the class, we will rely heavily on hand tools for shaping the legs and the seat but we will also use the drill press, router table, and band saw. Making this stool will give students a solid foundation for one of the most basic elements of wood joinery: the mortice and tenon. Understanding how this joint works and how to construct it will allow students to take on more ambitious furniture projects with confidence.

Variations in Acrylic

This acrylic painting workshop is a great match for those who have some experience with painting or those who have an established practice and want to expand the possibilities of their painting process. We will experiment with non-traditional methods for applying paint and using color. With exercises and prompts designed to expand and loosen the painting process, students will be encouraged to play and experiment. Methods include stamping, stenciling, and mark-making; students will create their own tools, while also using provided tools. Students can work with a provided still life or their own preferred subject matter.

Ten Cool Techniques for Gelliprinting

In this workshop, the instructor will demonstrate ten interesting techniques for using the gelliplate. We will also talk about some basic concepts related to gelliprinting and discuss different types of paint and paper. Students will then try out these techniques on their own, using most of the rest of the workshop to perfect these techniques and make multiple prints using the techniques they enjoy the most. Close to the end of the workshop, we will discuss ways that gelliprints can be used and look at some examples of&nbsp;things made with gelliprints. These include collages, artists’ books, and coasters. By the end of the workshop, students should understand that the gelliplate is a very versatile tool, one that allows you to create interesting papers or fabrics that can be used in multiple ways.

Embroidered Stories: Narrative Jewelry

Embroidered Stories: Narrative Jewelry&nbsp;is a two-day beginner-friendly workshop where participants will create a brooch inspired by a personal story, memory, or idea. Through guided lessons, explore pattern design, basic color theory, and embroidery techniques to bring your designs to life.&nbsp; Starting with a simple drawing or photo for inspiration,&nbsp;learn basic embroidery techniques such as satin stitch, backstitch, and French knots. The workshop also covers transferring designs onto fabric, exploring color combinations, and finishing techniques, including edge trimming and securely attaching a pin backing. The final piece will be a wearable work of art that carries a meaningful narrative. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a completed, wearable brooch and an opportunity to share their story with the group, connecting personal narratives to the timeless art of jewelry-making.

Matchbox Art Workshop

Make miniature masterpieces with matchboxes. Students will learn basic design and collage skills using matchboxes, an assortment of decorative papers, vintage paper ephemera, and assorted embellishments. You will have the opportunity to make several matchbox art pieces inspired by&nbsp;contemporary matchbox artists and sample matchboxes from the instructor. Matchbox art is a great creative project for all skill levels. Experiment with the medium in&nbsp;a relaxed and supportive atmosphere!

Japanese Puncture/Stab Books

This all-day workshop will explore a beloved book structure: the&nbsp;Japanese puncture (or “stab”) binding. This technique is especially&nbsp;useful as it joins individual sheets into a&nbsp;text block. The sheets can&nbsp;be edited and sequenced by the artist, then bound, resequenced, and then&nbsp;bound again and again! Perfect for visual journals, print collections,&nbsp;photo albums, signature books, and upscale scrapbooking, you will find&nbsp;the Japanese puncture book has endless uses.&nbsp; It features an exposed side stitch which can be embellished&nbsp;with beads, buttons, and even botanicals or personal charms. We’ll cover&nbsp;the traditional Japanese 4-hole stitch&nbsp;pattern, as well as other decorative&nbsp;variations. Both soft and hardbound versions will be&nbsp;completed. Exciting book cloth, handmade marbled and paste papers, linen&nbsp;threads, and ribbons, and all you’ll need will be provided for inspiration.

Intensive: Dovetailed Wall Cabinet

Everyone needs a place to store things, so why not level up your storage area and your woodworking skills by making a beautiful storage cabinet with traditional dovetail joinery? Dovetail joints have long been a sign of fine cabinetmaking; they look great, and they are incredibly strong. Learning to cut and fit dovetails teaches you&nbsp;so much about measuring and finessing fits. This class will immerse you in some of the most useful techniques in woodworking while using power tools and hand tools in the class.&nbsp; This four-day intensive will allow you to immerse yourself in a specific craft, but also bond with other artists and creative people over lunch and see the art they’ve been creating in their intensives.

Intensive: Felting and Dyeing Wool for Hats and Sculpture

This felting and dyeing class is open to all levels of felters&nbsp;including beginners. The class will feature three-dimensional felting for projects like hats, mittens, and sculptures. We will also work on dyeing wool since it really lends itself to accepting dye beautifully. Felting and dyeing wool are both labor-intensive techniques that require a bit of arm strength and patience. The felting process happens as the fluffy, wool fibers attach to each other and become a structured fabric by using water, soap, and agitation (arm strength). This technique has endless options for possible forms. Students will end up with a few samples of felted forms that they can also dye, plus one or two more elaborate projects like a hat and mittens or sculptures and installations. This four-day intensive will allow you to immerse yourself in a specific craft, but also bond with other artists and creative people over lunch and see the art they’ve been creating in their intensives.

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S17: interest based

Your guide to everything free in and around Boston. From events, to fairs, to festivals, to outdoors. Joyraft has all the free events happening near you.

100+ free things to do in Boston and beyond

Free things to do in Boston

Free things to do

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

eliotschool

Experiences