Up-Coming Fiberart Workshops :
FALL 2025- SPRING 2026
Aya Fiber Studio in Stuart, Florida welcomes regional, national, and internationally recognized fiber artists to teach an inspiring series of hands-on fiber art workshops, lectures, and critiques. Each immersive class invites students to explore a wide range of surface-design techniques — including indigo dyeing, shibori, katazome, eco-printing, papermaking, and mixed-media textile arts — all within our fully equipped destination studio.
With small class sizes and a relaxed, intimate setting, participants receive personal instruction and meaningful interaction with master artists, fostering both creative growth and community.
Explore our upcoming fiber art workshops listed by month below. Click each post or the “Register Now” button for full details, instructor bios, supply lists, and online registration.
🍂 FALL AT AYA FIBER STUDIO
Fall marks the quiet beginning of a new creative season at Aya Fiber Studio. Before the winter rush of visiting artists and full classes, our pre-season workshops offer smaller, more intimate sessions—perfect for focused exploration and one-on-one guidance.
These early classes give students time to reconnect with materials, refresh their dyeing or stitching skills, and enjoy the calm of the studio before the high season begins. Whether you’re experimenting with eco-printing, returning to indigo, or simply seeking space to create, fall is the perfect time to slow down and immerse yourself in the art of making.
❄️ Winter at Aya Fiber Studio
Winter is peak season at Aya Fiber Studio — when the creative energy, sunshine, and spirit of community come together in Stuart, Florida. While the rest of the country bundles up, artists from across the U.S. and beyond escape the cold to join our nationally and internationally acclaimed instructors for immersive, hands-on fiber art workshops.
From December through early February, the studio is alive with color, conversation, and discovery. Explore indigo, shibori, katazome, eco-printing, surface design, and mixed-media processes in small, focused classes that encourage experimentation and personal growth. Surrounded by palm trees, ocean breezes, and the warmth of fellow makers, winter at Aya Fiber Studio is truly where artists come to create.
🌸 Spring at Aya Fiber Studio
Spring arrives early in South Florida — bringing perfect weather, blue skies, and creative energy to Aya Fiber Studio. From mid-February through May, it’s the ideal time to escape the cold and immerse yourself in hands-on fiber art workshops in Stuart, Florida.
This season features a full lineup of nationally recognized instructors teaching indigo, shibori, eco-printing, surface design, and mixed media. Enjoy inspiring classes, small groups, and the vibrant community that makes Aya Fiber Studio a favorite winter–spring destination for artists from across the country.
Stitched Shibori, Maki-Age & Kumo: Drawing with Thread
Date: Feb 10, – Fri, Feb 13, 2026
Resist & Reveal: The Art of Katazome with Suzanne Connors
Date: Feb 16-20, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $740
Discover the beauty of Katazome, Japan’s elegant stencil-dye technique. Design your own stencil, prepare natural rice paste, and layer indigo to create richly patterned cloth with depth and grace.
Light and Lacey- Mixed Media Fiber Art Collage with Valerie Goodwin
Date: Feb 24-26, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $860
Experiment with translucent materials, thread drawing, and collage. Valerie Goodwin shares techniques for designing airy, layered textiles that play with light and line.
March 2026
Why Not Joomchi? with Jiyoung Chung
Date: March 2-6, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $980
Experience the Korean art of paper felting, transforming handmade paper into supple, textured surfaces. Learn to manipulate fibers into tactile artworks that blur the line between paper and cloth.
Mimosas and Mending: A Slow Stitch Social at Aya Fiber Studio
Date: Sat, Mar 7, 2026, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Patterning the Pattern with Amy Nguyen
Date: March 9-13, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1040
Explore layered fabric manipulation, pleating, and stitched structure inspired by traditional Japanese and contemporary textile design. Through thoughtful process and surface experimentation, Amy Nguyen guides participants in developing richly patterned cloth that reflects both technical skill and personal expression.
Japanese Papermaking & Bookbinding Intensive with Anne Covell
Date: March 17–19, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1100
Learn the traditional Japanese methods of papermaking and bookbinding in this focused three-day intensive. Create fine handmade papers and transform them into beautifully bound artist books.Intro to Shibori and Indigo with Suzanne Connors
Date: March 23, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $180
A one-day shibori and indigo immersion covering classic folds, clamps, and stitched resists; different techniques every workshop
Creative Approaches to Surface Design on Fabric with Jeanne Brady
Date: March 24-27, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $980
Transform cloth into expressive art through print, resist, and layered color. Jeanne Brady leads students in exploring design, movement, and pattern for contemporary surface design.
April 2026
Mixed Media Encaustic: Mono-Printing, Work on Paper and the Book with Lorraine Glessner
Date: April 6-10, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1270
Merge wax, pigment, and texture in this mixed-media encaustic intensive with Lorraine Glessner. Explore mono-printing, layering, and composition to create luminous works on paper and in book form.
Surface Design with Betty Busby
Date: April 13-17, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1225
Transform cloth into art with innovative surface-design techniques. Betty Busby guides you through color, resist, and stitched embellishment, inspiring bold experimentation and expressive textiles in her “newest” surface design workshop.
Unlock the Magic of Cameo Silhouette with Kim Borowy
Date: April 18-20, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $520
Discover how to use procreate and the Silhouette Cameo as a creative design tool for textiles. Learn to cut, print, and layer your own stencils and patterns with precision and imagination. ( Great companion class to Betty Busby’s Surface Design or Vallerie Goodwin’s workshop)
DYE PAINT YOUR IMAGES / BRING THEM TO LIFE WITH QUILTING with Hollis Chatelain
Date: April 22-24, 2025
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1152
Learn to paint directly with dyes to create vivid imagery on cloth, then bring your work to life through expressive quilting. Hollis Chatelain’s approach merges drawing, color, and stitch into stunning narrative textiles.
Wet Cyanotype with Suzanne Moseley
Date: April 27- May 1, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $1020
Capture sunlight and shadow through the art of wet cyanotype. Explore this painterly photographic process on fabric and paper, discovering a balance between chemistry, spontaneity, and design.
May 2026
INTRO TO ECO-PRINT with Suzanne Connors
Date: May 5, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $180
Discover the natural beauty of leaf printing and eco-dyeing using local botanicals. This single-day introduction focuses on composition, color layering, and understanding the chemistry behind botanical contact printing.
4 DAY BOTANICAL PRINT WORKSHOP with Suzanne Connors
Date: May 5-8, 2026
Location: Aya Fiber Studio- Stuart FL
Tuition: $720
Deepen your eco-printing practice in this extended workshop focused on mordants, tannins, and advanced layering. Create richly detailed prints on fabric that reflect the beauty of the natural world.
Intro to Shibori and Indigo with Suzanne Connors
Date: May 12, 2026 10 am-4pm
☀️ Summer/ Fall 2026 – Blue in the Mountains Retreats
Aya Fiber Studio Summer Sessions – Murphy, North Carolina
June–October 2026
Location: Murphy, North Carolina
Each summer, Aya Fiber Studio brings its creative spirit to the mountains. The Stuart studio closes for the season while Suzanne Connors hosts the Blue in the Mountains Textile Retreats in Murphy, North Carolina.These immersive retreats blend the serenity of the Blue Ridge Mountains with hands-on instruction in shibori, indigo, katazome, eco-printing, and papermaking. Surrounded by nature and creative community, artists experience a deep connection between craft, culture, and landscape.
Whether you join for a weeklong workshop or a full retreat experience, summer or fall at Aya Fiber Studio’s mountain home offers time to recharge, experiment, and find inspiration in every shade of blue.
🍂 Blue in the Mountains: A Fall Fiber Retreat 🍂
OCTOBER 13-22, 2026
this year Suzanne is planning a fall creative retreat, held at Wagonmaster Ranch Resort, nestled halfway between Murphy, North Carolina and Blue Ridge, Georgia—right in the heart of peak fall color. It’s the perfect setting to slow down, gather with your creative tribe, and let the season shape the work.
The retreat will focus on eco-printing, printing on leather, indigo, shibori, and hand stitching, with plenty of spacious time for making, exploring, and simply being. Alongside studio time, we’ll enjoy the pleasures of fall in the mountains—apple picking, baking, hiking, local wineries, festivals, and leaf viewing, all thoughtfully woven around your favorite fiber arts.
Think crisp air, changing leaves, hands stained blue, quiet mornings in the studio, and evenings spent in good company.
✨ Save your spot and follow along as plans unfold:
🔗 https://ayafiberstudio.corsizio.com/event/697e2841ae77b6845d719bc3I can’t wait to share more soon 🍁
🌏 May 2027 – Japan Indigo & Textile Tours
Conducted by Aizome Studio | Suzanne Connors
Southern Japan Textile Retreat
Date: May 3–17, 2027
Journey through southern Japan’s rich textile heritage, visiting artisans and studios in Fukuoka, Yame, Beppu, Tokushima, and Hiroshima. Led by Suzanne Connors of Aizome Studio, this immersive retreat includes hands-on workshops in indigo dyeing, katazome stencil design, papermaking, and traditional weaving. Experience local craft villages, cultural sites, and the artistry of Japan’s “Blue Heartland” in a carefully curated blend of learning, travel, and inspiration.Northern Japan Textile Journey
Date: May 22–June 6, 2027
Explore the northern regions of Japan—Tokyo, Kyoto, Arimatsu, Kanazawa, and Takayama—on a two-week creative adventure designed for fiber artists and cultural travelers. Participate in private workshops with Japanese masters, visit indigo studios and historic shibori houses, and enjoy guided tours of temples, gardens, and museums.
Each day blends artistry and cultural immersion, offering a once-in-a-lifetime journey into Japan’s living textile traditions through the eyes of Aizome Studio founder, Suzanne Connors.
Planning Ahead – 2026 Teaching Venues
In addition to hosting the Blue in the Mountains retreats, Suzanne Connors will be teaching at several premier fiber art centers throughout the United States. Each venue offers a unique setting and specialized focus—ideal opportunities for students to continue their learning journey beyond Florida. (Links will be posted as they become LIVE) (CLICK VENUE NAME)
Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance (Atlanta, GA)
June 11–14, 2026
Join Suzanne for a special indigo and shibori workshop at SEFAA, exploring layered resist and traditional Japanese dye techniques in a supportive, collaborative environment.Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association (Blue Ridge , GA)
June 20, 2026
Join Suzanne for a one-day eco-printing workshop in the mountain town of Blue Ridge, known for its rolling hills, forested trails, and relaxed creative energy. Tucked into North Georgia’s Appalachian foothills, Blue Ridge offers crisp air, beautiful scenery, and a perfect setting for slowing down and working with natural materials.
In this immersive day-long workshop, you’ll explore eco-printing on fabric using leaves, plants, heat, and time to create richly layered, organic patterns. Suzanne will guide you through the full process—from plant selection and bundling to steaming and revealing—while encouraging experimentation and personal expression.
Whether you’re new to eco-printing or looking to deepen your practice, this workshop offers a focused, hands-on experience rooted in place, process, and connection to the natural world.
Madeline Island School of the Arts (Wisconsin)
July 13–17, 2026
Set on the beautiful shores of Lake Superior, this immersive summer class offers students an opportunity to dive into indigo dyeing, katazome, and surface design surrounded by natural inspiration.
Appalachian Center for Craft (Tennessee)
August 2-7, 2026
Nestled in the rolling hills of Tennessee, the Appalachian Center for Craft offers a setting that feels both expansive and deeply grounded—an ideal place to slow down and immerse yourself in the traditions of Japanese textiles alongside Suzanne.
Surrounded by forests, open fields, and wide skies, the Center is known for its exceptional studios, thoughtful architecture, and quiet sense of purpose. The fiber studios are spacious, light-filled, and designed for serious making, allowing you to focus fully on process, repetition, and detail. Just outside the studio doors, the landscape invites reflection—walks between sessions, moments of pause, and a rhythm that supports deep creative work.
Joining Suzanne here for an immersive Japanese textiles retreat means working in a place that honors craft as both skill and way of life. The environment encourages attention, patience, and connection—between hands and materials, between tradition and personal expression, and among a small community of makers gathered with shared intent.
This retreat is as much about place as it is about process: a chance to study time-honored textile techniques in a setting that naturally supports focus, generosity, and meaningful creative exchange.
Sanborn Mills Farm (New Hampshire)
August 12–17, 2026
Experience the charm of a working historic farm while studying the art of indigo, shibori, and Japanese-inspired textiles with Suzanne. Enjoy a week of creative learning, fresh air, and New England hospitality.
Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association (Blue Ridge, GA)
September 11, 2026
Join Suzanne for a one-day shibori workshop in the mountain town of Blue Ridge, hosted at the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association.
In this hands-on workshop, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of shibori resist-dyeing, exploring how folding, binding, and stitching create pattern and movement in cloth. Working with indigo or fiber-reactive dyes, you’ll learn how repetition, tension, and release shape the final design.
Set against the backdrop of early fall in the North Georgia mountains, this workshop is ideal for beginners and experienced makers alike who want a focused, creative day rooted in process, tradition, and discovery.
All materials provided. No prior experience required.
