The Fiber Craft Studio, formerly the Craft Studio of Sunbridge College, has evolved over the course of 20 years serving the students of the college and offering courses and workshops open to the public. In the summer of 2008 it became a separate initiative and joined the family of institutions that are working under the umbrella of the Threefold Educational Center seeking to put into practice the ideas inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner.

Over the course of time many individuals have contributed to its social fabric, nurtured its spiritual substance and cared for its physical spaces, gardens, tools and materials. This collaborative working in the service of ideals is still one of its hallmarks today.

Our studio is located at Orchard House, a lovely white brick building, on the campus of the Threefold Educational Center. It has a walled-in backyard with a large terrace that serves as an outdoor work and teaching space.

Faculty, Co-Workers, Friends and Volunteers

Renate Hiller, Co-Director of the Fiber Craft Studio, co-founded the Sunbridge College Applied Arts Program in 1996 and at present co-directs the fifth cycle. 

Renate is indebted to the late Margarethe Frohlich, a celebrated pioneer in teaching handwork in North American Waldorf Schools, for her guidance and years of mentoring.

Mikae Toma, Co-Director of the Fiber Craft Studio, was a kindergarten teacher in Japan and a student of Waldorf education before joining the Craft Studio as a co-worker. She is a graduate and faculty member of the Applied Arts Program.

Advisory Circle

Jaime Arenas

Lura Jacobs

Chris Marlow

The ongoing work at the Fiber Craft Studio is supported by many contributions from generous friends and volunteers.

Activities at the Studio

Our ongoing study, practice and research are the basis for our teaching and all other activities.

Applied Arts Program                                                            Handwork Teacher Education

This part-time program supports the spiritual and practical growth of Waldorf handwork teachers or individuals aspiring to become teachers. The program explores the art, philosophy, practice and pedagogy of teaching handwork. It is also a forum for sharing insights and experiences arising in the classroom. Participants meet two weeks in the summer and one week in the winter for four years. Preparatory reading and independent research complement the coursework. A new cycle begins every two years. The next cycle will begin in the summer of 2009; click here for more information.

Courses and Workshops

We offer several weekend workshops each year in plant-dyeing, felting and knitting. Each workshop offers the opportunity to rediscover the wonders of natural materials, to learn new skills, and to immerse oneself in an artistic, transformative process. The emphasis is on the process of creation and on working with others. Click here for a listing of our current offerings.

Open Studio and Sales

We create and sell unique one-of-a-kind hand-felted accessories, fiber craft kits for knitting, crocheting and felting and our plant-dyed materials at our studio in Orchard House and we also sell our items at other locations and fiber events. Click here for more information.

Study, Practice and Research 

In our collaborative working as fiber artisans we are inspired by a spirit-imbued image of the human being, nature and the cosmos. Whether we take in the wonders embodied in a lock of wool fleece or in a silkworm cocoon, or whether we observe a plant as it metamorphoses through the seasons, we cannot but be filled with awe and gratitude for nature's gifts. As we become engaged not only with our eyes and our mind, but also with our hands and our heart, nature begins to reveal her secrets - we may sense and feel the creative spirit active in it. As fiber artisans, it is our task and our privilege to continue the work of nature - working with her materials, inspired by her gestures of color and form, to create objects for daily use that are both functional and beautiful. Balancing usefulness and beauty, so that perfect harmony is achieved, is the goal we set ourselves again and again. As we transform nature's gifts, we practice approaching all realms of life with artistic sensibility.

We practice and research the art and craft of dyeing with plants to bring harmonious, truly beautiful colors to the fibers and yarns we use. We grow many of the plants in our dye-garden in the biodynamic gardens of the Pfeiffer Center, or we harvest them in the surrounding countryside. We also use some of the plant materials grown in tropical regions. The living sun-imbued quality of plant colors is a therapy for the senses and brings nourishment to the soul.

Through hand-spinning, knitting, crocheting, felting and sewing - using beautiful, mostly plant-dyed materials - we seek to enliven the art of clothing. Can clothing become a true art again that serves the human being in body, soul and spirit? This is a question we live with, as we create garments inspired by Rudolf Steiner's indications for a renewal of the art of clothing. (Please visit our gallery to see some of our handmade vests, tops and accessories.)

If you are interested in being a volunteer to help us, please let us know! We would love to have you join our work!

Our Newsletter 2009