Get into the holiday spirit by creating a charming Santa Gnome using locally sourced wool and fleece. In this cozy and creative class, students will learn how to form and layer wool through needle felting techniques to build their own whimsical figure—perfect for gifting or decorating. Dawn Viands My journey into needlefelting started with the purchase of a kit during the 2011 Maryland Sheep And Wool Festival. After completing the kit, I was hooked! I have been felting and working with wool, including breeding sheep to accommodate my felting needs ever since. I have developed my own wool roving mixture of breeds that felts wonderfully, along with hand dying all my color needs. I have won many awards and ribbons for my Santas and figures in local Fairs and Festivals, and love to demonstrate needlefelting to the public. I have developed several kits that make it easy for a beginner to achieve success. Along with learning new skills, the kits are interesting enough they will keep a more skilled felter entertained as well. I always try to create my sculptures with their own personality and no two are ever the same. I love to see people smile when they see them. I still thoroughly enjoy this hobby and am always looking forward to more and more challenges in what I can produce and share. I hope I can pass on this excitement to my students.