The Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen offers an array of classes for adults in blacksmithing, glass, jewelry, fiber, wood, and pottery. Our workshops are accessible for everyone, with most being suitable for beginners. We strive to continually connect our Guild members and local artists to the local community through education. Join us for an afternoon or evening and learn a new skill!
We have also partnered with local organizations to bring more workshops to more locations in PA!
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Basketry
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Fine Craft as a Business
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$50 or Less
$51 to $100
$101 to $150
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Click Here to View Our Workshop Calendar
Upcoming Events
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Metalsmithing Basics: Soldering, Texturizing, & Stone Setting
2026-09-29
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Instructor: Jessica Keemer Skill Level: Beginner In this workshop, students will learn fundamental metalsmithing techniques to help begin their journey of metalsmithing and creating bench-fabricated jewelry! Learn ways to transform sheet metal through soldering with an Acetylene torch, texturizing with metal stamps and planishing hammers, and stone setting in this fun class. Students will have …
Upcoming
Metalsmithing Basics: Soldering, Texturizing, & Stone Setting – September 29Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Monsters & Halloween Sculpted Glass Plant Stakes
2026-10-03
9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Instructor: Ilene Schenkel Skill Level: Beginner Let your creative juices flow!! For this beginner to advanced beginner flameworking class, we will work with soft Italian glass. You will learn how to melt glass on a stainless steel rod, shape it into unique monster/ghost bodies, and make eyes, mouth, teeth, etc. using flameworking tools. Look creepy? We …
Upcoming
Monsters & Halloween Sculpted Glass Plant Stakes – October 3Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Ilene Schenkel
Ilene is a member of the PA Guild of Craftsmen. She is on the Boards of the PA Guild of Craftsmen (PGC) as well as the Lancaster Designer Craftsmen Chapter of the PGC. She has a successful Etsy shop and has participated in some local art fairs. Her glass works are displayed at the Guild store, other shops in Lancaster, and in other locations in Pennsylvania. Ilene has been flameworking for over 15 years and recently completed classes at the Studio at Corning and at the Tuscarora Lapidary Society. Etsy site – beadsbyileneshop – https://etsy.me/30m2RtN
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Beginning Stained Glass - Day 1
2026-10-03
9:30 am - 4:00 pm -
Beginning Stained Glass - Day 2
2026-10-04
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Donna Lashof Skill Level: Beginner Learn the art of making stained glass in this two day workshop! You will be introduced to the tools and techniques to create works in stained glass using the copper foil method. The class begins with a safety overview and an introduction to the tools used. Everyone will practice cutting and …
Upcoming
Beginning Stained Glass – October 3 & 4Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Needle Felted Sunflower Car Vent Clip
2026-10-03
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Instructor: Sarah Summers Skill Level: Beginner Come and enjoy making a delightful wool sunflower vent clip that will diffuse aromatic pleasure through out your car. Choose the scent you like best from a variety of essential oils to use with your creation. No experience necessary. Local needle felt artist and instructor, Sarah Summers will direct …
Upcoming
Needle Felted Sunflower Car Vent Clip – October 3Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Sarah Summers
Sarah Summers grew up on a small Lititz farm where a menagerie of pets… horses, swans, peacocks, donkeys, chickens, goats, ducks, and more were all part of the family. At five, her artistic streak caught the eye of her teacher, who encouraged her parents to enroll her in formal art classes. Sarah studied art, mostly painting, throughout her school years. She later became a teacher herself, and her classroom memories are vivid with art-filled images. A favorite is of her 25 Kindergarteners sprawled on the floor painting giant yellow blossoms inspired by Eve Bunting’s “Sunflower House.” After retiring, Sarah dove into textile art and discovered needle felting in 2019. She was intrigued, but intimidated, since her art was mostly 2-dimensional. Venturing into the 3D realm of sculpting was a bit scary. Still, as a passionate animal lover, she saw this as an ideal medium for capturing their likeness and charm. Sarah quickly realized that sculpting in wool came naturally and, in fact, was very calming. The craft soon became a blessing, too, when Sarah found herself caring full-time for her elderly parents on the family farm. Every graceful swan, brilliant Cardinal, little fox, or likeness of a beloved pet that Sarah created brought them immense joy. The pure delight on their faces was priceless. Now her parents are gone, Sarah treasures knowing how much her tiny creatures contributed to their happiness. Always a teacher at heart, today Sarah enjoys instructing needle felting workshops, as well as producing custom pet sculptures. You can find her creations in Lititz at Artisan Mill and Purple Robin Reserve.
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Wet Felted Vessel
2026-10-10
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Ellen Silberlicht Skill Level: Beginner Learn the wet felting technique while developing your design skills. Each person will choose their colors and create their personal embellishment as it dances across your large felted vessel. You will learn how to blend the wool colors together as you layout your design. Bring a bath towel and …
Upcoming
Wet Felted Vessel – October 10Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Ellen Silberlicht
Ellen Silberlicht, based in Lititz, PA, brings a unique blend of humor and insight into her artistic exploration of the world. A graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for Crafts. Ellen’s formal training as a sculptural potter laid the foundation for her artistic journey. Throughout her life, fiber has played a significant role in her work, with sewing patterns offering a critical understanding of sculptural form. This skill enabled her to transform a simple slab of clay into intricate, three-dimensional pieces. In 2010, Ellen discovered the world of wet felting—a revelation that deepened her creative process. The fusion of wool and clay has since propelled her on an unending artistic journey, blending the tactile qualities of both mediums to create innovative and thought-provoking pieces.
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Needle Felted Pumpkins & Gourds
2026-10-10
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Instructor: Sarah Summers Skill Level: Beginner Enjoy your fall harvest by creating delightful needle felted pumpkins and gourds out of 100% wool. No experience necessary. Local Fiber Artist and Instructor, Sarah Summers will walk you through the step by step process of creating a pumpkin or a gourd. Learn how to sculpt wool into desired …
Upcoming
Needle Felted Pumpkins & Gourds – October 10Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Sarah Summers
Sarah Summers grew up on a small Lititz farm where a menagerie of pets… horses, swans, peacocks, donkeys, chickens, goats, ducks, and more were all part of the family. At five, her artistic streak caught the eye of her teacher, who encouraged her parents to enroll her in formal art classes. Sarah studied art, mostly painting, throughout her school years. She later became a teacher herself, and her classroom memories are vivid with art-filled images. A favorite is of her 25 Kindergarteners sprawled on the floor painting giant yellow blossoms inspired by Eve Bunting’s “Sunflower House.” After retiring, Sarah dove into textile art and discovered needle felting in 2019. She was intrigued, but intimidated, since her art was mostly 2-dimensional. Venturing into the 3D realm of sculpting was a bit scary. Still, as a passionate animal lover, she saw this as an ideal medium for capturing their likeness and charm. Sarah quickly realized that sculpting in wool came naturally and, in fact, was very calming. The craft soon became a blessing, too, when Sarah found herself caring full-time for her elderly parents on the family farm. Every graceful swan, brilliant Cardinal, little fox, or likeness of a beloved pet that Sarah created brought them immense joy. The pure delight on their faces was priceless. Now her parents are gone, Sarah treasures knowing how much her tiny creatures contributed to their happiness. Always a teacher at heart, today Sarah enjoys instructing needle felting workshops, as well as producing custom pet sculptures. You can find her creations in Lititz at Artisan Mill and Purple Robin Reserve.
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Stained Glass Halloween
2026-10-11
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Donna Lashof Skill Level: Beginner Celebrate spooky season with this one-day class to make a Halloween-themed stained glass piece. The class begins with a safety overview and an introduction to the tools used. You will be guided through each of the steps from selecting a pattern, selecting the glass, cutting the pieces, shaping with a …
Upcoming
Stained Glass Halloween – October 11Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Make a Tote Bag
2026-10-11
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Instructor: William Jefferies Skill Level: Beginner/Intermediate; must have some level of experience using a sewing machine. In this class, students will learn to sew a lined tote bag with pockets that you can take with you to the market, beach or wherever your heart desires. Each student may bring their own fabrics or other material(s)and notions …
Upcoming
Make a Tote Bag – October 11Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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William Jefferies
Hello there! My name is William and my obsession with the fashion industry started in 10th grade when I first learned screen printing and I began making t-shirts for family and friends. After high school, I embarked on a mission to gain further knowledge about the fashion industry attending Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts(AiYork) and the Art Institute of Philadelphia, graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design.
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Fine Craft as a Business: How to Launch a Craft Business
2026-10-17
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Fine Craft as a Business: How to Launch a Craft Business – 2026 Version Location: PA Guild of Craftsmen (PGC), 335 N. Queen St., Lancaster, PA, 2nd Floor (In person and via Zoom). Description: Saturday, October 17, 2026 – ½ day Session – 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, 2nd floor, large classroom This workshop is …
Upcoming
Fine Craft as a Business: How to Launch a Craft Business – October 17Read More »
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Redware Sgraffito Plate
2026-10-17
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Instructor: Denise Wilz Skill Level: Beginner This workshop will focus on the sgraffito technique used by 18th and 19th century Pennsylvania German potters to make expressive designs in their folk art pottery. Sgraffito means to “scratch” and workshop participants will draw and scratch a design on a redware plate. Participants can choose a traditional Pennsylvania …
Upcoming
Redware Sgraffito Plate – October 17Read More »
Workshop Teachers
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Denise Wilz
Denise Wilz has been creating Pennsylvania Redware since 2002. She is a Master Artisan of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen and is included in the Directory of Traditional American Crafts presented by Early American Life magazine. Denise has a degree in Studio Art from Moravian University and was a computer programmer prior to opening her pottery studio. Veranda magazine featured her work in 2023 in the article "A Fiery Renaissance ~ Modern potters are reshaping centuries-old ceramic arts, signaling a bold new era for American craft". Her article Pennsylvania Redware was published in Pottery Making Illustrated magazine and is included in three books by the American Ceramic Society. wilzpottery.com
Search Workshops
Registration
Participants are encouraged to register early. Register online or by calling 717-431-8706. If you have any questions, please contact us here.
Tuition
Tuition for each workshop is noted in the descriptions. Guild members receive a 10% discount on most classes. You may register online or by calling the office at 717-431-8706.
Confirmation
Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email that confirms your registration. No printed tickets are required.
Parking
Need help finding parking? Click Here to find lots and parking garages in Lancaster.
Workshop Cancellation/Refund Policy
We understand that plans can change, and we strive to accommodate our participants as best as possible. Please review our refund policy before registering for a workshop:
In order to request a withdrawal from a workshop, students must contact the Guild by phone at 717-431-8706 or contact us here.
Cancellations More Than 7 Days Before the Workshop
If a cancellation is made more than 7 days before the workshop, a 10% administrative fee will be deducted from any refund to the original form of payment to cover credit card processing and administrative costs. A workshop credit of 100% of the tuition may also be offered. Workshop credits expire 6 months after the date of the workshop.
Cancellations Within 4-7 Days of the Workshop
Cancellations made within 4 to 7 days of the workshop are not eligible for a refund to the original form of payment but may be transferred to another class or issued as a workshop credit for future use. Workshop credits expire 6 months after the date of the workshop.
Cancellations 3 Days or Less of the Workshop
Cancellations made within 3 days of the workshop are not eligible for a refund or a workshop credit.
No-Show Policy
If you do not notify us ahead of the class and fail to attend, you are not eligible for a refund or a workshop credit.
Classes canceled by the instructor or the Guild.
Students are eligible to receive a 100% refund to the original form of payment or workshop credit if the workshop is canceled by the instructor or the Guild. Workshop credits expire within 6 months of the date of the workshop.
Accessibility
We do not have an elevator, so some of our classrooms are wheelchair accessible and some are not. Please contact us here to find out more about your classroom.
Snow and Inclement Weather
Severe weather poses many safety concerns for participants that may require modifications to the workshop’s hours. Based on current conditions in the area immediately surrounding the event and our best judgment, the Guild staff may delay the opening of a workshop or postpone a workshop to another date that the instructor is available. Circumstances that justify amending workshop hours include icy roads, rapid snowfall, tornado warnings, and other severe weather conditions. The Guild does not offer weather-related refunds of class fees unless the workshop is canceled.
Class Proposals from Artists
Artists interested in teaching may submit a proposal online here.