Maker Panels

Sign Up to Participate in a Maker Panel!

There's limited seating for maker panels! So don't hesitate to sign up right now for your favorite creative activity!

Unless otherwise stated, the maximum capacity for a Maker Panel is 15.

Don't fret if it says that capacity is full, feel free to check at TeslaCon to see if any spaces become available!

Thursday

1:30-3:00 PM - Makers Room
Hooray for Appliqué! Craft a door banner with fabric
Melissa Anunson
Perfect for beginners, this hands-on session will introduce you to beginner applique techniques that can be used in costumes, props, and decor. After a brief demonstration, you’ll design and create your own 8"x12" hanging canvas door banner (no sewing required!) -- an excellent way to mark your hotel room with flair. All ages are welcome, but adult supervision is encouraged due to the use of sharp scissors and irons. BYO Scissors if you have a favorite fabric scissors. Thanks!
Cost is $8

3:00-4:30 PM - Makers Room
Make Your Own Runes
Danielle Lieber
During this makers panel, crafters will make their own set of divination runes. While everyone is making their glass runes, the presenter will discuss using runes for divination and other ways to make them.
Price for this panel is $10.

4:30-6:00 PM - Makers Room
A Royal Christmas: Make Your Own Ornaments With Victoria and Albert
Catherine & Katrina Whaley
Step back in time to a Victorian Christmas with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as your royal guides! In this hands-on crafting session, you'll learn how to create your very own pushpin or decoupage Christmas ornament, just like the ones that adorned the royal tree.
Materials fees: Pushpin Ornament: $5 / Decoupage Ornament: $2

7:00-8:30 PM - Makers Room
Wayfarer's Junk Journal: Create your Own Teslacon Travel Diary
Melissa Anunson
Embark on a journey of creativity and adventure by crafting your own paperbag Wayfarer’s Junk Journal, the perfect companion for your Teslacon experience! A junk journal is a handcrafted book made from daily ephemera: repurposed papers, fabrics, and found objects. It is ideal for recording notes, sketches, keepsakes, and memories from your time at the convention. Whether you're documenting fascinating panels, collecting autographs from newfound friends, or sketching the latest in aetheric fashion, this journal will become a treasured artifact of your Teslacon travels! All supplies included. Each attendee will receive everything they need to make a book and keep the journal going all weekend, including a small scissors and glue stick.
$8 Fee

Friday

10:00 AM-12:00 PM - Long Room
Needle Felting Fairies, Gnomes & Nordic symbols
Barbara Stadtler
Learn to needle felt your own fairies, gnomes or Nordic symbols. Felting materials will be provided. Decorate clothing or make your own brooch.

10:00 AM-12:00 PM - Makers Room
Gnome Stuffy
Denise Odigie
Come create an easy no-sew gnome stuffy with a nordic flare. Kit fee will be $10 cash payable at the door.
Supervisor required for children under 12 due to use of hot glue guns.

12:00 PM-1:30 PM - Makers Room
Tailoring, fitting & thrift store finds
Janine Wardale
Sew and no sew options for transforming thrift store finds through tailoring and fitting. Men’s and Women’s.

*This is not about shopping! I will come with a laundry basic full of thrift store finds and give people ideas. Did you know that you can convert a single breasted jacket to a double breasted jacket? I will show multiple ways to alter cuffs and hem pants.

1:30 PM-3:00 PM - Makers Room
Beginning Viking Wire Weaving
Jen Hebert
This class will give a brief history and will show examples of the presenter's wire weaving projects. Participants will be led step by step through the process to make a necklace or bracelet. All materials will be provided, along with a handout.

Cost is $40.00 and a limit of 12 participants.

4:00 PM-5:30 PM - Makers Room
Nordic Decorating for a Hat
Mary Prince
Hand sew or glue decorations to a cap, hat, bag, or other fabric item. I will have thrifted hats, decorating materials, and felt shapes: mushrooms, gnomes, flowers, etc.
Freewill donation.

5:30 PM-7:00 PM - Makers Room
Color Your Own Steampunk Alphabet Book
Lauren Cidell
Color in your own Steampunk Alphabet Book. Learn some Spanish Steampunk words. Crayons and Colored Pencils are available.
Fee $10 for 2 books; family discounts available.

4:00 PM-5:30 PM - 10th Floor Room
kimekomi style no-sew quilted ornaments
Jessa Barowski
Learn how to create tucked fabric ornaments using a method called “kimekomi”. These beautiful ornaments are great for using up some fabric scraps!
starting at only $5

Saturday

12:30 PM-2:00 PM - Long Room
Make a Gnome Hat
Janine Wardale
Gnome hat bases will be provided. Decorate with flowers, trim, buttons and more. Sew and no sew options will be provided.
Max 20. $15 materials fee.

10:00 AM-11:30 AM - Makers Room
Make a Beaded Talisman Pouch
Lisa Ashton & Karen Schnaubelt
Workshop of edge-beading and making beaded fringe, to create a wearable Talisman bag (can be worn as a necklace) and put a tiny treasure inside. They are made of decorative ribbon, and my ribbon has some of the embroidery motifs on theme. I provide Kits for $15 that have all supplies and instructions, in a variety of colors. There are two techniques: Edge-beading with seed beads and fringe-beading with seed beads and other beads. We first go over the methods, then give individual attention as needed, as participants work on making the little pouch.

11:30 AM-1:00 PM - Makers Room
Woven Fabric Heart Reticule
Martha Stephenson
This modern (1894) take on traditional Scandinavian woven heart baskets transforms them from paper Yule ornaments to fabric reticules. Age 14 & up; basic hand sewing required; kits are a variety of colors; BYO fabric shears appreciated but not required.

1:00 PM-2:30 PM - Makers Room
Gnome-Made Trinkets: A Resin Workshop for the Hidden Folk
Arianna Larsen
Where creativity meets mischief and UV resin flows as freely as fae magic! In this hands-on session, you may craft custom gnome pins, enchanting elf ears, or other tiny trinkets destined to dazzle. Whether you're new to resin or a seasoned spellsmith of sparkle, you'll leave with wearable art straight from the forest forge. Come mold, pour, and enchant your own accessories - no spells required, just a dash of imagination and a pinch of pixie charm.

2:30 PM-4:00 PM - Makers Room
Make a Dala Horse
Tamara Carlson
A paint and take of small Dala Horse ornaments. Originally from Sweden, these iconic horses have also been used to represent Norway and other Scandinavian countries.
Suggested donation $5

4:00 PM-5:30 PM - Makers Room
Paint a hidden Elf, Gnome, or other cryptid
Mary Prince
Create a memory from the land of Odin. Acrylic paints, brushes, and thrifted canvases will be provided. Modify an existing image, or create something totally new.
$10 fee, limit 15

5:30 PM-7:00 PM - Makers Room
The Foundling Home for Orphan Socks & Misbegotten Gonks
Melissa Anunson
Don't toss your single socks - upcycle them into a gonk friend! In this workshop, we'll transform trash into treasure and give sentience to socks through a family-friendly make-and-take activity. I'll have plenty of wayward socks to use so attendees can adopt as many gonk or gnome orphans as you'd like - or bring your own from home. Well-behaved littles allowed, supervised under 12 please.

Sunday

10:00 AM-11:30 AM - Makers Room
Let it Snow: Making a glowing vial of snow
Jenn Dunigan
Join Jenn Dunigan of Archimedes Azure Creations in making your own little piece of snowy magic! Jenn will lead you through making a tiny jar of glow in the dark “snow,” that you can keep as an ornament or pendant. No colors are wrong, this is about making your own magic! Jenn (possibly with the help of some pixies) will provide all the materials, and put your pendant on a cord, if you wish.
Cost: $15 per adult, $10 per child. Additional snow jars can be purchased for $10 each

11:30 AM-1:00 PM - Makers Room
Paper Fairy Lanterns & Pipe Cleaner Crowns/Bracelets
Cordelia Martin
Two simple craft projects suitable for younger steampunks with assistance, but can also be made more intricate. Make cute paper lanterns that can fit over a battery-powered tea light. Make constellations to shine in your room or fun shapes to attract fairies. Paper, paper punches, staplers, and glue provided. Make crowns and bracelets out of pipe cleaners and pony beads. Pipe Cleaners and beads provided.