Needle Felting Workshop: Yellow-Headed Blackbird

In this hands-on class, students explore 2D needle felting by creating a Yellow-headed Blackbird in wool. Together, students break down how to layer, shape, and blend wool to build texture, contrast, and form, turning a simple pile of fiber into a recognizable bird. This class is designed to feel relaxed and encouraging, whether you’re brand new to needle felting or looking to build confidence with flat work. Students leave with a finished piece and a solid foundation in 2D needle felting techniques they can continue to use at home.

About the Instructor:

Christie Lower (She/Her) – Halfway, OR

Christie Lower is a self-taught fiber artist and educator based in Eastern Oregon. Using needle-felted wool, she creates sculptural wildlife pieces that explore memory, place, and our emotional connection to the natural world. Her work balances realism with quiet storytelling, inviting viewers to slow down and look more closely. Her practice was shaped by early motherhood and the influence of her grandmother, whose love of birds sparked Christie’s long-standing focus on avian forms. Nature, conservation, and lived experience remain central to her work.

Christie is also the founder of Rustic Fiber Academy, where she teaches needle felting to students worldwide. Through both her art and teaching, she is committed to honoring fiber as a serious, expressive, and accessible medium. She lives and works in Eastern Oregon, where landscape and wildlife continue to guide her creative practice.