AUBURN -- The Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center hosted the last in its series of quilting classes taught by quilting experts from around the globe on Sunday.

The Schweinfurth's extremely popular Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibit draws many locals, but the quilting workshops this year -- an extension of the "Quilting By the Lake" series -- drew students from across the United States and Canada.

The workshops, which, span over three weeks, teach quilting students everything from fundamental techniques such as "piecing" to more advanced and little-known procedures such as fabric dying and "Nuno" felt making, the focus of one of yesterday's classes.

Cher Benda's Nuno felt working class boasted only a few students but a wealth of creativity. Benda explained the felting process, begun by felting "guru" Polly Stirling, of Moravia, is almost like making dreadlocks.

The thin wool fibers are pulled through spaces between the threads of loosely-woven fabric and knotted.

"I really enjoy watching the creative process," said Benda "and the joy of bringing the art to those who haven't experienced it."

On the art center's second floor, another class was taking place as the students of Dorothy Caldwell's "Making Marks" class were stitching together their projects from the past three days to form a sort of textile portfolio.

The class focuses on helping each person find their style, or "mark."

Mary Lowe, of Easton, Pa., said the class has "allowed us to express ourselves freely, we've learned to become expressive through stitching."

Sunday's workshops were the last in the series, but quilt and art lovers still have a chance to see some beautiful quilts up close at the Quilts=Art=Quilts exhibit, at the Schweinfurth until January.

Anyone that doubts whether blankets can be art should stop by and take a look, Caldwell said, "The fact that it is an art form is finally being acknowledged."