Class Catalog
Cotton Spinning Made Easy
(6 - 8 Hour Class)
Learn how to adjust your wheel for short staple fibers and how the long draw works best for spinning cotton. Students will spin cotton from the seed, card ginned cotton into punis to spin and then spin natural-colored cotton sliver. We will also cover plying, blending color and other fibers into your cotton to produce wildly unique yarns as well as tips for care and use of your handspun cotton yarns. Endorsed by Joan Ruane, the “cotton queen”, international instructor and cotton spinning expert.
Skill Level Required: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel or e-spinner, ideally flyer-driven with scotch tension
Carders - cotton hand carders preferred, but wool will do.
Lazy Kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy or ball winder
Optional: favorite spinning chair, charkha, support spindle or Tahkli
Instructor supplied:
Cotton lint
cotton sliver (Upland and Pima)
Seed cotton
puni stick
$20 student material fee
Limit 16 students
Instructor fee: $400
Or: $65/student
Build and Use Your Own Blending Board
(3 - 4 hour class)
Would you like to make beautiful rolags and bright, textured batts? This class will provide all the tools and materials needed to build a blending board of your very own during class and instruction on how to use that board to make different types of batts and rolags from a variety of fibers and materials. All students will take home a full size blending board for continued use.
Skill level: All levels
Instructor will supply:
Board
Blending cloth
Packing brush
Rolag dowel
Fiber for class use
All tools needed
Student materials fee $95.00
Limit 14 students
Half-day class
Instructor fee: $250
Or 30/student
Build Your Own Blending Board to Create and Spin Art Yarns
(6 - 8 hour class)
Would you like to make bright, fun and textured art batts, and then spin those batts into amazing yarn? This class will provide all the tools and materials needed to build a blending board of your very own during class and instruction on how to use that board to make art batts from a variety of fibers and materials. Students will then creatively spin batts in a thick and thin manner to create one-of-a-kind singles and plied yarn.
Skill level: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel or e-spinner
Lazy kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy or ball winder
Instructor will supply:
Board
Blending cloth
Packing brush
Rolag dowel
Fiber for class use
All tools needed
Student materials fee $105.00
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $400
Per student $65
Use a Blending Board to Create Wet Felted Vessels
(6 - 8 hour class)
Let's make one-of-a-kind wet felted creations with batting you’ve created with your blending board. In this class we will create stunning batts with blending boards, using a multitude of fibers and add-ins and then we will wet felt those batts into stand alone vessel works of art.
Skill level: All levels
Students will need to bring:
All their creativity and imagination
Blending Board
Instructor will supply:
Fiber for class use
Wet felting supplies
Student materials fee $20.00
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $400
Per student $65
Angora: Journey Down the Rabbit Hole
(6 - 8 hour class)
In this workshop participants will be invited to go down the proverbial rabbit hole and learn about angora fiber and the rabbits that grow it. Students will be able to meet living representatives and learn about their care. They will also be able to evaluate examples of angora fiber and determine the best use for each grade of wool. Students will be able to observe or participate in a guided spinning exercise; spinning from the cloud and a selection of carded and combed wool.
Skill Level Required: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel, e-spinner or spindle
Hand Carders, higher tpi preferred
Lazy Kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy or ball winder
Instructor will supply:
Angora fiber and fiber for blending
Student Materials fee: $25
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $400
Or $65/student
***Sometimes angora wool or dander can cause an allergic response. In the class we will be disturbing the coat of the rabbit and could potentially move wool and dander to adjoining areas. A class space that is somewhat separated from other classes makes this less likely to occur.
Intro to Spinning: Spindles and Wheels
(6 - 8 hour class)
This course is designed for those desiring to learn how to spin yarn by hand. Class will go over using a spindle (drop and supported) and a spinning wheel. Students will be supplied with a drop spindle and are welcome to bring a spinning wheel if they have one. Class will focus primarily on the technique of spinning fiber into singles, 2-ply and 3-ply yarn. No previous spinning experience is required.
Skill level: Any and all
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel or e-spinner if available
Lazy Kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy
If students have a drop spindle they are welcome to bring it but not required
Hand Carders (optional)
Pillow for chair to give back support or raise seat (optional)
Instructor will supply:
drop spindle (student will keep)
fiber for class use
Student Materials Fee $25
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $400
Or $65/student
The Joy of Spinning with a Turkish Spindle
(3 - 4 hour class)
This workshop will explore creating yarns using the lovely and versatile Turkish spindle. Students will learn and practice using the spindle as both a drop style and supported type spindle. All experience levels are welcome.
Skill level: Any
Instructor will supply:
Turkish spindle for student to keep
fiber for class use
Student Materials Fee: $35
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $250
Or $30/student
Spinner’s Toolbox: Supported Long Draw
(3 - 4 hour class)
Long draw spinning is a classic technique useful for every spinner. True woolen yarn can be quickly spun and is ideal for wonderful warm weather clothing. Hone your skills with this light-hearted and fun class, starting with carding washed fleece and then long drawing your prepared rolags.
Skill level: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel or e-spinner, ideally flyer-driven with Scotch tension
Hand Carders, preferably wool
Lazy Kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy or ball winder
Instructor will supply:
Fiber for class use
Student materials fee $10.00
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $250
Or 35/student
Spinner’s Toolbox: Spinning from the Fold
(3 - 4 hour class)
Spinning from the fold is an excellent way to give a longer or silkier fiber just a little bit of loft, without having to change your worsted prep fiber. In this class we’ll take the process step-by-step and create lovely smooth, but a little less dense yarns.
Skill level: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.
Students will need to bring:
Spinning wheel or e-spinner
Lazy Kate and 3 empty bobbins
Niddy noddy or ball winder
Instructor will supply:
Fiber for class use
Student materials fee $15.00
Limit 14 students
Instructor fee: $250
Or $35/student