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Classes

We are honored to offer such a diverse range of classes from some of the most skilled and knowledgeable teachers in the industry.  Class offerings are listed below.  All class supply fees are collected at the beginning of class by the teacher, please pay in cash.  Please read the descriptions fully and notice requirements for skill level and what tools/supplies you need to bring. 

Thursday

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

So Many Different Fibers Out There, How Do I Choose? by Jill Duarte

Hand spinners have access to an extremely wide range of available fibers for hand spinning, so how are you supposed to make informed choices about what fibers are suitable for the project you have in mind or which fibers you might enjoy spinning? 

 

In this workshop, we will discuss a simple method for the categorization of spinning fibers that will enable you to acquire fiber you enjoy spinning and create handspun yarn you’ll want to use.  We will discuss how fibers behave when spun alone versus when included in a blend and how to characterize fibers based on staple length, crimp and structure. 

 

How to pair fiber preps and dyeing methods to your desired handspun yarns will also be discussed. Students will sample a variety of fibers including different wool breeds, camelid fibers, silks, viscose, and a variety of plant fibers.


Level of Spinning: Participants should be able to spin and ply independently


Students should bring:

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $30

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: a Fiber Sampler containing 9 different fiber blends - 1/2 ounce of each blend, notebook.

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Intro to Carding by Emily Wholscheid

Familiarize yourself with the carding process on the drum carder and hand carders. Material to be covered will include the proper ways to prepare fleece for carding, how to load the fibers for processing, color blending, and how best to remove fibers when they have been carded. Woolen, semi-woolen, and semi-worsted preparations will be covered.


Methods of spinning that correspond with the preparations from woolen to semi-worsted will be demonstrated with particular attention to note taking. Students will have the opportunity to spin samples and compare the differences between their prepared fibers between carding samples. You wll have fun sampling in this playful introductory workshop!


Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn.


Students should bring:

  • Hand carders if they own them and their spinning wheel

  • Drum carder (optional)

  • Instructor will have several drum carders and hand carders for student use

  • Extra bobbins

  • Lazy kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $25

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 3 oz of fleece to be processed on both the drum carder and hand carders, Handouts (paper & digital)

​

Twisted Together by Esther Rodgers

This is a great class for all sorts of spinners- from ultra textured art yarn spinners, to the most traditional laceweight spinners!! Play with texture by layering your plies! In this class students will explore the structure layered plying by spinning crepes and cables. Then we will play with texture by mixing and matching non traditional plies to make the same layered structures.


Level of Spinning: Should be able to spin a single of different weights, and ply comfortably.


Students should bring:

​

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Bobbin with fresh high twist singles in a solid color (as even as possible)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $35

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 6 oz hand dyed top

​

SpinPossible - Doing More with Less by Michael Kelson

We sometimes come across small amounts of rare and unusual fibers that we want to incorporate into our spinning (e.g. Qiviut, Guanaco, Bison, Yak, Cashmere) but often we’re not quite sure what to do with them. This class will discuss techniques for stretching small amounts of a precious fiber. We will discuss blending with complimentary fibers, percentages in blending, and how to spin to most effectively take advantage of the characteristics of the blended fibers. We will also discuss spinning more finely and consistently (spinning a thinner diameter single is a good way to stretch your fiber), and plying with commercial or hand-spun silk (like the Orenburg spinners!) to increase the yardage of that special fiber.


Level of Spinning: â€‹Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Hand cards (preferably >100 tpi, e.g. Clemes & Clemes cotton cards)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • (Optional) Any personal fiber they might like to use for practice

  • Materials Fee $20

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 

  • All fiber used in class, including base fibers and blending fibers

  • Silk plying thread

2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Blending Fractal Stripes by Emily Wholscheid

Achieving a subtle color shift whether as a gradient or a stripe for fractal spinning can be done on a variety of carding equipment. Fractal spinning is loosely based on the mathematical definition of a fractal being repeating parts in progressively smaller sizes. In fiber blending, we are creating color repeats that begin large and progressively become several smaller parts. Using the drum carder and the blending board, students will immerse themselves in the blending process to create batts and punis that beautifully merge colors from one to the next. Adding textures and effect fibers in addition to how to create punis and rolags for varying sizes of color repeats will be emphasized along with how to order the fibers for spinning a fractal yarn.

 

Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn.


Students should bring:

  • Blending board

  • Drum carder (optional)

  • Instructor will have several drum carders and a limited amount of blending boards for student use

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Lazy kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $30

 

Supplies Provided by Instructor: â€‹3 oz of fiber to be processed

​

Tailspinning - The Long and Short of It! And How to Use Tailspun Yarns! by Esther Rodgers

Tailspun yarns are both intriguing and inspiring, but can be intimidating to attempt spinning. In this class we'll learn the entire process of the making of tailspun yarn: We’ll discuss how to choose a fleece and wash it to protect the lock structure, and dyeing methods to showcase the texture of the fiber. Then we’ll move onto spinning the locks with more than 5 tail spinning techniques. As a bonus, we will talk about how these tailspun yarns are used in projects. Knit and woven samples will be shown.

 

Level of Spinning: Must be able to spin on a wheel and familiar with corespinning.


Students should bring:

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Assorted locks to spin

  • Materials Fee $45

 

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 8+ oz assortment of tailspinning locks, Cotton core and mohair core

​

Natural Colored Cotton Celebration by Julie Drogsvold

Overview: Students will explore and spin a number of naturally grown colors of cotton, including greens, browns, and reds.

​

Specifics: Cotton isn't just white. Cotton is grown in many varieties, and grows a rainbow of natural colors. Enjoy this half-day class that immerses itself in the King of Fibers, Cotton.

 

Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.


Students should bring:

​

  • Joy & Happiness

  • Falcon or Sparrow (Preferably)

  • At least 3 bobbins

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Tags and marking pen for labeling

  • Hand Cards(cotton preferred by wool will do)

  • Optional: favorite spinning chair, pillow for back support, charkha, support spindle or Takli, and ball winder

  • Materials Fee $20


Supplies Provided by Instructor: Cotton Variety pack for students to take home

Friday

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Cotton Spinning is Easy, and made Easier with an E-spinner by Julie Drogsvold

Overview: Students will learn how to set-up their wheel for cotton, they will learn to make punis, and then spin cotton from multiple preparations.

​

Specifics: Spinning cotton can be fast and easy, and learning how is a lot of fun.


Students will learn how to adjust their wheel of choice for short staple cellulose fibers and how to use the long draw to spin the best cotton singles. Students will learn to card ginned lint cotton into punis and spin multiple preparations of cotton (seed, punis and sliver) provided by the instructor. The workshop will also cover plying, and blending color and other fibers into your cotton to produce wildly unique yarns. Throughout will be helpful tips and tricks to build confidence in cotton spinning as well as information for care and use of your handspun cotton yarns.


Instruction will also include a discussion of the cotton plant, its structure and growth, as well as its history that stretches at least 7,000 years into humanity’s past. Students will also learn about its current commercial uses and its future outlook as part of a more eco-friendly environment. 

 

Students will be provided with enough fiber to continue their cotton spinning journey after class, with a take-home manual to reference as needed.


Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.


Students should bring:

  • Falcon or Sparrow (Preferably)

  • At least 3 bobbins

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Tags and marking pen for labeling

  • Hand Cards(cotton preferred by wool will do)

  • Optional: favorite spinning chair, pillow for back support, charkha, support spindle or Takli, and ball winder

  • Materials Fee $20

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: cotton bolls, cotton lint, cotton sliver in natural and dyed colors

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Color Effects on the Hackle by Emily Wholscheid

Produce color effects from swirls to gradients using the hackle. Students will blend and layer colors and varying fiber types to achieve two different rovings from the same color palette. The class will discuss what impact diz types, staple length, and technique can have on the resulting roving.


Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn.


Students should bring:

 

  • Hackle (if you don’t have one, instructor will have a limited number for student use)

  • Diz

  • Materials Fee $30


Supplies Provided by Instructor: 2 oz blending fibers (various), Handouts (paper & digital)

​

Sculptural Corespinning by Esther Rodgers

In this class, students will explore corespinning on top of “unusual” and somewhat challenging cores- Wire and Elastic! We’ll talk about design concept and how to prepare your fibers for specific textures and techniques. We’ll explore techniques reapplied to these structural wire and elastic cores- creating instant neckwear, as well as discuss other uses for these architectural yarns. Students will even learn techniques to spin over LED lights!


Level of Spinning: Should be able to spin a single, ply comfortably and be familiar with corespinning.


Students should bring:

​

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • fiber/yarn/add-ins you'd like to use and anything you'd like to share with classmates

  • Encouraged to bring beads, feathers, sparkly stuff, and other things you've collected to use in addition to their kits

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials fee $45

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 4oz carded fiber, as well as extra embellishments, wire, LED lights and elastic for the students to use.

​

SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Loft by Michael Kelson

Spinning Lofty Yarns from Worsted Preparations


Much of the wonderful fiber we have access to as hand-spinners comes to us in the form of combed top. Top is a worsted preparation and can spin a very dense yarn, which is great for hard-wearing items like socks or mittens, but what if you want to turn those beautiful hand-dyed braids of fiber in your stash into a loftier yarn for something like a hat, a scarf, or even a sweater? This class will explore techniques to introduce more air, loft, and bounce into your handspun yarn.


We will discuss drafting techniques for various fiber preparations, ways to modify your fiber preparation, and measuring your yarn to help ensure that you are getting exactly the yarn you want for the project you have in mind.

​

Skills you will learn:

  • Differences between worsted and woolen drafting techniques and fiber preparations

  • Spinning semi-woolen from combed top

  • Spinning from the fold

  • Modifying combed top preparations (fauxlags, carding)

  • Measuring the grist of your yarn with a McMorran balance

 

Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Hand cards (preferably >100 tpi, e.g. Clemes & Clemes cotton cards)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • (Optional) Any personal fiber they might like to use for practice

  • Materials Fee $20


Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, a variety of different commercial and indy dyed tops.

2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Upcycled Blending by Emily Wholscheid

Experiment with a variety of readily available upcycled fiber materials for effect blending! This carding course will demonstrate how tweedy, scrappy fiber preps can be blended beautifully on a variety of carding equipment. How to handle fabric strips, silk waste, recycled denim, salvage, yarn scraps to create textures from mild to spicy while protecting your carding cloth and obtaining a good blend will be emphasized. Students will leave with a variety of preps and textures from incredible upcycled materials!

 

Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn.


Students should bring:

  • Blending board

  • Drum carder (optional)

  • Instructor will have several drum carders and a limited amount of blending boards for student use

  • Materials Fee $30

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 3 oz of fiber to be processed, Handouts (paper & digital)

​

Wildplying - Beehives, Bobbles, Crescents, and Coils and How to Use Them! by Esther Rodgers

Ever wonder how to how to spin those funky plied yarns with bobbles and coils? In this class we’ll cover the entire process by combining the function with the funky with the essentials of artplying. We’ll spin the singles needed, then we’ll “wild” ply into, coils, crescents, beehives, stacks and spirals! As a bonus knitted and woven samples will be available for examination and discussion.

 

Level of Spinning: Must be able to spin a single and ply on a wheel


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Bobbin with fresh high twist singles (as even as possible)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $35

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 4oz hand dyed combed top, 1oz solid top, cotton plying yarn, add ins

​

SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Socks by Michael Kelson

There’s nothing quite like the feel of socks knit from your very own handspun yarn, but you want to make sure your socks last longer than it takes to spin and knit them!

This class will discuss yarn construction techniques that are appropriate for socks and examine various fibers and blends that will attain the perfect balance of strength, comfort, and durability. We will also discuss spinning with Down and Down-like breeds (e.g. Cheviot, Dorset, Suffolk, Southdown), and we will test spin several of these fibers and blends.

 

Skills you will learn:

  • Identifying fibers and blends that will make good handspun sock yarns

  • Spinning down fibers and blends for socks

  • Ply structures you might choose for your sock yarns (3-ply, 4-ply, cabled yarns,
    opposing-ply structures)


Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • (Optional) Any tools they might like to use (hand cards, mini-combs) and any personal fiber they might like to use for practice

  • Materials Fee $20



Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, including several Down fibers and blends.

Saturday

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Sweater by Michael Kelson

Are you ready to tackle your first sweater-spin?


There are many factors that we, as spinners, should consider when we embark on our first sweater spin. The core characteristics of the fiber (e.g. crimp, fineness, hand, prep) will influence the choices we make in spinning and the fabric in our final garment.


This class will explore several fibers that might be great choices for your sweater. We’ll take a look at fibers you’re probably familiar with (Merino, Rambouillet, BFL), some blends (Shetland/Silk, Merino/Yak/Silk), and some fibers that might be new to you (Romney, Cheviot, Manx Loaghtan).


We will work on diameter control and consistency, plying and finishing techniques, and how to evaluate your final yarn to make sure you’ll have the perfect fabric for the sweater of your dreams.

 

Skills you will learn:

  • How to assess characteristics of different fibers

  • Techniques for consistency and diameter control

  • How to choose the appropriate draft for your fiber (worsted, woolen, semi-woolen)

  • Strategies for plying, finishing, and swatching

  • Evaluating your final fabric


Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • (Optional) Any tools they might like to use (hand cards, mini-combs) and any personal fiber they might like to use for practice

  • Materials Fee $20



Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, including Merino, Manx Loaghtan, BFL, Cheviot, and others.

​

Twisted Together - Crepe, Cables and the Endless Possibilities of Layered Plying by Esther Rodgers

This is a great class for all sorts of spinners- from ultra textured art yarn spinners, to the most traditional laceweight spinners!! Play with texture by layering your plies! In this class students will explore the structure layered plying by spinning crepes and cables. Then we will play with texture by mixing and matching non traditional plies to make the same layered structures.


Level of Spinning: Should be able to spin a single of different weights, and ply comfortably.


Students should bring:

​

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Bobbin with fresh high twist singles in a solid color (as even as possible)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials fee $35


Supplies Provided by Instructor: 6 oz hand dyed top

​

Fiber Speed Dating by Jill Duarte

Explore nine different fiber blends while discussing approaches to spinning different fibers - which drafting methods pair well with particular fiber preps or blends?  Should you judge a fiber by your first impression?  We will discuss worsted and woolen drafting methods and how they relate to the fiber you spin.  Fiber blends will include a variety of different wools, silks, flax, viscose and luxury fibers such as yak, camel and cashmere.

 

Level of Spinning: Participants should be able to spin and ply independently.


Students should bring:

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $25


Supplies Provided by Instructor: a Fiber Sampler containing 4 different wool breeds, alpaca, silks, viscose and several cellulose fibers, notebook

​

Flick it and Spin It (From the Fold) by Julie Drogsvold

Overview: This class will cover how to flick open fibers to prep them for spinning. Students will then spin their prepped fibers from the fold.

​

Specifics: We have all had that fleece we really wanted to buy, but didn’t want to get bogged down in a lengthy prep process with countless steps and lots of maybes and unknowns. In this workshop, students will be able to use just two skills to turn a raw fleece into a hand spun yarn. 

 

Students will leave this workshop ready to take the plunge the next time they see that fleece too good to walk away from.

 

Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.


Students should bring:

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • At least 3 bobbins

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $15


Supplies Provided by Instructor: fiber for class use

2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Blending Fractal Stripes by Emily Wholscheid

Achieving a subtle color shift whether as a gradient or a stripe for fractal spinning can be done
on a variety of carding equipment. Fractal spinning is loosely based on the mathematical
definition of a fractal being repeating parts in progressively smaller sizes. In fiber blending, we
are creating color repeats that begin large and progressively become several smaller parts.
Using the drum carder and the blending board, students will immerse themselves in the
blending process to create batts and punis that beautifully merge colors from one to the next.
Adding textures and effect fibers in addition to how to create punis and rolags for varying sizes
of color repeats will be emphasized along with how to order the fibers for spinning a fractal yarn.


Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn.


Students should bring:

  • Blending board

  • Drum carder (optional)

  • Instructor will have several drum carders and a limited amount of blending boards for student use

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Lazy kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $30


Supplies Provided by Instructor: Our kit will include a variety of commercially and independently dyed wool and wool blend woolen and worsted preparations

​

SpinPossible - Doing More with Less by Michael Kelson

We sometimes come across small amounts of rare and unusual fibers that we want to incorporate into our spinning (e.g. Qiviut, Guanaco, Bison, Yak, Cashmere) but often we’re not quite sure what to do with them. This class will discuss techniques for stretching small amounts of a precious fiber. We will discuss blending with complimentary fibers, percentages in blending, and how to spin to most effectively take advantage of the characteristics of the blended fibers. We will also discuss spinning more finely and consistently (spinning a thinner diameter single is a good way to stretch your fiber), and plying with commercial or hand-spun silk (like the Orenburg spinners!) to increase the yardage of that special fiber.


Level of Spinning: â€‹Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.


Students should bring: 

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Hand cards (preferably >100 tpi, e.g. Clemes & Clemes cotton cards)

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook & Pen

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • (Optional) Any personal fiber they might like to use for practice

  • Materials Fee $20

​

Supplies Provided by Instructor: 

  • All fiber used in class, including base fibers and blending fibers

  • Silk plying thread

​

Natural Colored Cotton Celebration by Julie Drogsvold

Overview: Students will explore and spin a number of naturally grown colors of cotton, including greens, browns, and reds.

​

Specifics: Cotton isn't just white. Cotton is grown in many varieties, and grows a rainbow of natural colors. Enjoy this half-day class that immerses itself in the King of Fibers, Cotton.

 

Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single.


Students should bring:

​

  • Joy & Happiness

  • Falcon or Sparrow (Preferably)

  • At least 3 bobbins

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Tags and marking pen for labeling

  • Hand Cards(cotton preferred by wool will do)

  • Optional: favorite spinning chair, pillow for back support, charkha, support spindle or Takli, and ball winder

  • Materials Fee $20


Supplies Provided by Instructor: Cotton Variety pack for students to take home

​

Fiber Speed Dating by Jill Duarte

Explore nine different fiber blends while discussing approaches to spinning different fibers - which drafting methods pair well with particular fiber preps or blends?  Should you judge a fiber by your first impression?  We will discuss worsted and woolen drafting methods and how they relate to the fiber you spin.  Fiber blends will include a variety of different wools, silks, flax, viscose and luxury fibers such as yak, camel and cashmere.

 

Level of Spinning: Participants should be able to spin and ply independently.


Students should bring:

  • A spinning wheel in good working condition

  • Extra bobbins

  • Notebook

  • Lazy Kate

  • Niddy Noddy

  • Materials Fee $25


Supplies Provided by Instructor: a Fiber Sampler containing 4 different wool breeds, alpaca, silks, viscose and several cellulose fibers, notebook

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