Bangles, Bouclés, Bulkys (and other Novelties)

Tired of spinning variations of the same old yarn? This workshop will present a few tips to get you started spinning novelty yarns. This is for experienced spinners who are comfortable with producing multiple-ply yarns on a spinning wheel.
Spindlers - watch for a special version of this class just for you - coming next quarter.
Note: For those who have been spinning less than one year or are not comfortable with producing a consistent multiple ply yarn, consider the Drafting and Plying Workshop, which will be offered Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.

Color Blending for Handspinners: Do Red and Blue Really Make Purple?

No, we’re not going to dye fibers in this class. Instead, we’re going to use wool fibers that have already been dyed in primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) plus black and white to develop a full color palette through the use of handcards, drumcarders, and other blending tools.

Intro to the Spinning Wheel

This class focuses on the fundamentals of spinning: drafting, spinning, and finishing both single and 2-ply yarns using a spinning wheel. We’ll also discuss choosing a spinning wheel to fit your needs, the use of handcards and the drum carder, spinning wheel maintenance, how to measure how many yards you’ve spun, and how to gauge the grist of your yarn. Use a wheel in the shop or bring your own.

Spinning: Drafting and Plying

Long draw, inch-worm, from the fold? Find out what these terms mean and how you can use the techniques to their best advantage. This 2-part workshop will focus on drafting techniques in part one. Part 2 will go into plying: 2-ply, 3-ply, Navaho ply and beyond. Prerequisite: Must be comfortable spinning a consistent single-ply yarn on a spinning wheel to 10 wraps per inch or more.