ALL WORKSHOPS ARE LIMITED TO 4 STUDENTS TO GIVE YOU PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTION Covid-19 Protocols in place. Workshops take place in a 600 sq.ft well lit basement workshop large enough to socially distance.
DYEING 101 - TBA spinners, weavers & knitters, Introducing spinners, weavers and knitters to the world of colour. As a yarn producer, I dyed over 500 pounds a year and will teach the basics of colour and dyeing to the novice or the dabbler. We'll cover safety precautions, sources, calculations & record-keeping. A dyed colour wheel will be the first project in two colour families - printers and artist primaries. Then we spend all afternoon exploring and playing. You could go home with 100 samples. Mounting sheets & recipes are included as are all materials. 1 8 hour session cost $200
SPINNING 101 - January 8, 2022 If you have always wanted to spin your own yarns for knitting or weaving, these classes are for you. Classes are 3 x 6 hour sessions, and cost includes use of equipment and all materials. $200
INTRODUCTION TO WEAVING - TBA not sure if you will like it? Try weaving without all the set up. You will be weaving a scarf sampler on pre-warped looms. I do the set up work and you get to play 2 x 4 hour sessions $160
WEAVING 101 - January 9, 2022 Learn how to make your own cloth for sewing or for family gifts. You will receive 3 x 6 hour sessions and cost includes use of equipment and all materials. You will learn how to set up a loom, read and plan drafts, practice draw downs and weave a sampler for future reference. Cost includes use of equipment and materials. $200
SPINNING FOR AN END-USE - TBA spinners , knitters - beginners, intermediate, advanced, Never run out of handspun yarn again 3/4s the way through a project. Learn how to properly plan and design your project so that there are no surprises. Learn how to choose the proper fibre for the end garment; how to calculate how much fibre to purchase, dye, and spin for that project. Learn how to keep accurate records. How to use available equipment for production. You will be working with a variety of wool fleeces. You will learn how to create a sweater that really fits based on your measurements and tension swatch. You will lean how to correctly knit and measure a tension swatch; how to properly measure your body; and design the physical pattern of the garment. $200
SPINNING RAINBOWS AND OTHER GAMES PEOPLE PLAY TBA Spinners A 1 day workshop dealing with colour mixing by carding and blending. We will be working with dyed fleece in the two colour pallettes - printers and painters. We will explore colour theory, colour blending and ways to spin colour. We will explore special layering techniques on the carders for different effects and "stripping" - ways of extending a small dyelot to complete a project so that the colour is even throughout. This method will guarantee a repeatable yarn time after time. We will practice plying techniques ; navajo plying, rainbow spinning and much more. This is a beginner to intermediate level. $200
YARN DESIGN - HOW TO DAZZLE YOURSELF TBA Spinners This 1 day workshop will take the participant through various spinning and plying techniques to create unique and beautiful novelty yarns for knitting, crocheting and weaving. Some yarns covered could be marl, slub, boucle, core-spun, wrapped singles, knops, crepes, spirals, gimps, snarl, navajo. The student will learn how to make a yarn elastic through the insertion of twist and plying technique. This is suitable for the intermediate to advanced spinner. $200
SPINNING REPEATABLE RAINBOWS EVERY TIME - TBA Spinners & weavers 1 day Learn to create multi-coloured yarns by learning to paint rovings using Ciba Acid Dyes, then spin them into repeatable multi-coloured yarns. You will learn how to get many colours in a yarn by using combinations of painted rovings. You will explore design possibilities to plan and dye rovings; if time allows, you will do some spinning and plying exercises as well. $200
INFINITE VARIETY - A STUDY OF FLEECE TYPES, THEIR PREPARATION & USE - TBA 1 day Spinners You will learn that fleeces come from many breeds of sheep, each with its own special characteristics. Find out how to use this wealth of diversity in your handspinning to produce a remarkable array of yarns. Learn how to use each fleece type to its best advantage and what effect their characteristics have on the handspun yarns. Learn to select fleeces for specific projects, how the preparation methods affect the yarn, special effects such as blending different fleece types to create unique yarns; and for blending with other fibres. This is suitable for beginner to intermediate. $200
COLOUR & WEAVE WORKSHOP - TBA 1 day Weavers Objective: To be able to draft weave patterns based on colour placement of warp and weft rather than weave structure. Learn how to use colour to change the appearance of fabric, i.e., equal value colours, complimentary colours, warm and cool colours. The focus will be on one of the three sections. This is a Colour and Weave Sampler in three sections. $200
BRINGING OVERSHOT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY - TBA 1 day Must bring a loom warped to specifications Using the traditional overshot threadings we will see what else we can do with it i.e. lace, ribs, 1 block, 2 block, change the treadling, mix up colours and make it a very versatile weave. $200
