I’m happy to announce I will be teaching my spinning classes this summer in Ottawa at the wonderful Wabi-Sabi. I love the atmosphere and workshop space at this store! The full list of classes offered can be seen here, with my classes being:
May 24 – Fibre Prep Learn how to choose, clean, and prepare a fleece for spinning
June 21 – Beginning Spinning on a Drop Spindle The basics of drop spindle spinning
June 28 – Spinning 2 More advanced techniques on the drop spindle to create a variety of different yarns
Also coming up at Wabi-Sabi is a fashion show for Twist Collective, featuring guest speaker Kate Gilbert and a number of garments from the winter and spring collections (with a sneak preview of summer!). May 2, from 6-9 pm.
The link to the Wabi-Sabi events isn’t working for me.
The class description for Spinning 2 is a little … umm … sparse. May I ask what types of things you’ll be covering?
Hi Dave–my full class description did not make it on to the website (and I’d also like to clarify that a drop spindle is NOT included with Spinning 2, just Spinning 1). Here’s a few more details on what I’ll be covering:
– Woollen versus worsted technique (eg, long draw, short draw, etc.) demonstrated with roving, hand-combed top, and rolags;
– Spinning from the fold;
– Fibres other than wool, such as alpaca, mohair locks, and silk/rayon-type fibres;
– How to spin from batts;
– Adjusting spin and ply twist to change the character of your yarn.
Hope this helps!
Yes, it does help — thank you very much! I think I’m going to sign up.
I’ve been spindling for close a year, so I have the basics. I can do batts and the fold, but long draw eludes me, and silk is impossible. :-) We bring our own spindle, and you provide the fiber? Does it matter what weight spindle, or top or bottom whorl?
Yes, that’s right–you bring the spindle and all the fibres are supplied. Bring whatever you’re comfortable with (with regards to top vs. bottom whorl), and I recommend something in the 1.5 oz/40-gram range. Better to go a little lighter than super heavy, i.e., no Navajo spindles for this class :)