Workshops & Classes
Nancy can often be found teaching classes and workshops at fiber conferences, guild meetings, and for other groups. She offers the following workshops:
2 DAY WORKSHOPS
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Rainbow Dyeing & Spinning Many Fibers
Open or CloseThis workshop provides an overview of the many dyes available to us, their properties and use, dye safety, a brief history of dyeing, and several methods of dye application. The first day of the workshop is spent dyeing the fibers to be spun on the second day.
Fibers dyed in this workshop include: grease wool (white and colored); mohair locks and top; ginned cotton and sliver; silk tops, cocoons, caps, and waste silk; and other fibers and fiber blend tops. I will teach both immersion and direct application techniques, depending upon the fiber and its preparation. The dyes used in this workshop are: acid; fiber reactive; natural; and Lanaset/Telana/Sabreset.
On the second day of the workshop, we explore methods of accentuating the rainbow dyed fibers, as well as blending for various color effects. The workshop participants should be able to spin a continuous yarn for this day (this is not a class for those who do not know how to spin!). -
Rainbow Dyeing Wool
Open or CloseThis workshop is structured like the one above, with the focus entirely on dyeing and spinning wool. Grease wool from several breeds will be dyed to explore how each breed accepts the dyes. We will also dye colored wools, wool tops, and wool batts. On the spinning day, we will spin the wools and also add other fibers to change the appearance of the finished yarns. -
Rainbow Dyeing Silks & Silk Blends
Open or CloseThe fiber emphasis in this workshop is silk in its many forms. We will dye both bombyx mori (cultivated) and tussah (wild) silks. Workshop participants will dye various silk fiber preparations: cocoons; waste silk; batts; tops; and silk blends.
The spinning day teaches methods of spinning the various forms of silk for optimum color definition as well as blending colors and fibers. We also explore how to “stretch” a small amount of silk through blending with other fibers.
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Spinning Llama and Alpaca Fibers
Open or CloseIf you have never spun llama or alpaca fiber, this workshop will lead you through selecting a fleece, the range of natural colors available, preparation of the fibers, the commercially available fiber forms, and spinning the fiber. I will also talk about dyeing and blending these fibers with other fibers to accentuate and/or enhance its properties or those of the fiber it is being blended with. -
Choosing a Fleece
Open or CloseConfused about whether you should choose a Dorset fleece or a Cotswold fleece for a project? This workshop explores the specific properties of many breeds of sheep wool, methods for spinning each breed, end uses for yarns, and evaluating fleeces. Depending on the experience level of the participants, other areas such as sorting a fleece, dealing with excessive chaff or VM, weak fleeces, etc, will be included as part of the workshop. -
Marvelous Mohair
Open or CloseMohair is an often-neglected fiber. We’ll look at the grease fleeces (baby kid, kid, adult, and coarse adult) and learn which type will work best for a specific project, and spin samples of each type. Class discussions will also focus on mohair’s affinity for dyes, blending mohair with other fibers, and spinning a few novelty yarns well suited to mohair. -
I can spin that yarn…….how?
Open or CloseUnsure of how to spin that fabulous package of fibers you just bought? You will be given several fiber preparations and then taken through the process of creating different yarns from each preparation. In the process of creating those yarns, we’ll review basic color theory and yarn structure, and how to create the yarns of your dreams.
1 DAY WORKSHOPS
-
Rainbow Dyeing & Spinning Many Fibers
Open or CloseThis workshop provides an overview of the many dyes available to us, their properties and use, dye safety, a brief history of dyeing, and several methods of dye application. The first day of the workshop is spent dyeing the fibers to be spun on the second day.
Fibers dyed in this workshop include: grease wool (white and colored); mohair locks and top; ginned cotton and sliver; silk tops, cocoons, caps, and waste silk; and other fibers and fiber blend tops. I will teach both immersion and direct application techniques, depending upon the fiber and its preparation. The dyes used in this workshop are: acid; fiber reactive; natural; and Lanaset/Telana/Sabreset.
On the second day of the workshop, we explore methods of accentuating the rainbow dyed fibers, as well as blending for various color effects. The workshop participants should be able to spin a continuous yarn for this day (this is not a class for those who do not know how to spin!).
SILK WORKSHOPS
The following workshops are all designed as one day workshops; however, your group can design a workshop encompassing areas from each of these workshops to meet your specific needs. A Rainbow Dyeing segment could also be included as part of a “custom designed” workshop; the materials fees for any of these workshops would depend upon the areas to be included in that workshop.
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Silk I: Reeling, Dyeing, Knitting/Crocheting
Open or CloseReeling Cocoons, Mawata Making, Dyeing Caps, and Knitting/Crocheting From Caps
This workshop is designed for those who may not be spinners, but would like more information about silk. A lecture on sericulture and silk properties is included, as well as silk’s use as an important trading commodity throughout history. Participants should know how to knit &/or crochet. -
Silk II: Spinning Silk
Open or CloseWorkshop participants will spin many forms of both bombyx mori and tussah silks: degummed cocoons; waste silk; tops; rovings; bricks; caps; noils; and blends. A lecture on sericulture and silk properties is included.
This workshop could be expanded to include 1-1/2 days of spinning, with the remaining half day focusing on yarns for knitting and knitting with silk (or silk blend) yarns. -
Silk III: Blending Silk with Other Fibers
Open or CloseThis workshop is an exploration of the possibilities of blending silk with many other fibers through carding and plying. The emphasis will be placed on accentuating silk in the blends, as well as offering ideas to use many less expensive forms of silk in blends.
Contact us regarding material fees, instruction fees and availability for this workshop.
