Join Ewephoric Fibers for an informative and fun-filled day of spinning. In the morning portion of the workshop, we will spin wild roving and batts. In the afternoon, we will work on plying to make the best possible yarns. While we are learning about wonderful fibers, we will also be helping a most worthy cause, Peaceful Paths. This non-profit group assists women moving out of abusive situations into a position of self-sufficiency and strength. Ten percent of every workshop fee will go to Peaceful Paths. Feel free to bring a non-perishable food donation for their food pantry. Details after the jump…
FEE
$75 for the day
DATE
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 9 am – 4:30 pm
SIGNUP
www.ewephoricfibers.etsy.com
LOCATION
Peaceful Paths Conference Room
2100 NW 53rd Ave, Gainesville, FL 32653
SYLLABUS
Morning: Taming the Wild Roving
How do you spin that beautiful multicolored braid or batt so it doesn’t turn into mud? How do you go from the yarn you see in your mind, inspired by the wonderful colors of the roving, to the yarn you are holding in your hand? Explore how to spin multicolored rovings or batts so there are no surprises in your finished yarn. You will spin mini-skeins of yarns using different techniques so you will be able to visualize the final product from roving to fabric.
Lunch Break (1.5 hours)
You are welcome to bring your lunch with you and spin and socialize. There are also several restaurants nearby. Be sure to bring enough drinks for the day…spinning can be thirsty work!
Afternoon: Plying for Fabulous Yarns
Yarn that has two or more plies is more stable, has an interesting structure, and is delightful to knit with. Or, it can be a nightmare because the plies are too loose and the yarn is splitty. Would you like to spin boucle yarn but don’t know how or lack the patience? Learn the advantages of plying to produce strong, stable, good-looking yarns that you will love to work with. What we spin in the morning’s roving-taming workshop will be our leaping off point—we will learn several different plying structures and techniques, characteristics of different fibers, and what happens when plying mixes them.
PREREQUISITES
You must be able to spin a continuous yarn.
REQUIRED MATERIALS
• A spinning wheel in good working condition. We have two wheels that can be rented for a nominal fee of $10 for the day.
• 100 yards each of 4 single-ply yarns, tightly spun Z twist (clockwise). Different colors will make the technique really stand out, but it is your choice.
OPTIONAL MATERIALS
• Your favorite spinning chair or stool
• A lazy kate
• Braids or batts that you are not sure how to spin. We will discuss how to tame those rovings! You may even want to swap with another spinner!
PROVIDED MATERIALS
Roving for spinning in the morning session.
QUESTIONS
Email www@ewephoricfibers.com and Ginger or Jane will email you back ASAP!