Spinning class in Sweden are here!

I'm heading to Sweden in late April to see the country and spend time with friends. I'm also offering two spinning classes on May 2 at my friends sheep farm. We're planning to have a very busy and fun day playing with techniques and hard-to-find wools. I'm really looking forward to meeting new spinners, and especially to meeting the new lambs that are arriving daily.

(For my English-speaking friends, fika is coffee and cookies--chocolate chip and Oreo cookies specifically!).

Expand Your Drafting Skills for Spinners

           
When you learned to spin, you drew out your wool in a certain way. And you are probably still using the same drafting technique. Did you know that there are several ways to handle your wool when spinning? In this class you will learn the best way to spin a combed top for making worsted yarns for long-wearing garments, and how to spin rolags and clouds for making woolen yarns to use for warm mittens and hats. This workshop will cover 5 different drafting techniques.

8:30-10:00am                After a brief introduction we start learning two worsted drafting techniques.

10:00-10:30am              Fika and a chance to stretch your tired hands

10:30-12:00pm              We will work on three woolen drafting techniques.

Limited to 5 students who know how to spin on a wheel or spindle. The teacher will be providing clean colored wool and a pair of handcards. If you have handcards or a blending board, feel free to bring them to class. A spinning wheel or spindle in working order is required; you may want to bring a spare drive band, oil for the wheel, extra bobbins, a niddy noddy or nostepinde for storing yarn.

Date:           May 2, 2015

Time:           8:30am-12:00pm

Location:      Ulvsbo, Sjuntorp

Cost:           885 SEK

Sheep Breed Tasting for Spinners

Looking at online shops to buy a fleece and don’t know what you’ll be getting? Visiting a fiber festival or local farm and puzzled by the selection of wool available? You should have a working knowledge of how to choose the proper wool for your project, and be comfortable spinning it into the best yarn for the job. This workshop will cover 6 breeds from several categories of wool—English Leicester* (longwool), Debouillet* (fine wool), California Red* (medium wool), Black Welsh Mountain lamb* (coarse wool), Icelandic (double-coated) and Suffolk (Down)—and give tips on the best uses for each type.

 

*Conservation breeds, meaning that the number of sheep has dropped below an acceptable limit.

 

1:00-2:30pm                  After a brief introduction we start sampling the first three breeds.

2:30-3:00pm                  Fika and a chance to stretch your tired hands

3:00-4:30pm                  We work on the last three breeds.

 

Limited to 5 students who know how to spin on a wheel or spindle. The teacher will be providing clean fleece, one pair of handcards and one pair of minicombs. If you have handcards or wool combs, feel free to bring them to class. A spinning wheel or spindle in working order is required; you may want to bring a spare drive band, oil for the wheel, extra bobbins, a niddy noddy or nostepinde for storing yarn.

Date:           May 2, 2015

Time:           1:00pm to 4:30pm

Location:     Ulvsbo, Sjuntorp

Cost:           1,050 SEK

Preregistration and payment is required—register for BOTH workshops at the same time and receive a 10% discount on the total cost! Invoicing and payments will be through Paypal, where you can use your credit card if you want. Contact Carol at carol_mcfadden (at) verizon.net for registration or if you have any questions about the workshop. For questions about the workshop location, contact Elin Dahllov at [elin (at)swedishfibre.com].

 

 

About The Instructor  

Carol McFadden of Feistywoman Designs is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Having learned embroidery, knitting and crochet at Grandma’s knee when she was six years old, she has never been very far from fiber no matter what job she’s held. Carol learned weaving and spinning almost 40 years ago, holds a University degree in Studio Art, co-owned a weaving shop, became a production weaver for a bit, co-chaired a conference fashion show, has earned awards for her spinning and weaving, taught fiber classes, sold her handwovens commercially, and sold handknit accessories, handspun yarn and fiber in an Etsy shop. She has several patterns on Ravelry as Feistywoman Designs, does a bit of writing and designing for Yarnmaker and PLY magazines. But her focus these days is on following my creative muse, playing with color and fiber, and enabling others to do the same.