PatsyZ, the Hand Spinnin' Guru
1 day
Take charge; don’t feel intimidated by cotton anymore. This notoriously short fiber is easily tamed and mastered by changing a few simple techniques. Cotton is always soft, easy care, washable and machine dryable. It’s a great yarn for weaving, crochet and lacey knits. It is available in a variety of natural colors, and preparations. Learn how to gin, card and prepare a puni – the perfect short fiber spinning package.
Intermediate Preparation and Spinning Skills, 1-2 or 3 days
Learn the secrets to spinning soft fuzzy yarns for creating lightweight warm knitted garments and smooth faultless yarns perfect for weaving or intricate knitted patterns. As you concentrate on carding, combing, long draw and worsted drafting, you will be challenged to work toward yarns of different sizes and amounts of twist including fine and thick with different fleece. Take charge, and learn to spin the yarn that you want now.
Intermediate Beginners, 1 day
We often don’t understand exactly how our wheel works or how it is different from our best friend’s wheel even though we can spin and ply wool with it. This class reviews the different types of wheels, drive ratios, take-up issues, and maintenance hints. We will also review various preparations, drafting, and plying techniques. Added together you will understand many of the dynamics affecting your spinning and your yarns.
Intermediate, 1 day
Do you look longingly at other spinners super fine yarns and wonder how they are created. . Learn the secrets of fine spinning, and then plan to create that special shawl or scarf from spider weight yarns that you spun yourself. This class, geared for intermediate spinners, will start you on your way. We will work with fine rovings, merino locks, and Optim™ stretched wool. We will practice scouring locks, combing and spinning with a worsted draw to achieve those superfine lightweight yarns.
1 days
Thick, soft, fuzzy yarns make quick projects and have a special charm. Claims that thick yarns are harder to spin as you gain experience, can be put out to pasture. A few easy techniques and some intentional practice will have you spinning thicker yarns. Bring your spinning wheel with the largest orifice, to improve your techniques. Blending boards and drum carders are the excellent preparation tools. Learn how to use both and fatten up your yarn stash.
1 day
Simply ply! The task sounds so easy, but this last step can make or break a handspun plan. Hidden in many closets, poorly plied yarns reside with a corresponding fear of ruining the whole project. Over-plying and under-plying can be easily recognized and corrected. Banish your fears and learn various ways to ply and finish smooth lovely yarn.
1-2 days
Novelty yarns are usually the first yarns to catch our eyes with their alluring textures. Although there are untold variations to these yarns, there really are five basic recipes – that shape most of the hand spin-able yarn types. Learn to do a cable yarn, a knotted yarn, a lopi-style singles, a textured spiral, and a core-spun bouclé. Then you can vary each type by fiber, color and sizes spun. The worksheets for this class focus on wool and mohair fibers.
1 day
Amazingly resilient and strong, spiral yarns can be created by breaking the cardinal rule of always plying together singles that were spun in the same direction. Isn’t it illegal to ply an S and a Z together? Learn the important factors and avoid the problems spinning teachers warn against. Master this yarn construction and adapt it to several different fibers. This construction is favored by students who spin soft yarns.
1-2 days
How CAN I make that yarn? Inquiring minds want to know. Start with Patsy’s secret yarn decoder! Student pairs will decode fancy yarn samples to understand the variety of structures utilized and how they affect later usage. You will be ready to spin the yarn you want once equipped with the structure information and wheel mechanics. Worksheets, a decoder, yarns and fiber will be provided. You may bring a commercial yarn and fiber for matching. Open to all textile students.
1 day
A distinctive interlocking cable or braided look differentiates cable or crepe yarns from all of the other 4-ply yarns. Cabled yarns are very decorative, round and fascinating. Plying a plied yarn on itself creates it. A few easy to learn techniques guarantee success. They can be made thick or thin, multicolored or solid, smooth or textured. Spend a day learning all of the ins and outs of cabling and making crepe yarns.