Part 1 – Core-spinning and Bouclé – 3 hours
Traditional bouclé yarns are spun with three plies: the core, the wrap, and the binder. This class will take you through all of the steps to create traditional corespun and bouclé yarn. We’ll explore both handspun and commercial cores and binders, and we’ll spin our own wrap singles from a variety of different fibers including mohair, silk, and a variety of longwools. We will also discuss techniques for creating textured yarns from blending different types of singles in the ply (i.e. differential shrinkage bouclé). Finally, we’ll discuss using different fibers, cores and binders to get different surfaces, loops, and textures in our bouclés.
Part 2 – Texture with Tweed
Typical tweed yarns have inclusions which add color or textural elements to a plied yarn. This class will explore getting tweed-like effects by introducing various preparations of silk and wool inclusions when preparing fiber for spinning, while spinning singles, or in the ply.
Skills you will learn:
• Working with dyed silk hankies (mawata)
• “Frosting” your singles using small amounts of silk tops to add tweed-like color effects
• Using hand-cards to card silk or wool inclusions into your preparation. Inclusions we will explore in class include reclaimed sari silk, sari silk thread, and silk noil, recycled wool yarns and fibers, and other interesting fibers.
Prerequisites: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn.
Instructor: Michael Kelson
Duration: 1 day
Level: Intermediate
Categories: Spinning
Supplies that students will bring:
- A spinning wheel in good working condition
- Extra bobbins
- Notebook
- Lazy kate (if available)
- A pair of cotton hand cards and any fiber they might like to practice with
Material Fee: $30
Materials Included: The material fee covers all fiber and materials used in the workshop.