Beginning Spinning
Before Peg Fike taught me how, spinning seemed as removed from my life as a fairy tale. I was afraid that it would be very hard to learn and that it would take time from and distract me from the sculptural knitting I was doing.
But I loved the quality of hand-spun yarn and realized that I could make even different sizes and types of yarn from the same fiber for a project - and that it would still be less costly than buying commercial yarns.
Now, over thirty years later, I know that beginners can learn the basics of spinning in three sessions, and that doing so has liberated my own knitting.
By starting on a Navajo support spindle, a novice spinner can work very slowly at first - not something possible on a drop spindle or a wheel - building up speed with her drafting skills and Long Draw before working with a wheel.
- Lesson one covers a little history, defines "what is a yarn", and teaches a student how to spin on a Navajo spindle.
- Lesson two is about spinning and plying on a wheel, and adapting a Louet wheel for the Long Draw.
- Lesson three reviews the previous lessons, and then coves fiber preparation, washing fleeces, carding, where to find spinning supplies.
Our brains learn faster than our bodies. Practice between lessons is important. Ideally there should be a week between sessions, but for people who come from away, I can teach the 1st and 2nd lessons a week apart, and the 3rd session in the afternoon of the 2nd.
The fee for three solo sessions is $180, (including the Navajo spindle and wool). The fee for more than one student is prorated.
Intermediate Spinners
I do individual sessions with intermediate spinners who want to learn how to do a Long Draw, spin on a Rio Grande wheel, or improve their skills.
Contact me for more information