2012 Friday Workshop Descriptions

Here are the descriptions for the workshops that will be offered at the 2012 Michigan Fiber Festival on Friday.  You can register online at the Michigan Fiber Festival Website or send in a hard copy registration if you have the Fiberline magazine.  Any questions should be directed to the Michigan Fiber Festival office.  We will post the remaining workshop descriptions for the remainder of the festival in a separate post.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17 
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS


Friday All Day  9AM ~ 4PM 

#300 The Flax Challenge              Patsy Zawistoski
Flax is a very classic fiber, albeit different than wool.  Learning new techniques to manage its particular characteristics will make it
one of your spinning joys. There are a variety of ways to dress an elegant distaff with long line flax, plus a few secrets for spinning
flax wet, and then finishing the linen yarns.  Spinning wheels or medium weight spindles can be used.  Distaffs can be attached to your
wheel, tucked in your belt, or free-standing.  Creative ideas are encouraged for improvised classroom distaffs.  
Class Level:  Intermediate to Advanced
Class Limit: 12      
Material Fees: $15.00   Fee covers :  Booklets, worksheets and fibers    
Participants should bring:  A good working wheel, scotch brake or double drive recommended, Distaff – creative endeavors are
encouraged, Small water cup for wetting fingers – optional , a non-stretchy waist line belt, hand cards,
 hand comb, scissors, about a dozen sandwich baggies and 3X5 file cards.  A hole-punch for attaching sample yarns and fibers to the
worksheet,  a apron and a towel, Lazy Kate and extra bobbins – optional.   Also bring oil screwdriver, and other tools for your wheel,
in case they are needed.  Fibers will be provided

#301 Beginning Rug Hooking                 Kris Miller 
Learn the traditional American craft of rug hooking.  You will be making a small project using wool fabric cut into strips.  We will
discuss tools, fabric, and the process of rug hooking.  At the end of class,  the participants will feel comfortable to continue on their
own at home.
Class Level:  Beginner
Class Limit: 15
Material Fees: $30.00 Fee covers:  pattern drawn on linen foundation, wool fabric cut into strips, rug hook
Participants should bring with them: A pair of sharp scissors, a quilting hoop that is approx. 14" in diameter and 1" wide (can purchase
from instructor if needed).  A pencil and paper optional for taking notes.

#302  Reed and Fiber Basket               Bev Larson 
Starting with the twill base, weave this double wall basket with reed on the inside and yarn on the outside. Finish it off with a
Gretchen border. THIS CLASS REQUIRES SOME PRIOR WEAVING EXPERIENCE! Contact instructor is you want to use your
own handspun in the basket for the amount needed.
Class Level:  Intermediate
Class Limit: 10
Material Fees: $22.00 Fee covers: All Materials and
preparation
Participants should bring with them: Instructor will provide everything, unless they wish to weave some of their own homespun yarn
into the baskets.  Plan to have fun!

#303 Intermediate Backstrap Basket       Ruthanne Morningstar
In this workshop students will learn pebble weave and supplementary weft weaving.  Additional pick up pattern drafts will be
provided plus we’ll discuss creating your own pattern drafts.  This is not a workshop for beginners.
Photos will be posted on my Website – Ruthantics.com
Class Level:  Intermadiate
Class Limit: 10
Material Fees: $30.00 Fee covers : All materials will be supplied including a backstrap loom for the student to take home. Note:
students from the 2011 & 2012 introductory workshop will receive a  $20.00 credit since they already have a loom.
Participants should bring:  A backstrap loom if you have one.

#304 Knitting Tips and Tricks        Nancy Shroyer 
40 years of knitting experience and problem solving have resulted in a store of knowledge.  Nancy uses this to bring you all kinds of
simple solutions to common problems. The class will cover: A better buttonhole, and button spacing; lengthening or shortening a
finished project; better fitting armholes, neckbands and shoulders; how to exchange yarns successfully; making twisted cords;
measuring for a better fit; estimating yardage for a project; useful knitting tools from other sources, and lots more! At the beginning of
the class, during the introductions, I ask each person if they have a specific question or problem that needs solving.  I add those into
the class where they best fit, or cover towards the end of the class.  
Class Level: Advanced Beginner -  Need to know how to knit and purl to make swatches.
Class Limit: 12
Material Fees: $18.00 – covers workbook, tools, and samples
Participants should bring with them: Homework swatches, needles and yarn used for swatches, cloth tape measure at least 60" long,
calculator, pen, tapestry needle.
Homework: 2 swatches – homework sheet attached.

Using a worsted weight yarn (handspun is OK) and appropriate needles for the yarn, knit 2, 4 inch square swatches in stockinette
stitch.  One of them you can bind off, but leave the second one still on the needle.  Make sure you have about an ounce of yarn left
over to use in class.
Please email me if you have any doubts/questions about this.  nancy@nancy-shroyer.com

#305 Spinning with Locks                    Amy Tyler
Wool and mohair locks can be used “as is” or prepared in a variety of ways for spinning both highly textured yarns and very smooth
yarns.  In this workshop, we will cover a wide array of lock structures, from those with fine crimp to those with bold curls.  We will
play with undyed and dyed locks, we will spin yarns from the locks, we will combine locks with rovings in a variety of ways, and we
will flick locks for spinning smooth, worsted-type yarns.
Class Level: Intermediate
Class Limit: 15
Material Fees: $20.00 Fee covers samples for examination, notebook with handouts, fibers for spinning, sundry supplies.
Participants should bring with them: a spinning wheel that works, 3 bobbins, lazy kate, flick carder or dog/cat slicker brush or dog
“rake”.

#306 Fair Isle Design                   Kathleen Taylor
Expand on your Fair Isle skills, and design your own Toddler- Size Fair Isle hat in this workshop with author, knitter, and designer
Kathleen Taylor. We’ll discuss color choices, design elements, and motif repeats. We’ll do specific designing exercises, and then
combine those motifs to design an original toddler-size Fair Isle hat, and begin working on the hat by the end of the workshop.
Students will finish knitting the hat at home.
Class Level:  Intermediate to Advanced
Class Limit: 15
Material Fees: None
Participants should bring with them: Assorted worsted weight yarns, 100 gr total, in up to 6 colors (leftover yarns and small balls are
fine), colored pencils to match the yarns, 16" size 5 circular needle, pencil, eraser, stitch markers, safety pin, several post-it notes.
Homework required
Homework:
With the 16"(40 cm) Size 5 (3.75mm)circular needle, or 1 or 2 long circular needles, CO 90 sts with MC. Without twisting the sts,
join, placing the large marker at the beginning of the round.
Rnds 1-8 (hem facing): K
Picot Edge Rnd: *K 2 tog, YO*, rep around
Next Rnd:  K, working each YO as a stitch.
Next Rnd: *K 15, Inc 1*, rep around (6 sts increased- 96 sts)

#307 Introduction to Tablet Weaving         Brian Doggett 
Tabletweaving can produce a wide range of simple or complex designs with minimal equipment. After a brief overview on the history
and theory of tabletweaving, the class will setup a double-face warp using C-clamps and cards. Students will then weave various
designs including checkerboard, diagonals and an alphabet. These techniques can be applied to a tremendous variety of projects
including straps, belts, trim, leashes, banners and jewelry.
Class Level:  Beginners
Class Limit: 15
Material Fees: $15.00 Fee Covers: Cards, threads, miscellaneous, written instructions
Participants should bring with them: scissors, a 4-6" belt shuttle (knife edge is ideal), two 2-3" C-clamps


#308 Short Row Savey                   Sue Kawamoto
More and more, short rows are being used in shaping knitted garments.  What are they?  How do they work? We will spend the day
working short rows in several variations.  We will use them for color blocking and shaping.  
Class Level: Intermediate
Class Limit: 10
Material Fees: $2.00 for handouts
Participants should bring with them: Size 7 needles ,scissors, tapestry needle, split ring markers and several colors of light worsted
yarn tightly spun in light colors.#309 Fabulous Felted Fingerless Gloves                    Suzanne Higgs
Using flat resist we will make an incrediblely comfortalbe, custom pair of fingerless gloves.  We will explore surface design elements,
including silk fabrics, silk fibers, yarns etc.
These are elegant warm and fashionalble.
Class Level: all levels
Class Limit: 10
Material Fees: $25.00  for wool, silks, resist, plastics and soaps
Participants should bring with them: 2 or 3 large towels, bucket for water, large sponge, pool noodle, measuring tape, black permanent
marker.

Friday Second Day  ( Two Day Workshops)

#211 Beginning Weaving                  Ann Niemi 

Friday A.M.  9AM ~ 12 noon 

#320 Viking Knit Woven Bracelet                 Heidi Bukoski
Viking knit is an exciting wire weaving technique that produces a flexible tube chain with a knit appearance.  The possibilities for
using this chain are endless, but we will make a bracelet and finish it with a handmade clasp. The chain is woven around a dowel and
then drawn through a die plate down to the desired diameter.  
Class Level: Beginner
Class Limit: 15
Material Fees: $15.00  Fee covers:  Copper wire, all other supplies and instructions
Participants should bring with them: Students should bring any jewelry pliers they have especially needle nose and flat nosed pliers.


#321 Beads Bangles & Butterflies       Suzanne Pufpaff
Let’s create simple felt beads and bangles using a combination of needle and wet felting techniques and then expand into creating a
beautiful felt butterfly to adorn your bangle. The instructor will provide all supplies and materials. No experience necessary.
Class Level:  Beginner
Class Limit: 12
Material Fees: $10.00
Participants should bring with them: Students are encouraged to bring pen and paper for taking notes.


#322 For the Love of Long Wool          Beth Smith 
The Longwools category of wool sometimes gets a bad rap.  Ask around to people if you happen to have some Masham or Lincoln or
Wensleydale hanging around what it’s good for.  Most people will say it’s too scratchy and is really only good for upholstery or
carpets. Well, sure it is good for both of those things if you spin it for those purposes BUT there is so much more to this category.  It
makes wonderful lace that really shows off all of those important holes.  It is great for outerwear because it pills so much less than
other shorter stapled fibers.  It is great for anything you want to wear well and have some luster and sometimes you can build in a
beautiful halo. This class will focus on spinning wools with a 5"staple or longer to get the yarn you want. Yarns can range from drapy
to wiry and everything in between.  We will learn how to get this fiber to do the things you want.  We could even get a lovely scarf for
your sensitive neck if you choose and prepare your fleece right. We will use mill prepped fibers as well as raw fleece, compare,
contrast,  and talk about what benefit there is to processing your own longwool fleece.  We will focus on processing and spinning
techniques that will bring out the best in these wools.
Class Level: Intermediate
Class Limit: 20
Material Fees: $15.00
Participants should bring with them: A Spinning Wheel in good working order, hand combs and a sample size niddy noddy.  Also
useful are hang tags, and a pen.


#323 Slub Fun in your Spinning        Laurie Boyer
Learn how to spin a comfortable and regular slub yarn.  Use this yarn to create unique bobble, teardrop and icicle yarns.  These highly
textured yarns are perfect edgings and surfaces when used in your fiber creations.  Excellent control of your spinning wheel required.  
Warning!  Create these yarns only if you want your knitting and weaving to be the center of attention.
Class Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Class Limit: 12
Material Fees:  $10.00 covers two varieties of roving.
Participants should bring with them: double treadle spinning wheel with the largest orifice, two empty bobbins and lazy kate, cone of
8/2 cotton thread for plying (skein winder optional).

Friday P.M.  1PM ~ 4 PM 

#330 Dye That Gossamer Fiber      Heidi Bukoski
Learn to space dye individual, one of a kind blanks for gossamer merino tencel blend scarves (or to use in any other application).
Students will start with small dye samples to explore mixing dyes and the interplay of different color combinations.  We then move on
to a final gorgeous blank using your three favorite colors.  Students need no prior experience with dying; this is a great, fun way to
learn the basics.
Class Level: Beginner
Class Limit: 12
Material Fees: $15.00   Fee covers:  Fibers, dyes and supplies
Participants should bring with them: Students should bring well-fitting rubber gloves if desired and an old towel

#331 Introduction to Felt Flowers 
     Suzanne Pufpaff
The simple multiple petal wet felted flower is wonderful but here is a chance to learn the simple and add some extra botanical details
to your creations. This workshop will cover how to make a daffodil, a lily, bee balm, and a rose. Each student will complete at least
three flowers during class and all the techniques will be demonstrated. The instructor will provide all materials and supplies and for
flowers done in class plus each student will go home with detailed written instructions for making additional flowers.
Class Level:  all levels
Class Limit: 12
Material Fees:$15.00  All materials and supplies will be provided by the instructor.
Participants should bring with them: Desire to have fun!

#332 Drafting Methods                          Beth Smith  
Woolen? Worsted? Semi-woolen? What is it and how do you do it and what kind of yarn does it make? This class will answer all of
your questions and teach you 5 different drafting method - short forward draw, short backward draw, supported long draw, and long
draw. You’ll also learn which method of drafting will give you the type of yarn you want for your knitting or weaving project.
Class Level: all levels
Class Limit: 20
Material Fees: $15.00
Participants should bring with them: A Spinning Wheel in good working order and at least 3 bobbins as well as a lazy kate and niddy
noddy.  Also useful are hang tags, and a pen.