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Workshops

Workshops

Workshops taking place throughout Fibre Week are always a success.

Please note many of these workshops have mandatory supplies. To ensure that you’re ready for your class, check the the supplies list in the workshop details to know what you need to bring. Full course descriptions and fees are listed below. Registration opens March 1, 2024 @ 8:30am MST.

 

Friday, June 14, 2024

  • Conscious Choices in Spinning

  • Spin for Embroidery

  • Beginner Spinning

  • Let’s Spin Spirals

  • Let’s Spin Sock Yarn

  • 2 Tied Weave Structures

  • Western Sakiori

  • Wet Felted Sampler

  • Surface Design and Printing on Fabric with Natural Dyes
  • Visible Mending

  • Shibori with Indigo

  • Percentage Dye the Color Wheel

Saturday, June 15, 2024

  • Upwolfing Bouquet

  • Create a Wet Felted Plant Pot

  • The Wonderful World of Wool

  • Intro to Rust Dyeing and Painting

Sunday, June 16, 2024

  • Beginner Weaving

  • Block Printing and Stencilling with Indigo

  • Introduction to Botanical Printing on Fabric

  • Beginning Knitting

  • Beginner Needle Felting

  • Zero Waste Felting

Friday Workshops

Conscious Choices in Spinning

Learning to make conscious spinning choices can expand the types of yarn you make and leave you happier with your handspun yarn. Learn about six factors that impact your spinning, how to vary those factors for different fibres and applications (sweater v. shawl), and consciously break out of your default spin into a whole new realm of possibilities!

Type of Workshop: Spinning

Instructor: Vanessa Bjerreskov

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Must be able to spin a continuous thread and be familiar with the operation of a spinning wheel. If the student wishes to use spindles, familiarity with both suspended and supported spindles is necessary.

Student Supply List:
- Spinning wheel with at least four bobbins and a kate or
- multiple spindles (suspended and supported) and a kate
- something from your stash that is either a mystery (lost tag) or that you are not sure how to spin.

Tuition: $249 + $25 material fee

 

Beginning Spinning

Whether you’ve never set foot in the same room as a spinning wheel before or you’ve been spinning for a while and just want a refresher, this class is for you!  Working with wool rovings and tops, we’ll cover the basics of spinning both woolen and worsted singles, plying those singles together, and how to get a balanced yarn.

Type of Workshop: Spinning

Instructor: Christie Schulze

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 - Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Spinning wheel in good working condition
- At least three bobbins (bobbins optional)
- Lazy Kate (optional)
- Sharpie
- Notebook and pen
- Non-slip mat or rug to put under spinning wheel (optional)

Tuition: $349 + $50 material fee

 

Let’s Spin Sock Yarn

Do you love knitting socks but want to take your making up a notch by making your own sock yarn? This class is for you. Learn the basics of spinning your own sock yarn as we explore the world of spinning them. We will cover what makes a good sock yarn, blending natural fibres to make a strong sock yarn, techniques and tips that will help you spin your yarn and variations that address durability and comfort in your sock yarn. Although this class focuses on spinning to make sock yarn, we will cover skills that you can bring to other spinning: how to change your spinning to spin fine without losing your bulky spinning skills, blending fibre, basic principles of yarn design and spinning cables and crepe yarns.

Type of Workshop: Spinning

Instructor: Elana Goodfellow

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: This class is suitable for beginner to intermediate spinners. You must be able to spin a continuous single using a worsted style draw.

Student Supply List:
- Spinning wheel in good working condition (e-spinners accepted)
- Four empty bobbins and a lazy kate.
- Pair of hand cards
- Diz
- Niddy noddy
- Small amount of finished yarn
- Bags to take blending samples home

Tuition: $129 + $25 material fee

 

Western Sakiori

Sakiori isn’t just like other rag-weaving!  Come and learn how people in rural Japan used this technique to make durable, warm cloth they needed to survive, and how we can use the discarded luxury materials readily available to us today to make our version of sakiori.  The class will cover rag selection and preparation, weaving, and finishing techniques.

Type of Workshop: Weaving

Instructor: Amanda Robinette

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Able to warp and weave independently

Student Supply List:
- Silk clothing or scraps (or other fabric)
- Ski shuttle or stick shuttle
- Boat shuttle/bobbin/bobbin winder
- Seam ripper/fabric scissors/Ziploc bags for keeping pieces
- Scissors/tape measure/embroidery needle/T-pins
- Empty yarn cones or other desired weights for hanging the floating selvedges and repairing broken warp threads, in case of necessity

Optional:
- Temple (recommended)
- Rotary cutter, clear cutting guide and mat; and/or rag cutter
- Dust mask
- Fringe twister

Supply List for Rigid Heddle Weavers:
- Silk clothing or scraps (or other fabric)
- Ski shuttle or stick shuttle
- Seam ripper/fabric scissors/ziploc bags for keeping pieces
- Scissors/tape measure/embroidery needle/T-pins
- Supplementary beater: Weaving sword or other weaving stick or shuttle with beveled edge (such as a belt shuttle) that is wider than your warp
- Temple recommended (optional)
- Rotary cutter, clear cutting guide and mat; and/or rag cutter, if available
- Dust mask
- Fringe twister

Tuition: $249 + $0 material fee

 

Shibori with Indigo

This half-day workshop will introduce students to both Japanese Shibori techniques as well as the process of making an indigo vat. Shibori is a Japanese dye technique which utilizes folding, tying and other forms of resists to create pattern on fabric. Students will learn some common techniques and then use them to create a one-of-a-kind shawl.

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Sara McCourt

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Rubber Gloves
- Notebook
- Plastic bags to take items home
- N95 mask

Tuition: $129 + $10 material fee

 

 

Percentage Dye the Color Wheel

This half-day workshop will introduce students to the percentage dye system using acid dyes on wool. Students will mix primary colors and then utilizing these colors mix the secondary and tertiary colors of the color wheel. Each student will end up with one mini skein of each colour. This workshop will teach students how to mix dyes, dye safety and how to successfully dye with acid dyes on wool.

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Sara McCourt

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 1:30 pm- 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Rubber Gloves
- Notebook
- Plastic bags to take items home
- N95 mask

Tuition: $129 + $20 material fee

Spin for Embroidery

In this 2 day, project-based, workshop, we will cover yarn design and creation, pattern design, colour theory, basic stitches, and create and frame our own personalized embroidery art. Skills that will be gained include understanding twist, typical and non-typical embroidery yarn creation, basic stitch types, design, and colour theory. You will go home with a completed project.

Type of Workshop: Spinning

Instructor: Kara Perpelitz

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 - Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Students must have the ability to spin and ply a consistent yarn. No embroidery skills required, just a willingness to learn!

Student Supply List:
- spinning wheel in good working condition
- spinning wheel maintenance kit
- lazy kate
- 3-4 bobbins
- niddy noddy
- 6 inch embroidery hoop
- a variety of sharp needles with a variety of eye sizes

Tuition: $349 + $25 material fee

 

Let’s Spin Spirals

Have you dreamt of beautiful spiral yarns and wished you knew how to spin them? Learn the basic spiral yarn and variations of it as we demystify spinning spirals. We will cover what makes a good spiral yarn, techniques and tips that will help you spin spirals and variations that include the flame spiral and beaded spiral yarns.

Type of Workshop: Spinning

Instructor: Elana Goodfellow

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Prerequisites: This class is suitable for beginner to intermediate spinners. You must be able to spin a continuous single using a worsted style draw.

Student Supply List:
- Spinning wheel in good working condition (e-spinners accepted)
- A bulky spinning head (optional)
- Three empty bobbins and a lazy kate.
- Niddy noddy
- Small amount of finished yarn

Tuition: $129 + $40 material fee

 

2 Tied Weave Structures

Students will be introduced to 2 tied weave structures and work with Fibreworks to design threadings and future projects. An understanding of Profile Drafts and Unit Blocks may be beneficial, but we will be covering the basics and experimenting from there. Weaving will be on 6-8 shafts, students will weave on their own loom.

Type of Workshop: Weaving

Instructor: Lynn McEachern

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 - Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Students should know how to follow a draft, wind a warp and thread a loom.

Student Supply List:
- 8 shaft table loom
- A laptop with Fibreworks (silver): can download the trial version prior to the class
- Cone of natural/white 8/2 cotton to wind their warp (instructions will be sent once registration is confirmed)

Tuition: $349 + $10 material fee

 

Wet Felted Sampler

Wet felting is a method of creating art using wool as your medium. This felting method is thousands of years old and has a rich history in many cultures. On day 1 we'll start by learning about different breeds of wool and their properties. We’ll move on to making a sample piece of felt to help us understand the unique, natural properties of wool. Then, step-by-step, we will explore more ways to create with wool. We’ll add inclusions, incorporate silks, work with resists and more! This is a relaxed, easy-going, workshop designed for curious participants. Wet felting is a hands-on, sometimes messy art process. Wear comfortable clothes that you can get wet and not worry about. Barbara Leighton, founder of the Leighton Art Centre, believed that every person is an artist - they just needed to find their right medium. Perhaps wool is yours. Try felting and find out!

Type of Workshop: Felting

Instructor: Leah Cathleen Donald

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Beginner to Intermediate

Student Supply List:
- 2 hand towels and one bath towel. These may get dye on them - don't bring your best towels.

Tuition: $249 + $40 material fee

 

Visible Mending

Learn to mend your clothing while creating a work of art. In this class we will try our hand at sashiko and Boro stitching. Needle felting and darning.

Type of Workshop: Other

Instructor: Jamie Bowen

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Scissors
- Something to mend if you want to mend something (optional)

Tuition: $249 + $25 material fee

 

Surface Design and Printing on Fabric with Natural Dyes

In this class, you’ll learn how to make natural dye pastes to stamp, stencil, or paint onto fabric for permanent and colourful designs! We’ll work with natural dyes such as cochineal, madder, lac, and weld to create patterns on fabric using a variety of ready-made wood block stamps or stencils. The dye paste can also be painted on your fabric, or materials for making your own basic stamps will be provided.

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Lorelei Sommer

Date/Time: Friday, June 14, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Apron
- N95 type mask
- Gloves

Tuition: $249 + $35 material fee

 

 

Saturday Workshops

Upwolfing Bouquet

Upwolfing is a wet felting technique created by Irene Van der Wolf, which adds a 3D dimension to your felting. This class will explore this technique of creating 3D flowers in the morning. We will add stems and leaves with needle felting in the afternoon. Students will leave with a beautiful bouquet ready for framing.

Type of Workshop: Felting

Instructor: Cyndi Wagner

Date/Time: Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List: None

Tuition: $249 + $45 material fee

 

The Wonderful World of Wool

Welcome to the wonderful world of wool. Come and have a fun day of talking about and looking at different styles of wool. A discussion will be about the best end use of the different styles of wool fleeces. We will examine what makes a good fleece and what faults to avoid. What does a fleece judge look at when examining a fleece? Come play with all categories of wool and their end uses.

Type of Workshop: Other

Instructor: Jayne Deardorff

Date/Time: Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Paper and pen for personal notes
- Apron (optional)

Tuition: $249 + $20 material fee

Create a Wet Felted Plant Pot

Wet felting is a method of creating art using wool as your medium. This felting method is thousands of years old and has a rich history in many cultures. In this workshop, you will learn about different breeds of wool and their properties. We'll start by making a sample piece of felt to help us understand the unique, natural properties of wool. Each participant will then put their new-found knowledge to use making a felted plant pot. Wet felting is a hands-on, sometimes messy art process. Wear comfortable clothes that you can get wet and not worry about. Barbara Leighton, founder of the Leighton Art Centre, believed that every person is an artist - they just needed to find their right medium. Perhaps wool is yours. Try felting and find out!

Type of Workshop: Felting

Instructor: Leah Cathleen Donald

Date/Time: Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: Beginner to Intermediate

Student Supply List:
- 2 hand towels and one bath towel. These may get dye on them - don't bring your best towels.

Tuition: $249 + $40 material fee

 

Intro to Rust Dyeing and Painting

Learn different techniques for rust dying. Learn to bundle dye a silk scarf with rusted objects and dye in a tea bath. Then create rust prints on two cotton bandanas and then dip one in an Indigo vat and one in a tannin bath. We will also go over how to create the indigo vat.

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Jamie Bowen

Date/Time: Saturday, June 15, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Apron
- N95 type mask
- Gloves

Tuition: $249 + $50 material fee

Sunday Workshops

Beginner Weaving

This class is designed for those who are brand new to weaving, as well as those who want to refresh their knowledge of four-harness loom weaving. Students will learn how to prepare a warp, put the warp on the loom and how to operate the loom. The "how-to’s" of planning a project, reading a draft, choosing materials and finishing a project will be covered. Your supplies will include a practice warp and enough yarn to weave a beautiful scarf.

Type of Workshop: Weaving

Instructor: Tracy La Rose
Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 - Thursday, June 20, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- 10 or 12 dent reed and a raddle (optional)
Shuttles and bobbins (optional)
- Hand bobbin winder (optional)
- Seat cushion for comfort and height adjustment (optional)
- Threading/Reed Hook (optional)
- Notebook
- Pen or pencil
- Ruler
- Fabric measuring tape
- Scissors
- Large blunt tapestry needle
- Pencil crayons
- Ball of string
- Masking or painters tape

Tuition: $595 + $65 material fee

 

Introduction to Botanical Printing on Fabric


If you’ve ever wondered how to capture prints of plants on textiles, we’ll explore the process of botanical/ecoprinting in this workshop. You’ll learn how to prepare fabric for dyeing and permanently "print" leaves and other plant material onto natural fabric. We’ll also explore suitable plant and flowers for use, and options for adding additional colour with natural dyes.

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Lorelei Sommer

Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- Apron
- Gloves

Tuition: $129 + $30 material fee

 

Beginner Needle Felting

Learn to needle felt while creating a mini gnome and a mini pumpkin. You will learn all the basic techniques for felting. All supplies included. You will receive enough to make three gnomes and three pumpkins. We will complete at least one of each in class and then you can continue creating at home.

Type of Workshop: Felting

Instructor: Jamie Bowen

Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List: None

Tuition: $129 + $40 material fee

Block Printing and Stencilling with Indigo

Learn how to create a natural indigo paste to print patterns on fabric using stamps and stencils!  This workshop will walk you through mixing the indigo paste, applying it to fabric using stamps and stencils, and fixing the indigo to the fabric.  You'll go home with a unique cotton bandana and a silk scarf printed with patterns in beautiful indigo blue.  

Type of Workshop: Dyeing

Instructor: Lorelei Sommer

Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- N95 type mask
- Gloves
- Apron 
- Any stencils or stamps you may wish to use. (optional)

Tuition: $129 + $20 material fee

 

Beginning Knitting

This workshop is an introduction to knitting. If you have never knit before, tried and didn’t quite get there, or whatever the case may be, this class is for you. You will learn to cast on, work a knit stitch, work a purl stitch, and bind off, as well as how to read a pattern, a bit about tools and materials, blocking and care of your projects, and so much more! You’ll even learn how to talk like a knitter! In this class you will be making the Knit Parade Hand Warmers.

Type of Workshop: Knitting

Instructor: Lisa Tomaszewski

Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 9:00 am - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List:
- 4.5mm and/or 5mm knitting needles
- Darning/yarn needle

Tuition: $249 + $40 material fee

 

Zero Waste Felting

Learn to felt while creating some zero waste items fr your home. We will learn to needle felt dryer balls, wet felt felted soap and learn to visibly mend with needle felting.

Type of Workshop: Felting

Instructor: Jamie Bowen

Date/Time: Sunday, June 16, 2024 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Prerequisites: None

Student Supply List: None

Tuition: $129 + $25 material fee

Do you need more information?