Workshops

Friday, June 15

Bag on a Box  |  Friday, June 15 – Saturday, June 16 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

We will explore the weaving of any size bag or basket using a cardboard box as a loom. The technique can be plain or patterned weave, or tapestry style. We will also explore finishing, handles and clasps. 

Instructor: Catherine Ross
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Basic understanding of weaving is beneficial.
Tuition: $295 + $20 material fee

Breezy Silk Chiffon Vest/Dress/Tunic  |  Friday, June 15 – Sunday, June 17 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

We begin the workshop with learning how to measure and create a seamless garment resist to felt either a lightweight vest, dress or tunic and has an option of including sleeves. We then dye our silk chiffon fabric as a base to lay the merino wool on and learn how to design our garment.   Laurie helps you to execute your design and this also helps everyone in the workshop to understand how to create different garment styles from each other.   Demonstrations and tips for making the felting process easier are shown. 

Instructor: Laurie Steffler
Difficulty/Prerequisite: None
Tuition: $395 + $50 material fee

Exotic Indulgence  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – Noon)

If you’ve been hesitant to try spinning luxury fibres because you “don’t want to ruin the good stuff” or you just want to indulge in a day of spinning exotics, this class is for you. We’ll look at how to spin the finest fibres – cashmere, yak, quviut, camel – and how to choose blends to help stretch your fibre and your dollar. All class materials will be provided, so bring your wheel and let’s indulge in a little luxury. 

Instructor: Christie Schulze
Difficulty/Prerequisites: Must be able to spin a continuous single and have experience spinning with both worsted and woolen drafts.
Tuition: $95 + $35 material fee

Fantasy to Fabric  |  Friday, June 15 – Saturday, June 16 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

This workshop will take you outside the box and allow you to take your fantasy, turning it into reality, fabric. Have you ever just wanted to make something that is different and yet is just made with a simple plain weave, yet it looks intricate. I will teach you the simple ways to both play with color and design. Each student will be given instructions on making their warp before the workshop, so they can come to class ready to weave, in a color and weave effect (light/dark) everyone will have 12 looms in which to weave a sample from. You will also design and take home a color and weave effect warp ready to use when you get home. You must be ok with your fellow students to share looms.

Instructor: Michelle Hughes
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Students must be able to understand how to weave and set up their table looms. Along with how to make a warp.
Tuition: $295 + $20 material fee

Felted Landscape  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

Each participant will make a large felted wool ’Painting', of a landscape scene of their choice with lots of detail. Using different “painting with wool” techniques, you will be shown various trees, moons, sunsets, northern lights, flowers, and birds or animals, etc. You will then be shown various ways to mount or use your work of art when you take it home. This workshop is suitable for beginners or experienced felters as your wool painting can be as intricate or as simple as you like. We will be learning both needle felting and wet felting.

Instructor: Lois McDonald-Layden
Difficulty/Prerequisite: None
Tuition: $195 + $45 material fee

Introduction to Fingerweaving  |  Friday, June 15 – Saturday, June 16 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

In this class we focus on the method that is the warp-faced ‘ceinture fleche’ (arrow sash method) of Voyageur or Metis sash fame. You learn to use your fingers to manipulate the threads, resulting in the desired structure. We begin with a ready-to-go warp to explore the ‘stitch’, paying particular attention to irregularities (mistakes), examine how they happened, what to do to correct them, and how to avoid them in the first place.

On the second day of the workshop we focus on diverse patterns that can be created including chevron and arrowhead. Participants leave with at least 3 straps, and a new warp of his/her own design for further work at home. The method can be easily adapted to create bags, shawls, and 3D scarfs. 

Instructor: Carol James
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Good use of all ten fingers and reasonable eyesight.
Tuition: $295 + $5 material fee

Heirloom Christmas Stockings  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

You will create a unique, special one of a kind Christmas Stocking. Using Graph paper and different colours a fair isle pattern will be created to knit your sock. You will learn how to make an afterthought heel.

Instructor: Maria Lougheed
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Must need to know how to knit.
Tuition: $195 + $40 material fee

Nature’s Palette  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

Spend a day discovering the amazing range of colours that can be made using natural dyes. Starting with a variety of regional and exotic dye materials, we will explore eco-friendly immersion techniques for dyeing yarns and fabrics. From mordants to modifiers and overdyes, an introduction to a full range of colour manipulation techniques will be covered. Participants will leave with a set of samples and instructions to empower them to explore and experiment with the incredible colour palette provided to textile lovers by nature. 

Instructor: Michelle Boyd 
Difficulty/Prerequisite: none
Tuition: $195 + $40

Nouveau Fleece  |  Friday, June 15 (1:30 – 4:30 pm)

This half day session will look at new (and sometimes old) fibres that have recently become available for hand spinners. Banana, rose, pearl, mint, seacell, milk, stainless steel – this workshop will explore what these fibres really are, how to spin them, and what sort of projects they might be good for. If you’ve been curious about these weird and wacky fibres, now’s a great time to take the plunge and try them for yourself. If you’ve already given them a whirl, but want to expand your range or learn more about them, this class is for you.

Instructor: Christie Schulze
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Able to spin a continuous single and have experience spinning with both worsted and woolen drafts.
Tuition: $95 + $25 material fee

Tints, Tones, & Knit Two Together  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

Many knitters find it difficult to choose colours. This class will show you how to put colour theory into practice, so that those scary sounding terms make sense. You will look at colour temperature, tonal value, complimentary and analogous colour schemes along with many other terms. But once you get playing with colour you will see how the theory can be a helpful underpinning. In combination with the colour exercises, instruction will be given on the techniques used for working with multi colours; Stripes, Fair Isle, Instarsia, Slip Stitch etc.

Instructor: Fiona Ellis
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Ability to knit and purl.
Tuition: $195

Trifecta  |  Friday, June 15 – Saturday, June 16 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

The art of creating your own yarn is joyful and Zen like. You can easily get lost in the rhythm of treadle-draft-wind on, treadle-draft-wind on. At the best of times this results in the yarn that the fibre wanted to be or, at worst, a hot mess of “what happened?!” Trifecta explores the relationship between three important aspects of spinning: Twist, Draft, and Tension (take up). Through a series of directed exercises, spinners will come to understand why and how they would adjust the twist, the draft length, or the tension. Prepare to spin, spin some more, and keep on spinning to learn to make the fibre do as you wish and learn to use your wheel in all the ways it can be used! 

Instructor: Kara Perpelitz
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Students are expected to be comfortable with spinning and want to expand their skill level. This class was designed for spinners who spin a default yarn every time, and who are trepidatious about adjusting the settings on their wheel.
Tuition: $295 + $50 material fee

Wild About Colour  |  Friday, June 15 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

Do you have braids of hand painted top in your stash that you are afraid to spin?

Or have you spun up a hand painted braid but then were disappointed with the yarn because the colours blended in a way you didn’t want, striped where you didn’t want stripes, pooled where you didn’t want pooling and it ended up muted?

Learn how to make a series of decisions that will help you get the yarn and effect you want from the colours in your painted braids. In this full-day workshop you will learn some basic and advanced techniques for working with hand painted top. Colour theory will be discussed and practically applied throughout the day. 

We will start with basic 2-ply techniques and move into the wondrous world of fractal spinning. After making several fractal samples, you will be introduced to combination plying, combination drafting and also learn how to make ombre yarn. Along the way you will learn and practice skills such as hand carding and chain plying. At the end of this workshop you will be wild about colour and never again hesitant about working with hand painted top.

Instructor: Diana Twiss 
Difficulty/Prerequisite: Must be able to spin a continuous thread and be comfortable with plying. You will be taught how to ply from a center pull ball and to make chain plied yarn.
Tuition: $195 + $45 material fee

Wool Fleece Judging  |  Friday, June 15 – Saturday, June 16 (9 am – 4:30 pm)

Come and explore what makes up a good fleece.  In this class we will look at different grades and styles of wool.  This two day workshop is a hands on skill building class for judging fleeces, whether for your personal use or in a competition setting.  Along with wool we will also examine and evaluate fibers from other animals.  Let’s get together and have two days of fiber fun.

Instructor: Jayne Deardorff
Difficulty/Prerequisite: None
Tuition: $295 + $45 material fee