Fiber Processing - Raw Fleece to Spinning Fibers
Processing your own fleece is wonderfully rewarding! As long as you get the initial washing done (dirty fleece does not store well), you can process it at your leisure. There is NO better way to truly understand fibers and the way they behave than working from the source.
This class is designed to teach you the entire process from selecting a fleece to getting it ready to spin!
What you will need to bring A variety of washed and cleaned fibers from your stash to share, and any tools you have, such as flick carders, combs, hand cards, etc. There will be fibers and tools at the shop to share as well. A notebook and pen is recommended.
This is a FULL DAY workshop
COST - $60.00 plus a $5.00 supply fee
FIBER PREP: RAW FLEECE TO LUSCIOUS SPINNING FIBER
I. HOW TO SELECT A FLEECE
A. Terminology
B. Resources
C. What to look for, what to avoid
II. PROCESSING A FLEECE
A. Skirting
B. Picking
C. Sorting
D. Washing
III. CARDING - different types hand cards, carding cloth
A. Flicked locks for spinning
B. Hand Cards
1. rolags
2. bats
3. blending different types of fiber
4. color blending
C. Preparation for drum carding
IV. USING A PICKER
V. DRUM CARDING - different types of drum carders, carding cloth, adjustments
A. Carding homogeneous bats
B. Blending different types of fiber
C. Stripped roving
D. Blending colors
E. Making multicolor bats
1. vertical stripes
2. horizontal stripes
3. layered color
F. Pulled roving
VI. COMBED TOP - different types of combs, pitch
A. Making combed top
B. Blending different fibers on combs
C. Multicolored tops
1. layered colors
2. striped colors