Workshops and Courses

available here in Twynholm or at your own venue.

Mix and match as many of these subjects as you wish. If you plan to stay for a prolonged period then your workshops can be tailored to allow time for exploring the local area.

For individual one to one workshops whilst on holiday the tuition can be taken by the hour. Individual courses are arranged as and when it suits both parties. The cost is £35.00 per hour. Any of the subjects below can be included to take into account your ability. If you would prefer to take part in a group workshop please email me with your preference of subject and date and I will advertise it.

Complete Beginners

We will explore:

• fibres in depth
• what can be spun and what to look for when purchasing your fibre
• finally how to wash your yarn and fleeces.
• how to prepare the chosen fibres for spinning on the wheel.
• the wheel itself, the parts of the wheel, what their function is and how to control it
• how to ply your threads to give beautiful finished yarns

(2 to 4 days).

Exotic fibres.

We will look at cashmere, silk, camel down, angora, alpaca, mohair. We will blend fibres, spin from rovings, loose fibre, and carded rolags. We will spin mutiple plied yarns and textured yarns. (1-2 day).

Traditional English long draw.

Selecting the most appropriate fleece, washing, carding the perfect rolag, long draw spinning for light, warm, lofty yarns. (1 or 2 days).

Super fine laceweight yarns.

• Selecting the finest fibre for the finest yarns
• Merino, cross breeds, shetlands etc.
• Washing techniques
• combing and spinning for fine, even, well twisted yarns.

(1 or 2 days.)

Woolcombing and worsted spinning

• suitable fleeces
• preparation and combing
• blending colours and spinning worsted style to give smooth hardwearing yarns from fine plied yarn to thicker singles for rugs

(1 or 2 days.)

Tips, hints and problem solving.

A very popular 1 day workshop for the not quite beginner spinner who would like to:

• improve the scope and quality of their spinning
• plying techniques for small quantities of fibre
• roll back spinning
• point of draw spinning
• tweed spinning
• getting to grips with tension and plying problems
• try new fibres.

Whatever the problem, together we will solve it.

Hand knitting for beginners.

Casting on, knit and purl, multi colour knitting and simple patterns, sewing up and finishing off. How to make your own simple patterns . Freeform knitting using lace, fairisle and intarsia techniques.(2 days)