spinning classes

Our Beginner Handspinning class started yesterday.  I, for one, had a great time!  All the participants are current or future alpaca owners, so we’ll spend a lot of time playing with and talking about alpaca fiber. Handspinning can be a little frustrating at first, but this group did amazingly well – even those who didn’t think they did.  We’ll contiue to meet on Sunday afternoons for the next couple months, weather permitting.

We had a nice group of alpaca owners here yesterday for a fiber skirting workshop.  Now that I’ve reorganized the fiber barn, I need to spend time out there and finish this year’s skirting.  We’ll be shearing again before we know it and there’s be no room for fiber if I don’t get to work!

After the holidays, I’ll be offering beginner handspinning classes here at the farm.  Contact me for info.

This week is “get ready for Rhinebeck”.  I have yarn to skein, wash and price, felting batts to price, patterns to print and samples to knit.  And not enough time! And it sounds like I’ll need to dig out some warm clothes! Dinner on the patio at Gigi’s will be chilly; I hope they have the heaters out!

If you’re coming to Rhinebeck, I’m in barn #26.

On Saturday, Oct 10, we will offer the first in a series of workshops for learning how to take a raw alpaca fleece and turn it into yarn.  This first workshop will be a hands-on fiber skirting session.  Bring your own fleece or purchase one of ours at a discounted price. We’ll focus on skirting for processing into yarn, but will also discuss skirting for show. We’ll talk about how to wash the fleece and participants will receive handouts so they can wash their fleece at home in preparation for further processing.

Subsequent workshops will be offered for carding and combing fiber to prepare for handspinning. Beginning handspinning workshops will be offered after the first of the year.

Contact us if you’re interested in attending.

In response to requests from several people, I’m planning a series of weekend fiber workshops.  We’ll start with a raw alpaca fleece (ours or yours) and learn how to skirt, wash, card and spin. I’m envisioning a modular format where people can pick and choose which workshops they attend.  And we’ll probably do each one more than once so we can (hopefully) fit most people’s schedules.

Check back here, check our website or contact me for more info.

I’d also love suggestions for what other types of workshops or fiber events people would like to see.