This workshop will be rescheduled in May 2024.

Description: Stop playing ‘yarn chicken’ with your hand spun knitting, crochet or weaving projects and learn how to accurately determine how much fibre you will need to spin for a given project. We will start with real examples of projects made from hand spun and discuss how they were planned and how well it worked out. We will then look at several possible projects and discuss yarn design and how to approach sampling. Then we will practice sampling and measuring to calculate amounts of fibre to purchase and spin for a given project. Planning for dyeing will also be briefly discussed. The instructor will bring fibre and a variety of knitting and weaving patterns to sample, or you may bring your own examples. You will go home with a calculations sheet and good understanding of how to use it.

Prerequisite: Spinning 1, 2, 3 or equivalent

Students should bring: A wheel or spindle. A pattern and possible fibre for the project you have in mind (you will likely need less than 20g for sampling in class). Pencils, calculator, ruler or tape measure. For a knitting or crochet project bring an assortment of knitting needles or crochet hooks suitable to your intended project. For a weaving project bring a sampling loom (could be a rigid heddle loom, a Swatch Maker, or a few pieces of corrugated cardboard at least 8×8 inches) and required accessories to use it.

Materials fee: $5 includes record sheets and fibre for practice sampling