Is steeking on your knitting bucket list? Why would you knit something in the round to knit a flat object? How can you keep your cut knitting from falling apart? So many questions, and we have the answers! This coaster class is gentle introduction to crocheted steek reinforcement. You’ll knit the homework, and then we’ll reinforce, cut, and finish in class. Previous crochet experience not required.

WS315

Goat milk soap is fun to make and great for your skin! This workshop will be a combination of demonstration and hands-on fun! We will make goat milk soap using a basic recipe and then discuss how participants can build on the recipe to add herbs, textures, and designs. Learn the benefits of using fresh goat milk in soap, where to go for soap making supplies, how to add herbs and other delights to soap recipes, and how to mold, cure, and age your handmade soap. Each participant will take home a lovely bar of finished soap. An emphasis of this workshop is to use ingredients that are natural and available locally.

WS314

The variety of sheep in the PNW is amazing! How many have you spun? Here is a chance to spin local and spin many different varieties of wool. Each type has different characteristics, do you know them? Come and join us for a chance to learn about some of the wonderful breeds lurking in our area.

WS311

One of the advantages to pin loom weaving is that because the loom is so small and efficient we can weave and create delightful projects in a short period of time. In this class we will weave and construct a Snowy Owl. Students receive complete printed instructions as well as all the yarn, stuffing, and other tools needed. Students do need to bring their own 3-pin style 4" pin loom with them. If you have a 2" pin loom, please bring it along, but there will be some 2" looms available to use in class. Students need to be able to weave on the pin loom without supervision.

WS313

There are so many sheep fleeces just waiting for you! Whether you buy raw fleece from a farm, a sale, or the trunk of a friend's car, know what makes a good quality, usable fleece that you'll be happy with. We'll learn what affects a fleece, from different breeds and husbandry through shearing, skirting and the basics of washing. And finally, in this hands-on class, you'll be more able to look at that raw wool fleece and feel more confident in assessing it and knowing what to do with it once it's yours. This class will also help beginning shepherds to grow, handle and evaluate your own wool.

WS316

Beyond Orange! Pumpkins are sage blue, rosy-salmon, dark green, pale cream, or gold and splattered and streaked with contrast. In this class we will recreate the painterly expressions that blanket the surface of this classic icon of autumn. This course offers an easy, solid start for anyone new to the craft, as Heidi shares her techniques to create a basic form, attach stems, leaves, or tendrils, and how to choose, blend and layer fibers. These skills can be applied beyond pumpkins and will add to the repertoire of the experienced needlefelter, too. Each student can expect to finish one 4-inch pumpkin in class.

WS312

Have you ever wanted to learn how to spin your own yarn? It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and I can show you how! In this beginning class you’ll learn about wheels, spinning methods, best fiber for beginning spinners, and basic wheel maintenance. In the morning we'll start with getting to know wheels and how they work. After lunch we'll move on to spinning singles and then plying. By the time you leave, you will have a basic understanding of your wheel and the skills to start spinning on your own.

WS301

Clasped Weft is a fun weaving technique that can easily add new creative touches to the design, color, and textural dimensions of your Rigid Heddle weaving. Learn this fun and easy to do technique along with multiple design possibilities while you create a stunning, one of a kind scarf on your Rigid Heddle loom. We’ll discuss when, why, and how to use clasped weft, project design ideas, color choices and interactions, and yarn choices along with a simplified way to do the technique and another way to add to its complexity.

WS302

While sheep provide beautiful fiber for us, some breeds also can provide us with plentiful milk. Let's explore the world of dairy sheep and the amazing milk they can provide. We will learn about the components of sheep milk, and we will make and taste some sheep cheeses! You will leave with a good understanding of how you could provide your family with this unique and delicious protein source.

WS324

A quick overview of spinning long wool breeds. We will discuss many of the breeds, and get to try spinning combed, carded and flicked fibers from as many breeds as time allows.

WS321

Pooling is a Cinch is a convertible piece that will please both hat and cowl lovers. The stockinette stitch body is a perfect canvas for playing with assigned pooling. Worsted weight yarn knits up quickly for a fun introduction to this technique.

WS325

Weave a pin loom pussycat in an afternoon. We will be weaving and then creating this pussycat as a fun project for gifts, embellishments or maybe as a gift for your favorite cat! We going to have a fun time making animals. All the yarn, stuffing, other supplies and printed instructions will be given to you.

WS323

This elegant sunflower pin holds the power to advance and hone one’s needle felting sculptural skill! Students will learn to patiently gather fibers in repeat quantities to form consistent petals of the same scale. Along the way, Heidi will cover how to blend and shade each petal for an overall coherent and dynamic final presentation. The magic comes together in the assembly, which may appear challenging, yet works up quickly with Heidi’s signature tips and techniques. Students will complete one 3.75 inch sunflower, and leave with skills to puzzle out an approach to create other types of blossoms.

WS322

Come make a bark pouch! In this class students will use hand harvested and processed cedar bark and/or willow bark to create a small rectangular basket. Participants will have the option to add beads or cord so the basket can be worn as a necklace. This basket will be made using a combination of plaiting and twill patterning to create a lovely bark pouch. We will have time to talk about how to harvest and process the materials we are working with. Students will leave with a better understanding of the plants, increased weaving experience and a one of a kind hand woven basket.

WS326

Learn the basics of Punch Needle Rug hooking while completing two projects. First you will make a mug rug on Monk's cloth to learn the basic stitch lengths, don't worry there are only two! You will then go on to complete a project on a pre-stretched linen frame that will be ready to hang when you are done!

WS344

In this workshop we will go over a variety of methods and approaches for managing parasites in your sheep, goats and camelids, each participant will leave certified in the use of FAMACHA to identify anemia caused by parasites in their animals. Topics covered include proper use of chemical dewormers, how to identify animals that need to be treated, management decisions affecting parasitism and holistic approaches to parasite management. Ened is a veterinarian with a special interest in small ruminant medicine and is certified as a FAMACHA instructor by the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control. Related workshop: Sat PM WS355 Sheep and Goat Fecal Egg Count Testing

WS345

Minerva is an entrelac cowl or scarf, knit flat. Why knit a round cowl flat? To learn all the elements you need to know for any entrelac project, and to avoid a huge game of yarn chicken on a long scarf or loop cowl knit from the long edge! Entrelac looks like it’s woven, but it’s just a lot of squares and triangles, knit one at a time. You’ll want to knit just one more square. Choose your length: short or long cowl, or long scarf.

WS343

You spin to relax, right? Well come learn the ultimate relaxing way to spin, SUPPORT SPINDLING! You can do it with your feet up, lying in bed, or even while driving (well not anymore with the new distracted driving law). Did you know any fiber can be spun on a support spindle? In this class the instructor will give you a wealth of information on supported spindling and will take you step by step through the process of spinning on a support spindle. And yes, you will have the hang of it before our time is up. You will also have the chance to try different types of spindles, bowls, and fiber.

WS342

Have you ever thought of darning as art? Beautify your mending while extending the usefulness of socks and other garments. Prepare to be inspired as we learn to incorporate colors, patterns, and more to create an intimate objet d’art. We start with simple darning to learn the steps, then venture into stripes, plaids, and twills. Then we learn other techniques such as scotch darning, swiss darning, and various blanket stitch mends, and discuss when (and why) you might use each one.

WS341

Design your own warp, first on paper and then we’ll get the dyes out and handpaint our own warps. Instructor will provide multiple bouts of cotton warp and fiber reactive dyes for students to use. Paint a warp that is one color, two colors, or more. Asymmetrical or symmetrical? Students will take home dyed and wrapped warps to finish curing at home. There will be discussions on color blending, theory and design ideas. Please note: This class involves the use of pre-wound warps with a cross at one end, meant for multi shaft looms. They can only be used on a rigid heddle loom if you know how to warp your loom using lease sticks, one method of indirect warping.

WS333

Learn how to make the most of the Rigid Heddle Loom! These wonderful looms make it easy to weave just about anywhere and anytime. They are a relatively inexpensive way to get into weaving and are lightweight, portable, and practical. They can be used to make everything from everyday useful things such as hand towels to luxurious shawls for that evening at the opera.
This class is designed to teach the soup to nuts of weaving on a Rigid Heddle Loom. We'll cover how to select yarns and plan a project, how to calculate and prepare a warp, how to thread the loom, and how to weave the project.
You will leave the class with a completed purse and the ability to use your Rigid Heddle Loom on your own to weave a variety of handwoven projects.

WS332

Have you ever wanted to learn how to spin your own yarn? It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and I can show you how! In this beginning class, you’ll learn about wheels, spinning methods, best fiber for beginning spinners, and basic wheel maintenance. In the morning, we'll start with getting to know your wheel and how they work. After lunch, we'll move on to spinning singles and then plying. By the time you leave, you will have a basic understanding of your wheel and the skills to start spinning on your own.

WS331

Students will learn needle felting basics and combine these skills to create an adorable longwool, fluffy sheep or goat. They will go home with instructions, a kit,and one completed critter standing about 5 inches tall and 6 inches long.

WS354

The island of Gotland is 3 hours off the coast of Sweden and they have developed a style of stranded colorwork that incorporates motifs and colors that were borrowed from other cultures around the Baltic Sea. The colorwork incorporates geometric, floral, and representational motifs and color charts are used to work the color patterns. These patterns are fun to knit and fun to wear. You will receive a yarn kit containing yarn spun from the longwool of Swedish Gotland sheep, several charted color patterns and a traditional style knitting pattern for a hat to work on in class.

WS353

So you want to learn to crochet? Well this class will have you HOOKED! You will learn how to do a beginning chain, all the basic crochet stitches (slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet), how to turn your work for working in rows, and changing colors. As we learn we will be creating a cotton dishcloth. You can go home with the skills to make many more cloths, scarves, and rectangular shawls.

WS352

A significant part of producing excellent fiber is related to animal health.
This workshop will compliment the FAMACHA Training workshop and provide
background information on sheep and goat internal parasites. Fecal Egg Count (FEC) Testing will be demonstrated and interpretation/application of test results will be discussed. Students will receive training in how to collect fecal samples and there will be time for students to perform FEC Testing with collected samples. Related workshop: Sat AM WS345 FAMACHA and Integrated Parasite Management Training

WS355

Sweaters are the magnum opus of the knitting world, and yet something that intimidates many knitters. Knitting a fitted sweater, more than a shawl that does not need to fit a particular size, can be quite a daunting proposition. It’s a lot of knitting, a sizable investment, and how can you be sure it will fit? After all, swatching is a pain, and swatches lie anyway, don’t they? When pondering such a large scale project that needs to fit, a host of questions and doubts can arrive. The key to knitting a great sweater is simple, yet often overlooked. Yes, one must have the requisite knitting skills, but more important than that is creating a good sweater fabric in the yarn you plan to use (regardless of the needle size and gauge stated in the pattern), and then adjusting the pattern to suit your own fabric and gauge. In this class, we look at common sweater structures and examine how, when, and where to make adjustments to gauge in a pattern, once you have found your ideal fabric. We thoroughly discuss swatching as a means to an end - a necessary evil, if you will. Come with an open mind, prepared to learn tools to liberate yourself from the need to blindly follow a sweater pattern, hoping for the best.

WS351

Students wil choose a fancy stone drop spindle and learn the basics of spinning a variety of fibers on their new drop spindle. We will work on spinning a variety of different types of yarn,even lockspun art yarn! Students will go home with a fancy stone handmade drop spindle, printed instructions, extra fiber to continue building on the skills learned in class, and a reusable bag to carry it all home in.

WS372

Every knitter wants to learn how to knit socks. In my opinion, socks is to knitting as ballet is to dance, it's the core of knitting. Once you can knit socks, you can knit anything! However, most knitters dislike working with the traditional double pointed needles and most dread the kitchener graft! There lies the sock issue! We’ll learn how to knit socks, one at a time using the Magic Loop Technique. We'll discuss basic sock construction and the math behind the sock. We'll walk through the process step by step and we'll even eliminate the kitchener graft! Yup, there is a new and improved way to graft those toes and it's super easy to memorize! Once you take this class, you may never need another sock pattern again! We’ll also discuss pro’s and con’s to knitting with Magic Loop circs versus double pointed needles and how to convert patterns to the Magic Loop way.

WS371

Using the kettle dyeing technique, you will dye 6 different fiber types simultaneously in one dye bath to achieve some surprising results. People will ‘wonder’: “How’d you do that?” In this class, we will cover the basic use of the color wheel, how to mix the three primary colors to achieve different secondary hues, and then dye 6 different fiber types at once to see the various results each fiber type produces. You will leave class with 6 unique samples of dyed protein fibers and the knowledge and ability to pursue more of these exciting results on your own.

WS374

Come create your very own masterpiece while learning to paint with wool. We’ll start with needle-felting your design, building color and textures, and then we’ll finish it off with a steam wet-felt before matting and framing your work. I’ll provide everything you need, including colored fiber, felting needles, foam mats, picture mat and frame, and you bring an inspiration photos, your love of color and a willingness to learn and create!

WS375

Described by some as a faster method of spinning, long draw spinning produces woolen yarns that can be soft and lofty, or firmer and more tightly twisted. We’ll discuss fiber prep and type, uses for the yarn, and wheel set-up. Types of long draw demonstrated will include non-supported, supported and English styles.

WS373

Learn how to adjust your wheel for short staple fibers and how the long draw works best for spinning cotton sliver. Students will be spinning cotton off the seed, carding the ginned cotton into punis and then spinning the natural-colored cotton sliver. Plying, blending color and other fibers into your cotton to give unique yarns that are their own creation will be taught as well as tips for caring and using your handspun cotton yarns. Endorsed by Joan Ruane, the “cotton queen”, international instructor and cotton expert.

WS361

In this workshop you will learn the fundamentals of tapestry weaving including warping your loom, various weaving techniques and tips, weaving structures (stripes, meet and separate, hatching, soumak, dots, pick and pick, weft interlock, and building shapes), and finishing a tapestry piece. As you learn and practice these skills you will be creating mini tapestry pieces suitable as mug rugs. After completing this course, you will be well equipped to further your tapestry endeavors.

WS363

If you're interested in learning how to weave baskets, this workshop might be just what you're looking for. Basket weaving has been near and dear to Michelle's heart for over 25 years, and during that time, she has helped many people discover the joys of this traditional craft. One of her favorite techniques is using "round reed" to create simple yet beautiful baskets. This material is easy to work with and feels great in your hands, making it an ideal choice for beginners who want to learn the basics of weaving. Whether you're looking to create something functional or decorative, this basket weaving workshop will provide you with the skills and knowledge you need to get started.

WS362

Have you been knitting for awhile but haven't been happy with the end product? Are you self taught or did your grandmother teach you? Always wondered why your knitting isn't as refined as others? This is the class for you! We'll learn how to do a prettier cast on that can be used 3 different ways, learn how to bind off with more elasticity, how to shape shoulders without the bumps and ladders and how to create the perfect one row buttonhole that won't grow and a new join and graft! You’ll walk away with a ton of new knowledge and plenty of handouts and resources to take your knitting to an all new level. It's a great class for anyone wishing to hone in on their knitting skills.

WS381

Students will receive instruction on how to braid and felt blended wool/mohair roving, sew and finish braided strands into a mug rug and a trivet mat. The techniques used for these smaller braided projects are the same as those needed to make large spiral oval and butted round rugs. Students will have the opportunity to finish a rug mug and trivet mat in class. They’ll then work on braiding roving in class for their second mug rug and leave with instructions on how to felt and finish it at home using the techniques they learn by finishing the other items.

WS385

Do you wonder if you need hand cards, combs, or both? Do you have hand cards and/or wool combs that you wish you knew how to use or want to be more comfortable using? We'll look at the various types of both as well as the types of fibers that work well with the various types of each. We'll also look at color blending on cards, blending boards and combs.

WS383

Students will learn how to hook heirloom quality rugs with yarn, T-shirt strips and wool strips in this action-packed stash-busting class. In addition, we'll cover what backing fabrics work the best, how to clean and care for hooked rugs, how to build your own rug hooking frame and much more.

WS384

Students will learn the basics of needle felting and working with a basic wire form to create a Ghost, Witch and Pumpkin. Each step builds off of the next as we work our way through the different ornaments. Anna will also share tips on how to use the basic designs to create other holiday designs. Students will go home with 3 completed ornaments perfect for Halloween, a reusable kit and extra fiber.

WS382