Cascading Colour – A Spinning Workshop
Difficulty: Intermediate
Sunday, October 1, 2023
10am-4pm
SOLD OUT
HCAC
Taught by Kim McKenna
Course Overview
Spinning fractal, gradient and ombré handspun yarns is by no means new. What is new, is how Kim uses one handcard or a blending board clamped to a table and a diz for their fibre prep. The focus of this workshop is all about colour management. How to effectively work with handpainted braids to achieve interesting colour effects in your handspun yarns. As well as fractal, gradient and ombré yarns, you will learn how to prepare and spin for blended solids, raindrop, rill yarns, and more.
Materials for this workshop include two 100-gram Corriedale braids (included in the workshop price), one handpainted and one natural white. In the morning you will choose which colour effect you wish to work on. Then armed with a few tips and tricks from Kim, you will create cascades of beautiful carded roving for an afternoon of spinning.
Kim’s technique has other advantages besides colour effects:
• Loft is added to worsted spun yarns.
• It opens up fibres which are often slightly compacted due to the dyeing process.
• It is quicker than attenuating fibre by hand.
• It results in a more consistent roving, which makes for a more consistent handspun yarn.
The afternoon will be spent spinning your beautifully prepared roving for a project. It is often the smallest of changes or nuances which improve the consistency of your handspun yarn. So, while you spin, Kim will make suggestions to improve your signature spinning technique. What is your signature spinning technique? It is the spinning draft you are most comfortable using. The draft that “feels right to you” as you spin.
Kim strives to have participants leave her workshops with more knowledge, a deeper understanding, and a more solid skill set than they had at the start of their day.
There is homework suggested before the workshop. It is, however, not something to stress about. If the homework is completed, that is awesome. Participants who complete the homework will have a richer learning experience. Because seeing is, most definitely believing.
Workshop fee includes 100 grams each of Sweet Georgia Yarns natural white and handpainted 100% Corriedale roving.
Check out the suggested Equipment/Supply List to bring to the workshop.
Maximum number of participants: 12
Student Requirements
Must be able to spin a continuous yarn and have a solid working knowledge with respect to their wheel.
About the Artist
Curiosity is what propels me. My fibre journey is a delicate balance between science and art. Research helps me to understand the intrinsic nature of my materials and practice helps me to improve upon the mechanics of skill. There is a point, however, where I must turn my mind off and allow my hands and intuition to guide me.
I have had articles published in both Spin Off and PLY magazines. Other highlights in my journey include:
• Working with Treenway Silks where I was instrumental in the development of the Salt Spring Island Series, a line of hand-painted tussah silk roving.
• In 2013/14 I was the faculty member in charge of the Spinning and Dyeing Program at Place des Arts in Coquitlam, B.C.
• In 2019, I was invited by Diana Sanderson to join her team of weavers at The Silk Weaving Studio on Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada. As well as weaving I help to critique new spinning fibres sourced by Sanjo Silks and teach their on-line silk spinning workshops.
• In 2021, Felicia Lo invited me to teach at the School of SweetGeorgia (SOS), an online membership-based fibre arts school.
Artist’s website: www.claddaghfibrearts.com
$185.00
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