I can provide entertaining and educational presentations on a variety of topics, structured to interest your group. Most presentations include a PowerPoint slide show. I always provide things to look at and touch. Each of these programs takes about an hour including Q & A. I can make it shorter if necessary and can easily fill more time by taking more questions and more discussion of things that I bring to show. Inquiries about other topics of interest are welcome. I have listed virtual options for most of these topics.
Guild Speaker Fee: $300 plus gas and housing, if overnight is necessary. Rate for virtual programs via Zoom is $200. To discuss dates and program choices contact me. Most of the classes I teach can be adapted to off-site workshops for guilds or other groups. The workshop charge is $500/day plus mileage (IRS rate) and housing if I stay overnight.
Jacob Wool - What do I do with a spotted fleece?
Jacob Wool - What do I do with a spotted fleece?
1 to 2 day Workshop or 1-hour presentation
WORKSHOP: Learn how to work with a Jacob fleece, from choosing a fleece, mixing or sorting wool, fiber prep, yarn design, and fabric design. Learn first about skirting and sorting Jacob fleeces. We'll discuss micron measurements, problem fleeces, and how to choose a fleece to buy. You will learn to wash wool and how to choose the best processing method for a spotted fleece. You will card, flick or comb and spin a variety of color combinations from your pre-washed fleece. I will also have examples and slides of finished products on hand, so you can see the beautiful versatility of my favorite breed.
VIRTUAL 1 to 1-1/2 hours
This is most of the content described above but without the hands-on component. I include lots of examples of Jacob wool projects and specifics of following a fleece from the sheep all the way to a finished piece. There is also more information about the unique characteristics of Jacob sheep.
Experience: Able to spin singles yarn.
Materials fee: $25 (6 ounces of greasy fleece, 6 ounces of scoured fleece).
Bring: Spinning wheel and bobbins, drum carder or handcards and/or combs and/or flicker (the more items you bring the more options you have for working with your wool), 2 dishpans or 2 buckets for washing wool, colander for moving wet wool, 2 (at least) bath towels, fabric or towel for spreading out wet wool.
Classroom needs: Hot water. Preferably a kitchen where we can work with wet wool if it's raining outside. Data projector would be great but not required.
Note: This class is best taught in the spring when I have fresh fleeces available. That means mid-February after shearing but before lambing starts or in April/May before I ship my wool.
In a one-day class there won't be much time for spinning--we'll work mostly on skirting, washing, fiber prep. A day and a half or two days gives more time for spinning.
A limited number of fleeces will be available for purchase.
