Part 1 - Textured yarn constructions: core-spinning and bouclé

Traditional bouclé yarns are spun with three plies: the core, the wrap, and the binder. This class will take you through all of the steps to create traditional corespun and bouclé yarn. We’ll explore both handspun and commercial cores and binders, and we’ll spin our own wrap singles from a variety of different fibers including mohair, silk, and a variety of longwools.

This class will explore various techniques for creating textured yarns for weaving and knitting. From blending different types of singles in the ply for a differential shrinkage bouclé effect, to more traditional corespun yarns, crepes, and bouclés. We’ll discuss using different fibers, cores and binders to get different textured surfaces, loops, effects in our handspun yarns.

Part 2 - Texture with tweeds and garneted yarns

Typical tweed yarns have inclusions which add color or textural elements to a plied yarn. This class will explore getting tweed-like effects by introducing various preparations of silk and wool inclusions when preparing fiber for spinning, while spinning singles, or in the ply.
Skills you will learn:
-       Using hand-cards to card silk or wool inclusions into your preparation. Inclusions we will explore in class will include reclaimed sari silk, sari silk thread, and silk noil, recycled wool yarns and fibers, and other interesting fibers.
-       “Frosting” your singles using small amounts of silk tops to add tweed-like color effects
-       Working with dyed silk hankies (mawata)