2023 ADIRONDACK WOOL & ART FESTIVAL
Workshop
2023 Workshops
We are so excited to welcome back this series of Workshops to our Fiber Festival. Please note that purchase of admittance to the festival is required to sign up for Workshops
For the Love of Color and Texture: Exploring Art Batt Construction for all fiber desires
Kathryn Bruning
Spinning art yarn is a creative process which starts with building color and texture in your hand carded batts. Join Margaret and Kathryn to explore the fundamentals of building your batt to work towards creating art yarn that reflects your intention. This workshop will include demonstrations of drum carding, spinning art yarn, using the yarn for weaving and offer participants to opportunity to build their own bats for spinning art yarn or other fiber projects. You will leave the workshop with your own art batt or two, and a few good laughs as the sisters share their story and process. Additional fiber available for purchase.
Saturday @10:00 am
Intermediate/Advanced Drop Spininng
Renee Love
Intermediate / Advanced: You have a handle on drop spinning, but you know there are some fun techniques out there that you would like help with. Depending on the students we might cover "Ply on the Fly" (including Chain ply on the drop spindle), the finer points of getting what you want out of your spin (consistency or purposeful Thick-Thin), and/or Core Spinning on the drop spindle. Approximately 2 oz of fiber will be provided.
Saturday @11:30
A Gnome of Your Own!
Deborah Hartmann
Learn the basics of needle felting while making an adorable gnome for display in your home! Decorative techniques for the hat and coat can also be taught if interest and time allows.
Saturday @2:00
Needle Felting Sheep Ornament
Jennifer DeMoy
Learn how to needle felt make an adorable sheep ornament to adorn your Christmas Tree this year!
Sunday 11:30
Nålbinding ~ the craft for fiber mavericks!
Kat McKinnon-Cleary
Nålbinding is one of the oldest textile arts. It’s so old, in fact, that the specifics of its origins are unknown. It is making a textile from loops of yarn done on your hand. In addition to the interesting history of this ancient technique, nålbinding and looping techniques have some advantages over knitting: the fabric doesn’t ladder (as for a dropped stitch) and can be harder-wearing, thicker, and warmer than knitted fabric. Many of the stitches nålbinders use today are named after extant finds, such as the York, Oslo, Åsle, Mammen, and Korgen stitches. This thread links our hands to many cultures and deep into our shared past.
Sunday @12:30
Project selection tips for breed-specific fleece and yarn
Mary Jeanne Packer
Participants will gain confidence in selecting the right fleece or yarn for their next spinning, knitting, crochet, punch or weaving project. There are many breed-specific sheep wool yarns available today direct from farms and at fiber festivals. Also available are two breeds, and many grades, of alpaca; along with other natural fibers including mohair, angora, cashmere, linen, and hemp. Learn about the various characteristics of different fibers including lock structure, crimp, fineness, staple length, and more - that all have a bearing on how the final product will turn out. Find out how yarn is made and the differences between woolen and worsted processing; and why it matters. What effects do you seek in your finished object – drape, squish, softness, durability, sheen, etc.? You’ll leave this class with a better understanding of how to find the most compatible material for the outcome you are looking for.
Sunday @2:00
Meet the Workshop Educators
Check out our great group of educators providing workshops during Festival!
Intermediate/Advanced Drop Spinning
Renee Love
Wavelitte Creative
Renee Love has taught spinning both on wheels and drop spindles for years. She has helped teach new spinners while selling wheels and spindles for other vendors and fiber arts related stores for years. Six years ago, Renee started designing and making some unique drop spindles, now she sells both in person and on her website. In 2021 Renee founded her own business, Wavellite Creative LLC. Renee can have a non-spinner walk up to her and within about 30 minutes have a new spinner excited to get going on this great new fiber arts adventure.
A Gnome of Your Own!
Deborah Hartmann
I have been felting for over 20 years, mostly needle but some wet felting as well. I first learned of needle felting in an Art Doll magazine, and as soon as I tried it I was hooked! Prior to that I had been working mostly in clay and mixed media, and I have a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art with a concentration in sculpture. However I also have a bachelors degree in Zoology, and once worked as a farm manager at an alpaca and sheep ranch; so felting brings together a lot of different interests for me!
For the Love of Color and Texture: Exploring Art Batt Construction for all fiber desires
Kathryn Bruning
Margaret and Kathryn are the dynamic sister duo who make up 1941 Craft Arts. 1941 Craft Arts is a legacy fiber project that seeks to share the fiber from Caprendoose Hills, a small fiber farm owned and operated by Elena Sette-Bruning. Elena's hand spinning flock moved to Margaret's homestead in West Virginia. Margaret and Kathryn learned fiber arts from their mother, Elena, a prolific spinner, dyer, knitter and creative spirit. Kathryn assisted in all aspects of the fiber farm process, but mostly loved creating bespoke art batts for bright and fun art yarn. Margaret, a former public arts administrator, now operates Poe Run Craft & Provisions, a working homestead and a nonprofit center dedicated to good food and community empowerment. Margaret is president of the Mountain Weavers Guild in Elkins, WV. Together Margaret and Kathryn use a synergistic, sister process that takes their mom's fiber from sheep to woven wonder and knit creations.
Crochet On The Edge - Borders for Yarn Projects
Lisa Bohannon
I learned to crochet when I was 6 years old, and have been doing it for over 50 years! Thankfully, designers and patterns have come a long way and crochet has truly come into its own. I will be teaching classes at Village Yarn in Granville, NY over the next few months: Stitch Anatomy 101 - Crochet Stitch Basics From the Ground Up; It's Not Your Grandmother's Granny - Contemporary Blocks; and Crochet On The Edge - Borders for Yarn Projects - I would LOVE to get people... well...HOOKED!
Project selection tips for breed-specific fleece and yarn
Mary Jeanne Packer
Mary Jeanne Packer founded Battenkill Fibers in Greenwich, NY in 2009 to provide value-added, custom carding and spinning services for farmers and to manufacture yarn for wholesale and retail markets including the mill’s own brand of traceable-sustainable-responsible hand-knitting yarns – Oysters & Purls. The mill produces 100 lbs of artisan quality natural-colored and dyed semi-worsted yarn daily using refurbished traditional milling machinery. Since its founding, Battenkill Fibers has grown to provide 18 full-time and part-time jobs and was recognized as Washington County Small Business of the Year. Mary Jeanne speaks on many topics related to sustainable textile supply chains for live and virtual events, instructs knitting and punch needle workshops, and plans and hosts textile tours in the US and abroad. Mary Jeanne is a co-founder of the non-profit Hudson Valley Textile Project and serves on its board of directors, as well as on the board of the NY Farm Viability Institute. She has a bachaelors degree in engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and a MBA from Syracuse University. Mary Jeanne and her partner David Campbell live on one of NY’s largest maple syrup farms and have seven adult children and six grandkids.
Nålbinding ~ the craft for fiber mavericks!
Kat McKinnon-Cleary
At Ancient Threads Farm we raise heritage breed sheep, produce hand dyed yarns as well as Farmstand goods and treats with Lui na Greine Feirme. We love to delve into ancient fiber crafts and explore Norse and Medieval Cultural practices with regards to the fiber arts. From heritage breed animals to ancient grains and seeds we admire our past and solidify our farms futures.
Needle Felting a Sheep Ornament
Jennifer DeMoy
I enjoy lots of crafts, arts, and gardening. Some of the activities I enjoy or tried are stained glass projects from sun catchers, window panels, lamps, fused glass and mosaic, also gardening both veggies and flowers keep me busy. I enjoy a variety of fiber arts starting with knitting with the help of friends and family, but then also got into rug hooking, wet felting and needle felting. I do not remember when I started needle felting, it was probably with inspiration and supplies from this Wool and Arts festival. I really enjoy the flexibility of needle felting, creating something out of a bit of wool and some little sharp barbed needles. So with a little focus let's make something fun.