WORKSHOPS

Private Lessons!

If you are in the NC area and want to get wild in my studio send me an email and we can set something up! Private lessons are $35 an hour, with a 2 hour minimum- OR spend an entire day (5 hrs) for $150! We can work on carding.. spinning.. dyeing.. anything you can think of! Dive into my fiber studio and see what happens!!
email jazzturtlecreations@gmail.com or use the contact form to schedule something.

JazzTurtle Creations offers a number of full day workshops and short classes!

Please see the bottom of the page for workshop descriptions, supplies needed, workshops near you, how to register and other important info!!

Interested in HOSTING a workshop?
Email me to find out about putting together a workshop in your area!! Most traveling workshops need a minimum of 10-12 people to make it happen. Hosts get to take the workshop for free in exchange for some organizing. If there’s enough interest, I’ll go anywhere!! I will also teach the short classes at festivals and guilds!
email jazzturtlecreations@gmail.com or use the contact form to set up a workshop or have me come to a festival or teach at your guild in your area!
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SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES:

Stitches South
Corespinning for Funk and Function
April 13, 8:30-11:30am
Waverly Renaissance; Atlanta GA

SWAY Guild Art Yarn Fest
Wild Fiber Prep, Friday April 19
April 19-21, 2013
Sarasota, FLA

Wild Fiber- Creative Fiber Prep
Dream Come True Farm, Oxford CT
June 15 (optional spin in June 16)

$100 +$25 for catered lunch and dinner

Friends and Fiberworks Fantasy Fiber Arts Cruise
Charleston SC to the Bahamas
July 26-Aug 1
Corespinning, Tailspinning, WildPlying and WildFiber Prep

Stitches Midwest
Corespinning for Funk and Function
Thurs Aug 8, 1-4pm
Schaumburg Convention Center, Schaumburg IL

Twiste Fest- Quebec Canada
If you Dream it You Can Spin It, Friday Aug 23 9:30-5 (break for lunch)
Corespinning, Sat Aug 24, 9:30-12:30
Tailspinning, Sat Aug 24, 1:30-4:30
Tailspinning, Sun Aug 25, 9:30-1230
Wild Fiber Prep, Sun Aug 25, 1230-430

Wool Festival at Taos
Sat afternoon 10/5- Funky Felting- Nuno & Cobweb felting with ArtFiber
Sun morning 10/6- Spin a Memory
Taos NM

SAFF
Classes TBA-
Oct 25-27
Asheville NC

Spinning to Weave
2 days creative spinning with a focus on yarns that look spectacular woven, 1 day SAORI Weaving (taught by studio teacher Jenny Pelc)
Weavin’ Place- SAORI Style
Folsom, LA
Facebook event page

The Journey Through Creative Spinning
2.5 day inclusive workshop of creative fiber prep, and textural spinning techniques from corespin to tailspin, bobble to chain ply
March 15-17 2014
Tropcial Flordia Weavers Guild Annual Spring Conference
Lake Yale, FLA
Registration will open winter 2014

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Full Day Workshops-

INTENTIONAL ART YARNS (advanced beginner)
This is a 2 day workshop (usually Sat-Sun, 10-5 each day)
This is the art yarn 101 class. Learn how to spin all sorts of creative textured yarns.. with special focus on creating a structurally sound and balanced yarn- merging art AND function! Take your visions and make them realities! We’ll explore wild fiber prep with multiple kinds of drum carders, blending boards and an art hackle. Spinning techniques covered will include how to corespin, add elements, supercoils, beehives, bobbles, twists and even spin locks and fleece, and an introduction to tailspinning! Leave the weekend with an armload of mini skein samples and an arsenal of new techniques so you can start creating your OWN styles!

IT’S ART YARN-LET IT GO!(advanced beginner)
This 1 day class (Usually Sat or Sun, 10-5) teaches the fundamentals of Art Yarn spinning. Begin to think outside of the box and let things happen. We’ll learn how to take one technique and apply it to the next, and how to spin an intentional art yarn, with focus on art as well as function- creating a sound and balanced yarn. Techniques will include creative fiber preps, corespinning, supercoiling, bobbles, beehives, cocoons and MORE!!

CREATE A CONCEPT-DESIGN YOUR YARN FROM SKETCH TO SPIN (intermediate)
This is a 1 or 2 day class, depending on how intensive you’d like it to be. This is an intermediate/advanced art yarn class (art yarn 201 persay), and perfect if you’d taken other creative yarn spinning classes. If you have ever wanted to take your yarns to a new level with specific “design” concepts this is the workshop for you! Take skills you have and play with layering to create new textures and styles. We will tackle the idea of the concept yarn-  By starting with your inspiration design and work through the specific fiber prep and spinning techniques.  Students are encouraged to bring inspirations for yarns they’d like to spin.  Multiple carders, blending boards and art hackle will be available for creative fiber prep. Unusual add in’s, fiber and plying yarns will also be provided. Students should bring fiber/yarn/add in’s they’d like to use and some they would like to share with the group

3-4 Hour Classes

WILD FIBER- GETTING CREATIVE WITH YOUR FIBER PREP (no skills needed)-
In this class we card batts, rolags and create pulled roving from a hackle! We’ll look at layering and blending colors. We’ll talk about the function of drum carders and how create texture- while still maintaining the well-being of the machine. We’ll figure out how to card batts to produce specific kinds of yarns, as well as layering texture for felters. We will card rolags on a blending board and we will talk about combing fiber from a hackle and how to pull roving. Students should bring any fibers they’d like to card or comb. Multiple types of drum carders and an art roving hackle and blending board will be provided for students to use.
Students should bring any fibers they’d like to card and are encouraged to bring a drum carder if they own one

CORESPINNING for FUNK and FUNCTION (advanced beginner)
Ever wonder how to make that cloud of expensive cashmere go as far as possible, or how to spin those fun textured yarns? In this corespinning class you’ll learn how to do both! Combining the fun with the function, corespinning is a wonderful way to make the most of your expensive fibers, as well as preserve texture and spin those funky art yarns – even the expensive tailspun yarns! As a bonus in this class we will talk about how these corespun yarns are used in knitting. Patterns will be provided, as well as knitted and woven samples will be available for examination and discussion. Carding textured art batts will also be demonstrated.
Students must be able to spin a single and ply on a wheel. Carding textured art batts will also be demonstrated.

WILDPLYING- Beehives, Bobbles, Boucle, Crecents and Coils (advanced beginner)
Ever wonder how to how to spin those funky plied yarns with bobbles and coils? In this class we’ll cover the entire process by combining the function with the funky with the essentials of artplying. We’ll spin the singles needed, then we’ll “wild” ply into boucle, coils, twists, crescents, beehives, stacks and spirals! As a bonus in this class we will talk about how these yarns are used in knitting. Patterns will be provided, as well as knitted and woven samples will be available for examination and discussion. Carding textured art batts will also be demonstrated.
Students must be able to spin a single and ply on a wheel. Students should bring wheel, bobbins, bobbin of fresh overspun singles, niddy noddy, lazy kate, any plying yarns they would like to play with.

TAILSPINNING- THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT! AND HOW TO USE TAILSPUN YARNS! (intermediate)
Tailspun yarns are both intriguing and inspiring, but can be intimidating to attempt spinning. In this class we’ll learn the entire process of the making of tailspun yarn:  From choosing the locks, washing and dyeing and 3 different techniques to spin them.  As a bonus, we will talk about how these tailspun yarns are used in projects. Patterns will be provided, as well as knitted and woven samples will be available for examination and discussion.
Students must be able to spin on a wheel and familiar with corespinning.  Students should bring spinning wheel, extra bobbins, 1 ball size 10 cotton crochet thread and/or 1 ball/cone of brushed kid mohair yarn, any additional locks the student would like to work with.

CREATIVE SPINNING TO WEAVE (advanced beginner)-
Want to take your weaving to new textural levels? Try adding some of these creatively spun yarns that have a mega punch! In this class we will focus on spinning techniques that create textural impact when woven. We will work on twists (in singles and plied), corespinning on wire and elastic cores, multiple kinds of coils/cocoons/crescents, lockspinning and tailspinning. Woven examples with textural yarns will be provided for discussion and examination.
Students should be familiar with basic creative spinning techniques (corespinning, plying with thread) They should bring a spinning wheel, extra bobbins, 1 ball size 10 cotton crochet thread and/or 1 ball/cone of brushed kid mohair yarn, fibers and any additional locks the student would like to work with. Multiple types of drum carders and an art roving hackle and blending board will be provided for students to use. Additional add in’s, sparkles, plying yarns, fibers, and unusual materials will also be provided for use.

CONCEPT YARNS- EMBRACE YOUR INNER DESIGNER (intermediate)
Take your creative spinning skills to the next level with an introduction to designing concept yarns. Starting with an inspiration, We’ll begin with creative fiber prep using multiple tools and build on techniques to create new textures. This is a great class if you’ve already taken other art yarn spinning classes, as we’ll begin to layer to create design. Students should begin to think about concepts they’d like to spin and bring any inspiration photos and add in’s that would be a part of the yarns as well as any fibers they would like to use.
Students should be familiar with basic creative spinning techniques (corespinning, plying with thread) They should bring a spinning wheel, extra bobbins, 1 ball size 10 cotton crochet thread and/or 1 ball/cone of brushed kid mohair yarn, fibers and any additional locks the student would like to work with. Multiple types of drum carders and an art roving hackle and blending board will be provided for students to use. Additional add in’s, sparkles, plying yarns, fibers, and unusual materials will also be provided for use.

SPINNING A MEMORY- MEMORIAL AND ‘SCRAPBOOK’ YARNS (intermediate)
In this class we will develop the concept of a “memorial” yarn or a “scrapbook” yarn. These yarns are meant to twist our memories into the fiber. Working from the concept to spun creation, students will spin a yarn and share the story that it tells. Technique included will be creative fiber prep, yarn design, corespinning, integrating non fiber add-in’s, and other textural explorations as well as experimenting with layering techniques.
Students should be familiar with basic creative spinning techniques (corespinning, plying with thread- the more foundation the student has, the more advanced the yarn design can be)
HOMEWORK- gather “memories” Students should have at least one concept/story in mind they’d like to spin. Materials should be gathered and brought to tell that story. It could include any and all of the following- articles of clothing/fabric- wedding dresses, ties, shirts, baby clothes/blankets etc, ticket stubs, flowers, lace, trinkets..
Students should bring their homework, as well as any fiber they would like to spin, their spinning wheel, an extra bobbin, niddy noddy, lazy kate, tapestry needle, scissors, paper and pencil/pen
Teacher will provide additional fiber, plying yarns and add in’s, as well as fiber prep tools.

FUNKY FELTING- NUNO and COBWEB  FELTING WITH ARTFIBER- (no spinning skills needed)
Ever see gossamer scarves blowing in the wind and you wonder if you could make one yourself?  In this class you will experience, working with the wet felting techniques known as Cobweb (featherweight felt) and Nuno (japanese word for “cloth”) to create the textures you see in high end fashions.  And, we are going to go beyond using merino top and silks! Learn how to use textured fibers and locks, combined with silks, sparkle and novelty yarns to create your own one of a kind piece. Bonus, class will receive instructions on how to create amazing felted pieces with an easy “at home” technique as well!!
Materials include silk chiffon scarf, roving, textured fiber, locks, novelty yarns and embellishments
Students should bring 2 towels, apron (or large overshirt to protect clothes from water), pair of nylons, scissors, small roll of bubble wrap, pen and paper for notes- instructional handout will be provided

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Skills needed for workshops-
You must know the basics of spinning on a wheel (singles, plying)

Supplies needed:
-Wheel- any wheel, orifice size doesn’t matter!!
-Bobbins (as many as possible)
-Niddy Noddy and Lazy Kate (or bowl for plying)
-8oz-1lb wool. A mix of top and carded batts.. different staples. Please include at least 2oz of merino top.
-8oz-1lb non wool/random fiber. Please include at least 2 oz mohair roving and 2 oz of curly locks
(mohair, cotswold, teeswater, border leicester, wensleydale etc)
-Add in’s- anything you want to add into a yarn.. (sequins, flowers, pom poms…) the sky’s the limit,
if you want to spin it, BRING it! Please include some felted nubbies (I like to take some colorful wool,
roll it into balls and put them in a pillowcase thru the washer! Instant felt nubbies)
-a bobbin of freshly OVERspun singles. Worsted or heavier.. doesn’t need to be even (thick and thin is great!)
-Fabric (cotton, linen, silk)
-Darning or Tapestry needle and scissors
-Wrapping/Plying yarns
***If you have a drum carder (or picker) you are ENCOURAGED to bring it!

This is the fun part that I love about the spinning community! The abundance of SHARING!! I will be bringing LOADS of fiber from my stash for you to play with as well.. Stuff I’ve collected over the years.. Yarns to ply with.. fun add in’s.. to share with all of you. If you have something you don’t know what to do with, or just something you’d like to share wit the group, bring it! We’ll throw it all on a table and grab as we go!

Registration:
I open up registration 3 months before a workshop. You can email me to be on the waiting list, and I will send out a notice when enrollment opens.

Cancellations:
100% full refunds are available up until 1 month from a workshop.. A 75% refund is given 3 weeks from a workshop.. No refund can given if canceling 2 weeks before a workshop.