Lectures/Workshops by Patsy Zawistoski

PatsyZ the Hand Spinnin' Guru

Home

Bio

Calendar

Lectures Workshops

Extras

Workshops

Class rates are negotiable but usually $450 per six-hour, single class, workshop day, plus expenses and individual fiber fees. Classes can be combined to create longer workshops to fit your group. Two 3-hour, mini-class preparations per day cost $475 per day. Programs and seminars start at $225 depending on the size of the audience.

Email Patsy: spins(at)spinninguru.com or by phone at (847)357-9541 for more details. See Calendar for available dates. Now scheduling for 2006 and 2007.

See below for Programs

Blending Basics & Recipes 1 day	Work through the variables involved with blending fibers and colors on hand or drum carders. The class works with fibers of different colors, lengths and properties. The importance and ease of record keeping is stressed. The Miss America plying is taught for easy evaluation of your yarn. The "Blending" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Blending & Spinning Lavish Luxury Yarns 3 day	Since American ranches are producing a wide variety of luxury fibers, spinners need to know how to clean, prepare, spin and blend to make the most of their fiber investments in these exciting fibers. This workshop starts by exploring each animal fibers for it's own merits. Then the blending process is studied. The first blending exercises teach how to sample using hand cards, then we will work in pairs with the drum carders for large batches of fibers. Additionally, a few fancy yarn styles are covered. This class includes time for spinning the various blends and sampling on your own. There will be an emphasis on how to record the processing for future reference. The "Luxury Fibers" and the "Blending" booklets are included in the fiber fees.
Beautiful Bouclés 1 day	Now you can spin most expensive yarns in the stores, the fancy bouclé styles. Bouclé yarns can be defined as yarns created with three parts; an "effect" yarn bound down by two interlocking threads or fibers spun on a core and bound down with another yarn or thread. The possibilities are endless once you understand the ramifications that come with the choices. Spend a day working through exercises exploring the possibilities and learning the techniques for record keeping, which allow you to repeat the yarns you wish. The "Bouclé" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Cellulose Fibers Old & New, Long & Short 3 day	The end of the twentieth century saw an explosion in the cellulose fibers available for hand spinners to incorporate into their stash, naturally colored cottons, various flax preparations, hemp, ramie, rayons, Tencel^TM and the newest Rayon from Bamboo. Each of these has similar characteristics, but vastly different spinning and preparation techniques since the fibers vary from ½ inch cotton to more than a meter for hemp. Spend 3 days learning how to explore, combine and maximize these fibers with your spinning skills. Various preparations, dyeing, spinning, plying finishing and record keeping techniques will be covered. The "Cellulose" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Color Options for Spinners 1, 2 or 3 day	Spinning painted rovings can give unexpected results. This class will explore the wide variety of pleasing and coordinating yarns that can be spun from a single painted roving. The 2-day class includes painted rovings from other fibers. The 3-day class includes dyeing several different fibers for a full range of related yarns. The "Color Options" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Cotton the Last Great Frontier 1 day	Several samples of cotton fiber preparations, including unginned, new natural colors and silvers are included in this hands-on workshop. Choosing, ginning, carding, preparing punis, spinning, dying, finishing and using cotton will be demonstrated and discussed. The "Cotton Spinning" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Dealing with Downy Fibers 1/2 or 1 day	Those expensive downy fibers can be downright daunting. Gear up your wheel and your techniques to take control and spin these lovely fibers into perfect yarn. Learn the differences between camel down, qiviut, cashmere and bunny fibers. The full day includes slides and more time for experimenting and questions. Fiber fees include the "Dealing with Downy Fibers" booklet.
Fine Spinning 1/2 and 1 day	Don't be intimidated by spinning fine yarns. Learn the techniques needed to gain confidence so that you can create that special shawl or scarf from spider weight yarns that you spun yourself. Fiber fees include the "Spinning Fine Wool Yarns" booklet.
Five Quick Novelty Yarns 1 day	Spend a day learning how to create basic novelty yarns. Learn to do a worsted slub spiral, a core spun bouclé, a knotted yarn, a cable yarn and a lopi style singles yarn. This class works mainly in wool and mohair, teaching a few designer basics to spark your creativity. Fiber fees include the "Quick Novelty Yarns" booklet.
Flax Challenge 1 day	The various forms of flax spinning are taught in this class wet, dry, tow and line. Each fiber form including roving, bleached top, dyed top, line and ramie will be provided for sampling. Simple distaffs will be made and dressed for spinning line flax. Carding and spinning tow plus washing and finishing the yarns are also covered. The "Flax Spinning" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
High Tech Fibers 1 and 2 day	We have a wide variety of manufactured fibers available for spinning or blending with our natural fibers. Come and learn the fascinating history of man's quest to create fiber like the silk worm. Work with the rayons, nylons, polyesters and shiny mylar fibers. Included in this class are the newest fibers; Rayon from Bamboo, Tencel^TM, Soysilk^TM, and Ingeo^TM-a PLA fiber. This class will help you decide why and when you might want to use these exciting fibers. Fiber fees include the "High Tech Fibers" booklet.
Luxury American Fibers 1 or 2 days	Today we have such a wide variety of luxury fibers raised here in our own country. US grown fibers offer more options for preparation and spinning along with their own particular challenges. Fibers covered include Llama, Alpaca, Cashmere, Mohair, Camel and Angora Bunny fibers. Learn how to choose the fiber and the yarn for your next project. Fiber fees include the "Luxury Fibers" booklet.
Marvelous Mohair 1 day	Mohair has been called the crystal fiber for its ability to shine and take dye. As a fiber it often presents the greatest challenge and reward for the hand spinner. Learn how to recognize the different ages of the fiber and how to choose the correct fiber for your next project. Fiber fees include the "Spinning Mohair" booklet.
S+Z=Infinity, Designer Yarns 3 day	This extensive hands-on class covers the wide range of plying combinations and how they affect the final yarn structure. There will be time to explore the numerous principles at work when a yarn is created with loops, knots, spirals, cables and more. A method of shorthand for labeling and repeating yarns is also taught. The class will use wool, mohair, cotton and commercial threads. The "S+Z=Infinity" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Silk the Queen of Fibers 1 day	There are many challenges and rewards for the silk spinner today. This class will sample the wide assortment of silk fiber forms that are available. A clear understanding of how to choose and spin each type of silk is taught. The silks covered are cocoon, mawata, brick, noil, waste and top. The "Silk Spinning" booklet is included in the fiber fees.
Silk, Silk, Silk 3 day	At last a full three days to play, dye, blend and spin your favorite fiber. Silk has so many facets and forms that it takes 3 days to cover them all in great depth. Fiber fees include the "Silk Spinning" booklet.
Unraveling Designer Yarns 1/2 day	Recreating a novelty style yarn can be frustrating unless you understand the fundamentals of yarn structure. This class will help you to dissect and decode a number of plain and fancy yarns to see the twist, size and variety of plies used in the construction of each yarn. Each student will receive Patsy's original yarn decoder to examin yarns in class. Using a method of shorthand we will record the number of twists and plies so the yarns can be spun later at home.
Woolen & Worsted 1 or 2 day	Do you look longingly at other spinners soft, fuzzy knitting yarns and wonder how they are created? Or do you envy their perfect smooth worsted yarns? We will work with different varieties of clean fleece as we practice worsted and woolen techniques. Each student will be challenged to work toward creating yarns of three different sizes and three different amounts of twist. You will learn the secrets to producing those soft fuzzy yarns that create lightweight warm knitted garments or smooth faultless yarns that are perfect for weaving or intricate knitted patterns. The "Woolen and Worsted" Booklet is included with the fibers in your fees. Participants are invited to bring wool fibers or projects that are giving them difficulties. Take charge, and learn to spin the yarn that you want now.
Wool Spinners Tune-Up 1 or 2 day	Although most of us learn to spin with wool fibers there are many different techniques to explore and master. This class is geared to teach the wide variety of skills needed for spinning wool. These include choosing and scouring fleece; carding, combing or flicking the fibers; choosing the drafting style for the size and twist and finishing your yarns. It will help you explore and understand the decisions you need to make as you spin. The newly revised "Wool spinners Tune-up" Booklet is included in the fees.
Slide Shows and Programs
Classic Cotton	This slide show program corresponds to the Cotton workshop. It includes slides of several varieties of cotton plus a discussion of the role cotton played in history and cotton growing information.
Fascinating Flax	This program is a slide show showing flax growing in the field and the many procedures needed to hand process flax fiber before spinning. Hints on working with this historical fiber.
Goats and More Goats	This slide show discussion covers the wide variety of goats that are being raised today on our ranches. It will clarify the many choices that you need to make as a spinner.
How Many Times Must I Turn Around to be an Excellent Spinner - The COE	This program explains my journey with the Certificate of Excellence, COE spinning program sponsored by the Handweavers Guild of America. I hold both the Technical and the Master's Certificates plus I have been a participant, reviewer, revision advisor and judge. There have been several adjustments and revisions to keep the COE programs updated in the past 20 years. Samples of my work will be on display and there will be time for questions and answers.
Lavish Luxury Fibers	This is a slide show about most of the animals and their fibers which can be used for luxurious spinning yarns. Animals covered are llamas, alpacas, bunnies, goats, and bison, all living in the United States.
Sumptuous Silk	This is a slide program about my adventures raising silkworms at home in Indiana and spinning and weaving silk fibers.
Using Your Yarns; A Look at the Creative Process	This program uses slides as I tell about my own creative journeys. Hints and helps are given to help you tame the treasures in your baskets. These are true tales from a classic fiberholic. I share my joys and frustrations as I encourage you to stop saving your super skeins and use them.