Playing with Ply
Intermediate
Required Skills:
Participants should be able to have some control over the amount of twist and thickness of singles, and should have some experience with plying.
Class Length:
Two and a Half Days
Class Times:
The ply structure of yarn is a significant factor in how a yarn behaves in knitting, crocheting, or weaving. In this workshop, we will spin singles yarns of various thickness and twist, and we will create a variety of plied yarns: both balanced and unbalanced yarns, 2-ply, 3-ply, 4-ply, cabled, crepe, and chain plied. In addition, we will cover some techniques for creating textured yarns in the plying process, incorporating knots, snarls, wraps, and cages. The process of finishing a yarn will also be covered.
Registration Fees:
For FTWG Members: $260
For all others: $290
Materials Fee:
$45
Materials Fee Includes:
Samples for examination, notebook with handouts, fibers for spinning, sundry supplies.
Registration Fees are paid when you register to attend the FTWG Conference. Materials fees are paid directly to the instructor at the beginning of class. You should plan to pay the materials fee in cash.
- Spinning wheel in good working order
- 2 bobbins partially filled with Z-spun singles with approximately the same amount of twist and the same thickness
- 2 or more additional bobbins
- Lazy Kate
- Towel
- Plastic hanger
Amy's formal training was in modern dance, kinesiology, and physiology. She then taught physical therapy students about critical inquiry, evidence-based practice, and research design. A dozen years ago she left the academic life to pursue fibers arts. Now she teaches spinning and knitting at venues across the country and is well known for her animated and engaging teaching style. She has published articles in Spin-Off and PLY Magazine. Her art and science backgrounds give her a keen understanding of learning movement skills, composition, pattern recognition, and systematic exploration. The result is her focus on spinning and knitting technique, texture, three-dimensional structure, and knit designs that exploit handspinning techniques. You can find out more about her work on her website, http://www.stonesockfibers.com and on her blog, http://stonesockblog.blogspot.com