Get the custom look and feel you want by prepping your own fiber! Join popular instructor and creative spinner Esther Rodgers and learn how to use a variety of tools such as carders, combs and hackles to ready your fiber and create unique blends. Along the way, Esther will teach you basic techniques for picking and rolling fiber such as unspun wool as well as using hand and drum carders. You’ll also discover how to easily remove your fiber as punis, batts and rolags. Want to create unique color blends? Esther will show you how to use a blending board to do just that. Plus, you’ll see how to use hackles to produce striking layered colorways and stripes.
Class Sessions
Fiber Basics
20:35
Meet fiber artist Esther Rodgers and learn all about the benefits of prepping your own fiber. Discover the difference between carded and combed fiber prep and the tools available for each method. Then learn color characteristics that will help you create beautiful gradients, ombres and blends.
Hand Techniques
16:09
Begin with the simplest fiber prep of all: hand-picking fibers into clouds to open them up. Then discover how to turn combed top into simple hand-rolled "fauxlags" and how to make hand-layered "sandwiches" of smooth and textured fibers.
Drum & Hand Carders
31:37
Esther demonstrates the right way to use hand carders and then moves on to the basics of drum carders. Then she'll teach you some of her favorite techniques to add texture and blend color on the drum, whether "painting" with fiber on the top of the drum or working with layers through the drum.
Removing Fibers
27:43
Now that you've made beautiful blends, how do you take the fiber off the tool? Let Esther walk you through removing carded fiber as punis, rolags, batts or as roving through a diz while keeping your color progressions and texture intact.
Blending Boards
22:03
Blending boards offer another carding option, and Esther demonstrates how to adapt texture-trapping and painting techniques for its flat structure. Then learn to clear the board, or remove the fiber using a diz or other methods.
Hackles & Combs
26:46
If your goal is a hard-wearing worsted yarn, you'll want a combed prep. Follow along as Esther shows how to use hackles or hand combs, or combine the two. Learn how to layer color, incorporate texture and lash blocks of color for stripes, then how to remove fiber that's ready to spin.
Your Instructor
Esther Rodgers
Esther Rodgers seeks inspiration for her spinning through facets of everyday life such as music, nature, television, people and more. She loves to play with color and texture, and this fusion of passion and talent has led to a number of award-winning art yarns. Esther has been known to spin with shredded money, cassette tape, sequins and other intriguing materials nothing is off-limits! As a respected and sought-after instructor, she also gives private lessons and leads workshops all over the country.
Bonus Material
Fiber Preparation for Spinning - Resources
Bonus Materials available for download after purchase.
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