It's easy to feel intimidated by raw (unwashed, straight off the animal) fleeces. However, with some basic knowledge under your belt and realising that YOU have the upper hand, a whole new relationship with fiber begins. There is no need to fear those filled bags any longer, at the end of this class you'll be able to open them up and get to work, letting your imagination and creativity guide you. This class is designed for ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, building a solid foundation from which to expand into whichever direction you choose. What you learn in this class are the exact same techniques that I use in my own studio, presented in an easy to understand format. Classes are small, relaxed and intimate, ensuring you have a wonderful experience. By the time you go home you'll feel confident and inspired. However, be prepared for a lot of hands on work, as you learn best by doing. This is definately not a boring sit-down class!

Part I: FLEECE SELECTION & DYEING (3 hours)
We begin this class with a round table introduction to alpaca fleeces from a processing stand point - which are suitable to do by hand and which should be sent to the mill? The rest of the morning is then spent doing several activities:

	skirting an alpaca fleece as a group
	washing a piece of fleece using Unicorn Power Scour
	dyeing the washed fleece with professional acid dyes
	laying the dyed fiber out to dry

If this class is split over two days (usually this is the case at fiber festivals so that participants are not in class all day) we allow the fiber to dry all afternoon so that it can be used in the carding segment the following day.

If this is a one day class (usually this is the case at private farms and events where time is limited) the fiber will still be laid out to dry, but dyed fiber from my studio is used for the carding segment while the wet fiber dries. Participants will be able to bag up their dyed fiber at the end of the day and take it home.

Part II: CARDING (3 hours)
The next step in hand processing is preparing the washed and/or dyed alpaca fiber for spinning and felting by opening up the lock structure and aligning the fibers in a process called 'carding'. The carders we'll be using are Strauch Petites and I'll give you an overview of carder terminology, how it works, and why the Strauch line of drum carders are so perfect for alpaca. During this class you will learn:

	carding 100% alpaca
	carding an embellished batt
	creating your own roving using a diz
	creating rolags on a drum carder

During the course of the class we will talk about different blending fibers and blending methods, sparkle, packaging, and pricing.

Materials:
All class materials including fiber and gloves are provided, but you may like to bring a notebook and a pen.

All students receive 20% off all fiber, sparkle, Power Scour and other goodies they want to take home after class.



Tips:
- Wear comfortable shoes, and clothing you don't mind getting dirty
- A camera is always handy, and besides, you may want to share your creations with your Facebook friends during class
- Bring business cards to share - after all, we need to create a support network!

At the conclusion of the class you'll be able to purchase materials to take home including power scour; dyed and undyed blending fibers including wool, milk, bamboo, and rose fiber; sparkle and embellishings; and drum carders. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.

Drum carders are shipped via UPS ground directly from the Strauch warehouse and usually arrive within 2-3 days. All carder purchases include tools, clamps, shipping, and $50* worth of product of your choice that you can take home right away so that you're ready to start when your carder arrives.



A little bit of background trivia:
This class was first presented by Moonwood Farm in April 2011 as a two day class for alpaca owners at Magical Farms in Litchfield, OH as a 'Magical Fiber Weekend' (photo album here). Later that year it evolved into two versions, the original full length fiber weekend and a shorter 'How To Train Your Fiber' version designed specifically for fiber festivals and one day events, both of which have been very popular.

(* standard carder purchases include a $50 credit, motorised carder purchases include a $100 credit)


images on this page (c) 2007-2017 Roo Kline and Vicki Ramsey