Say Hello to 5th Saturday Workshops

Wichita Weavers, Spinners & Dyers Guild Posted on by

Starting in September 2023, each month having five Saturdays will be extra special! We are planning to schedule multiple classes on that day, created around a central theme – and our very first theme is Decorative Stitching.

Three classes will be held on September 30, 2023. They will run consecutively, so you can sign up for just one or attend all three! As always, these workshops are open to anyone who is interested. Online pre-registration is required, and spaces are limited.

Collage of projects with text: 5th Saturday Workshops, Decorative Stitching

The first one is for hand stitchers of any experience level – or no experience at all – and will focus on embellishing denim with embroidery. Participants who don’t have an article of denim clothing they would like to embroider will be provided with a denim patch as their blank canvas. Hand Embroidery on Denim runs from 10 am to noon.

Expand your machine sewing skills in the two afternoon sessions! Try your hand at two creative and unexpected techniques in Sewing With Metal (1 – 3 pm) and Fiber Fusion (3:30 – 5:30 pm). Both make use of colorful scraps in artistic combinations, so you may want to bring leftover pieces of your favorite fabrics. Learners are encouraged to bring their own sewing machines, but there are a limited number of machines available for those who do not have one. Familiarity with using a sewing machine is required.

What is a Breed Study?

Wichita Weavers, Spinners & Dyers Guild Posted on by

Wool is wool is wool, right? Not so! Just as there are different breeds of dogs, there are many different breeds of sheep. No matter what kind of domestic animal, each breed was developed for specific purposes and/or to thrive in a specific environment.

Fiber artists tend to think of sheep in terms of their wool characteristics, and there is plenty of scope for learning! Which is where breed studies enter the picture…

Sheep of four different breeds

In short, a breed study includes wool from one or more breeds of sheep, and participants take the fleece through its paces, including:

  • First look (staple length, crimp, fineness of individual fibers, etc.)
  • Scouring and prepping (which processes result in the desired form for spinning – flicking, carding, combing?)
  • Spinning (fluffy woolen or smooth worsted? Singles or plied? Thick or fine yarn?)
  • Final use of the yarn (next-to-skin soft knitted garments? Sturdy woven rugs?)
  • Or even a different path as felt!

The variables are endless. Each spinner chooses their method(s), and envisions different uses for the fiber in their hands.

Collage of people showing different stages of wool preparation and spun yarn

And this is where a group study shines! Every participant can share their experience and observations, and contributes to the pool of knowledge.

Collected results of the study continue to provide information long after the activities are over, in the form of sample notebooks – whether for personal record-keeping or a group effort to be kept in a Guild library, as is the page shown here.

Blue notebook page with yarn samples, swatch and information on Montadale sheep

Our Guild’s current study includes fleece from 10 different sheep breeds with a wide variety of wool types, ranging from long, lustrous and sturdy to soft and springy – and oh, the colors!! We have a veritable rainbow of sheepy colors to play with.

Come join us, while there are still spots open! But don’t wait too long… we meet to divide the fleeces on Saturday, July 8, 2023.