JC22 Creative Yarns: Artful Plying

with Melissa Ricks

Coils, granny stacks, spirals and halo loops are all techniques that come to life as the yarn is plied. In this class we will learn to spin these yarns, beginning with the singles, thick and thin singles for creating tight stable coils and dramatic spirals and smoother thick singles for other effects. Spinning yarns that are creative and dramatically textured AND structurally stable and balanced is an emphasis of this class, which will also discuss tips for using these yarns in your projects.

Skill level: Students need to be able to spin and ply yarn.

Participants bring: Spinning wheel (jumbo/plying flyer if you have one), extra bobbins, lazy kate, and niddy noddy.

About the instructor: Melissa Yoder Ricks has been crazy for yarn and fiber since early childhood and has been spinning since 1990. Since 2008, Melissa has pursued her love of fiber arts full time as the owner/fiber artist at Wild Hare Fiber Studio and by teaching classes and workshops, particularly in creative spinning and fiber preparation. Her handspun yarns have appeared in Spin Off Magazine, and her yarns have won numerous ribbons at Maryland Sheep & Wool and other festivals.