Warm up for the Festival with Winterfest 2023!
Our second annual Winterfest will once again offer two days of virtual fiber arts seminars. Winterfest 2023 will be held on Saturday, January 28 and Sunday, January 29 on the same Lessonface platform as last year and will feature the following instructors:
- Jillian Moreno – Spinning
- Kristen Walsh – Felting
- Maggie Casey – Spinning
- Kira Dulaney – Knitting
- Alasdair Post-Quinn – Knitting
- Esther Rodgers – Spinning
Our keynote lecture on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. will be A Look Inside a Small-Scale Carding Mill with Angela Muller. Angela, a shepherd and the owner of a small mill located in central Maryland, Angel Locks Fiberworks, will take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of her small-scale carding mill and tell you how she established Angel Locks. Angela will explain how she set up her mill, and describe the functions of each piece of equipment she uses. Then she will share how she decides which equipment to use to process different types of fiber, as well as share how fiber enthusiasts can get the best results when sending fiber out to a small mill. Attendees will leave Angela’s lecture with a clear understanding of what happens to a raw fleece and the different steps the fiber goes through as it is transformed in roving.
The lecture is free but registration through Lessonface is required.
Schedule
Saturday, January 28
Time (Eastern) | Class | Type | Instructor |
10 a.m. to 12 noon | Introduction to Double-knitting | Knitting | Alasdair Post-Quinn |
Twisted Together: Crepe, Cables and the Endless Possibilities of Layered Plying | Spinning | Esther Rodgers | |
Straight Up: Spinning Vertically Dyed Braids | Spinning | Jillian Moreno | |
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | The Pros and Cons of Predrafting | Spinning | Maggie Casey |
Needle Felted Fox | Felting | Kristen Walsh | |
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Two-pattern Double-knitting | Knitting | Alasdair Post-Quinn |
The Long and the Short of It – 6 Ways to Spin Locks | Spinning | Esther Rodgers | |
Introduction to Cables | Knitting | Kira Dulaney | |
Fluffing your Braids: Making Worsted Braids Woolen | Spinning | Jillian Moreno | |
2 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Needle Felted Winter Landscape | Felting | Kristen Walsh |
6 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Twist, Grist, and Wraps per Inch | Spinning | Maggie Casey |
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Slip-Stitch Mosaic Knitting | Knitting | Kira Dulaney |
Sunday, January 29
Time (Eastern) | Class | Type | Instructor |
10 a.m. to 12 noon | Drafting Together: Working on a Parallel Plane | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Finishing Your Yarn | Spinning | Maggie Casey |
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. | A Look Inside a Small Scale Carding Mill | Lecture | Angela Muller |
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Advanced Beginner Double-knitting | Knitting | Alasdair Post-Quinn |
Sculptural Corespinning: Not Your Traditional Spinning! | Spinning | Esther Rodgers | |
Introduction to Entrelac | Knitting | Kira Dulaney | |
. | Color Value and Choosing Braids That Work Together | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
2 p.m. to 5 p.m | Needle Felted Owl | Felting | Kristen Walsh |
6 p.m. to 9 p.m | Hand Cards, Not Just for Rolags | Spinning | Maggie Casey |
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Texture in Double-knitting | Knitting | Alasdair Post-Quinn |
Color Blending: Unlocking the Spectrum | Spinning | Esther Rodgers | |
Gauge and Blocking | Knitting, Crochet | Kira Dulaney |
Registration will open at 1:00 PM ET on Saturday, November 19 at https://www.lessonface.com/sheepandwool.
2022 Catalog Cover Artist
Susan Due Pearcy
Susan Due Pearcy has lived in the Agricultural Reserve in Barnesville, Maryland for 27 years and enjoys having sheep grazing next door and fibre artist friends nearby. She is continually inspired in her art and life by the natural beauty of her surroundings and works plein air in oil and pastel and creates her printmaking in Sugarloaf Studio behind her home.
Pearcy studied art education at Southeast Missouri State University and graduated with a degree in Printmaking, Painting and Sculpture from New York University. She continued studies at the Art Student’s League in New York City, Fort Mason Art Center and Graphic Arts Workshop in San Francisco, plus numerous continuing workshops. She has taught in schools, community centers, Alzheimer’s facility and volunteered with children hospitalized at the National Institutes of Health for over 20 years.

Photo by Chris Li
Susan has explored a variety of media, including watercolor, oil painting, pastel and printmaking. She usually carries a sketchbook with her, especially on travels and her sketches have been displayed at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and are in the permanent collection there and at the Library of Congress, the Rare Book Collection at the National Gallery of Art, Georgetown University and others.
Pearcy has exhibited across the country and abroad and is in numerous private, public and museum collections including the Pushkin Museum (Russia), Chemalier Museum (France) and Museum of Modern Art (Argentina).
Susan comes from a family of artists. Her mother was a watercolorist in St. Louis, Missouri, where Susan was raised. Her husband Glen Pearcy was a filmmaker/photographer and their two adult children pursue careers in the arts.
Susan is part of the Countryside Artisans Gallery/Studio Tour (www.countrysideartisans.com) where she opens Sugarloaf Studio to the public. Please come visit!
Susan Due Pearcy
Sugarloaf Studio
21900 Beallsville Road
Barnesville, MD 20838
www.susanduepearcy.com

Photo by Dalis Davidson
COVID-19 Protocols
Last updated: 4/29/2022
In order to protect all attendees, vendors, and volunteers, especially those most vulnerable, we strongly recommend that everyone age two and older wear a mask while indoors at the festival. There is also a chance that wearing a mask will be a requirement for admittance to specific indoor locations, i.e., you will not be allowed to enter those buildings if you aren’t wearing a mask. Therefore, if you want to experience the full range of what the festival has to offer, you should come prepared to wear a mask.
These protocols are subject to change. It is possible that they will be more relaxed by the time May arrives; it is also possible that they could become stricter if conditions warrant. We will be keeping a close eye on the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant to see if that will impact our policy.
List of Venues Requiring a Mask (as of 4/29/22):
If the Festival were held today, everyone ages two and older would be required to wear a mask in the following venues:
- Fleece Show & Sale Building
- Saturday Night Spin-In in the Dining Hall
- Sunday Lectures in the 4-H Hall
- Additional locations may be added.
Special COVID-19 Protocols for Fiber Arts Seminars
This policy applies to the Fiber Arts Seminars only.
You will be asked to acknowledge and agree to these policies before you are permitted to complete registration for any of the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars. If you do not abide by these policies, your class registration fees will be forfeited. These policies apply to EVERYONE – all teachers, students, and volunteers – participating in the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars.
Please note that, because of the pandemic, the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars will not be able accommodate anyone who cannot wear a mask or who needs to lip read as a consequence of hearing impairment.
As of April 28, 2022, these are the policies for participation in Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars:
- Show proof of full vaccination.
Full vaccination means the individual must have all required doses and initial boosters recommended for a vaccine approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 14 days before first day of attendance at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars in 2022. Note: As of March 29, 2022, the CDC now allows for an additional booster in certain situations, but this additional booster will not be a requirement for participation in the Fiber Arts Seminars.
Please provide proof of vaccination in advance (following the instructions provided by Lessonface when you register), or be prepared to show your vaccination card, or a photo of your vaccination card on your mobile device, as you enter your classroom.
AND
- Wear an N95 or KN95 mask that covers your nose and mouth at all times when inside; as of 4/28/22 students also have the option of wearing a surgical mask. Other masks will not be permitted. A mask must fit snugly against the sides of the face and cover the nose. These masks are currently available at low or no cost at many pharmacies.
Our instructors fully support the above requirements.
Eating and/or drinking will not be permitted in the classrooms.
We know these policies may make it impossible for some to attend classes this year. We ask for understanding and patience as we try to find the best path to keep students, instructors, and volunteers safe. We will miss those of you who cannot attend and look forward to welcoming you in the future.
Registration for 2022 Fiber Arts Seminars is now open!
- New Platform! This year we are moving the registration process for our in-person classes from the Eventbrite platform to Lessonface.
- Registration is now open at at https://lessonface.com/sheepandwool2022.
Click here to download the complete class list.
Complete registration information and class descriptions are also available on Lessonface.
COVID-19 Policy
Note: This policy applies to the Fiber Arts Seminars only. We are still developing our Covid-19 protocols for the rest of the 2022 festival. See https://sheepandwool.org/covid-19-protocols/ for the most up-to-date information.
You will be asked to acknowledge and agree to these policies before you are permitted to complete registration for any of the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars. If you do not abide by these policies, your class registration fees will be forfeited. These policies apply to EVERYONE – all teachers, students, and volunteers – participating in the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars.
Please note that, because of the pandemic, the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars will not be able accommodate anyone who cannot wear a mask or who needs to lip read as a consequence of hearing impairment.
As of February 13, 2022, these are the policies for participation in Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars:
- Show proof of full vaccination.
Full vaccination means the individual must have all doses and boosters recommended for a vaccine approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) more than 14 days before first day of attendance at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Fiber Arts Seminars in 2022. Please be prepared to show your vaccination card, or a photo of your vaccination card on your mobile device, as you enter your classroom.
AND
- Wear an N95 or KN95 that covers your nose and mouth at all times when inside. Other masks will not be permitted. A mask must fit snugly against the sides of the face and cover the nose. These masks are currently available at low or no cost at many pharmacies.
Our instructors fully support the above requirements.
Eating and/or drinking will not be permitted in the classrooms.
We know these policies may make it impossible for some to attend classes this year. We ask for understanding and patience as we try to find the best path to keep students, instructors, and volunteers safe. We will miss those of you who cannot attend and look forward to welcoming you in the future.
As new information develops, we may change these requirements in the interest of public safety.
Warm up for the Festival with Winterfest!
While we will be returning in May with our usual stellar lineup of in-person classes, we know a lot of you are only able to participate virtually, and it’s just not feasible for us to offer online and in-person classes at the same time. Our solution is to bring you two days of virtual fiber arts seminars on Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30, 2022. Winterfest 2022 will be held on the same Lessonface platform that served us so well for the 2021 virtual festival and will feature the following instructors:
- Jillian Moreno – Spinning
- Kristen Walsh – Felting
- Maggie Casey – Spinning
- Kira Dulaney – Knitting and Crochet
- Janine Bajus – Knitting
- Judith MacKenzie – Spinning
- Dia Robinson – Spinning
Our keynote lecture on Sunday will be The Cultural History of Natural Dyes with Pat Brodowski. Pat’s popular natural dyes workshops have been presented at Monticello, Montpelier, Common Ground on the Hill, and to local fiber arts groups. The lecture is free but registration through Lessonface is required.
Schedule
Saturday, January 29
Time (Eastern) | Class | Type | Instructor |
10 a.m. to 12 noon | Drafting for Size and Consistency (part 1) | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Needle Felted Snowman | Felting | Kristen Walsh |
Teach Your Old Wheel Some New Tricks | Spinning | Maggie Casey | |
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Drafting for Size and Consistency (part 2) | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
Correcting (and Avoiding) Knitting Mistakes | Knitting | Kira Dulaney | |
2 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Needle Felted Winter Landscape | Felting | Kristen Walsh |
Fair Isle Scarf: How Color Is Used in Fair Isle (part 1) | Knitting | Janine Bajus | |
Twist Unraveled | Spinning | Maggie Casey | |
Color Without a Dye Pot | Spinning | Judith MacKenzie | |
6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. | Spinning the Perfect Warp | Spinning | Judith MacKenzie |
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Intro to Brioche | Knitting | Kira Dulaney |
Sunday, January 30
Time (Eastern) | Class | Type | Instructor |
10 a.m. to 12 noon | Default Yarn: The Key to Your Spinning | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Inspirational Blending on a Blending Board | Spinning | Dia Robinson |
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. | The Cultural History of Natural Dyes | Lecture | Pat Brodowski |
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Colorplay and Singles Yarn | Spinning | Jillian Moreno |
Fair Isle Scarf: How Color Is Used in Fair Isle (part 2) | Knitting | Janine Bajus | |
Altering Knit and Crochet Patterns for Size, Gauge or Style | Knitting/Crochet | Kira Dulaney | |
2 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Finishing Your Yarn | Spinning | Maggie Casey |
Spinning for Texture: Not Your Grandmother’s Yarn | Spinning | Judith MacKenzie | |
30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. | Wool Combs | Spinning | Judith MacKenzie |
7 p.m. to 9 p.m. | Crochet Lace | Crochet | Kira Dulaney |
Registration is now open at https://www.lessonface.com/sheepandwool.
Proposals for 2022 Fiber Arts Seminars now being accepted
We are now accepting proposals for fiber arts seminars to be held in conjunction with the 49th Annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, which will take place in person on May 7 & 8, 2022 in West Friendship, Maryland. Many seminars will be held Wednesday-Friday of the week leading up to the festival; all seminars will be held in person. The Fiber Arts Seminar Committee invites instructors from every heritage, culture, belief system, and lifestyle to submit a proposal.
Submit your proposal(s) here.
The deadline to submit a proposal is July 15.
Zazzy Peacock Studios
Art
Felted Products & Felting Supplies
Website: ZazzyPeacock.com
How to Shop
Online Store: etsy.com/shop/ZazzyPeacockStudios
Email:
Call or Text: (301) 633-4714
Discount/Special Offer
I am offering a few specials to celebrate the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival this weekend! From April 30 through May 4:
- My very popular felted sheep ear headbands and many other animal ear headbands are on sale 10% off.
- Buy any felted animal baby, and you have the option to add little felted sheep ears or a flower headband for free. Add your request with code BABYEARS or FLOWERS in the notes at checkout.*
*Please note that these orders will need to be customized, so will ship within a week or two, but not ship immediately.
Festival Exclusive
I’m offering limited time BUNDLES of needle felting supplies, tools, and kits, including video tutorials. These are a great deal and such a fun gift for needle felters!
About Us
As a vendor since 2013, Jill Newman of Zazzy Peacock Studios enjoys sharing her passion for needle felting with all the wonderful fiber enthusiasts at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. Jill creates needle and wet felted accessories, sculpture, figures, and home decor. Her animal ear headbands, especially the sheep ears, are popular at the festival, and you will find in the Zazzy Peacock Etsy shop, along with many new items. Jill’s hand-lacquered needle holders were a hit last year, so she’s created many new designs for you to enjoy.
Jill also enjoys sharing her love of needle felting through teaching. During the pandemic, Jill has been teaching via Zoom and pre-recorded video tutorials on Vimeo. So you can now find needle felting kits with videos as well as tools and supplies in the Zazzy Peacock shop. Whether you’re just starting out or an experienced needle felter, you will enjoy Jill’s video tutorials and appreciate the quality of the supplies.
Previously, Jill has taught at her studio in Bethesda, at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, the GW Textile Museum, and at Glen Echo Park. She also exhibits at shows, galleries, and juried exhibitions, including the Creative Crafts Council Biennial Exhibitions (2015, 2017, and 2019) and Fiber National (2016 and 2018) at the Workhouse Arts Center. Her sculpture, “Bird Mollusk,” received an award at Fiber National 2018. Learn more about Jill at www.ZazzyPeacock.com.
Enjoy the festival! I’m looking forward to seeing you in person next year! Best wishes to all, Jill
Contact Information
226 New Mark Esplanade
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 633-4714
Social Media
Facebook: facebook.com/ZazzyPeacock
Instagram: instagram.com/ZazzyPeacock
Flying Fibers
Fiber, Specialty
Website: flyingfibers.com
How to Shop
Online Store: flyingfibers.com
Discount/Special Offer
Free Shipping for the duration of the weekend
About Us
Flying Fibers is brought to you by the mother-daughter team of Jeri Robinson-Lawrence and Irina Lawrence Mathias. They honor and celebrate diversity and inclusion while welcoming everyone to their little corner of the world. Both women are passionate about providing beautiful products to crafters of any skill, as well as promoting the preservation of rare breed sheep. In addition to owning the shop, Jeri and Irina have a flock of rare breed Wensleydale sheep, endangered Leicester Longwool sheep, and rare breed Shetland sheep that they raise on their farm in York County. Based on the season, this local fiber is available in-store and online. These two women are extremely passionate about the fiber arts and are regularly willing to share their knowledge and expertise with whoever desires. Jeri is primarily behind-the-scenes with Irina being present in the yarn shop. Although young in appearance, Irina has extensive knowledge of the fiber arts having begun her journey at the age of six, and can tackle your most challenging of wool needs. These two women make an exceptional team, and are sure to have you smiling at their mother-daughter banter every time you chat with them!
Contact Information
329c Main Street
Landisville, PA 17538
(717) 898-8020
Social Media
Facebook: facebook.com/FlyingFibers
Instagram: instagram.com/flyingfibers
Stephen Willette
Woodcrafts
Fiber Equipment, Tools & Supplies
Jewelry & Shawl Pins
Website: stephenwillette.com
How to Shop
Online Store: etsy.com/shop/stephenwillette
Virtual Booth Tour Video
Discount/Special Offer
Free Domestic Shipping May 1-2, 2021. Use code MARYLANDSHEEPANDWOOL
https://www.etsy.com/shop/StephenWillette?coupon=MARYLANDSHEEPANDWOOL
About Us
Craftsmen of heirloom quality Wooden Fiber Art Tools for people who spin, knit, crochet and weave. Some of the tools we offer are yarn bowls, looms, support spindles, glass tipped support spindles, lucets, crochet hooks, shawl pins and weaving supplies. As a state juried member of the League of New Hampshire Craftsman, I maintain the high standards of quality required by the league in all of my work.
Contact Information
6 Pierce Hill Road
Bennington, NH 03442
(603) 801-5546
Social Media
Facebook: facebook.com/StephenWilletteFiberArtTools
Instagram: instagram.com/stephenwillette
East Freisen/Laucaune Dairy
Breed Type: Dairy Breed
Country of Origin: Austria/France
High Milk Producing Breed used for Dairy, Known for large udder confirmation, Milk producers for 6-7 months per year, with high yield, high butterfat. Milk quality in dairy sheep while yielding smaller quantity than Cows or Goats, the nutritional value far out weights the other two in vitamins, fat, and protein so while the yield is less in actual volume of milk, the percentage yield in cheese production is higher.
East Fresien/Laucaune Dairy Ram East Fresien/Laucaune Dairy Ewe
This breed presented by
Shepherds Manor Creamery
Colleen Histon
126 Slingluff Road
New Windsor, MD 21776
(240) 388-6633
shepherdsmanorcreamery.com