STRINGTOPIA 2011
April 29th through May 1st
Lebanon, Ohio
Come spend the weekend with nationally recognized spinning and fiber arts instructors Abby Franquemont, Jacey Boggs and Morgaine Wilder at the historic Golden Lamb Inn in beautiful downtown Lebanon, Ohio. Stringtopia 2011 offers something for every spinner in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
Space for this event is limited and we are expecting a big turnout! Please send your registration as soon as you can. We’re looking forward to seeing you at this momentous Stringtopia which we hope will be the first of many to come!
Questions? E-mail shelly@abbysyarns.com.
INSTRUCTIONAL OFFERINGS
KICKOFF BASH
Friday evening – 7:00 to 10:00
$75 including materials
Presidents Room
You’ll be joining Abby, Jacey and Morgaine for an action-packed evening of team social instruction. How does that work? We’ll all be there together so you can meet and greet your fellow Stringtopians. You’ll make a custom blended batt with Abby, learn corespinning from Jacey, and find out what kind of fabulous goodies Morgaine has in her Yarn-Vee bound for Maryland… unless you snap them up first. And of course there’ll be door prizes (and the Iron Horse Tavern will be taking your beverage orders).
Students Should Bring: Spindles you like. Working wheel (any wheel with any size orifice will work but wheels with hooks are slightly more difficult), 3+ bobbins, lazy kate, and a niddy noddy will be helpful but there will be a few floating around.
Below are the class descriptions for Saturday and Sunday. All morning sessions run approximately 9:00am to 12:00pm, and afternoon sessions run 2:00 to 5:00p.m.
SUPER SERIOUS SPECIFIC SPINNING FOR SOMETHING
Abby Franquemont
Saturday and Sunday, morning and afternoon sessions
$300 including materials
Presidents Room
The class name is smart-alecky, and so is Abby, but that’s exactly what this class is. In two full days, you’ll learn a framework you can use for planning spinning projects large and small, tailoring your yarn to your exact requirements using the theory and techniques we’ll cover in hands-on exercises. You’ll start by proposing a project for which you’d like to spin, and learning to analyze the project to decide how to approach it for the best possible results. Fiber selection, type of fiber preparation, drafting method, yarn structure, finishing method, how you plan to use the yarn (knit, crochet, weave, or something else?) and how to care for your finished handspun object will all be addressed in this in-depth workshop. If you’ve had it in mind to someday spin for a particular project, but you aren’t sure where to begin, this is the class for you.
What if you don’t have a project in mind? Choose from lace knitting yarn, weaving yarn, sock yarn, sweater yarn, or “break me out of my default comfort zone” tracks, and receive detailed personal instruction on achieving your specific goal. Expect to enjoy yourself while you extend your boundaries!
Skill Level: Advanced beginner to intermediate; you will need to already be able to spin comfortably.
Students Should Bring: Your choice of wheel, spindle, or both. You’ll need to bring your own wheel in good working order with at least 3 bobbins and a lazy kate, and/or a range of spindles you’re comfortable with using. Bring small hand tools, like hand cards, WPI gauges, niddy noddy, as desired.
HARD CORE CORESPINNING
Jacey Boggs
Saturday, morning and afternoon sessions
$155 including materials
Corwin Room
This workshop will focus on the exciting textural plying techniques falling under the category of Hardcore corespinning, including some or all of anchored coils (we’ll cover thick and thin first), super coils, stacks, trapstacks, and the tornado. Focus will be on creating gorgeous, creative but ultimately stable, balanced and usable textured yarns.
These textured yarn techniques can be refined and sophisticated or wild and outlandish but any way you spin it, they will improve your fiber and hand control and give you a deeper understanding of yarn structure.
Skill Level: Students must have basic spinning skills including the ability to draft and spin a singles yarn, and know the mechanics of plying.
Students Should Bring: Working wheel (any wheel with any size orifice will work but wheels with hooks are slightly more difficult), 3+ bobbins, lazy kate, and a niddy noddy will be helpful but there will be a few floating around.
THICK AND THIN AND COILS
Jacey Boggs
Sunday, morning session
$75 including materials
Corwin Room
Spinning thick-and-thin yarns can be difficult even for experienced spinners, but nobody ever fails to get it in this class! You’ll use short fibers and a wrist twist to create regular slubs and then you’ll use that yarn to make the most popular (and if you’re new to it, mysterious) art yarn technique around: coils. These coils are surprising, soft, squishy, balanced, and anchored! In this class you’ll not only learn a fun and popular spinning technique but you’ll deepen your understanding of yarn construction and improve your fiber and hand control.
Skill Level: Students must have basic spinning skills including the ability to draft and spin a singles yarn, and know the mechanics of plying.
Students Should Bring: Working wheel (any wheel with any size orifice will work), 3 bobbins, lazy kate.
Jacey will bring: All fibers (handpainted top and prespun cores).
BOUCLE
Jacey Boggs
Sunday, afternoon session
$75 including materials
Corwin Room
There’s something magical about spinning loops in a yarn and this class will teach you how to do it! We will explore and create a traditional three-layered boucle. We’ll also look at what happens to the boucle structure when we change one element at a time (diameter and type of fiber). Take a trek into textured spinning and come out the other side spinning circles!
Skill Level: Students must have basic spinning skills including the ability to draft and spin singles yarn, and know the mechanics of plying.
Students Should Bring: Working wheel (any wheel with any size orifice will work), 3 bobbins, lazy kate.
Jacey Will Bring: All fiber and binders.
INTRO TO RIGID HEDDLE WEAVING
Morgaine Wilder
Sunday, morning session
$75 including materials
Harrison Room
Weave a wonderful scarf with Morgaine Wilder! You’ll learn to warp your loom, get everything set up, weave your scarf and finish it off. Bring your own handspun to use for weft — textured yarns, singles, beginner yarn, any yarn you like! Bring your own rigid heddle loom, or contact us about loaner availability.
DINING
$25 – Per dinner at the Golden Lamb which will include one of three entrees, salad, bread, beverage and dessert. Your gratuity is also included. On Friday evening we’ll dine at 5:30. On Saturday and Sunday evenings we’ll dine at 6:00. Specify which evenings you’ll be dining with us when you register.
$10 – Per lunch at Doc’s Place (a one block walk from the Golden Lamb). We’ll be lunching on Saturday and Sunday afternoons at 12:30. Diners will have a choice of one of three lunch options including a beverage. Specify which days you’ll be joining us for lunch when you register.
For those staying at the Golden Lamb a continental breakfast is included for each nights stay. A coffee service will also be available each day throughout the day. Cash bar will be available during the operating hours of the Black Horse Tavern.
If dining off site Lebanon has a number of fast food restaurants as well as casual dining nearby.
LODGING
Lodging at the Golden Lamb
$70 per night – single room.
$60 per night – double room.
Make reservations directly with the Golden Lamb, following your class confirmation. Check in starts at 3:00p.m. All rooms are on the second floor, it’s a historic building so there is no elevator service. The Golden Lamb can check any equipment you might need to send ahead of time.
Other lodging options in the area:
Shaker Inn (513) 932-7575
Hardy’s Bed and Breakfast (513)932-3266
The Kings Island Resort (513) 398-0115
For additional options if none of these suit, we recommend looking around the Kings Mills exit from I-71, right next to King’s Island. This is one exit on the highway, and about 10 minutes by car, from the Golden Lamb.