This week Allison and I packed up the truck, with our wool class materials, both service dogs and some snacks. Exploration Days is a three day event held at Michigan State University. Participants pick from over 300 different sessions on many different interest areas. Some sessions are half sessions allowing the participant to pick two different classes and some are full sessions lasting the whole three days.
Fun With Fiber was a full session this year allowing us to expand on what we could offer. Before we began we set out different types of fiber for the participants to see and fell the differences. We talked about different types of sheep and the differences in wool types. We worked out questions about crimp and micron count. We started out with a raw fleece that we skirted and then washed. We then used the washed wool to dye it in different colors. We added some angora, dog hair, processed wool roving and mohair to our dye pots. Since we were in the Plant and Soil Sciences building we were able to set our dyed wool projects in the greenhouse to dry.
As Alli and I were walking through the hall to the Sparty store we were approached by a young lady. She said that she had taken our class last year. She wanted to thank us again for the introduction to fiber crafts. She is still using her love of fiber and has just gotten her first spinning wheel two weeks ago. She made our night. It was so nice to know that what we are doing is making a difference.
The next morning our dyed wool was all dry and ready for carding, so we passed around hand cards and a couple flick carders to show different ways to prepare fiber for spinning. Everyone had a great time mixing the colors and different fibers including some alpaca and llama. This led right into spinning the fibers that were carded on drop spindles that everyone got to take home. Everyone that wanted to took a turn on the spinning wheel.
Our fiber adventure took us to needle felting next. We brought along cookie cutters to use as forms for the felting. Some beautiful scenes including animals were made. Others made animals to be turned into Christmas ornaments. It was great to see the creativity as each one made something different.
From there we jumped right into locker hooking using roving. Although we only used a small amount of canvas to make a drink coaster, everyone got the idea of how to do locker hooking. Again the creativity floored me as someone free handed a horse on their canvas. We tried to share some history of each craft as we went along including the fact that locker hooking came from Australia.
The class ended with bubbles of fun as we did wet felted wool wrapped soap bars. This craft is a lot of fun as you put your wrapped bar of soap in a knee high stocking, dunk it in really hot water and then in really cold water. By rubbing all six sides across bubble wrap you felt the wool to the soap. A couple people made dryer balls as well. We made a lot of bubbles and a lot of mess but it was a great way to end our class.
Everyone was sent home with a drop spindle, their felted soap, the foam that they used for needle felting, and a bag of fiber to practice at home. We would like to thank everyone that took our class as you were a delightful group. We had as much fun teaching as you did learning with us. Thank you for accepting our service dogs hanging out in the class with us. A big Thank You to Jan Kelly for donating wool last year that we were still using this year.
Fun With Fiber was a full session this year allowing us to expand on what we could offer. Before we began we set out different types of fiber for the participants to see and fell the differences. We talked about different types of sheep and the differences in wool types. We worked out questions about crimp and micron count. We started out with a raw fleece that we skirted and then washed. We then used the washed wool to dye it in different colors. We added some angora, dog hair, processed wool roving and mohair to our dye pots. Since we were in the Plant and Soil Sciences building we were able to set our dyed wool projects in the greenhouse to dry.
As Alli and I were walking through the hall to the Sparty store we were approached by a young lady. She said that she had taken our class last year. She wanted to thank us again for the introduction to fiber crafts. She is still using her love of fiber and has just gotten her first spinning wheel two weeks ago. She made our night. It was so nice to know that what we are doing is making a difference.
The next morning our dyed wool was all dry and ready for carding, so we passed around hand cards and a couple flick carders to show different ways to prepare fiber for spinning. Everyone had a great time mixing the colors and different fibers including some alpaca and llama. This led right into spinning the fibers that were carded on drop spindles that everyone got to take home. Everyone that wanted to took a turn on the spinning wheel.
Our fiber adventure took us to needle felting next. We brought along cookie cutters to use as forms for the felting. Some beautiful scenes including animals were made. Others made animals to be turned into Christmas ornaments. It was great to see the creativity as each one made something different.
From there we jumped right into locker hooking using roving. Although we only used a small amount of canvas to make a drink coaster, everyone got the idea of how to do locker hooking. Again the creativity floored me as someone free handed a horse on their canvas. We tried to share some history of each craft as we went along including the fact that locker hooking came from Australia.
The class ended with bubbles of fun as we did wet felted wool wrapped soap bars. This craft is a lot of fun as you put your wrapped bar of soap in a knee high stocking, dunk it in really hot water and then in really cold water. By rubbing all six sides across bubble wrap you felt the wool to the soap. A couple people made dryer balls as well. We made a lot of bubbles and a lot of mess but it was a great way to end our class.
Everyone was sent home with a drop spindle, their felted soap, the foam that they used for needle felting, and a bag of fiber to practice at home. We would like to thank everyone that took our class as you were a delightful group. We had as much fun teaching as you did learning with us. Thank you for accepting our service dogs hanging out in the class with us. A big Thank You to Jan Kelly for donating wool last year that we were still using this year.
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