July 25-26, 2026 I'll be teaching at
The Gathering in Westfield, MA 
On Sunday, 7/26, I'll be teaching Handspinning Hemp & Ramie, the other bast fibers. In class we will be concentrating on blending, spinning and plying these long cellulose fibers. Hemp and ramie come as tops and rovings and don't require a distaff. They are great for summer shawls, tops, placemats or towels.
On Saturday, 7/25, I'll be teaching Flax. This is the
classic historic fiber that becomes linen yarn. It'll easily become
another joy for spinning after you learn new techniques to manage its characteristics.
This class teaches you quick ways to dress distaffs with long line flax,
wet-spin line or roving, and scour finished yarns. Fibers are provided,
bring a spinning wheel or spindles, and a “distaff”. Distaffs can be
manufactured or easily improvised creations, attached to your waist, your
chair, your wheel, or free-standing. Instructions for improvising will be sent after registration.
