Workshops
Explore your expressive and creative potential with fibre arts. Join a fibre arts workshop, mentoring weekend or creativity retreat with textile artist and creative arts therapist Michelle Snowdon AThR, MA, BA Visual Arts.
With emphasis on creative discovery and playful experimentation, Wooldancer workshops offer participants an opportunity to learn with an experienced fibre artist in a nurturing, relaxed atmosphere.
Wooldancer workshops:
Together we muster collective creativity to make extraordinary yarns, share & collaborate ideas, and tap into our inner creative muse. Participants are expected to be hands-on to interact with materials during all workshops. Art-based workshops are for you to learn, share and increase your material knowledge.
"Michelle's attention to detail helped me to learn good technique & correct some bad habbits! Her refreshing creative perspective gave permission for me to think outside the square with my hand spinning"- student testimonial
Creative Arts Therapy sessions:
Weaving Wellbeing Arts Therapy offers therapeutic arts-based psychotherapy sessions for individual 1:1 support and group-based art interventions. Michelle will guide your process and hold space for you to safely explore with materials you are intuitively drawn to using during each session. Creative Arts Therapy sessions are confidential and may involve verbal and visual sharing and disclosure.
You are welcome to Contact Michelle for further information about Weaving Wellbeing Arts Therapy sessions, offered online and in-person in the Blue Mountains NSW Australia.
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To Enrol, click Contact
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Workshops in the Blue Mountains:
Choose from a variety of fibre workshops situated in the picturesque world heritage-listed Blue Mountains NSW, 1.5hours drive west of Sydney.
Wooldancer 1 day workshops :
- Learn to Spin and Ply with a Drop Spindle
- Expressive Art Yarn: extend your creativity with wheel spinning
- Protein Dye Lab: wool and other protein fibre dyeing for the home dyer and professional fibre artists
- Weave Art Yarn on a handmade loom
Wooldancer 2 day workshops:
- Learn to wheel-spin yarn: May be taken over 2 weeks, 1 day per week. BYO spinning wheel.
- Creative Art Yarn technique toolbox
- Creative Mentoring weekend - 1:1 bring your project and enjoy a 2 day studio session with Michelle.
- Dabble with Fibre Arts: Basic Learn to spin yarn on a drop spindle, dye your handspun yarn, then weave on a pin-board loom.
2 hour Workshops for children:
- Dye yarn with food safe dyes.
- Various ages: knit, finger-knit, Weave a Dream-catcher, Tie-dye socks or Tshirt. Contact for enquiries.
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Group Workshop Programs:
EXPRESSIVE SPINNING // 1 day
A playful fibre prep and spin class for experienced hand spinners and those who may have had some time off and wish to be re-inspired with handspinning.
This class involves a playful approach to fibre prep and spinning creative yarns.
Michelle offers you permission to play with a variety of fibre types. Using a spin in-the-moment approach, you will allow your creativity and personal spinning signature to emerge during this class.
We begin with a fun warm-up called Teazles, a technique I use to unleash my own creativity.
Next we create a communal batt from which we will each card a portion and spin using spontaneous random pluckings.
This day involves swapping, so please bring along some fibre & findings to swap with each other for exploring art yarn inclusions and design.
Bring an open mind for creative play and exploration!
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SPIN TO WEAR // 1 or 2 day workshop
Learn the magic of how Michelle creates weable neckwear, right on the spinning wheel! You will learn how to spin finished wearable pieces for you to wear home.. no hooks or needles required!
Spin Michelle's Collier scarflette design, as seen in the book Intertwined by Lexi Boeger.
Spin a chunky loop-de-loop necklace, using a multi-layer cable plying.
+ spin your own Twist on Twists loop fringe neckwear, as seen in the book Hand Spun by Lexi Boeger.
We shall discuss finishing methods for your stunning wearables.
Fine micron fibres will be required.
Note: A large jumbo or delta orifice is highly recommended for the multi-layer techniques in this class.See below for Day 2 Spin To Wear program overview.
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Spin TO Wear Day 2 // 1 day workshop
In addition to the 1 day Spin To Wear workshop content, in this 2nd part of the workshop you will spin further wearable designs, right on your spinning wheel!
Create a wire-spun talisman, incorporate beads and charms, and make a neclace, pendant, bracelet or earrings.
Spin your own designer self-striping wearable yarn and knit right off the bobbin.
Fine micron fibres, fabric, charms and beads will be required.
note: large delta, or jumbo orifice is highly recommended for this class.
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ARTEFACTS, A personal handspun talisman // 1 or 2 day workshop
You have learned all the basics of spinning art yarn techniques and wish to take your yarn a step further to the next level of design. The yarn we create becomes more than a supply. It is your own expressive artefact (object).
In this class we consider the ultimate possibility of handspun yarn as a form of art, and learn how to imbibe a personal mark onto your spinning process and resultant handspun yarn.
We shall explore colour, texture and design inspired by your own personal story.
Participants may like to interpret this literally and create a piece of writing, take a series of photos, or a collection of personal treasures. You will design an individual talisman yarn for your own personal collection.
Bring your collected treasures and we shall embellish the yarn with secure add-in techniques. Also covered are a few of Michelle's favourite spinning techniques and some fun methods that allow us to open ourselves to our inner creative muse.
You must already be a competent spinner. Bring your drop spindle or spinning wheel, whichever you are most proficient creating yarn with.
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ART YARN - BEYOND THE EDGE: Dimensional Surface design in handspinning // 2 day Masterclass
Create one-of-a-kind handspun art yarns.
Learn how to utilize elements of art and design to create visually appealing and sculptural yarn creations.
Design elements such as colour, line, thickness, focal point and drape. We will discuss how each of the elements of composition provide visual character in your handspun yarn.
We will spin a variety of art yarn techniques which focus on going beyond the edge of the yarn's surface in both singles and plied yarns, to emphasize intriguing surface finishes. We consider how to utilize these as focal features in the design of your yarns.
Specifically, we will learn to build and explore plied layering techniques. We will card textural batts and rolags.
You will achieve well-formed art yarn for use as decoration, wearables or in textile art projects.
We will spin with wire in this class.
A fun workshop for experienced and beginner art yarn students.
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ART BEANIE construction // 2day
Spin and Crochet your own free-style Wearable Art Beanie..
Day 1 of this class covers hand-spinning two contrasting yarns which we will use in Day 2, during which we decipher the curious secrets behind the magic of making a freestyle crochet beanie!
Class requires basic spinning and crochet skills.
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A Materials List is supplied upon enrollment.
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Are you Interested in hosting a Wooldancer Workshop? Please contact me to arrange a suitable time to organize a workshop.
For further workshop booking information, please see Contact page.
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Wooldancer Workshop Cancellation policy: