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Workshops

Hey, would you like to spin your own creative yarn?

Explore the creative possibilities of luxurious handspun yarn with textile artist and creative arts therapist Michelle Snowdon (AThR, BA Visual Arts). Workshop & contact details below.

With emphasis on creative discovery and playful experimentation, Wooldancer workshops offer students an opportunity to learn from an experienced fibre artist in a nurturing, relaxed atmosphere. We shall call on the collective creative energy to muster extraordinary yarns, share & collaborate ideas, sup tea and tap into our inner creative muse.

"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

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To Enrol, click Book A Workshop

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Workshops in the Blue Mountains:

Choose from a variety of studio fibre workshops situated in the picturesque World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park, 1.5hours drive west of Sydney.

Term sessions / Private Bookings:

Weekly bookings for a 10 week term are available. Please email via the contact page for more information

1day workshops :

  1. Learn to Spin and Ply on a Drop Spindle
  2. Extreme Handspinning : extended Art Yarn adventures
  3. Greener Shades Dye Lab: Fibre + yarn dyeing techniques

2day workshops:

  1. Learn ro spin yarn: May be taken over 2 weeks, 1 day per week
  2. Creative Art Yarn skills
  3. Creative Mentor weekend
  4. Dabble with Fibre Arts: Basic Learn to Spin your own yarn on a drop spindle, Dye Your handspun yarn, and Weave on a Pin-board loom.

Half-Day Workshops:

  1. Learn to Spin Yarn on a Drop Spindle
  2. Dyeing wool in your Kitchen with food safe dyes
  3. Yarn Craft for Children: creative yarn dyeing and knitting

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 Workshop Program:

Group workshops:
FREE-SPIRITED SPINNING // 1day

A playful fibre prep and spin class for experienced hand spinners. This class involves casting aside your go-to techniques and grants you permission to spin in-the-moment, allowing creativity and your own personal style to emerge.
We begin with a fun warm-up called Teazles, a technique I use to unleash my creativity.

Next we create a communal batt from which we 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.

Free-spirits especially required!

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SPIN TO WEAR in One Day! // 1day workshop

Learn the magic of how Michelle creates neckwear right on the spinning wheel! We shall look at spinning out a few finished wearable pieces for you to wear home.. no hooks or needles required!

We will make a Collier necklace, as seen in Lexi Boeger's book 'Intertwined';

loop-de-loop necklace using a multi-cable 3x3 Nply technique,

& a Boho Twist Fringe scarf.

We shall look at finishing methods for your stunning wearables.

Note: large / jumbo delta / orifice recommended.

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FULLY TWISTED // 1 or 2 day workshop:

Featuring Twists in Singles and my Twist on Twists technique as seen in 'Hand Spun' by Lexi Boeger, +  Nply multi-layer cables - incorporating multiple techniques with Nply.

In the 2day workshop we also create a wearable Loop-de-loop necklace, right on your wheel! - 2nd day is also available as a separate 1day workshop. See above for 'Spin To Wear' workshop description..

note:  large delta, jumbo orifice highly recommended for the multilayer techniques in this class.

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ARTEFACTS, A personal handspun talisman // 1 or 2 day workshop

This is an expressive spinning class, in which we aim to discover (uncover /recover /tap into etc) our individual fingerprint and personal spinning style. You have learned all the basics of spinning art yarn techniques and wish to take it a step further. 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. The word is your oyster as far as this class goes, if you can dream it, you can spin it!

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. All of which we will discuss and share together. You shall 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 Wheel, whichever you are most proficient with spinning on.

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BEYOND THE EDGE: Dimensional Surface design in handspun yarn // 2day Masterclass

Create visually pleasing handspun yarn - a One-of-a-kind masterpiece!

Learn how to utilize elements of art and design to create visually appealing sculptural yarn creations.

Elements such as colour, line, thickness, movement, highlight, density. We shall discuss how each of these provide visual character in your handspun yarn to give the WOW factor!

We shall spin a variety of techniques which focus on going beyond the edge of the 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 spin and build multiple Nply cables and explore plied layering techniques. We also learn to card textural batts, rolags and work with multiple fibre preparations to achieve a well-formed sculptural yarn for use as a decorative piece 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 on the address below.

For further workshop booking information, go to the Contact Me page.

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Wooldancer Workshop Cancellation policy:

Bookings for private sessions are on a term basis of 10 sessions per booking. Sessions will be invoiced weekly, alternatively term fees may be paid in full upfront. Students must provide advance 24hours notice for non attendance of a session due to illness. In the event of termination of contract, 4 weeks notice is to be provided in advance. Bookings during the cancellation notice period are non refundable and may be attended by the student at the tutors discretion. 
Cancellations must be paid in full and can not be refunded due to the nature of the bookings. Weekly Sessions may be postponed for up to 2weeks and delivered at the discretion of the tutor pending availability.

Short course workshops: 
Cancellation notice of 14days is required. Deposit is non-refundable. Ticket holders may transfer booking to another person at the discretion of the tutor.

International workshop cancellations: In the event of ticket cancellation, 14days notice must be provided in advance of final payment due date, set firm one month prior to tutor departure date. All Cancellations will forfeit ticket fee in full. Deposit will be refunded only if advance notice is provided and ticket space can be filled.