The most natural and eco-friendly way to clothe yourself.

3-Part Series: March 10, April 1 and May 6, from 10am–4pm
Location: Windrush Farm and Commonweal Garden
Instructors: Mimi Luebbermann, Marlie de Swart & Heidi Paul

In this 3 part series, discover the process of making raw wool into a wearable garment. With experienced local fiber artisans guiding you each step of the way, you will learn to discern the best fleeces of certain breeds, how to scour the fleece, how to card and comb to prepare for spinning and eventual knitting or felting. These hands-on workshops will show you the process of working with something that comes directly off the farm into a fashionable wearable garment – the most eco-friendly and natural way to clothe yourself!

Class 1 - Saturday, March 10, at Windrush Farm
From Raw Wool to Clean Fleeces with Mimi Luebbermann
You will start the series with a visit to a local sheep farm – Mimi Luebbermann's Windrush Farm in Chileno Valley, West Marin. Mimi will take you on a tour of her pastures to meet the flocks of Shetland Sheep and Corriedale/Finn sheep breeds. She will discuss what it takes to raise sheep sustainably and share with you her experiences being a sheep farmer. She will show and talk about the whole fleece and discuss the various fleece characteristics. You will get hands-on experience in skirting and scouring (washing) the fleece. You will leave with a part of the fleece you skirted and scoured, to dry at home and bring to the next class.

Class 2 - Sunday, April 1, at Commonweal Garden
Carding, Combing & Spinning your Fleece with Marlie de Swart
The first part of this class will be dedicated to showing and discussing ways of preparing your fleece so you can spin it or felt it. You will learn how to card and comb your clean raw wool into roving. Once you have carded your raw wool into roving it is ready to spin. In the afternoon you will learn about the various spindles and how to make your own drop spindle from recycled materials. You will learn how to spin your own yarn on a drop spindle. If there is time you could knit or crochet your first hand spun yarn.

Class 3 - Sunday, May 6, at Commonweal Garden
The Quick Hat Workshop - Felting with Heidi Paul

Felt is a non-woven cloth made by tangling and condensing wool; it is also incredibly versatile, insulating and sculptural.  Learn the ancient technique of feltmaking and contemporary design and blocking of hats by using a play ball as a resist.  We will use both local and Australian wool. The workshop covers wool for one hat, extra wool will be available for purchase. You will leave the workshop with a felt hat.

Participants will need to bring the following materials for the felting workshop: 
(If you cannot find something, there will be extras to borrow and share)

- Plastic dish pan
- 3-4 old towels
- 3 pairs of old/used nylons
- Rubber gloves (optional)
- Plastic apron (optional)
- Scissors, needle & thread, pins, soft tape measure
- Match-stick bamboo reed blind, these are the firm bamboo reeds, not the hollow ones (you can find these at Pier One or Home Depot stores), 2-3 feet wide
- A soft play ball about a third size larger than your head

Workshop Fees

Material costs are included in workshop fees.

$250 per person for the 3-part series
$235 per person for the 3-part series if you register with a friend

The classes can also be taken individually:

$95 per person for one class
$85 per person for one class when you register with a friend

$170 per person for two classes

Note: when signing up for one or two classes, please indicate in the special instructions of the registration form which dates you will be attending.

Registration

Pre-registration is necessary to hold your space and to allow the instructor to adequately preapare course materials. We recommend that you register as early as possible, as many classes fill up in advance. Classes may be cancelled if the minimum number of participants is not met one week prior to the class. Given the hands-on nature of these classes, there is a maximum 12-15 participants.

All fees must be paid in full prior to the start of class.

Registration is closed.

Refund Policy

Cancellations up to 1 week before the course begins will be refunded, excluding a $25 processing fee. No refunds are given after that date.

For questions or additional information,
email us or call 415-868-9681

Workshop Instructors:

Marlie de Swart has lived in Bolinas for close to two decades. After a career in computer software, she came back to the fiber arts of her youth. She learned to spin from her mother in Holland and has taught spinning for the last ten years. Marlie has degrees from the Sorbonne in Paris, Occidental College, and has studied at the Art Center College of Design. Marlie owns and runs Black Mountain Artisans in Point Reyes Station, a local Marin artist cooperative focused on fiber arts and specializing in the wares of local hand spinners.

Heidi Paul is a mixed media textile artist working in handmade felt and recycled materials. Heidi has taught at  Penland School of Crafts (NC), Oregon College of Art & Craft, Southwest School of Art & Craft (TX), Miami University (OH), Cincinnati Weavers Guild (OH). She is the owner of Design by Heidi Paul – www.heidipaul.com. 

Past course instructors:

A native of the East Bay, Katharine Jolda spent several years after college in Arizona, working on the Navajo Nation in health education, farming, and sheepherding.  A self-taught felter, she is the artisan behind Felt the Sun, a collection of felt apparel made from Navajo and Bay Area wool, and understands her felt practice as a creative form of "direct action" that builds reciprocal and honorable relationships to serve practical needs. Katharine holds a BS in Political Economy and is a graduate of the Women's Initiative for Self-Employment. Now in the Bay Area, she serves as West Coast liaison for Black Mesa Weavers for Life and Land, a fair-trading network of Navajo sheepherding families. She is also a founding member of the Yerba Buena Institute, a homeschool program based on hands-on ecological knowledge of the Bay Area.

Read more about the Fiber Arts Re-Skilling workshops!