Roo Kline

Roo@MoonwoodFarm.com

Looking for my events?
list below was last updated
on 8 July 2018
26-28 January 2018
Vendor + classes
Oxford Fiber Arts Festival
Oxford, MS
 
9-11 February 2018
FREE fiber workshops
TXOLAN Sweetheart Spectacular Alpaca Show
Fort Worth, TX
 
17-18 February 2018
Texture Envy II weekend

Legendary Alpacas

Maypearl, TX
 
17-20 May 2018
PUF
Pagan Unity Festival
Montgomery Bell State Park
Burns, TN
 
25-26 May 2018
Middle TN Fiber Festival
Dickson, TN
- How To Train Your Fiber
+ vendor booth in the Armory Building

2 June 2018
How To Train Your Fiber
VAOBA members & guests
Hilltop Hideaway Alpaca Farm
Craigsville, VA
 
9 June 2017
Huntsville World Wide Knit In Public Day
Flying Monkey Theatre
Huntsville, AL
 
4-5 August 2018
Texture Envy weekend
Art Loft Oklahoma
Guthrie, OK
 
15 September 2018
SPIN 2017
Flying Monkey Theatre
Huntsville, AL
 
29 September 2018
Pagan Pride
Nashville, TN
 
25-28 October 2018
SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair)
Asheville, NC
- Carding embellished batts, rolags and roving
- Choosing and washing a fleece: Alpaca
- How To Train Your Fiber: Alpaca
- Triloom weaving: a cut strand shawlette with handspun novelty yarn
- The Blending Experiment: Alpaca
Click here for class details & registration

VENDING AGAIN THIS YEAR TOO, LOOK FOR THE SPARKLE STUDIO BOOTH!
 
25-27 January 2019
Vendor
Oxford Fiber Arts Festival
Oxford, MS
 
May 2019
PUF
Pagan Unity Festival

Montgomery Bell State Park
Burns, TN
 
24-25 May 2019
Middle TN Fiber Festival
Dickson Fairgrounds
Dickson, TN
classes + vendor booth in the Armory Building
 
8 June 2017
Huntsville World Wide Knit In Public Day
Flying Monkey Theatre
Huntsville, AL
 
13-15 June 2019
Threads of the Earth
Fiber & art festival
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
Huntsville, AL
 
September 2019
Enchantment
Faerie & folklore festival
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
Huntsville, AL
 
 
For bookings and enquiries, please email me at:

Roo@MoonwoodFarm.com

sign up for the Moonwood Farm newsletter

 

 
How To Train Your Fiber
selecting skirting washing dyeing carding

 
raw unwashed alpaca fleece
 

It's easy to feel intimidated by raw (unwashed, straight off the animal) fleeces. However, with some basic knowledge under your belt and realising that YOU have the upper hand, a whole new relationship with fiber begins. There is no need to fear those filled bags any longer, at the end of this class you'll be able to open them up and get to work, letting your imagination and creativity guide you. This class is designed for ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, building a solid foundation from which to expand into whichever direction you choose. What you learn in this class are the exact same techniques that I use in my own studio, presented in an easy to understand format. Classes are small, relaxed and intimate, ensuring you have a wonderful experience. By the time you go home you'll feel confident and inspired. However, be prepared for a lot of hands on work, as you learn best by doing. This is definately not a boring sit-down class!


Part I:
FLEECE SELECTION & DYEING (3 hours)
We begin this class with a round table introduction to alpaca fleeces from a processing stand point - which are suitable to do by hand and which should be sent to the mill? The rest of the morning is then spent doing several activities:

skirting an alpaca fleece as a group
washing a piece of fleece using Unicorn Power Scour
dyeing the washed fleece with professional acid dyes
laying the dyed fiber out to dry

If this class is split over two days (usually this is the case at fiber festivals so that participants are not in class all day) we allow the fiber to dry all afternoon so that it can be used in the carding segment the following day.

If this is a one day class (usually this is the case at private farms and events where time is limited) the fiber will still be laid out to dry, but dyed fiber from my studio is used for the carding segment while the wet fiber dries. Participants will be able to bag up their dyed fiber at the end of the day and take it home.


Part II: CARDING (3 hours)
The next step in hand processing is preparing the washed and/or dyed alpaca fiber for spinning and felting by opening up the lock structure and aligning the fibers in a process called 'carding'. The carders we'll be using are Strauch Petites and I'll give you an overview of carder terminology, how it works, and why the Strauch line of drum carders are so perfect for alpaca. During this class you will learn:

carding 100% alpaca
carding an embellished batt
creating your own roving using a diz
creating rolags on a drum carder

During the course of the class we will talk about different blending fibers and blending methods, sparkle, packaging, and pricing.


Materials:
All class materials including fiber and gloves are provided, but you may like to bring a notebook and a pen.

All students receive 20% off all fiber, sparkle, Power Scour and other goodies they want to take home after class.



Tips:
- Wear comfortable shoes, and clothing you don't mind getting dirty
- A camera is always handy, and besides, you may want to share your creations with your Facebook friends during class
- Bring business cards to share - after all, we need to create a support network!

At the conclusion of the class you'll be able to purchase materials to take home including power scour; dyed and undyed blending fibers including wool, milk, bamboo, and rose fiber; sparkle and embellishings; and drum carders. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted.

Drum carders are shipped via UPS ground directly from the Strauch warehouse and usually arrive within 2-3 days. All carder purchases include tools, clamps, shipping, and $50* worth of product of your choice that you can take home right away so that you're ready to start when your carder arrives.



A little bit of background trivia:
This class was first presented by Moonwood Farm in April 2011 as a two day class for alpaca owners at Magical Farms in Litchfield, OH as a 'Magical Fiber Weekend' (photo album here). Later that year it evolved into two versions, the original full length fiber weekend and a shorter 'How To Train Your Fiber' version designed specifically for fiber festivals and one day events, both of which have been very popular.


'I want to take this class! Where do I go?'
 

27 October 2017
Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival
Asheville, NC

 

25 & 26 May 2018 (pending)
Middle TN Fiber Festival
Dickson, TN

 

2 or 9 June 2018
VAOBA (Virginia Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association)
venue pending, VA

 

27-28 July 2018
Fiber Christmas in July
Kellyville, OK

 

Interested in having me present this workshop for your
association/friends/clients at your farm or event?

My 2018 schedule is now OPEN for bookings
Check availability

 

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR FIBER & MAGICAL FIBER WEEKEND workshops have been conducted at:

Alpacadabra Ranch (for MI-Alpaca)
Pierson, MI

Artloft
Guthrie, OK

Bookmark Alpacas (for MI-Alpaca)
Laingsburg, MI

Borderline Farms
Monroe, SC

Clearview Alpaca Farm
St. Stephens Church, VA


Endless Farms Alpacas
Elberon, VA

Fiber Daze
Mt Vernon, MO

Indiana Alpaca Association
Bringhurst, IN

Kentucky Alpaca Association
Frankfort, KY

Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival
Lexington, KY

Lasso The Moon Alpaca Farm
Blairsville, GA

Legendary Alpacas (for the Texas Trilogy Education Group)
Maypearl, TX

Magical Farms
Litchfield, OH


Magnolia State Fiber Festival
Vicksburg, MS


Mary's Alpaca
The Plains, VA

Middle TN Fiber Festival
Dickson, TN


Raynay Alpaca Farm (for CABO)
Ruffin, NC

SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair)
Asheville, NC

TxOLAN Sweetheart Alpaca Spectacular
Ft Worth, TX





 
'What if I want to book you for my event?' (email me!)

 

 



(* standard carder purchases include a $50 credit, motorised carder purchases include a $100 credit)


images on this page (c) 2007-2017 Roo Kline and Vicki Ramsey