Turning Loose Fibers into Twisted Line: Intro to Spinning with a Drop Spindle

Every person has intimate relationships to cloth, and this class goes to the root, the twisting of loose fibers into finished lines of yarn. In this one day workshop we will learn the ancient skill of spinning. We will begin with a tactile examination of protein fibers including different varieties of wool and silk roving and handspun yarn. Students will learn the fundamentals of creating spun line using a drop spindle, including how to prepare a leader yarn, attach fiber, spin the spindle, draft fibers, and wind on. Special consideration will be given to how to move through the challenges of learning to spin. We will also have the opportunity to peruse a curated selection of books from the Newberry Collection featuring textile arts. No spinning experience is necessary, only patience and trust in the process! Adrienne Renée Weiss is a research-based artist & educator whose work is an earthly and sensual investigation of textural intimacy, Queer histories, and esoteric lore. She serves on the board of the American Tapestry Alliance as the Director of Exhibitions and holds an MFA in Fiber and Material Studies from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Format: In Person Class Capacity: 15 Class Style: Workshop; participation- and assignment-based Required Instructor-Distributed Materials Drop spindles, a few varieties of wool and silk roving, paper and pencils for swatch log Drop spindles, a few varieties of wool and silk roving, paper and pencils for swatch log 1 Session, $115 ($103.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member. We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($115), Community Supported ($105), and Sponsor ($125). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream. To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant. Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here. The views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity. View our full schedule of adult education classes. Your generosity is vital in keeping the library’s programs, exhibitions, and reading rooms free and accessible to everyone. Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at [email protected]. We are in office Tuesday through Thursday, 10 am–6 pm CT. We are available by email Tuesday through Saturday.