This event has been cancelled due to the Ohio Department of Health’s Stay-At-Home order to prevent the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and flatten the curve of those who develop the COVID-19 disease.
Saturday, May 16, 2020 – 8:30 am-11:30 am
Cedar Ridge Lodge, Franklin County Metroparks
1775 Darby Creek Dr., Galloway
Click here for a map and directions.
We are so excited to welcome Esther Rodgers to Ohio for the first time!!
See all the photos!
This class is all about preparing fiber in a creative out of the box way. We’ll card batts, and rolags with drum carders and blending boards. We’ll comb fiber with hand combs and hackles, and diz off top (sometimes called roving, but it’s not and we’ll talk about why!!) We’ll look at layering and color blending. We’ll talk about the function of different tools, while still maintaining the well-being of the machine. Extra cool tips will be shared like how to card rolags on a drum carder, and how to diz roving off blending boards and drum carders. We’ll figure out how to prepare fibers to produce specific kinds of yarns, as well as layering texture.
No particular skills are needed if student just wants to learn fiber prep, however spinning or felting knowledge is encouraged.
Students should bring any fibers they’d like to card or comb and are encouraged to bring any fiber prep tools they own.
Multiple types of drum carders, blending boards, hand combs and an art roving hackles will be provided for students to use.
Included materials are assorted fiber for students to use.
The cost for this workshop is $95, which includes materials!
Registration for this workshop closes March 31!
Esther is a full time fiber artist from Mebane NC, known for her creative art yarns, and her unique fiber preparation. She is constantly innovating her spinning techniques to create new textures and is on the cutting edge in terms of yarn design. She loves to design and spin concept yarns from an inspiration and tell stories with her yarns. Esther is also a SAORI weaver and creative knitter which gives her the perspective of how these extra special yarns can be used. She challenges herself by creating garments and other items out of her yarns and woven cloth.
You can find Esther’s workshop schedule and peruse her tutorials and general chatter at
Esther is very conscious of where her fiber comes from, sourcing her wool from local and friendly farms, directly from wonderful shepherds with happy animals, and is often seen lugging, pulling and otherwise schlepping as many bags as she can manage from the fleece shows she visits. She is a master of packing fleeces into suitcases, boxes and otherwise figuring out how to get it all home since she “never plans to buy any”.
Esther is an enthusiastic and patient teacher; possessing both national and international teaching experience. She enjoys the adventure of traveling around, sharing her techniques and fun. Some of the events she has taught at include Iceland spinners group, MAFA, John C Campbell Folk School, Interweave YarnFest, PlyAway, New York Sheep and Wool (Rhinebeck), Southeastern Animal Fiber Festival (SAFF), Stitches South and Stitches Midwest and Majacraft Camp in New Zealand. She loves to challenge her students to embrace their design elements rather than “mistakes” and to learn from each new spin.
Esther has 2 new streaming videos out through Interweave Press, along with 2 Interweave videos- How to Spin Art Yarn and Carding and Combing wool for Color progressions. She also has a Craftsy class on Fiber Preparation for Spinning. Esther is a regular contributor to PLY, Spin Off and Handwoven magazines, and was included in Ashley Martineau’s 2013 book, “Spinning and Dyeing yarn” and , Lexi Boeger’s 2012 book “Handspun, New Spins on Traditional Techniques.”
www.jazzturtle.com . She also sells her yarn and fiber at www.jazzturtle.etsy.com .
What Esther’s Students say about her work:
“Really an excellent class and very knowledgeable teacher. Esther was patient and knew how to get the class going despite students being at different levels of experience. I am looking forward to taking more of her classes in the future.” ~ SAFF student, NC
“what an awesome workshop last saturday morning. I wish I could have stayed to take your tailspinning workshop too!! Kudos for being generous and confident and organized and spontaneous. Your class on color blending touched on so many topics and tools giving me lots to think about!” ~ Karen S., NY
“Esther’s class has given me permission to not follow rules, to fight the need to do what is expected. We are encouraged to trust our muse, to go blindly into the world of all things fiber and, to create great rolling strands. It’s worth doing again every couple of years just to give ourselves permission to play!” ~ Cynthia W. GA