November 13, 2021
Program and Workshops
The Artist:
Curiosity is what propels me. My fibre journey is a delicate balance between science and art. Research helps me to understand the intrinsic nature of my materials and practice helps me to improve upon the mechanics of skill. There is a point, however, where I must turn my mind off and allow my hands and intuition to guide me. I have had articles published in both Spin Off and PLY magazines. Other highlights in my journey include working with Treenway Silks where I was instrumental in the development of the Salt Spring Island Series, a line of hand-painted tussah silk roving and being the faculty member in charge of the Spinning and Dyeing Program at Place des Arts in Coquitlam, B.C. In 2019, I was invited by Diana Sanderson to join her team of weavers at The Silk Weaving Studio on Granville Island, Vancouver, Canada. As well as weaving I help to critique new spinning fibres sourced by Sanjo Silks and teach their on-line silk spinning workshops. In 2021, Felicia Lo invited me to teach at the School of SweetGeorgia (SOS), an online membership-based fibre arts school.
Guild Meeting/Program: Mulberry and non-mulberry silks
The word “silk” evokes thoughts of exotic lands and the most luxurious of fabrics. Kim’s interest in silk goes beyond its aesthetics. It emanates from a deep appreciation of silk’s long, colorful history, the recycle/reuse approach of producers, ensuring every bit of the crop is used, its biomedical applications, the biology of the silkworm, its life cycle and the silk gland’s synthesis of silk, and the sheer wonderment at the form and function of cocoons.
Whether spinning, dyeing or weaving, silk is a magnificent fiber to work with. The hand, the drape, how light glints along its gossamer strands and the way it takes up dye is unparalleled in the world of natural fibers. Many spinners and weavers are quite familiar with spun silks derived from the Mulberry silkworm which is more commonly known as Cultivated, Bombyx or Domesticated silk. But there are a host of other silks out there to explore. This program introduces the audience to several silks that warrant both a closer look and incorporation into their work. Kim will introduce us to: White and NCS Yellow Bombyx, Reeled silk, Silk noil, Mawata Silk Hankies, Muga, Tussah, Red and White Eri, and Peduncle Tasar.
Date/Time: November 13, 2021 10:30 AM (following Guild meeting)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Mini Workshop: Spinning Eri, Muga and Tussah silks
This workshop is suitable for all levels. Students must have a good working knowledge of their wheel and be able to confidently spin a continuous yarn. In this 3-hour mini-workshop students will learn how to set up their wheel to spin silk. Kim will help participants tweak their spinning method and share her tips and tricks for spinning three unique non-mulberry silk fibres: Muga, Eri and Tussah. Muga silk has a beautiful golden hue that becomes more gold with age. Eri silk comes from a fully domesticated non-mulberry silkworm. Eri fibre has a soft, cashmere-like hand and a pearlescent lustre that seems to glow from within. Depending upon its host food plant, the third silk we will work with ranges in color from pale golden honey colors to darker, richer browns. Kim’s favorite thing about spinning and weaving with natural-colored silks is how well they work with so many other colors, be they synthetically or naturally dyed.
Students can expect to learn more about the silkworms whose silk we will be spinning; how to set up their wheel for spinning silk; adjustments needed to their spinning technique to spin silk; and the instructor’s plying and yarn finishing methods for silk.
Date/Time: November 13, 2021 (1PM – 4PM)
Location: Class will be held live on Zoom
Mini Workshop Fee: Members: $30.00 Non-Members: $45.00
Student Materials fee: $14.00 Once you have registered, mail your check for $14.00 to
Kim McKenna
Unit 314
6490-194 Street
Surrey, British Columbia
Canada
V4N 6J9
She will email an invoice marked PAID once funds have been received. Participants should be sure to put her email (kim@claddaghfibrearts.com) in their contacts list so that her emails will not be directed to junk mail.
The kit includes: 20 grams of Muga; 20 grams of Tussah (temperate or tropical Tussah depending upon availability); 20 grams of Eri silk; tropical Tussah cocoon; 10 grams of combed Merino wool to help set wheel up for silk spinning and to introduce some nuances in technique
Student Supply List: Spinning wheel in good working order; spinning wheel accessories: orifice hook if your wheel needs one; minimum of 1 spinning wheel bobbin cleared of old projects, etc.; large smooth edged bowl to be used to hold pre-drafted sliver (not having to stop and start constantly to prepare the next roving helps to maintain spinning momentum and in turn improves the consistency of your handspun); silky smooth lap cloth. This will help keep the silk fiber tidy and intact during spinning.; permanent marker and baggies to keep samples in order; pen or pencil and note paper to take notes; index cards to make spin control cards (any size is fine); scissors
Please note this workshop concentrates on fiber prep and spinning of your singles. There is not time in this workshop to ply, therefore no plying equipment is required. However, the instructor will share and demonstrate her plying technique which will help you with plying after the workshop. In addition, she will share her techniques for finishing handspun wool/silk blends.
Extended Workshop: Honing Your Backward Worsted Draft
This workshop is suitable for all levels. Students must have a good working knowledge of their wheel and be able to confidently spin a continuous yarn. Please note this workshop is for adventuresome souls. The colorway package you receive will be luck of the draw as Kim is not able to accommodate special requests for colors.
In this one-day workshop Kim will help participants improve their spinning using a backward worsted draft twist. They will learn how the same draft twist can be used to create both firmer hardwearing handspun and lighter airy handspun yarns. In this workshop she also teaches her method for blending using handcards and/or blending board to create the smoothest possible wool/silk blends.
To sum it up in a nutshell, this workshop is about honing your backward worsted draft technique; how to spin a more consistent yarn; the nuances in fiber preparation and spinning technique which help us to spin our choice of harder wearing, dense yarns or lighter weight airy yarns; learning how to use your handcards and/or blending board to create the smoothest fiber preparation possible and tips and tricks for blending wool with silk.
Students can expect to learn how to use their blending boards (preferred) or handcards to create smooth wool/silk blends; techniques to create different fiber preps such as batts, rolags and roving; how choice of fiber prep affects the character of their handspun and, in turn, their knitted or woven fabric; how to set up their wheel for spinning both fine and thicker yarns; adjustments needed to their spinning technique to spin both fine and thicker yarns; how to spin using a backward worsted draft twist and the characteristics this twist method imparts to their yarn; the instructor’s plying and yarn finishing methods for silk/wool blends.
Date/Time: November 14, 2021 (10 AM – 5 PM)
Schedule:
9:45 am Zoom opens.
10 am – 12:15 pm Workshop, Series of exercises on backward worsted draft technique.
12:15 pm – 12:45 pm Lunch
12:45 pm Re-convene and people can tell us a bit about themselves. This is instead of introductions at the beginning of the day.
1:00 pm – 4:30 pm Workshop continues…how to achieve smooth wool silk blends using hand carders or blending boards, more spinning instruction
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm Discussion/Wind up
Location: Class will be held live on Zoom
Workshop Fee: Members: $75.00 Non-Members: $105.00
Student Materials fee: $48. Once you have registered, mail your check for $48.00 to
Kim McKenna
Unit 314
6490-194 Street
Surrey, British Columbia
Canada
V4N 6J9
She will email an invoice marked PAID once funds have been received. Participants should be sure to put her email (kim@claddaghfibrearts.com) in their contacts list so that her emails will not be directed to junk mail.
The materials included in this kit are a hand painted wool or wool/silk blend and a selection of natural colored silks. These are 10 grams of Merino wool to help set their wheels up for spinning silk/wool blends and to introduce some nuances in technique; 100 grams of hand-painted braid (braid will be either 100% wool or a wool/silk blend); 10 grams White Bombyx; 10 grams Yellow NCS Bombyx; Mulberry silk Cocoon; 10 grams Temperate Tussah;10 grams Tropical Tussah; Tropical Tasar Cocoon; 10 grams Muga silk; 10 grams Red Eri silk; 10 grams White Eri silk; 10 grams Silk/Flax blend;diz
Student Supply List: Spinning wheel in good working order; spinning wheel accessories: orifice hook if your wheel needs one; minimum of 1 spinning wheel bobbin cleared of old projects, etc.; blending board (preferred) or handcards; dowels. Two usually come with blending boards. These will be used to doff the fiber from the carding cloth in the form of rolags. Dowels are usually 18 inches long and about a 1/2” in diameter.; threader for the diz, such as a threaded darning needle or a small crochet hook. Please note the diz will be provided by the instructor.; large smooth edged bowl to be used to hold pre-drafted sliver (not having to stop and start constantly to prepare the next roving helps to maintain spinning momentum and in turn improves the consistency of your handspun); silky smooth lap cloth. This will help keep the silk fiber tidy and intact during spinning.; permanent marker and baggies to keep samples in order; pen or pencil and note paper to take notes; index cards to make spin control cards (any size is fine); scissors
Please note this workshop concentrates on fiber prep and spinning of your singles. There is not time in this workshop to ply, therefore no plying equipment is required. However, the instructor will share and demonstrate her plying technique which will help you with plying after the workshop. In addition, she will share her techniques for finishing handspun wool/silk blends.