John Pitblado

The Urban Craft Center- I'm teaching two classes

The Los Angeles has a wonderful new place for fiber interaction… The Urban Craft Center (www.theurbancraftcenter.com) and I am really looking forward to be teaching there in November and December.

The Urban Craft Center is in the artist loft area Santa Monica. CA. The space is a large, airy studio space filled with natural light from skylights. You will think you are in the studio of an Impressionist painter in Paris. It is stocked with tools, tables and a library of craft books, everything you need to get your creative juices flowing.

This is just what the LA craft world needed… a place to work and share.

My classes:

Saturday November 17^th 10 – 4pm

SPINNING A-Z

Everything you need to know spin. 

- Fiber primer- The spectrum of fibers we spin and where to find them.

- All the basics- All about spinning wheels, spindles and which tools do you really need?

- How to spin with a spindle.

- Carding and fiber preparation.

- Plying, skeining and finishing.

- Basic yarn design with color and texture.

Sunday December 16th 10- 4pm

HAND PAINTING YARNS AND BASIC DYEING WITH ACID DYES

Acid Dyes are essential to fiber artists. They are used to dye wool, silk and other protein fibers. We value them for their ease of use, vibrant color and safety. Learn the basics

We will start by learning near foolproof methods for creating great color combinations. Then into the dyepots to dye skeins in three different ways for three very different results.

Spin a Bulky Yarn at GLASG

Spin a Bulky Yarn at GLASG

On Saturday, April 28 I taught "Spin a Bulky Yarn" at the Greater Los Angeles Spinning Guild (GLASG).

Chamelon Colorworks supplied the fiber and Janel Laidman, the dye mistress and owner, sent fantastic colors!

First to the drumcarder to fluff up the roving and do simple color blendings. Then gather together as a group to talk about strategies to bulk up yarns... and start spinning!

The group was incredibly talented and their work was awesome! Thanks to all for attending. Check out the photo gallery for more pics.   

Wool Festival at Taos

I am so excited, I will be teaching three great classes at the Wool Festival at Taos! "Lumps, Bumps and Squiggles", a two day class, and "Bulky Singles" and "Garbage Yarns", both half day classes. The Event is October 6 and 7. Check out the link for all the great things to do and my class schedule. http://www.taoswoolfestival.org/

Demo at Stitch Cafe 2

pologies, my demo is March 1, 2007 at 6:30.... see you there!

Hedgehog yarns

Hedgehog yarns are magic! With a couple of the twists of the wrist you create a yarn that knits or crochets into a fantastic 3 dimensional yarn, reminicient of spikey hedgehogs, twigs or dredlocks. Lots of fun to use for a little fantasy critter, or a hat, mittens, or how about for a pair of socks?? 

Mohair Boucle

Mohair Boucle is Royalty in the Novelty Yarn world, and it is surprisingly easy to make. Learn the technique for spinning these showy yarns. In addition we will discuss how to choose the right mohair for boucle; washing and preparing it for spinning and dyeing and the basics for choosing perfect color combinations for dramatic effect.   

Color Effects with the Hand Cards

No need to haul out the drumcarder, students in this class students will use their hand cards to prepare wool rolags that spin yarns reminiscent of hand-painted Japanese yarns.

Spin a Bulky Yarn

Do you admire the softly spun chunky handspun yarns from Latin and South America? Remember when you first began to spin and were only spin a fat lumpy yarn then after learning to spin a fine smooth yarn and it was impossible to spin bulky? In this retreat session our students will learn skills and strategies of fiber preparation and methods for spinning that will help them regain their “bulky chops”.