Lambtown USA: Dixon, California

Lambtown USA - 2002


	Classes and Workshops: Lambtown 2011 will offer exciting classes in crochet, felting, knitting, spinning and other craft topics. Read below for detailed information on each class, and scroll down for a schedule of all classes and instructor bios. To register to attend a class at the upcoming Lambtown, USA festival in Dixon, CA on October 1, 2011 or workshop on October 2, 2011, Click here and print and mail the classes application. In each class description there is a listed class fee. Please mail this fee, along with a completed application, to: Lambtown Festival c/o Dana Foss Classes and Workshops Committee Chair 350 West A St. Dixon, CA 95620 Please remember to include your class fees, check made out to: "Dixon Lambtown Festival". Lambtown (LT) class details: 1. Saturday classes will be held in Madden Hall at the Dixon Fairgrounds near the Fiber Vendor area. Five classes will be offered during each time slot. These classes end at 10 minutes before the hour. 2. Sunday classes will be held at two farm locations outside Dixon. There are no other Lambtown activities at those sites or on that date. 3. Registration: Complete form and mail with a check made out to Dixon Lambtown Festival. Registration must be received by Saturday, September 25, 2010. (This is not a Postmark date.) 4. Classes will be cancelled if there is not a minimum of 3 students 1 week before LT, unless the instructor wishes to keep the class open. If the class is cancelled, money will be refunded to students. 5. Students may cancel and request refunds up to 2 weeks prior to Lambtown (September 18, 2010). 6. Lambtown will maintain waiting lists for filled classes. Waiting list students’ checks will be held without deposit until space is available, at which time they will be deposited. 7. On-site registration: Some instructors will accommodate walk-in students. LT will post a list showing which classes are full, which can take students, etc. Walk-in students will pay an additional $10 fee that goes to Lambtown. Class Descriptions Click here for a matrix of classes and lectures located in the Madden Hall Dining Room on Saturday. Click here for a matrix of classes and lectures located at local ranches on Sunday. SATURDAY CLASSES Saturday 9:00-10:50 A-1 Fiber Blending on the Drum Carder(2 hours) Keena Golden Class description: BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Students will create a blended batt for spinning using multiple fibers and colors. Introduce techniques for basic carding and different techniques for blending fibers. Students will experiment with these techniques and leave the class with several small batts. Materials will be included in the cost of the class to complete about two ounces of batts depending on carder size. Cost: $50 Experience: None Materials to bring: Drum carder (if you have one) and tools along with any specific fibers you wish to experiment with. Extra carders will be available for you to share if you don’t have your own. Class size limited to: 12 Saturday 11:00-1:50 A-2 Nuno Felting(2 hours) Linda Partsch Class description: Nuno is Japanese for cloth. In the early 1990’s Polly Stirling developed the technique of adhering wool to a sheer ‘backing‘ making lightweight fabric - wearable art. We will be using this technique to create awesome fabric. All materials needed will be provided. Just bring some of your goodies to embellish your work. Wear clothes you will not mind getting wet. Experience: None Maximum class size: 12 Students bring: 2 - 4 ozs feltable wool; Embellishments - silk ribbon, novelty yarn, lace, etc.; Rubber gloves, bath towel & hand towel, plastic garbage bag; Optional -- spray bottle, small bucket, hand cards, apron. Class fee & materials: $50 plus materials fee of $25 Instructor will provide: Portable felting kit, wools, carded batts, embellishments, pre-felt in different colors, backing materials. Detailed handouts include techniques, materials suppliers, and book list Saturday 9:00-10:50 B-1 Beginning Top-Whorl Spindle (This is the same class as B-4)(2 hours) Julie Johnson Class description: This workshop is a look into the wonderful world of drop spinning. Each student will be given a drop spindle along with some clean fiber to learn each step of the drop spinning process from drafting the wool to spinning the yarn, and finishing off with plying your yarn readying it for your next knitting or crocheting project. Cost: $ 50 Experience: None Materials to bring: None Class size limited to: 10 Saturday 11:00-12:50 B-2 Spinning Funky Yarns(2 hours) Debra Krup Class description: Don't spin boring yarn , learn to spin designer yarns - it's easy! You will learn tips on carding assorted fibers, flash, locks and curls into batts to spin luscious soft yarns with pizzaz and sparkle! Plying techniques to turn bland to bling and also spin locks into awesome curly natural poodle-ee yarns. Cost: $ 50 Experience: None Class size limited to: 10 Saturday 1-2:50 B-3 Beginning Top-Whorl Spindle (This is the same class as B-1)(2 hours) Julie Johnson Class description: This workshop is a look into the wonderful world of drop spinning. Each student will be given a drop spindle along with some clean fiber to learn each step of the drop spinning process from drafting the wool to spinning the yarn, and finishing off with plying your yarn readying it for your next knitting or crocheting project. Cost: $ 50 Experience: None Materials to bring: None Class size limited to: 10 Saturday 9:00-10:50 C-1 Beginning Wheel Spinning(2 hours) Lizette Hopkins Class description: Come experience the art of making yarn. We will start with spinning sticks and progress to a drop spindle and then try a spinning wheel. Imagine making yarn for pennies an ounce. Stash enhancing in tough economic times means spinning your own yarn. Cost: $45 Experience: No experience necessary. Materials to bring: Students should bring their wheel and all its parts. No need to bring anything else unless you have any of the above mentioned items. Class size limited to: 8 Saturday 11:00-12:50 C-2 Beginning Knitting(2 hours) Lizette Hopkins Class description: In this class we will learn the very basics of knitting by making a basket-weave washcloth. Techniques to learn: Long Tail Cast-on, Knit Stitch, Purl Stitch, Basic Bind-off. We will also cover the basics of gauge and pattern/yarn matching. Supplies included: wooden short straight needles, cotton yarn for washcloth, pattern, yarn needle. Cost: $45 Experience: No experience necessary. Materials to bring: Notebook and writing utensil. Class size limited to: 8 Saturday 1:00-2:50 C-3 Intermediate Spinning: What's Next? (2 hours) Keena Golden Class description: How do you move from simply spinning a continuous yarn to spinning the yarn you really want? What can you do with all those fantastic fibers available at the Fiber Festival Market? In this class we will explore different types of fiber preparations and ways to spin them. From smooth, fine worsteds, to soft fluffy woolens, learn what both you and you wheel can do. Create yarns that are both a delight to spin and beautiful to look at and use. We will discuss fiber preparations, different drafting techniques and tricks you can use to get your wheel to spin the yarn of your dreams! Students should be able to spin on a wheel, but no other skills are needed. This class will get you to the next step. Please bring your wheel and all its parts, plus any fibers that you would like to discuss and explore. Generous fiber samples will be provided. Cost: $50 Experience: No experience necessary. Materials to bring: Notebook and writing utensil. Class size limited to: 10 Saturday 3:00 - 4:50 C-4 Spinning Art and Novelty Yarn(2 hours) Lizette Hopkins Class description: In this class you will learn to spin your own 'one of a kind' yarn. Spin and ply a variety of yarn, card funky batts, spin with beads, bobbles and buttons "Oh My". Create art yarn from your own stash (to make room for more). Use these yarns for knitting, weaving, crochet or felting as an embellishment for garments or home accessories. Cost: $65 Experience: Minimal. Must be able to spin with a wheel. Materials to bring: any yarn from your stash, metallic threads (sewing or crochet), beads, buttons, costume jewelry bits (earrings, pendants). Instructor will provide wheels or bring your own (a large orifice is very helpful). Class size limited to: 8 Saturday 9:00-10:50 D-1 Weaving on the Rigid Heddle Loom (Beginner & Experienced)(2 hours) Robin Lynde Class description: This is two rigid heddle classes in one! If you are a beginner you will learn about the rigid heddle loom and start with plain weave, moving onto more advanced techniques as able. Students who have some weaving experience you will go beyond plain weave to pick-up techniques including warp and weft floats, lace, honey comb, and mock waffle. You will learn how to make string heddles to facilitate weaving some of the pick-up patterns. We have only 2 hours so looms will be warped ahead of time. You will spend all of your class time weaving and you will take home a sampler. An additional instructor will help so that we can accommodate beginners as well as advanced students. Cost: $60 Experience:None necessary Materials to bring: Scissors, tape measure. If you have a rigid heddle loom and want to bring it contact instructor for warping instructions. The loom must be warped and ready to weave when you get to class. Class size limited to: 12. Must pre-register. No walk-ins. Saturday 11:00 - 12:50 D-2 How to Market Your Products(2 hours) Shane Faerber Class description: In this class we will learn the very basics of market your hand made products. Labels, intenet sales, shows and more. Cost: $50 Experience: No experience necessary. Materials to bring: Notebook and writing utensil. Class size limited to: 8 Saturday 1:00 - 2:50 D-3 CARD WEAVING OR AS IT IS SOMETIMES CALLED TABLET WEAVING(2 hours) Conrad T. Tracy Class Description: This craft has been practiced for many centuries. It has been traced back to 4000 BC. It is believed that it was first developed by the Egyptians but this point is not completely proven. There are a variety of directions for doing card weaving but I will be sticking to an American method. Card weaving is limited to weaving narrow fabrics or bands. Some suggestion for use of these bands are sandal straps, bell-pulls, Venetian blind pull, belts, hat-bands, pack-straps, decorations on clothes, bags, etc. This will be a hands on class. Experience: None Maximum class size: 10 Students bring: Class fee & materials: $50 Saturday 3:00 - 4:50 D-4 LEARN TO SPIN SILK! with Debra Taylor This workshop requires a materials fee and advanced registration. Class Description: Silk is a luxery fiber that can be intimidating! Learn how to prepare and spin this lovely fiber into beautiful yarns for your projects. Wheels and silk will be provided. Class size limited. Time permitting, other luxery fibers will be introduced and you will be able to try them too! Experience: None Maximum class size: 10 Students bring: Class fee & materials: $15 Saturday 9:00 - 10:50 E-1 KNITTING PROJECTS USING SMALL AMOUNTS of HANDSPUN (2 Hours) Angela Davis Description: Bring your bits and bobs of leftover handspun and/or other odds and ends of leftover animal fiber yarn and learn to knit wrist warmers, a stuffed, felted bunny or lamb, cat toys, coasters, a scrap hat, an eclectic shawl, and a Magic Ball! We will discuss adapting patterns to use the amount of yarn you have, using different weights of yarn in the same project, and how to easily join shorter lengths using the spit-splice method and the Russian Join. We will provide a resource list for patterns for other fun small projects, a Felting 101 sheet, and lots of other helpful information for future small projects too. Skill Level: Must be able to long-tail cast on, knit, purl, K-2TOG, SSK, and bind off. Materials: Please bring a few fist-sized balls of handspun or commercial wool, lots of bits and bobs of leftover animal fiber yarn, some novelty yarn, bits of ribbon, whatever you can put together to make a nice little grab-bag to work with in class. An assortment of knitting needles in sizes that will work with your yarn. Also, please bring your basic knitting notions (scissors, tape measure or ruler, small crochet hook, tapestry needle, something to take notes with). Instructor will supply: handouts and some surprises. Class size Limit: 10 Class fee & materials: $50 Saturday 11:00 - 12:50 E-2 LONG DRAW SPINNING (2 Hours) Jean Franklin Class description: Do you have sliver or roving piling up? Would you like to turn that into wonderful warm woolen yarn ? Have you heard the phrase "LONG DRAW " and wondered how its done? well this class is for you. Experience: None Materials to bring: Bring your well oiled wheel with gentle tension and prepare yourself for a new technique. Instructor will supply: fibers and handouts. Instructor may have wheels to borrow if you do not have one, but they are available first come, first served. Class fee: $35 Class size Limit: 10 Saturday 1:00 - 2:50 E-3 KNITTIN’ MITTENS on TWO CIRCULAR NEEDLES (2 Hours) Angela Davis Class Description: Description: Mittens are a fun, quick, useful project. This method makes them even easier as two circular needles means fewer corners to turn. We will knit a mitten from the cuff down in class, ribbing, creating a gusset (with the easiest M1 increase ever!), discussing decreasing the top in a rounded shape or the traditional pointed shape and how to embellish your finished mitten with embroidery if you’d like. We will also discuss knitting mittens two-at-a-time on two circular needles. Mittens make great gifts for men, women, and children. They are also a great way to use up small amounts of handspun. So come enjoy Knittin’ Mittens! Skill Level: Must be able to long-tail cast on, knit, purl, K-2TOG, SSK, and bind off. Materials: About 220 yards of worsted weight wool, 2 size 6 (US) 24” circular knitting needles (it is best to have two identical circs with straight tips as opposed to the angled ones). Some contrasting worsted weight yarn for fun. Also, please bring your basic knitting notions (scissors, tape measure or ruler, small crochet hook, tapestry needle, something to take notes with). Instructor will supply: handouts and some surprises. Class fee: $50 Class size Limit: 10 Saturday 3:00 - 4:50 E-4 TWIST ENERGY with Jean Franklin Class description: Deliberately spinning as in "over spun". What marvelous things can be accomplished when you know what a wonderful technique this can be for the adventurous! Class size Limit: 20 Experience: None Materials to bring: Instructor will supply: fiber and handouts. Class fee: $35 SUNDAY WORKSHOPS Sunday 9:00-11:00 M-2 TOOLS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL MARKETING OF YOUR FIBER(2 hours) Gabrielle Menn Class description: This class provides a proven step-by-step strategy for marketing your products from your animals. How can I decide what my raw fiber should become? How should it be processed? What will sell? How do I approach local shops about carrying my products? What prices should I charge? What about co-ops or consignments? How important is an inventory list? This information will help you get the greatest dollar return out of your fiber! Cost: $30 Experience: None Materials to bring: none Class size limited to: 12 LOCATION: Meridian Jacobs, 7811 N. Meridian Rd., Vacaville, CA 95688 Sunday 9:00-12:00 M-2 Sheep Handling and Management Robin Lynde Class description: Do you want to raise your own fiber sheep but don’t know where to start? Class will include discussion of feeding, pasture management, wool management, breeding, and lambing, as well as information about breeds of sheep and wool type. Get hands-on experience in low-stress handling techniques and halter breaking. Cost: $55 Experience: None Materials to bring: Wear long pants and close-toed shoes. Wear shoes that can get dirty. Class size limited to: 15 LOCATION: Meridian Jacobs, 7811 N. Meridian Rd., Vacaville, CA 95688 Sunday 9:00-1:00 R-2 Drum Carding a Batt and Spinning Novelty Yarns Janet Heppler Class description: In this class you will learn to Create a batt on a drum carder from a variety of fibers(silk, wool, mohair, angora) and then spin this batt into yarn. We will look at different techniques to create a one of a kind yarn and the use and care of a drum carder. We will then move on to spinning Boucle's and Novelty yarns. We will explore Boucle's ,bead yarn , feathers, and tail spinning. Each Student will receive one batt included in the class fee. Extra fiber will be available for sale. Cost: $65 Experience: Must be able to spin a plied yarn. Materials to bring: buttons , beads, Thread, feathers. Any fiber that you would like to experiment with. Your own Spinning Wheel. Contact Instructor if you need a wheel. Class size limited to: 10 LOCATION: Royal Fibers, 9341 Currey Road, Dixon, CA 95620 Sunday 9:00 am - 4 pm R-3 Knitting in Color Melissa Harris Class description: In this class, you will be introduced to knitting with more than one color. We will cover both Intarsia and Stranded Knitting (such as Fair Isle) techniques and an introduction to following charted color knitting patterns. There will also be information given on aesthetic considerations when working with color in the fiber arts. Cost: $56 Prerequisites: Basic knitting ability (comfortable with knit, purl, cast on, bind off - able to listen while knitting a plus!) Materials needed: Knitting Needles for working with worsted weight yarn - american size 7, 8 or 9 straight or circular knitting needles for knitting flat, plus either a second circular or double pointed needles for knitting in the round, stitch markers, scissors, post-it pad, pencil and paper. Optional: darning needle, stitch holders, knitting bobbins. Instructor will supply worsted weight wools of multiple colors, charts, handouts. LOCATION: Royal Fibers, 9341 Currey Road, Dixon, CA 95620 Sunday 9:00 am - 5 pm R-2 RAINBOW DYE WORKSHOP: with Nancy Finn, of Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks Class description:The first portion of this workshop will begin by exploring a complete color wheel, including tints, shades, tones, and an understanding of the process required to achieve specific results. Explore combining these aspects of the color wheel and design your own colorways. Nancy will share her color expertise with you and guide you toward a more colorful existence in your own work. The second half of the workshop (time permitting) will include space dyeing. Please see information below if you bring your own fiber or yarn from your stash. All materials must be pre-scoured. Nancy will have fiber available for sale. Cost: $50 Prerequisites: Materials needed: $20 materials fee Bring an apron or wear old clothes A set of measuring spoons Rubber gloves Notebook and pen Small recycled containers (yoghurt, etc.) Yarn or fiber from your stash, must be scoured, yarn NO MORE than 4 oz., tied in 4 places with figure 8 ties. Fiber should be no more than 2 oz. Yarn or fiber can be a color: gray, brown, beige, etc. These colors make interesting over-dyes. Color inspiration: picture or ad from a magazine, a piece of fabric, yarn, a feather, or a rock can all be color inspriations. Class size limited to: 20 LOCATION: Royal Fibers, 9341 Currey Road, Dixon, CA 95620 Sunday 10:00-2:00 R-4 Build Your Wardrobe From Local Resources(4 hours) A Class For Living in Your Fibershed: Rebecca Burgess Class description: Come and see a presentation on the 150 mile wardrobe: Learn about the fibers and dye plants that are needed to make your own local clothing. We will sample a local color palate in our own homemade dye vats-- and test out some of the local fibers from nearby ranches. This class will help us understand the resources of our own backyards and greater communities--- helping us to simplify our lives, by simplifying our wardrobes. Cost: $50 Experience: None Materials to bring: Class size limited to: 10 LOCATION: Royal Fibers, 9341 Currey Road, Dixon, CA 95620 Sunday 1:00 pm - 3 pm M-5 Needle Felt a Pet Robin Lynde Class description: Learn the fun craft of needle felting by creating a delightful wool pet. Needle felting in 3-D is like sculpting for fiber enthusiasts! You will learn the needle felting techniques necessary to create a small animal. You may choose from any of a couple dozen delightful Wool Pets kids (bunny, sheep, horse, mice, frogs, etc). The price of the class includes one kit and one foam pad. Each kit contains enough fiber to needle felt at least 2 or 3 pets so you will be able to create more animals at home. Even though you may make more than one animal from the same kit, you will find that each can be unique in it's posture, expression, and use of color. The skills you learn will enable you to use your own fiber to create a myriad of other animals. The only limitation is your imagination! Cost: $55 Experience: None Materials to bring: Scissors. Anyone under the age of 12 must bring an adult to work with them. (Felting needles are sharp.) Class size limited to: 10 LOCATION: Meridian Jacobs, 7811 N. Meridian Rd., Vacaville, CA 95688 About Our Instructors Rebecca Burgess website: Rebecca Burgess Rebecca founded Ecologicalarts in 2005, an organization dedicated to creating, reviving, and teaching textile art forms that utilize botanical resources in a manner that promotes the health and regenerative processes of the ecosystem. She teaches native and naturalized plant natural dye workshops, and classes for schools, and a wide-array of organizations. She has written an educational curriculum on restoration dye gardening, which was honed during a three-year sojourn at the Lagunitas School in West Marin. Rebecca has studied the sustainable fiber and natural dye production processes of native communities both in Indonesia, Thailand, Lao, and California. Learning from these traditional artisans inspired the fibershed model—which is currently being honed into a working template in Rebecca’s homeland region of Northern California. Nancy Jane Campbell Nancy Jane Campell (Campbell Creations) is a CYAC certified instructor, designing and teaching for nearly 30 years, and an avid knitter for 52 of her 57 years. Currently teaching at Auburn Needleworks in Auburn, California (her classes are nearly always packed and often waiting listed), her philosophy is to make knitting easy, make it fun, AND make it (and what you are knitting) work. Nancy truly believes in Elizabeth Zimmerman’s philosophy that knitting without tears is the only way to go. Rebecca Detrick Rebecca Detrick is the former owner of Knitter's Playground yarn shop in Davis, Ca. When not knitting or crocheting, she can be found chasing her 3 beautiful children around the house. Knitter's Playground Angela Davis Angela Davis, a Craft Yarn Council of America certified hand knitting instructor, is a popular guest teacher at yarn shops, fiber festivals, and conferences, including Sock Summit, TNNA, and Black Sheep Gathering. She has taught knitting on European and Japanese tour buses, started a knitting-for-charity club at a notorious inner-city high school in Los Angeles, and has knitted props for the television show Mad Men. Angela recently relocated to Durham, California with her husband and three sons, teaches classes up and down the west coast, and loves teaching knitters who spin, spinners who knit, and anyone who knits to feel a connection with previous generations. Marlie de Swart website: Black Mountain Weavers Marlie has lived in Bolinas for close to two decades. After a career in computer software, she came back to the fiber arts of her youth. She learned to spin from her mother in Holland and has taught spinning for the last ten years. Marlie has degrees from the Sorbonne in Paris, Occidental College, and has studied at the Art Center College of Design. Marlie owns and runs Black Mountain Artisans in Point Reyes Station, a local Marin artist cooperative focused on fiber arts and specializing in the wares of local hand spinners. Nancy Finn Nancy Finn is the owner of Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks, where she dyes natural fibers in a rainbow of colors. As a dyer, Nancy Finn has perfected her dyeing techniques and has an amazing sense of color. She has become a nationally renowned instructor and is published in many weaving and fiber publicaitons. One of the real joys of attending a fiber festival is seeing products that you can't otherwise find in stores or online. Nancy Finn's Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks is one such example. Despite her lack of a Web presence or storefront, Nancy has developed a large and loyal following for her truly exquisite hand-dyed fibers and yarns. "Knitter's Review" wrote of her booth at the Nwe York State Sheep and Wool Show, "I was particularly taken with her dyed silk "hankies," square-shaped layers of silk cocoons that you separate (one by one), elongate, and knit as yarn." Nancy sells dyed and undyed Spinning fibers, natural dyed yarns, handspun yarns, and sells the fibers, spinning wheels, hand turned drop spindles and other spinner's and weaver's tools. Her studio at 1700 Hilltop Dr., Willits, CA 95490 is open to the public by appointment. Call Nancy Finn at (707) 459-8558 or email her at nancyscrd@saber.net to schedule your visit of this exquisite shop. Stephanie Gaustad Author, dyer, spinner, weaver and illustrator, Stephanie Gaustad teaches across the United States and Canada. "After 35 years, I still dream fabric and love to spin. Every choice is an opportunity to learn." she says. She and her husband partner Alden Amos, live in the Sierra foothills and make textile equipment. website: http://pweb.jps.net/~gaustad Keena Golden A hand spinner and weaver for 20 years, Keena Golden has explored many aspects of the craft. Trained as a professional costume designer, she was drawn to spinning and weaving to learn more about the creation of textiles in a historic context. Focusing on color and texture allows her to bring out the unique qualities of handspun yarn and create textiles that are beautiful and personally meaningful. Winner of the Best Spinner Contest at Lambtown Sheep and Wool Festival in 2008 and 2009. Winner of Best Textile in Show in 2009 at Lambtown for a handspun Merino and Bamboo Leno Lace scarf woven on a rigid heddle loom. Also won Best in Show in a previous year for a skein of spindle spun hand dyed Blue Faced Leicester along with numerous other ribbons and awards at events throughout the region. Melissa Harris Melissa Harris has been involved in fiber arts for 30+ years. She learned to knit from her Welsh Grandmother and later became interested in spinning and dyeing in the late 1970's. Melissa took a refresher course ten years later and worked for Straw Into Gold and Crystal Palace Yarns, where she discovered that helping others with their knitting and spinning was as rewarding as working on her own projects. She received her MFA in 1994, from the San Francisco Art Institute and taught Photography from 1991 to 2001, before leaving the Bay Area to settle in (extreme) Northeastern California, where she lives with her family and various animals, (none of whom are currently sporting spin-able coats). Melissa has been teaching knitting, spinning and rigid heddle weaving at Warner Mountain Weavers for 8 years and is the resident knitting troubleshooter. She judged the Fiber Arts Competition at Black Sheep Gathering in 2010 and co-judged the Sheep to Shawl with Bonnie Chase, owner of Warner Mountain Weavers. Melissa and Bonnie are both 4-H leaders in Fiber Arts and have taught Spinning, Dyeing, Knitting, Weaving and Felting for the last 4 years to a new generation of Fiber Fanatics. Janet Heppler Janet Heppler has been involved with fiber and fiber animals for over 30 years. A weaver and Spinner, she lives in Mendocino County on a farm with her family. and raises Merino Sheep, Angora Goats, and Angora Rabbits All of which produce a rainbow of different colors and gorgeous hand spinning wool, mohair and fur. She has given demonstrations and taught various classes at the different fiber events. She has won many awards for her novelty yarns and Handspinner Fleeces at the different county fairs, Black Sheep Gathering and Lambtown. Her Business is Nebo-Rock Textiles. Lizette Hopkins website: www.SpinGlitz.com Lizette returns to Lambtown to teach her popular Art and Novelty yarn class. A designer, award winning fiber artist, and teacher, Lizette believes all things are possible with encouragement and has a friendly, upbeat and enthusiastic teaching style. Winner of the Novelty Yarn division in The Best Spinner Contest at Lambtown Sheep and Wool Festival 2007 and 2009. Julie Johnson Julie Johnson of the Kev-Lis ranch currently raising and caring for goats, sheep, and llama: I have been spinning since 1992. I began with a bottom whorl drop spindle then moved on to the wheel and for the past 10 years I have been teaching others with a top whorl. The use of my own pocket drop spindle makes it easy for me to spin almost anywhere. At the age of two I began teaching my daughter and now at the age of 12 she teaches with me as we share this hobby. Robin Lynde Website: Meridian Jacobs Robin Lynde, owner of Meridian Jacobs, describes her job as “farmer and weaver and everything in between”. She raises Jacob sheep and markets their wool from fiber to finished products. She is an accomplished weaver and sells her handwovens at The Artery in Davis. Robin also teaches spinning, weaving, and dying classes at the farm studio and around California. Gabrielle Menn Since 1997, Gabrielle has been raising sheep and alpacas with her mother, Cheryl Woods of Fanfare Farms. Raising the animals and spinning a variety of fibers has given Gabrielle a unique perspective on what is desirable in a yarn and which yarns are best suited for specific end uses. She is never short on ideas when it comes to fiber projects. Her knitting bag goes wherever she does, though her specialties are hand spinning and weaving. She has a very out-going personality and loves to share her enthusiasm for fiber. She is a Certified Camelid Fiber Sorter/Grader and owns FiberWise Mill in Vacaville, CA. Gabrielle is also a past-President of Lambtown and the first Lambtown National Spinning Competition winner. Leslie Samson Leslie Samson lives in Ontario, Canada, has a B.A.in Fine Arts. She has been an Angora rabbit breeder for 30 years and is a founding member and Past President of IAGARB (International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders). She has been published in numerous magazines, including Spin-Off, and was featured in Country Woman Magazine. She teaches felting and other fiber classes all over the world. Website: http://www.lesliesamson.com Conrad Tracy He didn’t know it but he got interested in spinning and weaving as a child of 8 to 10 years old. There were two contraptions in the summer kitchen on his grandparents farm (his mother’s parents). He pestered his mother to tell me what they were and how they worked. She never did, But, she taught him how to embroidery. She also taught him the fundamentals of crocheting. HeI worked at these two skills until he was called a sissy. Throughout his life Conrad dabbled in crafts, woodworking, carving, embroidering, crocheting, macramé, etc. When he was serving with the military north of the artic circle he crocheted an afghan for his bed (green and white). It wasn’t until after he retired from a career as an electronic engineer and moved to Placerville that he really got interested in weaving and spinning. His partner Renee Tully was a knitter. She couldn’t find the yarn she wanted so they got into sheep raising. They both took classes in spinning and weaving. Right now Conrad is perfecting his skills in card weaving and braiding. .