Workshops
Past Workshops:
Spinning at Lentol Garden
Learn how to make handspun yarn at Lentol Garden! After preparing a local fleece on Wednesday, we will turn our beautiful wool into yarn using drop spindles. It’s a wonderful meditative craft perfect for fiber lovers of any kind. This event is free to attend and all materials will be provided.
Private support is provided by City Parks Foundation and Partnerships for Parks through the NYC Green Fund.
September 27th, 2025
3:30 - 5:30 PM
Lentol Community Garden
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Wool Processing at Lentol Garden
Stop by Lentol Garden to learn how to process a sheep fleece in preparation for the spinning workshop on Saturday! We will be skirting, washing, combing, and carding a beautiful fleece from Middle Brook Fiberworks in order to turn it into roving. Don’t know half of those words? No worries - I’ll teach you! Feel free to stay for the whole time or to just drop by for a few minutes.
This event is free to attend and all supplies will be provided. Private support is provided by City Parks Foundation and Partnerships for Parks through the NYC Green Fund.
September 24th, 2025
3:00 - 5:30 PM
Lentol Community Garden
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
July 26 - 28th. 2025
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sitka Center for Art and Ecology
Lincoln City, OR
Farm to Fiber
Join Julia Hames for a three-day workshop transforming a raw sheep fleece into beautiful handmade yarn and felt. Participants will start at square one, learning every step of the process to understand wool on a deeper level.
On the first day, using wool fresh off local sheep, we will skirt and scour it in order to make it clean and ready to work with. We will also explore dozens of other fiber types, and learn about what makes wool so special through its chemical makeup and characteristics. Participants will learn exactly what crimp, staple length, and micron count to look for when working on their next project.
On day two, we will transform our wool into vibrant colors using natural dyes like marigold and onion skins. Then, we will process our clean wool into roving using equipment like carders and combs. Participants will learn to spin the fibers into yarn using drop spindles, embracing the meditative rhythm of the craft.
By day three, we’ll bring the wool to life as a textile, with time to explore techniques like wet and needle felting, weaving, and knitting. Whether you're new to fiber arts or looking to deepen your skills, this workshop will allow you to become familiar with the wonderful practice of wool processing.
Felted Journals
Visiting Artist Julia Hames will be working with K-8 Create, Sitka’s youth arts program, to create felted journals for Nestucca Valley School District students grades K-8.
Students will learn all about fibers - what plants and animals they come from, what textures and properties they have, and what textiles they can be transformed into. Then, they will explore the fun and soapy process of wet felting to create their own colorful journal covers. They will use drop spindles to turn wool into yarn by themselves, to use as a cord binding the book together. Younger kids will decorate the journals with buttons and accessories, and older kids will needle felt designs on top.
July 21st - 23rd, 2025
Sitka Center for Art and Ecology at Nestucca K-8
Cloverdale, OR