WORKSHOP TITLE:
SPINNING ERI AND TUSSAH SILK
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Join Kim McKenna for this one day exploration into the fascinating world of two wild silk species, Samia ricini and Antheraea pernyi (also known respectively as eri and tussah silk). Indulge your senses as you spin colourful indie-dyed handpainted eri and tussah sliver. In its natural state, eri is a creamy white coloured silk with a soft pearlescent sheen. This wild silk is almost as fine as Bombyx, making it an ideal choice for wool/silk blends. Tussah is a soft honey gold colour. Of all the wild silks, this wild silk species is the most like Bombyx in hand, drape and lustre.
In this workshop you will learn:
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how to prepare and spin eri and tusaah to give you more control over the grist, density and characters of your singles
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how to create different colour effects when using handpainted silk sliver
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how to create wool/silk blends that are a dream to spin
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the subtle adjustments required to both your wheel and spinning techniques to spin eri and tussah silk
MATERIALS FEE: $36.00 – Your curated materials kit contains:
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10g natural coloured tussah
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10g natural white eri
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25g of tussah handpainted silk sliver
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25g of customed dyed eri silk sliver (dyed by Diana Sanderson of The Silk Weaving Studio on Granville Island)
INSTRUCTOR BIO
Curiosity is what propels my fibre journey. I like the challenge of finding innovative and better ways to use my equipment to make them multi-functional and more efficient. I constantly strive to improve my spinning skills and enjoy finding interesting ways to use my handspun in my work.
I am happiest when my hands are busy. For me, a pair of woollen wrist warmers is just as special as a luxurious silk shawl.
Over the years I have published several articles in both Spin Off and Ply magazines. My most recent publications are:
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Minor Key Mitts: Blending for the Northman Mittens, Spin Off web article. November, 2024.
https://spinoffmagazine.com/minor-key-mitts-blending-for-the-northman-mittens/
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An Artist’s Approach to Carding Color: Build Palettes with Value Keys. Spin Off Magazine Winter, 2025..
I teach regularly through SweetGeorgia Yarns, both in-person as well as online through the School of SweetGeorgia. I also teach through classes and retreats for The Silk Weaving Studio. You can follow me on my website (claddaghfibrearts.com) and Instagram (@claddaghfibrearts).
# OF PARTICIPANTS IN WORKSHOP - 10
Available Now - 10