09:00 - 12:00 

Workshop 1 Botanical Dyeing (Rita Trafford) 

Natural Dye Workshop:

Learn about hand-dyeing wool with local botanicals from your kitchen, garden, and the South African landscape. Nature has an abundance of pigments so very suitable for dyeing wool.

In the 3-hour workshop, we will discuss the preparation of wool, and how to obtain the maximum color with gentle extraction from botanicals using water and electricity sparingly. We will talk about mordants, modifiers, great botanical dyes, and disappointing ones to avoid. 

Each participant will dye a DK (double knit weight) 100g woolen skein PLUS they will each receive a gorgeous 'To Dye For' DIY kit containing 4 x 20g skeins of mordanted DK wool, notes, recipes, and locally foraged botanicals. 

From this kit, we will dye 2 of the mini-skeins. 

This workshop delivers clear concise information for long-lasting successful results in your natural dye journey.

Participants will leave with one completed 100g dyed skein plus 2 mini-skeins that will continue soaking up the colour in their little jars. 

What Participants need to bring:

•Pen and notebook

Skill required:

• none

• suitable for beginners

Age level:  

•16 years and older 

 Cost R1 150  per person 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

09:00- 12:30

Workshop 2: Cut Out Wet Felting Master Class (Stephanie Bentum)

 The workshops will be focusing on laying the wool to create “cut outs” using the wet felting technique. This technique involves preparing the direction of the wool to be placed on a grid to achieve the final pattern desired.
Anyone above the age of 18 years old is welcome.
Please wear Wellingtons or waterproof non-slip shoes.

Waterproof aprons will be provided.

The participants get to keep what they make.
1 Liter Liquid Soap
400 grams of wool tops sponsored by Paul Lynch, Standard Wool.

3 People per workshop x 2 workshops at 2.5 Hours each 

9h00 – 12h30
13h00 – 16h30

We will be making runners/scarves of approximately 55 cm x 2 meters long. 

Cost per person R1 200

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14:00- 17:00 

 Workshop 1 Wet Felting (Karen Platte & Mignon Hattingh) 

The workshop is designed at the beginner felter or a refresher workshop of skills.

You will learn to apply the layering of wool, the shrinkage of wool and basic surface design with a touch of needle felting.

The end piece will be either a small purse, glass case cover or a book cover.

What to bring:

2 hand towels

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13:00 - 16:30 

Workshop 2: Cut Out Wet Felting Master Class (Stephanie Bentum)

 The workshops will be focusing on laying the wool to create “cut outs” using the wet felting technique. This technique involves preparing the direction of the wool to be placed on a grid to achieve the final pattern desired.
Anyone above the age of 18 years old is welcome.
Please wear Wellingtons or waterproof non-slip shoes.

Waterproof aprons will be provided.

The participants get to keep what they make.
1 Liter Liquid Soap
400 grams of wool tops sponsored by Paul Lynch, Standard Wool.

3 People per workshop x 2 workshops at 2.5 Hours each 

9h00 – 12h30
13h00 – 16h30

We will be making runners/scarves of approximately 55 cm x 2 meters long. 

Cost per person R1 200

Whole Day Workshop : 10:00 - 17:00  

Weaving Your Own Scarf (Rita Trafford) 

This full day introduces you to the wonderful meditative rhythm of

 weaving. Creating a gorgeous scarf from botanically dyed South African wool. 

 We will be weaving with 3 colours of double knit wool using a knitters loom(almost identical to a rigid heddle loom) We will be setting up the warp for the loom and then to weave soonest. This is not a day of theory or yarn calculations. It is a day to experience the joy of weaving and to complete a  30x180cm scarf.  Absolutely no prior weaving experience is needed only the personal desire to weave your very own woolen scarf. You will be guided and helped through out the day and should the weaving bug bite I'll have details to  superb online weaving teachers, books and advise on purchasing looms.

The looms and I will also be available on Saturday at the Show should you need an extra hour or to complete your scarf.

Participants will leave with a completed 30x180cm woven scarf that can be adjusted to make a snood.

What Participants need to bring:

• A desire and or a curiosity to weave a completed scarf.

• gentleness

Skill required:

• none

• suitable for beginners

Age level:

• it's a full day saturated in weaving.

• 18 years and older

Limited to 8 people. 

Cost R1850p/p

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

09:00 - 12:00 

Workshop 1:  Botanical Printing of Wool (Botanical Nomad - Ira Bekker) 

Botanical Printing on Wool

Discover how this wonderful process can be used to create your own unique variegated yarn. In the workshop we will work with a luscious merino mohair yarn from Stucken Yarns as well as a variety of eucalyptus leaves to bring splashes of colour to our yarn.  While the bundles of yarn and plants are steaming in the pot we will talk about Local Colour, what it is, why it is important and how we can discover more local colour around us through solar dyeing and botanical printing. While the yarn is steaming in the pot we will go for a walk and forage little bits of local plants for a raw silk test strip botanical print.

Go home with a beautifully printed 100gr skein of merino/mohair yarn and a sweet little raw silk test strip printed with local Karoo bossies.

Limited to 10 people. 

Cost R650p/p

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14:00 - 17:00 

Workshop 2: Needle Punching with Wool (Handson) 

Needle Punching with Wool 

The workshop is aimed at adults but teenagers are welcome too .

I will discuss all aspects of Punch Needling including fabrics, yarns and Punch Needle tools, the history and todays trends of this popular craft.

I will demonstrate different stitches for everyone to practice before we start on the actual project.

Each participant will receive a punch needle tool, an embroidery hoop with stretched Monks cloth already attached as well as various woollen yarns and cottons with which to complete their project. I will also provide notes and written instructions.

There will be a variety of designs to choose from 

The only requirement is that participants bring a pair of embroidery scissors to the workshop 

At the end of the workshop, participants will have a good knowledge of how to Punch and will have the tools to continue at home.

I will also have kits available to purchase

Items that can be made using the  Punch needle method includes, rugs, wall hangings, cushion covers, place mats, table runners, handbags, toys, etc. Design and colours are varied depending on individual taste and style.

Limited to 12 people 

Cost: R750 p/p

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Workshop 2 : Needle Felting (Karen Platte & Mignon Hattingh) 

This class is designed for inexperienced felters, or anyone wanting to refresh their skills.

Techniques: We will learn about the different felting needles and what wool to use with them.   We will be working with Karakul and Merino wool, creating an inner core, learning construction and armature skills. 

Age:  from 7 years 

What to bring:  creative fingers.

Limited to 12 people. 

Cost R450p/p

10:00 -13:00 

Workshop 1: Demo-workshop: Processing Raw Wool for Spinning (Botanical Nomad - Ira Bekker)

Demo-workshop: Processing Raw wool for spinning

When wool comes off the sheep it is a mess. How can you process this fiber at home so that you can make your own handspun wool? I will take you through my own process for washing, cleaning, carding/brushing and spinning. Included in the workshop is a Turkish Spindle Workshop-in-a-Box that will enable you to start spinning your own raw yarn at home without lots of equipment. 

This demo-workshop will take the format of a demonstration in parts and a workshop in others. You will get a feeling for the raw merino and alpaca fiber we will work with (which is very different from commercially cleaned and carded fibers) and also get to try out the drum carder, the carding brushes and the Turkish spindle. 

Feel free to bring any tools you already have at home as that will give us more to play with. 

Go home with a Turkish Spindle Workshop-in-a-Box containing a Turkish spindle, instructions and some freshly carded fiber from the workshop. 

Limited to 12 people

Cost R750

12:00 -13:30 

Class 1 : 

MASTER COLOUR WORK CLASS

"Learn how to master colour work using both hands! Two stranded colour work using both English and Continental knitting styles, how to manage floats and tension, and reading a chart.

Chantal from Be Inspired will be teaching a hands on mini workshop on Sunday 25th June at the Karoo Wool Festival"

What: MASTER COLOUR WORK CLASS

Date: Sunday 25th June 2023

Time: 12:00 - 13:30

Where: Dwarsvlei at the KWWF Market

Cost: The purchase of a pack of two mini skeins from Be Inspired will be the entrance fee for the class (Estimated R150 per pack of 20 grams x 2 of miss la motte hand dyed merino)

Bring along: Circular needles : 3,5 or 3,75mm - cable doesn’t need to be longer than 50cm.

Pre-book: email your name to info@karoowinterwoolfestival.com

Limited to 12 people

Cost R150 ( a you get a pack of 20 grams x 2 miss la motte hand dyed merino wool)