Does anyone know about Master Spinner classes?

[breabadair]

While I know I've only been spinning for a short period of time, I love it. I love everything about it. I bought my first raw fleece, I've been dying my fiber, and I just learned about Master Spinner classes. I feel like this would be really beneficial for me, as a textile designer (I'm working on my BA). I want to do this. Not immediately, like after school, or during the next couple of summers, or whenever it's offered. Which also gives me time to develop some solid skills. Does anyone know about these classes, how to go about getting into them, what's needed, skill-wise? Basically any information would be appreciated.

[Belladune]

Oh, I know far to much about the master spinners classes.... Level 2 baby! 
So far there are levels 1 through 3 offered in the US, and the rest would be taken at Olds Alberta Canada ( which is where I am right now!!!). I'm not going to lie, it's hard work.  It's very technical,and yesterday morning I was near in tears with how much work the second level will be.  It's worth it if you wish to be really technical, and really understand it.  But its about start time for classes, so I Can answer anymore questions you have if you want more info, later today

[breabadair]

Belladune, that is awesome! I saw online that they offered classes in different parts of the country for 1-3, but all of those take place while I'm in school. So, I'll most likely go to Canada for the classes that go on right now. So, since you're there, do you like it? Are the instructors helpful? I've heard good and bad things about it. Which isn't surprising, people are different enough that not everyone will be 100% satisfied with everything. Though the bad seemed to coincide with the workbook that's done after. I was reading that a few people had trouble understanding what was asked of them. I imagine it must be worth the money, since you're doing level 2 right now. (Which was another concern I had) Is there anything I should be aware of going into the program itself? I guess any negatives, or positives.

I guess I just want to know what I'm getting myself into before I commit completely, though I am pretty committed to doing this, even if it is a year or two down the road. (Less if I can afford the class next summer). I hope your level two classes are awesome and you have a great time. Did you go to Canada for level 1 as well?

[Belladune]

**Warning! WALL'o'TEXT ahead!!!**

Okay, finally gettign a chance to actually sit and answer this!  Man alive, is Fibre week ever a busy time (and only have the 3G on the phone in the townhouses makes it really hard to write a reply that is longer then the one above )
So,  Yes.  I'm in Canada actually.  So, it's a quick 7 hour drive from my home.
What I love about fibre week it self:  The atmosphere. it's like this big oasis of genuinely friendly people, who all share a love and passion for fibre. everyone's helpful and no one's mean.  It's the way the world should be   What I don't love about FibreWeek it self,  it's to short! ha!  and at the same time to long LOL by the end you are so exhausted you want your own bed and family, but at the same time are so inspired and envigorated in you spinning life.  It's this weird feeling that I can't really explain.....
The Master Spinner Course!  You can take the first two levels by distance, but the direction you get and the hands on time with the teacher present is invaluable.  So far each level has built upon the next, level one being primarily discovering wool, and learning a few new skills, like the difference between woolen and worsted. Learning how to card and wash wool, and there's some silk work.  Really, all you need to know is how to make yarn out of fluff on a spinning wheel.  And a desire to learn far more then you ever knew was possible about spinning and yarn.
Level two has gone into more fibre types,  and more into detail about fibre prep, and learning about twist per inch and a brief over view of how to spin to get a certain TPI.  Definitly more about the structure and what makes a yarn sound.  Now, with this said, there was a huge gap in skill ability in my class at the begining of the week. Now, I'm just not sure why, but I think it might be a practice thing. I spin everyday.  Other's don't, and I could see by the end of the week a marked improvement, having had that instructor time.   So having an instructor is huge in your skill development.
Now the negatives: You have to spin alpaca... lmso! no, that's just a personal thing that sent me out of the room for the last half of a day (allergy. boooo) Okay but seriously, Having been taught by 3 of the MS instructors,  they definitly all have thier own styles and philosophies, some of which conflict just a tiny bit. However. what I've come to the conclusion of is that there is no "right way".  It's like any creative endevor.  Person A makes beautiful paper crafts and so does person B, but thier methods to get to a similar end product vary quite a bit.  does that make one right and the other wrong? No.  Just different.  Now, there is an up side to having mildly conflicting opinions about how to spin, and 'correct' methods.  You can put it all in your pocket and dig it out when you need it. You get to choose what method works best for you, and you will probably find that a method you left in your pocket for years will come in handy.   Some people like all the instructors, other don't and pick favorites.  That's just a personal preference thing, tho.

If you do end up coming next year, let me know.  Would you be flying in?  There are A LOT of people who are flying in from the states. Heck, all my roomies were from everywhere across the US.   And if we were to arange it right, we can ask to be house mates.  Next year I'm planning to bring an entire kitchen with a few knives, 4 plates, bowls, mugs, cutlery sets, etc.  so that if it happens like it did this year, no one has to buy all that stuff when they get there, then figure out how to get it home.

Oh, and I should mention, that at the beginning of the week, my instructor had to go to the hospital, and it turns out she had pnumonia!  So she was laddling it on pretty thick, because she wasn't sure she was going to make it to the end of the week.  She did though.  She was such a trooper.  That's why it seemed so stressful and overwhelming.   By Friday, we had just a few small areas to cover  and were let out really early.  which was nice

Anyway... **End WALL'o'TEXT**
Hopefully you made it through that!  And hopefully it answered your questions.  And please don't hesitate to ask more if/when they come up.

[breabadair]

Belladune, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a thorough response! You've been really helpful and informative. It sounds amazing and I truly want to go. So long as my finances work out, I'll go for the first lvl master class, and so I can bankrupt myself at Fibre Week. But I'll let you know if I can, we could hang out and have fun yarny times.

[Belladune]

You're welcome!  It's becoming a passion (with the end goal of possibly textile design, just need to find a course I could take that does distance learning, since I'm in the middle of nowhere.  But that'll be a while.  I want to finish this first) and I'm more then excited to share everything I know about the course, and hopefully inspire more people!

[breabadair]

That's awesome! I'm going to school for Textile Design. I've only taken weaving so far. Which I love so much. I'm going to try to take the Dyeing class next semester, so long as everything (financial aid) works out. I think the Academy of Art Institute (San Fran) offers distance learning classes, I don't know if textile design is offered. But I'm sure you'll be able to find the right program when you're finished with the Master Spinning class.

[Belladune]

How awesome, that you are into to textile design too!  I've taken a year of Fashion design too, so I know a bit about textiles already, and love them.  I want to know more!     The one really nice thing about the Master spinners course is it's credited, so you get 3 college credits each level. (pretty sure that was it)  And I'm thinking it could possibly count towards your final credits in order to graduate a textiles course.   I'm thinking the Art Institue in Vancouver must have the testile classes too.. but again, it's far off, and I don't need another thing on my plate just yet... 3 more years until the last baby goes to kindergarten, then Momma's gonna be a full time college girl! (If she can find a distance course, of course )