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May 15-17, 2026
9am-5pm each day
Wool is a versatile material that has impacted the human experience beyond measure. From swaddle to shroud we interact with textiles, they are so interwoven in our lives as to be almost overlooked. Historically wool has been used to make the sails that enabled travel, blankets that ensured survival through winter and clothing for exploration to lands far away. Connect with this tradition and discover the enjoyment of crimp, the mesmerizing spin on a wheel, and the warmth of cloth.
In this co-taught class, shepherdess Leslie Chaplin will lead students through the experience of shearing a sheep, skirting (sorting out debris) the fleece, scouring (washing) the wool, combing and carding into a preparation ready to spin into yarn. This group activity will familiarize students with characteristics of wool, including discussion of crimp and softness, desired wool types for a variety of applications (blankets vs rugs), selecting quality fleeces, and the types of wool available from different sheep breeds.
In the second part of the class, fiber artisan Josie Cooke will guide students through spinning the prepared fiber on a drop spindle to make their own yarn. This yarn will be used to weave a set of coasters or “mug rugs” on a hand held weave it loom. Students can choose to gently felt to experience the process of fulling into cloth. As time allows, Josie will demonstrate spinning on a wheel and weaving on a floor loom, which students will be welcome to try.
By the end of class, students will be familiar with types of wool, selecting a fleece, processing wool into yarn, and have an introduction to basic weaving. Students will go home with fiber to continue spinning, and one to two completed mug rugs, with the knowledge to create more.
Tuition: $360
Materials: $40
Since this is an all day course, lunch is included.
This course is for all ages, but students under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
If you’re traveling from out of town, onsite camping is available for $10 per night. Campers are responsible for bringing their own tents and camping gear. Camping is primitive, with no hookups or electricity. A portable toilet is located near the camping area, and while there are no showers onsite, a shared restroom inside the house is available for use. Potable water and a hand-washing station are provided, and outlets in the workshop can be used to charge phones and other electronics. We also have several great local lodging options nearby if camping isn’t your preference.
Your Instructors
JOSIE COOKE
(she/her)
Josie is enamored with all things craft since childhood, when she attended programs at the local nature center making sumacade and wild blackberry jam with churn butter. In her twenties, an inordinate amount of time was spent in the pursuit of wild edibles and wild wine making, joined shortly thereafter by an insatiable interest for all things baskets. Throughout this, fiber has been the constant companion, a compendium of knowledge and experience on a slow boil. In backwards fashion, from knitting to fiber studies, to growing her own flax, the journey continues. Craft in all forms is the path to a greater connection with the earth, ourselves, and each other, all of which could use greater unity.
Each year she teaches at the Lake Superior Traditional Ways Gathering, and taught/assisted classes as an intern at North House Folk School. Currently, she occasionally renovates turn of the century houses and endeavors to have a life full of learning, teaching, and creating craft.
LESLIE CHAPLIN
(she/her)
Leslie is a shepherdess, spinner, and wool lover who believes the best fiber stories start in the pasture. For the past 15 years, at Les’s Moor Farm, she has been caring for a lively mix of fiber animals—alpacas, Angora goats, a variety of sheep, and the occasional Angora rabbit—each one offering its own unique, beautiful fiber. What began as a love for the animals quickly grew into a passion for the craft, and she started taking classes to learn how to make the most of what they so generously provide.
The journey from raw fleece to finished textile is fascinating, especially those first essential steps: shearing and scouring to reveal its true potential. As a shepherdess and fiber enthusiast, Leslie is excited to share both the practical skills and the deep satisfaction that come from transforming fiber straight from the animal into something warm, wearable, and handmade, sharing tips, tricks, and plenty of farm tales along the way.