Dave is always on the look out for new ways to ensure that operating our wheels are as consumer friendly as possible. He's found a new battery that has new technology that he feels makes it more consumer friendly. While we loved our prior batteries we feel that this one with it's smaller dimensions, improved digital display, and cable management to be more friendly to our flock. We will have batteries available at Rhinebeck and are expecting another shipment to arrive after we return from Rhinebeck. We plan to have batteries available once the shop reopens on November 16th. - Evanita

Daedalus Fly-In 2024 Greetings from Team Daedalus! Classes are filling up but we still have plenty of spaces left for those still thinking about attending the retreat. We’d also like to remind everyone that this is a great opportunity to purchase a Daedalus wheel of your dreams without having to wait in a queue or take chances on a shop update. We will have all our models available for preorder including our newest Martin. While we are saddened that PLY Away will not be hosted next year, we are looking forward to seeing what’s in store for the PLY Spinners Guild! If you or someone you know was planning on attending PLY Away next year and needs a spinning retreat to attend we highly recommend considering attending the Daedalus Fly-In. The last day to sign up is December 1st. The Daedalus Fly-In is an electric-centered spinning retreat in Lexington, Kentucky at the beautiful Griffin Gate Marriott Resort, Spa, and Golf Club. The event starts on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, with a fully catered dinner, leading into 3 days of classes with a market on Friday and Saturday, closing with a dessert and raffle Saturday night, March 2, 2024. All electric wheels are welcome! For teachers we will have Emily Wohlscheid, Esther Rodgers, Jill Duarte, Julie Drogsvold, and Michael Kelson. To learn more about our teachers and their classes visit https://www.daedalusflyin.com/teachers In addition to this incredible line of teachers, we are offering a large vendor market. Our vendors include; Apothefaery (batts, and cotton), Cottontail Farms (project bags and notions), Deep Dyed Yarns (yarn and fiber), Desert Panda Fiber Arts (fiber and batts), Inglenook Fibers (gradients and batts), Jeri Brock Woodworks (spindles and lucets), Spanish Peacock (support spindles), Spotted Circus (alpaca fleeces and batts), Steam-Bee Studios (ceramic mugs, diz, support spindle dishes), Urban Girl Yarns (yarn and fiber). Please click the link below for our Fly-In website and more information https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ If you're ready to sign up please click this link and fill out the form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf21VFMpl9O2SIfQd7yOiRm_vXuTEbXA_OfADfh06en5y08WQ/viewform?usp=sf_link Check out this sneak peek of the 2023 Fly-In in the video below. Rhinebeck! We are so excited to share that we will be attending New York Sheep and Wool in BARN 36 BOOTH 18. That’s right we will be in New York in October. I can't wait to see the magnificent foliage, exquisite fiber, and can you say apple cider doughnuts, anyone excited, 'cause I sure am. We will have a large selection of machines to choose from including, Sparrow, Starling V3FP, Falcon, Magpie V2, Roly-Poly, and Whirligig. We are also ecstatic to announce that we will have our brand-new Martin available! This will be the very first festival we’ll have Martins at. And as always our wheels will come in a myriad of your favorite colors. What's in the Booth? We will have the following available for sale. Martin - $775 3 Pack of Black Martin Bobbins - $90 Sparrows - $500 3 Pack of Black Sparrow Bobbins - $90 Motor Extension Cables - $25 Starlings - $950 Falcons - $900 3 Pack of Black Falcon Bobbins - $90 Magpie Bodies - $950 Magpie Art Flyer - $500 Magpie Standard Flyer - $500 Soft Start/Stop Speed Controller - $125 Batteries - $125 Roly-Poly - $690 Whirligig - $550 Production Schedule October Finishing festival preparations October 21st-22nd - We will be vending at New York Sheep & Wool! Rhinebeck, New York (Barn 36 Booth 18) ​ October 15th-November 15th We would like to inform you that our online shop will be temporarily closed from October 15th to November 15th. This closure is due to our participation in a festival, attending a wedding in Georgia, and taking a short, well-deserved vacation. We kindly request your understanding regarding any potential shipping delays leading up to the event. Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Where to Find Daedalus? October 21st - 22nd - New York State Sheep & Wool Festival Activity from the Flock The following is a peek into the wonderful creations by our flock. When posting to social media please make sure to tag us @DaedalusSpinningWheels and #daedalusspinningwheels so we can see what you are working on. We highly recommend following @knitting_lawyer and @knitwitte8 on Instagram. They have a wonderful spinning group that is always up to loads of fun. For example, this first photo is birdwatching at it’s finest LOL. Join Our Online Flock Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/239274393420200 Discord Server - https://discord.gg/Y2uUfDsZhQ Ravelry Group - https://www.ravelry.com/groups/daedalus-spinning-wheels?s=tab Saturday Night Zoom Spin In The Daedalus Saturday Zoom Spin In takes place every Saturday at 7 pm Eastern (EDT) and usually runs at least a few hours. All spinners are welcome no matter what spinning device you own and we aren't always spinning so even if you are knitting, crocheting, weaving, etc come craft with us! Id 803 600 7502 Passcode 197552 - Team Daedalus

We have a lot of amazing vendors lined up for the Daedalus Fly-In 2024. We will be hosting a Spotlight Blog on each of our vendors for you to learn more about them. This week's spotlight is with Jeri Brock, the maker of beautifully scrolled Turkish Spindles. We will be hosting a Breakout Session with Jeri on how to use Turkish Spindles on Thursday evening before the Marketplace opens. Jeri makes all kinds of spindles and fiber tools, but the thing she is best known for is the Scrolled Turk spindle, which is her original design concept. The patterns for her spindles are all hand-drawn and hand cut using a scroll saw. Currently available in three sizes, the cutouts not only add beauty to the spindle, they serve to lighten the spindle and improve the spin. These beauties were born to fly. They are perfectly balanced, so they spin fast and long. Turkish spindles are quite versatile in that they can be used suspended or supported, which makes them perfect for spinning many different fiber types. Jeri has introduced a couple new patterns recently and is planning on creating a few new ones in time for the Daedalus Fly-In so even if you have a couple of her wonderful spindles in your collection you may fall in love with some new designs! Here are some of her newest designs. These beauties are part of my own personal collection. I am so looking forward to seeing the new designs Jeri has in store for us and adding a few more to my flock. In addition to her wonderful spindles, Jeri has teamed up with Inglenook Fibers who wanted to be able to vend at the retreat but were unable to. While we are sad that Macrina and Stephie are unable to attend we are thankful that Jeri and Macrina were able to work out having their gorgeous fiber available for purchase in Jeri's booth. If you have never spun fiber from Inglenook Fibers we highly recommend checking their fiber out. Jeri spun this gorgeous Red Panda gradient from Inglenook Fibers on her Martin. Jeri Brock Woodworks Website Shop Instagram Facebook Inglenook Fibers Website Shop Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next vendor feature! - Evanita

Julie has been raising fiber animals since middle school. Her college studies focused on Secondary Education and costume design. Raising fiber naturally led to spinning and weaving and then into teaching. Julie’s ranch, Tangled Yarn Farms, nestled in the Sky Islands of southern Arizona, specializes in Navajo heritage Angora goats, Angora rabbits and heirloom cottons. Her teaching style reflects her love of natural luxury fibers and joy in learning. Julie is endorsed by Joan Ruane, the "cotton queen", international instructor and cotton expert. I have known Julie Drogsvold for about 10 years. The very first time I showed Julie how to spin cotton, she took to it like a duck to water. She is both a natural spinner and teacher. She is young and both creative and ambitious. Julie Is a good mother and wife. Besides working, she also raises angora rabbits and goats and even grows cotton in her garden in the summer. I have hired her to teach at local fiber festivals and she has been loved by her students and done an excellent job of teaching. Several times I have had her assist me in my workshops and she has been able to reach out to students who have been having problems grasping certain aspects of spinning cotton. I have been very impressed by her calm teaching skills. As I am semi-retiring from “travel teaching”, I am proud to have Julie taking on the task of promoting and teaching cotton spinning workshops for me. Sincerely, Joan Ruane www.cottonspinning.com Classes Cotton Spinning Is Easy, and Made Easier with an E-spinner Full-Day $20 materials fee Overview: Students will learn how to set-up their wheel for cotton, they will learn to make punis, and then spin cotton from multiple preparations. ​ Specifics: Spinning cotton can be fast and easy, and learning how is a lot of fun. Students will learn how to adjust their wheel of choice for short staple cellulose fibers and how to use the long draw to spin the best cotton singles. Students will learn to card ginned lint cotton into punis and spin multiple preparations of cotton (seed, punis and sliver) provided by the instructor. The workshop will also cover plying, and blending color and other fibers into your cotton to produce wildly unique yarns. Throughout will be helpful tips and tricks to build confidence in cotton spinning as well as information for care and use of your handspun cotton yarns. Instruction will also include a discussion of the cotton plant, its structure and growth, as well as its history that stretches at least 7,000 years into humanity’s past. Students will also learn about its current commercial uses and its future outlook as part of a more eco-friendly environment. Students will be provided with enough fiber to continue their cotton spinning journey after class, with a take-home manual to reference as needed. Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single. Students should bring:​ Falcon or Sparrow (Preferably) At least 3 bobbins Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy Tags and marking pen for labeling Hand Cards(cotton preferred by wool will do) Optional: favorite spinning chair, pillow for back support, charkha, support spindle or Takli, and ball winder ​Supplies Provided by Instructor: cotton bolls, cotton lint, cotton sliver in natural and dyed colors Flick It and Spin It (From the Fold) 3 hours $15 materials fee Overview: This class will cover how to flick open fibers to prep them for spinning. Students will then spin their prepped fibers from the fold. ​ Specifics: We have all had that fleece we really wanted to buy, but didn’t want to get bogged down in a lengthy prep process with countless steps and lots of maybes and unknowns. In this workshop, students will be able to use just two skills to turn a raw fleece into a hand spun yarn. Students will leave this workshop ready to take the plunge the next time they see that fleece too good to walk away from. Level of Spinning: Students should have a good working relationship with their wheel and be capable of spinning a consistent single. Students should bring: ​ A spinning wheel in good working condition At least 3 bobbins Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy Supplies Provided by Instructor: fiber for class use Natural Colored Cotton Celebration 3 hours $20 materials fee Overview: Students will explore and spin a number of naturally grown colors of cotton, including greens, browns, and reds. ​ Specifics: Cotton isn't just white. Cotton is grown in many varieties, and grows a rainbow of natural colors. Enjoy this half-day class that immerses itself in the King of Fibers, Cotton. Level of Spinning: Beginner Students should bring: ​ Joy & Happiness Falcon or Sparrow (Preferably) At least 3 bobbins Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy Tags and marking pen for labeling Hand Cards(cotton preferred by wool will do) Optional: favorite spinning chair, pillow for back support, charkha, support spindle or Takli, and ball winder Supplies Provided by Instructor: Cotton Variety pack for students to take home Find Julie at: Website Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our last teacher spotlight! - Evanita

We have a lot of amazing vendors lined up for the Daedalus Fly-In 2024. We still room so if you'd like to join us at the Daedalus Fly-In retreat, head on over to DaedalusFlyIn.com. Today's feature is Cottontail Farms! Chelsea of Cotton Tail Farms raises her own fiber flock of Finnsheep and creates bags and notions geared towards fiber artists. She has lots of great patterns and even bags made with Harris Tweed. ABOUT HARRIS TWEED: A beautiful, intricate luxury fabric famed for its unique quality and heritage. It is woven from pure virgin wools, principally taken from flocks reared on the Scottish mainland. All Harris Tweed is inspected and certified by the Harris Tweed Authority, and stamped for authenticity with the Orb logo. The official definition of Harris Tweed is "Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides". The unique process used to manufacture Harris Tweed ensures it remains one of the most sought-after fabrics in the World, which is understandable when you appreciate the attention to detail that is lavished upon this fine cloth. Website Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next vendor feature! - Evanita

We are excited to finally be able to announce “Martin,” the latest E-Spinner from here at Daedalus. This has been an endeavor to develop a powerful wheel for all-around work, yet delicate when asked for fine lace… and all built into the perfect travel case! The first prototype began testing in March, and we have completed the full testing of the final production model. We think you’re going to love it! Martin is completely self-contained with all necessary accessories for spinning on-the-go. We were inspired by “The Device” and have consulted with @abbysyarns throughout the conception of Martin. I’ve been following along with the development of the Martin and it’s so exciting! Making a seriously portable, self contained wheel with its own box is harder than you might think, and the Daedalus team is really on their game again. I’m so ready for this wheel there are no words - Abby Franquemont We utilized the battle-proven Starling V3 power system, which drives a robust flyer and bobbin (capacity is similar to Sparrow). This combination provides commercial-grade torque for the absolute toughest jobs you can throw at it. And with our Daedalus exclusive air-cooled aluminum brake drums and Kevlar belting, it is easily able to dissipate all the heat from the most abusive professional-level work. Yet, Martin is still mild-mannered at slower speeds. From novice to expert, anyone will be able to appreciate and enjoy Martin’s quiet, smooth power that has become the Daedalus trademark. Thank you for following along with us as we continue to grow! Livestream Recording Our Testers Evanita I received my Martin for testing just before heading out on a train trip. I have traveled with a few of my other Daedalus in the past but taking Martin on this trip was next level. I loved how compact it was which made it easy to store while hauling all our luggage onto the train. It was super easy to set up and when I needed to put it away it was quick to package up ensuring that everything was safely stored to not accidentally loose anything while traveling. I look forward to taking this little bird on more adventures in the future. James Setting up was super easy, I had the whole wheel together and ready to go in under 3 minutes! Since having had the Martin a little bit now, I'm down to 45 seconds from boxed to ready to spin! It's super intuitive! 60WPI singles were easy straight out of the box and within 30 minutes I was spinning 150WPI Polwarth singles without any hassle or difficulty! I particularly like the speed dial, which has a great feel. Different to the on/off click of the speed controller in experience but I've really been enjoying it. I've been spinning some ultrafine luxury fibers recently; if any fiber we're going to give a wheel problem it would be these. As expected, the Martin breezes through these ultra tricky, short luxuries (vicuna, guanaco, qiviut, and bison) with ease! 4 skeins: Dark brown(100% Bison), pale camel color (100% Guanaco), pale grey (100% Qiviut), and orange (100% Vicuña). Jenn My Martin arrived for testing just a few days before I was leaving for a 10-day road trip visiting family & friends. So after some time familiarizing myself with Martin & spinning using both the built-in speed controller & the external digital controller, I decided to take Martin as my wheel for my trip. Given how much is built into Martin, packing and preparing was super easy. With just Martin, my battery, bobbins & fiber, I was set to go & felt confident that the wheel was safe & protected in its 'nest'. Setting up & packing up was a simple process that took less than 2 minutes & the stable platform that Martin's box provides made it easy to have it totally stable for spinning using a padded stool as a place to put it when spinning. The wheel uses Scotch tension & feels very similar to my other Daedalus wheels when spinning, I really expected to want to use my external, digital, speed controller but found that I really enjoyed spinning using the built-in controller & when starting & stopping using the speed adjustment wheel I was easily able to start & stop gently & was able to consistently return to my desired spinning speed. The built-in Lazy Kate worked so well for me! I was able to ply 2 bobbins together easily while staying totally self-contained! And as a grandma of a toddler, who is fascinated with my wheels, I love that when Martin is packed up, it protects itself from little fingers that want to play! This new design does not disappoint! It is great for home & travel & l look forward to having many adventures with it! Jeri For my testing, I focused on filling the bobbin to capacity for what will become a two-ply lace-weight yarn. The fiber I chose was a Rambouillet/Tussah 80/20 blend from Inglenook Fibers (magic nun fluff!) in the Red Panda gradient set. Singles were spun to about 64 wpi with the ply back sample measuring to 36 wpi. The Martin has a manual onboard speed control dial, and it also supports the external controller. I focused on the onboard controller. I wanted to know if it would prove to be awkward having to dial in my speed after every guide change, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself not only enjoying, but kinda preferring the onboard controller for this particular bird. I was able to quickly dial in my speed and fine-tune it quite easily, and since I didn’t have to worry about bringing a speed controller with me, that was one less thing to set up and take down. I just got back from a business trip and I was able to set up and start spinning in about a minute and a half. When it came time to pack up and go home, I did a relaxed and deliberate packing test and was ready to leave in two minutes and three seconds, and that included rolling my braid into a pretty coil and stowing it in the cover. As for my capacity test, I finished my final braid in the set with the bobbin weighing 234g, 76g of which was bobbin tare, which means I have 158g on the bobbin, and as you can see in the photo, I still have room to add my final 20g to finish this first ply. Then I’ll move on to spinning the second ply. I could go on and on about this new bird, but I can sum it up in one simple phrase - it spins like a Daedalus, and not only is it now my go to travel wheel, it also sits on my desk for spinning during lunch and long conference calls as it anxiously awaits the next opportunity to hit the road and fly shotgun. Karen For the last few years, my Sparrow has been my go-to travel wheel. It's been to dozens of guild meetings and vacations, but my forgetful nature has often left me at an event with missing parts. With the Martin everything I need to spin is right at hand, conveniently built into a sturdy travel case, and the best part is that it spins just like all of my other Daedalus wheels! My travel checklist has been cut down to just three items: wheel, battery, fiber. I believe that the Martin and I will have plenty of great adventures in our future! Cost Martin with 3 Black Bobbins - $775 External Speed Controller (Optional)* - $125 Motor Extension Cable 3 FT or 6 FT (Optional)* - $23-25 Martin Bobbin extra 3 pack (black only) - $90 2 Extra Lazy Kate Axles (includes O-rings and Akerworks TensiTamers) - $40 * If you want to use an External Speed Controller you will need a Motor Extension Cable What's Included with Martin Martin in a case 3 bobbins with aluminum brake drums Orifice hook Premade tension band 2 Lazy Kate axles with Akerworks TensiTamers (additional axles are available for purchase) 1 drive belt Spares kit bag (1 axle O-ring, 1 extra rear bearing, 1 cinch, 1 spring, and Kevlar tension cord) USB C PD3.1 Power Brick with USB-DC5525 15V Trigger Cable (3 feet) DC5525 power extension cable (6 feet) Manual Product Details Materials: Carbon Fiber and 3D printed ABS plastic Dimension Closed: 8.5" L x 9.5" W x 6.5" H (21.6x24.1x16.5 cm) Dimension Opened: 8.5" L x 18" W x 7.5" H (21.6x45.7x19 cm) Weight: 4.85 lbs (2.2kg)* Tension: Scotch, 1.5mm Kevlar braid Orifice: 12mm with a 6mm reducer Bobbin: 5 oz Capacity of 30 WPI singles Speed: 300-2,200 RPM (Rotations Per Minute) Power Requirements: 15vDC Speed Controller: Comes with built-in Internal Speed Controller. Can also use an external Magpie or Daedalus Speed Controller. * Weight listed in stock weight which includes 1 empty bobbin, power brick, cables, spares kit, and 2 lazy kate axles. How to Purchase Martins are sold in ready-made batches, in a shop update format. We highly recommend familiarizing yourself with our shop. The Martins will appear under a listing that will only be available on the Martin collection page. Take your Spinning on an Adventure with the Daedalus Martin - Team Daedalus

New York State Sheep & Wool Festival Dutchess County Fairgrounds 6550 Spring Brook Ave. Rhinebeck, NY 12572 October 21 - 22, 2023 Booth Location: Barn 36 Booth 18 The Daedalus team is at it again, they have been busy building wheels and winders for the queue, updates, and for RHINEBECK! We at Daedalus are thrilled to announce that we will be at New York Sheep and Wool in BARN 36 BOOTH 18. That’s right we will be in New York in October. I can't wait to see the magnificent foliage, exquisite fiber, and can you say apple cider doughnuts, anyone excited, 'cause I sure am. We will have a large selection of machines to choose from including, Sparrow, Starling V3FP, Falcon, Magpie V2, Roly-Poly, and Whirligig. We are also ecstatic to announce that we will have our brand-new Martin available! This will be the very first festival we’ll have Martins at. And as always our wheels will come in a myriad of your favorite colors. What's in the Booth? We will have the following available for sale. Martin - $775 3 Pack of Black Martin Bobbins - $90 Sparrows - $500 3 Pack of Black Sparrow Bobbins - $90 Motor Extension Cables - $25 Starlings - $950 Falcons - $900 3 Pack of Black Falcon Bobbins - $90 Magpie Bodies - $950 Magpie Art Flyer - $500 Magpie Standard Flyer - $500 Soft Start/Stop Speed Controller - $125 Batteries - $125 Roly-Poly - $690 Whirligig - $550 Where To Find Us Our booth will be in Barn 36 Booth 18. Online Shop Temporary Closure We would like to inform you that our online shop will be temporarily closed from October 15th to November 15th. This closure is due to our participation in a festival, attending a wedding in Georgia, and taking a short, well-deserved vacation. We kindly request your understanding regarding any potential shipping delays leading up to the event. Your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. After Rhinebeck Once the fiber dust has settled after New York and our Vacation, we are planning to put together a Roly-Poly/Whirligig Shop Update. Wishing everyone going to Indie Untangled and New York Sheep and Wool Festival a spectacular time! Happy Spinning! - Evanita

Another flock of Starlings is gathering! Our new team members have been finding their stride and it's allowing us to make a larger dent in our queue. We have sent out Build emails for additional Starling V3FPs. This flock will be preparing for flight towards the end of August. Emails are sent from Support@daedalusspinningwheels.com. We highly recommend adding this email address to your contacts to help ensure the email doesn't land in spam. If your name is in the list below and you do not see the email please check your spam. F. Beach M. Tie A. Scott Caitlin V. Egli P. Marsh C. Metz S. Gazell C. Pepper J. S Schulz F. Arant C. Book E. Bartram M. Grenier B. Payne Rebecca N. R Schlosser A. Jennings (8/22/23) D. Stefek C. Robbin K. Ege T. Lavalle Jeffrey M. E Delehanty M. Iwane G. Caraway S. Foster E. Krawiec R. Isler A. Cooper-Mitchell There will be additional build emails being sent out so we'll update this blog when the next batch of emails goes out. About the Starling V3FP Can’t decide between the Magpie and the Sparrow? You can’t go wrong with the Starling V3FP, our “in-between” powerhouse. The Starling has a small footprint, weighing in at just under 2.5 lbs., and yet it’s capable of spinning at 2,180 RPMs. Despite its capabilities, this e-spinner is small enough to take with you to your next guild meeting or spinning class. It has a 12 mm orifice (with a 6 mm reducer), making textured and bulky yarns equally as possible as lace-weight and low-twist singles. It has large-capacity bobbins which can hold 12-plus oz of yarn spun at 30 WPI. ​ This e-spinner is an excellent entry point to owning and experiencing a Daedalus spinning wheel and can suit most any style or gauge of yarn. You’ll love it both spinning your singles and then plying them. Cost Breakdown Starling V3 (without the speed controller) - $950 Speed Controller (required to operate) - $125 Starling V3 Bobbin 3 pack (your color choice and pattern) - $125 What's Included with your Starling V3FP Purchase When purchasing a Starling V3FP you will receive the wheel along with three black Helios bobbins and an accessories kit. If you do not already have a Daedalus Speed Controller whether our standard one or the one that fits within the Magpie then you will need to make sure you add one to your order. Evanita

Emily Wohlscheid is the teaching artist behind Bricolage Studios. She works out of a cooperative studio in West Michigan and specializes in small batch fiber blends and jewelry inspired by nature and textiles. She regularly contributes to both Spinoff and PLY Magazine and teaches spinning and blending courses year round. While working toward her BFA degree, Emily was introduced to wool through the art of felting but it wasn’t until she took a class at a local arts center on handspinning that her passion for blending fibers was ignited. That first experience with the drum carder really stuck with her and remains her favorite tool for exploring color, texture, and effects. Emily’s workshops are the result of a large amount of experimentation with fiber types, how they take dye, how to process them, and how they will optically blend once spun. She believes that the proper use of fiber processing tools both for the longevity of the equipment and the user’s safety are just as important as the excitement of creating your own custom blends. No matter what your experience may be, Emily will familiarize you with how to adapt techniques for a variety of blending equipment to suit your needs! Classes Intro to Carding 3 hours $25 materials fee Familiarize yourself with the carding process on the drum carder and hand carders. Material to be covered will include the proper ways to prepare fleece for carding, how to load the fibers for processing, color blending, and how best to remove fibers when they have been carded. Woolen, semi-woolen, and semi-worsted preparations will be covered. Methods of spinning that correspond with the preparations from woolen to semi-worsted will be demonstrated with particular attention to note taking. Students will have the opportunity to spin samples and compare the differences between their prepared fibers between carding samples. You will have fun sampling in this playful introductory workshop! ​ Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn. Students should bring: Hand carders if they own them and their spinning wheel Drum carder (optional) Instructor will have several drum carders and hand carders for student use Extra bobbins Lazy kate Niddy noddy ​ Supplies Provided by Instructor: 3 oz of fleece to be processed on both the drum carder and hand carders, Handouts (paper & digital) Blending Fractal Stripes 3 hours $30 materials fee Achieving a subtle color shift whether as a gradient or a stripe for fractal spinning can be done on a variety of carding equipment. Fractal spinning is loosely based on the mathematical definition of a fractal being repeating parts in progressively smaller sizes. In fiber blending, we are creating color repeats that begin large and progressively become several smaller parts. Using the drum carder and the blending board, students will immerse themselves in the blending process to create batts and punis that beautifully merge colors from one to the next. Adding textures and effect fibers in addition to how to create punis and rolags for varying sizes of color repeats will be emphasized along with how to order the fibers for spinning a fractal yarn. Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn. Students should bring: Blending board Drum carder (optional) Instructor will have several drum carders and a limited amount of blending boards for student use A spinning wheel in good working condition Extra bobbins Lazy kate Niddy Noddy ​​ Supplies Provided by Instructor: 3 oz of fiber to be processed ​ Color Effects on the Hackle 3 hours $30 materials fee Produce color effects from swirls to gradients using the hackle. Students will blend and layer colors and varying fiber types to achieve two different rovings from the same color palette. The class will discuss what impact diz types, staple length, and technique can have on the resulting roving. Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn. Students should bring: Hackle (if you don’t have one, instructor will have a limited number for student use) Diz Supplies Provided by Instructor: 2 oz blending fibers (various), Handouts (paper & digital) Upcycled Blending 3 hours $30 materials fee Experiment with a variety of readily available upcycled fiber materials for effect blending! This carding course will demonstrate how tweedy, scrappy fiber preps can be blended beautifully on a variety of carding equipment. How to handle fabric strips, silk waste, recycled denim, salvage, yarn scraps to create textures from mild to spicy while protecting your carding cloth and obtaining a good blend will be emphasized. Students will leave with a variety of preps and textures from incredible upcycled materials! Level of Spinning: Students should be able to spin a stable, continuous singles yarn. Students should bring: ​ Blending board Drum carder (optional) Instructor will have several drum carders and a limited amount of blending boards for student use Supplies Provided by Instructor: 3 oz of fiber to be processed, Handouts (paper & digital) Find Emily at: Website Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next teacher spotlight! - Evanita

We have a lot of amazing vendors lined up for the Daedalus Fly-In 2024. We will be hosting a Spotlight Blog on each of our vendors for you to learn more about them. Today's feature is Apothefaery! Faery has a beautiful assortment of luxury wool blends in both braid and batt form as well as hand dyed cotton. We have a great line up of cotton classes taught by Joan Ruane's protégé Julie Drogsvold. If you are planning on taking one of her classes, we highly recommend Faery's dyed cotton. Her booth at this year's Fly-In was incredible! Faery has a wonderful eye for color and the fibers she works with are such a joy to spin. Did you get fiber from Faery at this year's Fly-In? If so we'd love to see what you picked out. You can share photos with us on the Daedalus FB group and on our Discord server. This is the Apothefaery loot I brought back from the Daedalus Fly-In 2023. Website Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are now open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next vendor feature! - Evanita

We have a lot of amazing vendors lined up for the Daedalus Fly-In 2024. We will be hosting a Spotlight Blog on each of our vendors for you to learn more about them. Our first feature is Spanish Peacock! We absolutely love their spindles and Mike and TJ are super awesome. We will be hosting a Breakout Session with TJ on how to use Support Spindles on Thursday evening before the Marketplace opens. The Spanish Peacock has been creating beautiful handmade fiber arts tools for over twenty years. While their products are mainly for hand spinners, they also provide tools for knitting, crochet, weaving and other less well known crafts. Here is a peek into some of the beautiful spindles that Mike makes that I personally own. This is one of TJ's recent projects. It is a beautiful example of spinning a project across several spindles. The finished yarn was knitted up into this gorgeousness! We are looking forward to having Spanish Peacock as one of our vendors for the 2024 Fly-In! This will be a fantastic opportunity to learn how to use a support spindle if you don't already and to be able to see and try out their spindles in person to pick out the perfect spindle for you. Website Shop Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are now open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next vendor feature! - Evanita

Michael is a software engineering professional who came to the fiber arts in the early 2000s. On an NPR radio show, "To the Best of our Knowledge," he heard a neurologist discussing the salubrious benefits of knitting as a creative activity that engages both sides of the brain. Something clicked, and he knew this was the unplugged activity he was looking for! He went to his LYS and signed up for his first knitting class. After that, falling down the rabbit hole of spinning was all but inevitable. Michael's classes take a sample-based approach to spinning without being overly complex, geeky, or nerdy. From choosing fiber, preparation, draft, ply, and finishing techniques, sometimes minor adjustments have big impacts. Engineers often embrace the PDCA cycle as a mechanism for continuous improvement. Plan-Do-Check-Adjust. But how can we, as spinners, "adjust" to make our yarn better? In his classes, Michael helps spinners build on their existing knowledge and experience to dial in their technique to get their perfect yarn. The best workshop feedback Michael ever received was from a student who wrote, "I learned things I didn't even know I needed to know." Classes SpinPossible - Doing More with Less 3 hours $20 materials fee We sometimes come across small amounts of rare and unusual fibers that we want to incorporate into our spinning (e.g. Qiviut, Guanaco, Bison, Yak, Cashmere) but often we’re not quite sure what to do with them. This class will discuss techniques for stretching small amounts of a precious fiber. We will discuss blending with complimentary fibers, percentages in blending, and how to spin to most effectively take advantage of the characteristics of the blended fibers. We will also discuss spinning more finely and consistently (spinning a thinner diameter single is a good way to stretch your fiber), and plying with commercial or hand-spun silk (like the Orenburg spinners!) to increase the yardage of that special fiber. Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn. Students should bring: A spinning wheel in good working condition Hand cards (preferably >100 tpi, e.g. Clemes & Clemes cotton cards) Extra bobbins Notebook & Pen Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy (Optional) Any personal fiber they might like to use for practice ​ Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, including base fibers and blending fibers Silk plying thread SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Sweaters 3 hours $20 materials fee Are you ready to tackle your first sweater-spin? There are many factors that we, as spinners, should consider when we embark on our first sweater spin. The core characteristics of the fiber (e.g. crimp, fineness, hand, prep) will influence the choices we make in spinning and the fabric in our final garment. This class will explore several fibers that might be great choices for your sweater. We’ll take a look at fibers you’re probably familiar with (Merino, Rambouillet, BFL), some blends (Shetland/Silk, Merino/Yak/Silk), and some fibers that might be new to you (Romney, Cheviot, Manx Loaghtan). We will work on diameter control and consistency, plying and finishing techniques, and how to evaluate your final yarn to make sure you’ll have the perfect fabric for the sweater of your dreams. Skills you will learn: How to assess characteristics of different fibers Techniques for consistency and diameter control How to choose the appropriate draft for your fiber (worsted, woolen, semi-woolen) Strategies for plying, finishing, and swatching Evaluating your final fabric Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn. Students should bring: A spinning wheel in good working condition Extra bobbins Notebook & Pen Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy (Optional) Any tools they might like to use (hand cards, mini-combs) and any personal fiber they might like to use for practice Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, including Merino, Manx Loaghtan, BFL, Cheviot, and others. ​ SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Socks 3 hours $20 materials fee There’s nothing quite like the feel of socks knit from your very own handspun yarn, but you want to make sure your socks last longer than it takes to spin and knit them! This class will discuss yarn construction techniques that are appropriate for socks and examine various fibers and blends that will attain the perfect balance of strength, comfort, and durability. We will also discuss spinning with Down and Down-like breeds (e.g. Cheviot, Dorset, Suffolk, Southdown), and we will test spin several of these fibers and blends. Skills you will learn: Identifying fibers and blends that will make good handspun sock yarns Spinning down fibers and blends for socks Ply structures you might choose for your sock yarns (3-ply, 4-ply, cabled yarns, opposing-ply structures) Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn. Students should bring: ​ A spinning wheel in good working condition Extra bobbins Notebook & Pen Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy (Optional) Any tools they might like to use (hand cards, mini-combs) and any personal fiber they might like to use for practice Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, including several Down fibers and blends. SpinPossible - Mission Objective: Loft 3 hours $20 materials fee Spinning Lofty Yarns from Worsted Preparations Much of the wonderful fiber we have access to as hand-spinners comes to us in the form of combed top. Top is a worsted preparation and can spin a very dense yarn, which is great for hard-wearing items like socks or mittens, but what if you want to turn those beautiful hand-dyed braids of fiber in your stash into a loftier yarn for something like a hat, a scarf, or even a sweater? This class will explore techniques to introduce more air, loft, and bounce into your handspun yarn. We will discuss drafting techniques for various fiber preparations, ways to modify your fiber preparation, and measuring your yarn to help ensure that you are getting exactly the yarn you want for the project you have in mind. Skills you will learn: Differences between worsted and woolen drafting techniques and fiber preparations Spinning semi-woolen from combed top Spinning from the fold Modifying combed top preparations (fauxlags, carding) Measuring the grist of your yarn with a McMorran balance Level of Spinning: Successful students should have a good working relationship with their spinning wheels, be able to spin a consistent single, and have some experience plying and finishing yarn. Students should bring: ​ A spinning wheel in good working condition Hand cards (preferably >100 tpi, e.g. Clemes & Clemes cotton cards) Extra bobbins Notebook & Pen Lazy Kate Niddy Noddy (Optional) Any personal fiber they might like to use for practice Supplies Provided by Instructor: All fiber used in class, a variety of different commercial and indy dyed tops. Find Michael at: Website Instagram Facebook If you'd like to learn more about the Daedalus Fly-In Retreat for 2024 check out the official website. Sign ups are open! https://www.daedalusflyin.com/ Stay tuned for our next teacher spotlight! - Evanita