Intermediate Level Spinning Series with Sam Adioetomo

6-Part Series Workshop!

Date: Thursdays April 2- May 7, 2026

Description:

Over six exploratory evenings, students will revisit and refine their techniques for and knowledge about spinning wool* into yarn.

We will refresh our memories on the mechanics of spinning wheels and practice the short forward draw (worsted) and from-the-fold (woolen) spinning styles.

Everyone will practice chain plying from one single and spinning a three-ply yarn from three singles of equal weight, with wet finish and compare/contrast.

We will dive deeper into spinning with purpose: achieving a balanced single and right-sizing our singles to spin a balanced two- or three-ply yarn of a predetermined weight, for a specific project the student has in mind, including how much wool to purchase/spin for the yardage/meterage needed.

Throughout the series, we will have ample time to play with different plant/animal fiber types and fiber preparation methods (rolags, combined/carded fleece, and carded batts) and to knit swatches so that we can examine how our one-of-a-kind handspun yarn works up!

*Please note that this class will be working primarily with wool fiber and may not be suitable for those with wool allergies. Some accommodations can be made, but please notify Contemporary Craft by calling 412.465.1628 as soon as possible.

Tuition: $270 + $30 materials fee

Note: We really want you to join us in the studio! Full and partial tuition scholarships are available to offset some of the financial burden of attending a class.

Please fill out the application here! You can expect to hear from someone on the CC staff within 2 weeks.

If you have any questions, email Jamie Boyle, Fibers Program Manager, at jboyle@contemporarycraft.org, or leave a voice message for them at 412-465-1628.

Materials: Materials fee includes fiber. Spinning wheels are available for in-studio use.

Additional Open Studio time can be purchased at a significant discount for those who would like to use the studio to practice on the wheels in between classes!

Location: Contemporary Craft, Timmons Studios (5688 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201). Note, this workshop will take place in the Fleischner Family Fibers Loft, which is on the second floor of the building.

There are 2 entrances to the Timmons Studios.

• One entrance is facing Butler Street. To access the Fibers Loft from the Butler Street facing entrance, there are a total of 32 stairs to ascend.

• One entrance is facing 57th Street. This entrance is accessible by ramp, with no stairs to ascend. There is a lift inside the building to access the second floor.

We strive to create a welcoming experience. If there are accessibility accommodations we can provide, or if there is anything you would like us to know before you arrive, please feel free to call Jamie Boyle at 412-465-1628 or email jboyle@contemporarycraft.org.

Cancellations and Refunds: Workshop cancellations are decided three business days before the start date. If workshops must be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment, the entire class fee will be refunded through Eventbrite, or you may leave your workshop fee in your Contemporary Craft account for future workshops.

Refund Policy: Student refund requests must be made at least three business days before a class begins. There will be a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds will be given without three-business days notice. Processing of refunds takes approximately three weeks.

About the artist: Sam Adioetomo is a knitter, spinner, dyer, and weaver who grew up surrounded by crafters. Her grandmother, Ilene Raycraft, taught her to knit from age seven, and her mother, Kelly Fifield, is a sewist, quilter, singer, and stained-glass artist. Her grandfather, Ray Raycraft, was a stained-glass artist and musician. Sam learned to make yarn on a drop spindle in 2003 at a local yarn shop in Bloomington, Indiana, where she attended university. During the pandemic, she purchased a spinning wheel and picked up spinning techniques from Jillian Eve’s extensive online resources. With an ever-growing stash and a very slow knitting pace, Sam then took up weaving to use up her handspun yarn. In her professional life, Sam works as a writer and, before moving to Pittsburgh, spent most of her career in Indonesia. She sings a lot of shape notes and lives in Edgewood with her husband, three cats, a chihuahua, and a very fluffy rabbit.