Sheep-to-Shawl

9 Melachot of Cloth-Making



The MISHNA-GEMARA-MEFARSHIM WAY TO MAKE CLOTH


Based on books by Rabbi Baruch Chait, Rabbi P. Bodner, and Dayan I. Gukovitzki; lecture-

demonstration by Dayan Gukovitzki; and the annual Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.

Hands-on; in this workshop you will do (how many cool tools and materials can you find?):

Gozez—Shearing

  • Calm a sheep.

  • Shear wool without hurting the sheep.



Milaben—Washing

  • See an experiment of Rashi’s two types of milaben.

  • Learn why fishermen needed a special type of milaben.

  • Learn a theory why, in Rambam's day, wool was cleaned using caustic chemicals instead of like Rashi.



Minapetz—Combing

  • Comb wool with hand cards.



Toveh—Spinning

  • Twist wool until it’s so strong it won’t break.

  • Learn what makes wool so strong when  twisted.

  • Twirl a drop spindle to spin roving into yarn.

  • Watch wool get spun on a spinning wheel.

Tzovea—Dyeing

  • Learn how the plant and animal worlds differ in their uses for plant and animal fibers and dyes.

  • Dye wool (if at Ptil Tekhelet, see dyeing with tekhelet).



Mesech—Warping

  • Set up a warp on a take-home mini-loom.

  • Learn how many mesech threads constitute the melacha—and why!



Oseh Shtei Batei Nirin—

Setting Heddles

  • See why most weaving needs batei nirin.

  • Use batei nirin in next step, oreg.

Oreg—Weaving

  • Learn how to weave the length of the mishkan’s parochet (15’-20’ long) in a 3’ space.

  • Learn how to throw a boat shuttle.

  • Learn how to switch yarn colors.



Potzea—Cutting

  • Learn how to remove finished cloth on your mini-loom.





Sound like fun? RSVP Sara-Malka

02 535 2994

054 210 6994 jacobsladderfarm@gmail.com