Wool Spinning Demonstration with Jamie Sparks

Watch a fiber arts expert demonstrate traditional wool spinning and felting techniques in this educational museum session.

Jamie Sparks is a multidisciplinary artist and educator with more than 30 years of experience teaching learners of all ages. She has spent more than two decades working with natural fibers, specializing in spinning and felting, and has taught throughout the southeastern U.S., including the John C. Campbell Folk School, Tryon Arts and Crafts School, assisting at Penland School of Crafts and numerous arts councils. Her fiber arts instruction emphasizes the transformation of raw fleece into finished pieces, combining traditional techniques with an accessible, hands-on approach. Jamie holds an Associates in Metalsmithing from Haywood Community College, where she developed her skills in metalwork and design. Prior to her work in the arts, she focused life as a herbal educator and plant biologist with a focus on the relationship between humans and plants—a passion that continues to influence her creative practice.