Life of Yarn - Dyeing

The Life of Yarn series is my attempt to share the process from fiber (on the animal) to finished yarn. Each is just a glimpse into a moment in the life of yarn and yarnmaker.

Most everyone knows that fabric comes from yarn or thread which comes from cotton, sheep or synthetics. But how does it really GET there? From farm to cloth? In the next few week’s I’ll be working through and documenting this process. Today: The Color

After the fleece is clean and dry (although, really, I don't see why it needs to be dry), I dye the fiber. This is hardly the only way to do it. In fact, it's time for a digression on the creativity of the process.

There are 1000s different way to move fiber from animal to yarn. I've been showing how I did it, for this one fleece. If you're following along, planning for your own fleece, just keep in mind that there are a zillion little chances for creativity. You can dye the fiber in lock form (like I'll demonstrate), once it's carded or once you've spun it into yarn. You can card it or comb it or send it out to be processed by a mill. You can mix all different colors together into one batts or spin rovings of different colors together. This process is full of little decisions. Don't get confused or bogged down in choosing one or the other. A fleece is a lot of fiber, plenty to play with, so experiment! Split it up into 1 lb sections and treat each section differently. With this fleece I'm leaving a pound undyed and dyeing the rest in 2 oz (or bigger) sections, then carding together the different colors (by the way, I'm creating a limited edition line of yarn using only the fiber from this one fleece, it'll be in the Boutique in late October). When this is fleece, I plan on doing it all over again (documenting and sharing it here, of course) using different dyeing, carding and spinning techniques.

Ok, now on to the dyeing.





When it comes out of the microwave it looks like this:

I know I say it a few times in the video but by all means, leave it alone and let it cool!
Once the fiber is cool and has been rinsed, I put it back outside, on a rug, to dry.



Oooh, such pretty colors! ALL of them from Easter Egg dyes! I've achieved different depths of color by pouring off some of the dye liquid into another glass jar and adding water.



Once dry, they get carded and spun, tune in next week for carding!

Life of Yarn - Washing the Fleece

The Life of Yarn series is my attempt to share the process from fiber (on the animal) to finished yarn. Each is just a glimpse into a moment in the life of yarn and yarnmaker. Most everyone knows that fabric comes from yarn or thread which comes from cotton, sheep or synthetics. But how does it really GET there? From farm to cloth? In the next few week’s I’ll be working through and documenting this process. Today: The Fleece.

I purchased the fleece from Hobby Knob Farm, during my last farm visit.

It's a Coopworth, shorn just last March from one of Elizabeth's herd. It's around 7 lbs and I loved the locks, even dirty:

When I was ready to wash it, I spread it out on my back "porch". My cat was fascinated:

I was a little nervous I'd ruin it, so I gathered all the bits around the edges that were dirtiest and washed those first. The fleece had already been skirted, which means all the dung tags (uh, poop) and really dirty stuff around the edges had been removed before I bought it. But I found the dirtiest, shortest locks and put them in the washing machine.

Here's where my fleece washing differs from everyone else. Usually you fill the washing machine up with the hottest water, but, well, my hot water line isn't hooked up to the washer (we always wash with cold water), so I had to get a little old-fashioned. I took my big dyeing kettle, filled it up with hot water and put it on the stove. When the water got really hot, I added it to the washing machine. It took about 2 kettles to get enough water to fill the washing machine, so I only washed the fleece with hot water once. I added a shot of Dr. Bronner's shampoo (all natural, organic ingredients!) and then left it alone for 2 hours. I came back later, drained the water, filled it up with tepid water and let it sit again for 2 or 3 hours. After these two rinses I couldn't believe how clean and white the fleece was!

No dirt, no grime and so much brighter white than I expected.

I put the fleece back outside, on an old, clean rug to dry.

After it was dry, I brought it in and dyed it, more on that next week!

Life of Yarn - at the farm

The Life of Yarn series is my attempt to share the process from fiber (on the animal) to finished yarn. Each is just a glimpse into a moment in the life of yarn and yarnmaker.



Most everyone knows that fabric comes from yarn or thread which comes from cotton, sheep or synthetics. But how does it really GET there? From farm to cloth? In the next few week’s I’ll be working through and documenting this process. Today: On the Farm.



Specifically Hobby Knob Farm in Weaversville, NC. This is one of the first farms I visited in my search for local wool and it continues to be my favorite sheep farm. Elizabeth is always generous with her time and information. That’s her (and my mom) you can hear in the videos. The sheep on this farm are bred for their fiber and conservancy. The flock includes colored Romney and Cotswold with a focus on Jacob’s, since they are a rare heritage breed that needs conservation. You can read more about Hobby Knob’s history and conservation efforts on their website.

On this visit, I purchased 2 beautiful cream fleeces which I just washed last weekend. For that adventure, tune in next Fiber Friday!

Fiber Friday - Knitty Dirty Girl

Next in the series of Interviews with Fiber Artists is Rachel-Marie of KnittyDirtyGirl.com. To learn more about Rachel-Marie's jump into the world of full-time fiber artist, read this excellent Etsy article
How'd you get started dyeing?
I started dyeing with kool-aid and yarn from my beloved Brown Sheep Company. I don't remember what sparked my interest in dyeing. Being able to create my own colors has helped me to be a more creative fiber artist.

Which came first: the knitting, the dyeing or the spinning?
Knitting, then dyeing, then spinning. I am still working on my knitting skills, my spinning expertise has far exceeded my knitting talents.

How did the business begin?
I started selling my knits with trial and error. I have learned from some not so smart business choices. I started selling my knits to friends, then at a co-op, next on ebay, and finally on Etsy.

Did you intentionally grow your business this direction?
It just sort of evolved into what it is today. It is completely surprising to me that I have managed to survive off of my artsy income.

What's it like to work from home?
I have struggled working full time out of our apartment, but only because it is so crowded. The high chair, fish tank, bird cage, spinning wheels, tv, baby playpen thing, Dora kids table, stroller, my fiber and laptop, my husband's desk area... it's all crammed into the living room. Once we buy a decent sized house things will be a lot easier. Other than that, the kids are pretty good, and I can't complain.

Can you explain the process of creating your yarn?
I use roving that is already processed for my made to order handspun. I used mill end fiber and farm wool for the bulk of my one of a kind novelty yarns and hand carded batts. The farm wool I wash and card myself. I dye all of my wool, except black, which I can not seem to achieve that color.

Some complain that it can be time consuming, but the actual washing part is mostly a waiting game. I just dump some of the dirty fleece in my washing machine, then I squirt a lot of grease fighting dish soap in. I fill it with hot water, keep the lid open and let soak. I spin it out after a few hours, and repeat. You can repeat that a few times if you like, then make sure to let it soak in hot water with no soap, to rinse. You must not agitate the wool, and do not let the water sit so long that it gets cold.

If the sheep has had an exciting life with no coat the fleece may need to go through a wool picker. Which I do not have. I pick out the bits I see potential in, and after they are dry I card them. I dye the fiber either before or after the carding process depending on the amount of vegetation.

Finally I gather all of my materials (sari silk, bling, cotton, wools) and make some batts using my drum carder. My farm wool usually does have some vegetation left in it. I love it, it shows my customers that I really am using farm wool. I blend it with softer, processed, superwash merino mill ends, which makes the vegetation less noticeable.

Here I am spinning my made to order yarns using already processed roving:

Some of my stash:

My drum carder:

What's the inspiration process like?
Sometimes, but it's normally like I try and keep the dyepot full at all times. I usually become inspired from my dyed stash. I usually pull names related to yarns from books, movies, or tv shows that I like. I choose names from these medias that fit the yarn.

Sometimes I get ideas or concepts for well thought out yarns. Like my gnome series (above) and then execute the idea. But mostly I just look at my shop and see what I think it could use more of based on price points, color, and season. Sounds boring, but it works for me. I come up with better yarn just looking at my stash and trying to make the best of it.

What do you wish you’d planned for before you went full-time?
I know now that June and July are very slow for me, and from now on I am going to try and save some money for those months. Or supplement my income in some way during that time. I actually just got offered a part time, one day a week, job at the new local yarn shop in my city! They are carrying my yarns, this steady income should help us get by when retail is otherwise slow. Plus, it will help me learn more about my industry, connect with my customer base, and get me out of the house once a week!

What has surprised and delighted you about being a fiber artist?
The endless possibilities! Just when you think you are bored another door is opened, like natural dyeing. You could devote your whole life's work on that topic alone.

Fiber Friday - Interview with SeeJayneKnits

Fabulous! Spun by me from SeeJayneKnit's Fabulosity roving

Today's Fiber Friday interview is with Jayne of SeeJayneKnit. She is a full-time dyer, spinner and stich-marker maker! I got to know Jayne through the Fiber Friday threads on Etsy, where she shared her experiences with learning to spin. She knocked my socks off when she started selling her handspun yarn just a few weeks later and it was perfectly beautiful! A quick learner, with a great eye for color, you can keep with Jayne on her blog or by checking out her shop.I was so smitten with her color-sense that I purchased some fiber from her shop. It spun evenly and quickly into 2 gorgeously soft skeins of yarn (one of the skeins is my biggest EVER at 300 yards!)

(just to clear up some questions I had last week, everything in italics, is me, Tara, and everything NOT in italics is Jayne's answers)

How did you get started dyeing?
It started with blogging. One day I was fooling around with yarn and dye just to, you know, have some fun. I loved how the yarn turned out, so I blogged about it. By the end of the week people were asking to buy it. How was I supposed to know where that was going to lead? I sold yarn from my blog for a month or two and then moved to etsy where it would be easier to manage.

If you want to see the early blog posts about dyeing with some basic instructions, go back to March of 2007.

What came first: dyeing or stitch markers?
Dyeing. Definitely. I like to make earrings and jewelry as an earlier hobby, so I would put a free stitch marker on every skein of yarn I sold. People started asking for those too...

How did it become a full-fledged business?
People started asking to buy the yarn, so I set up a paypal acct, and started listing it on my blog. I started with about seven skeins of yarn I posted one evening that sold out during the night. When I could see that I enjoyed it, and that it wasn't going to go away, I moved to etsy to make it easier on myself. Since I didn't intend to become a business, I had to figure out how to do a lot of things very quickly, but overall it has been tons of fun, and I'm keen to continue.

Did you quit a dayjob to work with fiber?
Nope I didn't quit a day job. I used to be a high-school teacher, and then a grad student in theology and New Testament. I was heading towards a masters/PhD and eventually teaching at a seminary in graduate studies. Then I had a major emotional/physical breakdown. I have a disability as a result of that, so for the last five years or so, I have considered myself to be unemployable. I'm just not that consistently well or reliable health-wise. About four years ago, I taught myself to knit to get through long painful days. That led to blogging, and oh yeah, the blog led to dyeing...

I honestly can't think of a job I'd rather do than work with fiber. I couldn't have imagined this job for myself, so I consider myself very blessed that things worked out as they did.

What's a normal working day like?
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! There is no such thing as a normal working day.

I work any and all days of the week, at just about any time of day or night. I don't know how many hours a week I work, but it varies from half to full-time, depending on my energy, commitments, mood, and the type of week it is.

Typically, I do my emails/write up sales etc/do mail in the morning. If I'm going to dye yarn, I'll work for three to four hours in the morning/and early afternoon. I spin at any time of day, but especially enjoy doing that in the evening if the TV is on.

I pop into etsy at several points in the day to list, relist, or tweak listings, or photos.

I find the business side of things to be a lot easier and quicker now that I am so much more experienced at it. I've learned to streamline a lot of things.

Is it easier or harder to be creative with your business?
Some things are more production mode (making a bunch of stitch markers or dyeing up a known colorway). That part is definitely easier as I have refined my methods.

If I find I can't think of anything new or have trouble naming things, it's time to scale back for a few days or weeks and let things ride until I feel refreshed. On occasion I close up my shop to let myself go free for a bit. Otherwise, my policies generally protect me from burning out. I don't do wholesale. I don't do spinning or roving by request. I'm protective about which custom orders I agree to do. I feel a lot more creative when I make things on my schedule than on someone else's. And I do live such an unstructured life of flexible schedule etc, that I usually don't feel smothered by my work.

Can you explain the creating process?
Yes, I can explain the white fiber to dyed process, but that's boring. And I don't always start with white fiber. I often start with an already colored yarn (commercially spun). I have a whole repertoire of colorways that I can do on yarn that is already blue or golden yellow, or brown, or pink, or....

I get ideas from looking at things, or when I'm spinning and my mind goes loose to wander. I walk outside a lot. Stuff pops into my head. Sometimes a name begets a colorway, and sometimes the other way around. I get a lot of good ideas when I'm not doing anything related to my work. And I'm completely fearless about experimenting. Accidents and experiments have led to some of my best work -- and best sellers.

I get bored doing the same thing over and over, so I'm always playing around. I don't write anything down.

What do you wish you had planned for before you started?
Hmmm...I wish I had not bought so much inventory of undyed yarn so quickly. It's all good stuff and it sells, but I didn't know what I liked to dye the most until about six months went by. By that time, I had it figured out, but I still have this huge inventory that I have to work down. On the other hand, that keeps me doing fresh things all the time, as each yarn type reacts differently to my assorted dyeing methods. And I do re-stock my favorites, so it's a good balance.

What surprises and delights you about being a full-time fiber artist?
Pretty much everything. Except doing the mail. I'm amazed at how many variations on a colour I can get. I still like the smell of wet wool. I still ooh and ahh when something new comes out of the pot. I love the feel of fiber. I love to spin (that has been a recent surprise and delight). I love how friendly and encouraging knitters are. I love how gentle and accommodating a job it is to work with fiber. This is a very positive line of work for me as it is all about something soft and pretty that you can make into something else. The fact that my work brings surprise and delight to others is a huge delight to me.

Anything else?
Um...it's always a bit tricky explaining to non-fiber people what I do for a living. They usually don't get it until they see my yarn room, and then suddenly they realize that this is a THING.

And...I'm starting to have lustful thoughts about drum carders...

Fiber Friday - Around the web

This week has been full of multi-media fiber-happiness:

• A sweet little profile of my friend, Maple of North Star Alpacas
• A podcast with the authors of Shear Spirit (my new favorite book)
  
• A beautiful video of Martha Vineyard Fiber Farm:

PS. If you're near Abingdon this Sunday, come visit me at A Likely Yarn.

Fiber Shop Swap

Remember the Fiber Shop Swap?

It's all wrapped up now and I wanted to thank my partner, Extreme Spinning!

Preschool, available in the shop

She sent me two amazing fiber art kits that included yarn, fiber, binding cotton, pearls and instructions for it all! The two yarns pictured here were spun from those kits and were so fun!

Fiber Friday - Hobby Knob Farm

On a muggy Friday evening last month, Jay and I had the pleasure of visiting Hobby Knob Farm in Weaversville, NC. Shepherdess Elizabeth met us on her big back porch, where she was working on a fleece, cleaning out the grass as it sat on a big screen door.

Elizabeth gave us a grand tour, past the guard llamas that were being groomed for her daughter's upcoming 4-H show and up to the sheep on a leash.
Yes, a sheep on a leash (a very long leash) in the yard! I knew then that I was gonna love this place!

The flock of sheep all live in several huge fields and are rotated throughout the day. When we arrived, Elizabeth put out some feed in the chicken yard and the sheep (and their constant companions, the llamas) came running.
As cute as the sheep are, that chick in the above picture, might be my favorite - she looks like she's wearing pants!

Hobby Knob is focuses on heritage breeds of sheep: Jacobs, Cotswalds and some Shetland crosses.

Elizabeth breeds with other local, small farms to create interesting, beautiful fiber and fantastically adorable lambs!

The fiber I got from Elizabeth is a blend of her wool and mohair with local alpaca. It dyes beautifully soft colors and spins so easily, so smoothly!

This yarn was dyed with the leftover Easter Egg dyes and spun to a heavy worsted weight. I named this first skein spun the fiber I got at my farm visit after Elizabeth!

Hobbledehoy - behind the wool

Fiber Friday is here and today I'd like to share what I hope will become a regular feature: an interview with a full-time fiberist! I've gushed over her beautiful batts, and now I'm happy to share some insight into the world of Hobbledehoy. Liz (aka hobbledehoy) is a successful full-time spinner with a thriving Etsy shop. She candidly shares the realities of life as a spinster on her blog. I find her blog and business inspring but I was curious about her beginnings, so I asked some questions and she generously answered:

How'd you get started spinning?

I've been a long-time fan of the Craftster.org forums, and discovered novelty spinning on one of the boards there. I'm a bit obsessive with new hobbies, and will gobble up all the information I can find about a specific craft before trying it out. I ordered a spindle and dyed wool yarns with KoolAid while I waited for it to arrive. A week later, I ordered a wheel. It all happened so fast- most of those first few weeks are a blur. None of it would have been possible or affordable if it weren't for mill end wool providers and a lucky Etsy search (where I discovered a used Babe wheel for sale).

Which came first: the spinning or the bunny?

I spent a full year spinning before I brought little Huxley home. I had no idea what to expect- processing fiber from my own animal. Fortunately, Huxley is a sweetie and doesn't mind sitting still for hours while I snip away his fluff (I'm too scared to pluck! Plus, it makes him antsy).

How did your business begin?

Actually, I was selling one inch buttons and simple earrings on Etsy- two or three months before I began spinning and selling yarn. The business-y aspects of selling yarn began when I realized that in order to afford fiber to spin, I had to sell what was spun. I'm not much of a knitter, and would literally spend days cranking out new yarns- that's a lot of fiber!

Did you set out from the beginning of it to have a "business" and be "self-employed"?

No. I just wanted to rake in enough cash to pay for textbooks and student fees. When I sat down to chart my profit, I realized that I could probably spin yarn for a living- especially since the cost of living in this area is relatively low. I live frugally, but am able to make ends meet by taking overhead production costs into consideration.

What led to your self-employment? How did you make the decision to being "full-time"?

I was working approximately 20 hours a week in college, taking 18 credit semesters. When I added spinning to my already compressed schedule, I decided that something needed snipped. I made the decision to quit my part time job when I noticed a trend with my sales- 80% were to returning customers. I decided that if I could sustain a base of loyal customers and continually lure in new shoppers through branding and marketing efforts, I just might be able to squeak by with my hobby. Now, I'm preparing to start clocking in full 40 hour work weeks with my business, possibly branching onto a website this Fall. I've been keeping my head above water, just slightly, until now, but am looking forward to building a more structured and less spontaneous business.

Thanks Liz, for sharing your business beginnings! And to further make your Fiber Friday, Liz posted a little tutorial for corespinnig (instructions here):

Fiber Friday: Wit's End Fiber

At Maryland Sheep & Wool, strolling through the sheep barns, I came upon a table with some business cards, a skein of yarn and a bag of wool. As I plunged my hand into the wool (ecstasy!), the farmer approached and he and I my mom began chatting about his sheep. It took me about two seconds of admiring the sheep

and fondling the wool before I pounced on it! I was thrilled to learn that Wit's End farm is just a few hours from my house, in rural Virginia. When I returned home, Jay had purchased the first of the season's strawberries. Inspired, I pulled out the local wool, and dyed it in "local" colors.

Strawberry

I set aside 4 oz of fiber to sell and quickly spun up another 4 oz:

Strawberries, already sold!

A few days later, the leaves outside my office door inspired me to dye the rest of the wool:

Leaf

This fiber has been an absolute dream to spin with and serves as further proof that buying direct from the farmer makes for the most satisfying spinning experience!
If you want to find local farmers, search Local Harvest, or just google "sheep farm ___ (your city and state)". If you know of any great local farms, please share in the comments!

Fiber I love: Hobbledhoy batts!

Long have I admired Liz, of Hobbledehoy's use of color. I remember reading her Featured Seller interview on Etsy and feeling so inspired! I long watched and drooled over her batts, but they usually sell out so soon after listing, it seemed I kept missing them.
Imagine my delight and surprise when I finally did order a pair and she added a little extra batt!
The wait was definately worth it, the batts were squishy and soft and spun up into the bounciest yarns.
I was extra thrilled when, moments after finishing this yarn:


I went on a walk and snapped this picture:


Usually my pictures inspire my spinning, but this time my fresh yarn inspired to notice the beauty in these buds.
Today I listed the yarn spun from the little extra batt. I added it in with some of my own handdyed purpley mill-ends wool/mohair.
The results reminded me so much of the pansies blooming everwhere; I'm now inspired to try to photograph a few!

As I started writing this post, I realized I'd like to know a little more about the girl behind the yarn, so I asked to interview her and she agreed! Look for it here, on Monday!

Fiber Friday #9- Behind the Fiber

I gush a lot about the fibers I love, my inspiration, etc, but I very rarely mention how much I absolutely LOVE the business side of BCB. I love it so much I write articles about it for Etsy, so much that I subscribe to business blogs, and so much that I'm applying for an MBA program this fall (I've been taking pre-MBA classes for a year, since my BA is in...French).

One of my new favorite blogs, asked the question "What is your business?" and I realized that while most everyone knows I sell yarn, maybe a little clarification would be good for the both of us!
So here it is, BCB: the Business!

What’s your game? What do you do?
I dye and handspin eco-friendly, squishy yarns in bright colors for fiber artists. My fibers are from locally farmers, recycled and/or organic and I handpaint each of them, in a very un-scientific, serendipitous process before they leave me!

Why do you do it? Do you love it, or do you just have one of those creepy knacks?
I love it! I've always had a visceral reaction to tactile experiences; since I was 4 or 5, I sewed with Grams, then moved to braiding friendship bracelets (which I, of course, tried to sell), then hemp necklaces with beads embedded (also tried to sell in junior high), then a small stint with scrapbooking until I taught myself to knit and ever since it's been a 24/7 fiber fest. And color, it's what I turn to for inspiration, courage, a sense of well-being. I truly just love all aspects of fiber and dyeing! Not sure if I have a knack, I just know I love it!

Who are your customers? What kind of people would need or want what you offer?
My customers are fiber artists, people who also feel passionately about just the right color on just the right fiber. They are concerned about their impact on the environment and about supporting the local community.

What’s your marketing USP(unique selling point)? Why should I buy from you instead of the other losers?
My yarns aren't just fun, they're good for you and the earth and my Appalachian community. I believe creating should be about having fun and doing the right thing. Knitters, crocheters, weavers, felters; they each spend a LOT of time with the yarn before it becomes the finished product and they should LOVE their materials. All of my yarn and fiber has integrity and spirit and will add another layer of meaning and artistry to their work

What’s next for you? What’s the big plan?
What's next is sourcing more of my materials from local sources; building more relationships with local farmers; finding a way to get local wool into local hands. Long term I want to work with other small creative businesses and farmers on creating a community for education and the exchange of goods; and educate these businesses and farms on using new technology for reaching their market.

Fiber Shop Swap

Do you create fabulous spinning fiber or yarn? Are you looking for a way to spread the fibery love?
Then you definately need to join the Fiber Shop Swap, hosted by me and Lapoli.
We're accepting all joiners, until 4/25/08, who agree to send at least $10 worth of fiber or yarn to their assigned partner by 5/31/08. Once you recieve your item, you'll post it on the group's Flickr. That's it, nothing fancy!

To join, fill out this form and be assured that no one but Lapoli, your partner and I will see your information. After the swap is complete, we'll delete the list and you won't ever hear from us again!

Thanks for playing!

Fiber Friday #7 - Organic Squishy

I'm always searching for the perfect sustainable, responsible yarns for BCB. A product isn't "responsible" unless it fulfills the following standards:

• It must come from a family-owned business or farm (no corporations).
• It must be sustainable (both the business and the product).
• It must be as earth-friendly as possible (either recycled or chemical free and not travel unnecessary distances)

Ones that are unique and eco-friendly, that can be dyed bright happy colors, are pretty hard to come by. Thus, I was thrilled to find Marr Haven, a family farm that processes their own Merino wool without using any chemicals (just water and salt!). Their yarn was reviewed very favorably by Knitter's Review and so I felt confident ordering a LOT of fiber and yarn.

It is exactly what I hoped for! The yarn is soft, squishy and takes the dye beautifully (pictured throughout). I struggled with a name for it...and then decided on "Organic Squishy" - strait and to the point! I'm choosing to dye only 2 skeins in each colorway, except by specific request, and am looking forward to truly have an entire "line" of this yarn in a variety of colors and weights.

The fiber is lofty and extremely easy to spin. It takes the dye so bright and clear (it's the brightest colors in the following yarn):

Fiber Friday #6- Raspberry Fool roving and recipe

Thanks for your fantastic suggestions on yarn names for my first roving!
The general consensus is that it is very Raspberry-ish. (is that really how you spell "raspberry"? I never noticed it had "rasp" in it...)


I decided on Raspberry Fool, because it's just so delicious- and silly-sounding at the same time. Commenter Mooncalf gets extra points for giving us this tasty (-seeming, I'll let you know when I try it) recipe from the BBC.

I've spent the week dyeing a range of greens, one of which has made it into the shop:

Spring Grass - Bananiere.

I'm aching for Spring! Finding ShiningEgg's Green Week has just brightened my mostly-rainy week!

I'm spending this weekend in Cookeville, TN at my Grams' rural house on a mountaintop with no internet access, so if you comment, email or call, I won't be getting it until Sunday night The Boutique will go on normally: all orders purchased from now until Sunday will ship on Monday, as usual.

Have a lovely weekend full of green things!

PS. Mooncalf, email me with your info and I'll send you a discount code for winning!

Fiber Friday #5

Inspired by this year's Project Spectrum, an exploration of color and elements, I'm dedicating (the last bit of February and) March to delving into the element of "Fire" by playing with the heat during the application of "hot" colors (pink, red, orange). Heating the dye first, heating the yarn first, baking, microwaving, stewing: all methods of heat-setting colors to fiber and yarn. The first experiment were the two yarns at the top, one baked, one simmered.

This one is "Spicy Bake” . I used new (to me) organic yarn which is treated without any chemicals (just washed in soap and water by the farm). I first soaked the yarn in warmish water, then spread it out in a glass lasagna pan and mixed up some colors (I’m not very scientific, but most solutions have about a tsp of dye powder with a cup of water): a few shades of pink, 1 red, 1 orange. I then poured these dyes over the 2 skeins, trying to get both skeins equally with all colors and smooshing the yarn to spread it a bit.

It turned out beautifully and with each color much more distinct then in the simmered yarn, which is called, appropriately "Spicy Simmer".

You can see that the colors are much more mingled, creating an almost solid effect. This was kettle-dyed by plopping the yarn (unsoaked) into a pot of water and turning up the heat while sprinkling in dye. I added the lightest colors first, let the water heat up and once the yarn was hot, I sprinkled on a few of the darker colors. Putting dye on hot wool causes the dye to "strike" almost immediately and prevents the dye from just mingling with the other dyes to create new colors (although of course this happens a bit too).

This was a fun experiment and it has informed my dyeing in a way I hadn't expected. I'll definitely be playing with this more, with a whole range of colors and reporting on it here.

Happy weekend, fiberheads!

Fiber Friday #5

Each winter I look forward to Project Spectrum. It's so nice to get a jolt of inspiration during the blah winter months. This year is particularly inspiring, as it centers on the 4 Elements: Fire, Water, Air and Earth. I plan on dyeing a spinning a 'mini-series' for each of these elements, working with color, material and texture to integrate the feeling of the individual elements.
This week I worked on Fire (the theme from Feb-March), in the warmest of materials: wool.

This is the newest local wool I've sourced; it comes from Hobby Knob Farm. I haven't had a chance to visit the farm yet, as that would involve going "over the mountain", something I try to avoid when we have the possibility of snow. Last year, in December, I had to go to a conference in Asheville ('over the mountain') and it just started to snow as I left at 5pm. By 5:30pm, I was at the highest elevation and the road had narrowed to one lane (the other lane had over 5 inches of snow), with just the smallest little tracks for my wheels. I was alone, without a cell phone and only the occasional car around. It took me 3 hours to make the 1 hour drive and I learned later that they usually "close the road" when it gets that bad. I asked, "so the drivers have to get off at an exit and stay at a hotel?" No, they simply close all the exits so you are stuck on the road all night! So yes, I'll be waiting until the threat of snow is passed.

However, Elizabeth, the owner, tells me that she's expecting some lambs any day and that shearing season is upon us, so if I want to get some fleeces, I need to get over that mountain!