By Tara, on February 29th, 2008%
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 . . . → Read More: Fiber Friday #5
By Tara, on February 22nd, 2008% After reading about Sharon’s comprehensive list of textile-focused blogs, I’m thinking I’d like something similar for fiber arts. There are thousands of knit-blogs out there, but I’m always looking for the MOST informational on subjects of farming, spinning, dyeing and knitting with handspun. A lot of the blogs I have found are, well, less than stellar with dark backgrounds (which makes the text hard to read) or un-informational. So, I’m on a search to develop a list as comprehensive as Sharon’s for the spinning world. I know it’s a big project and I should have just kept my mouth (or fingers?) shut until I got something together, but it occurred to me that ya’ll might be able to help? If you come across an informational, inspiring blog on the subjects of fiber farms, spinning, dyeing; please post it in the comments!I’ll be doing my own researching and hope to have . . . → Read More: Just a thought…
By Tara, on February 19th, 2008% This weekend I spent much time curled up with hot fudge sauce, my puppy and Robert Grudin’s The Grace of Great Things. I can’t think of anything better to prepare me for a Monday that involved 2 meetings for a total of 4 hours in the airless, miserable conference room.So I thought I’d share the bits that moved me, while I continue to ponder the connections and beauty: “in both good science and good art, the mind must suspend it’s usual assumptions in order to meditate on something fundamentally new” (p 50)
and his definition of Integrity: “1. an inner psychological harmony or wholeness2. a conformity of personal expression with psychological reality; of the outer with the inner self3. Continuity…through time” (pg 73)
By Tara, on February 15th, 2008% 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 . . . → Read More: Fiber Friday #5
By Tara, on February 14th, 2008% 1. Lime and Violet swirl, 2. lucy & ricky, 3. Johnny and June-pile of handspun goodness, 4. Carrie & Big – Handpusn yarn, 5. Homer and Marge – Handspun yarn, 6. ross & rachel – handspun yarn, 7. Pam and Jim – swirl of handspun yarn, 8. zack & Kelly -Month of Love Series, 9. Romy & Michelle pile of handspun yarn, 10. Cosby- handspun yarn, 11. Monica & Chandler – handspun yarn, 12. Johnny and Baby – handspun yarn, 13. Dwight & Angela – Handspun yarn – Month of Love Series, 14. Jane Austin – Handpainted yarn – pile, 15. Austrian Forest Handspun Yarn – swoosh, 16. Princess Bride – handspun yarn, 17. bert & ernie – handspun yarn – month of love series, 18. green eggs & Ham, 19. Peony loves Lilac – Handyed Banana yarn, 20. spongebob
Happy Valentine’s Day! The Month of Love Series is . . . → Read More: End of the Month of Love
By Tara, on February 12th, 2008% Ok, so it’s not still Monday..but here’s my weekly round-up, inspired by my trip to Boone, NC. If you’re ever in Boone or Blowing Rock, these are the places you should check out (I’ll be adding pictures later today)Espresso News: Good coffee that is roasted on site, fantastic truffles, cozy/grungy atmosphere with 3 walls of floor to ceiling windows and loads of magazines and newspapers to read whilst lounging. There’s a used bookstore upstairs, but we didn’t check it out. On a brisk, sunny day (like Saturday was), I could spend hours soaking up the sunshine in the warm/coffee drenched air.Cha-Da Thai: we’ve only had Thai food one other time (which is crazy, since we’re vegetarians) and it didn’t impress us. This place turned it all around. The dishes were complex and totally satisfying. Although we both had brown sauces, Jay’s had chilis in it while mine was sweeter and . . . → Read More: Monday Inspiration #4
By Tara, on February 8th, 2008% This morning my first article for Etsy‘s news zine, The Storque, was published! This is the first in a series about Marketing Communications. I hope to keep it up as I start my MBA and take a variety of classes, as Dispatches from B-school.
By Tara, on February 7th, 2008% Just a quick note to point out this interesting post on recycling clothes. It was a great reminder to take my huge bag of no-longer-wearing-them clothes to Goodwill this weekend!
By Tara, on February 6th, 2008%
The mysterious Sarah with the name “Johnny & Baby“!
Part of the reason I chose this name is that, while dying this fiber, I was on the phone with my best friend, trying to explain my ridiculous game that has become the Month of Love series. She laughed with me and then suggested that I spin…Johnny & Baby! I couldn’t figure out what color it might be (other than pink & black, and if you think about it, nearly EVERY couple could be pink & black!)…but when Sarah wrote it, I knew it was fate!
Edited to add: Shock! The-previously-mysterious-Sarah is my very own Sarah, that works here on campus, victim of my knitting lessons! Thanks for everyone’s imput! Continue to make suggestions for the Month of Love Series! . . . → Read More: And the winner is…
By Tara, on February 5th, 2008% I did make a decision about the mini-contest, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out about it, mmkay?
Because today I want to share a bit about my new favorite yarn, inspired by the girls on this Ravelry thread and by my favorite show, The Office. This yarn, part of my Month of Love series, is my tribute to the couple-that-shouldn’t, Dwight and Angela. Both are uptight, officious and pompously serious. But still, there’s something about Dwight’s farmer ways and Angela’s obsession with kittens that well, it melts your heart.
I knew their yarn would need to be plain, with a bit of severity (not smooshy like the Pam & Jim yarn). Alpaca, raised by a local farm, undyed brown would suit Dwight and his no-nonsense commitment to hard work. I thought he’d appreciate that the fiber came from a real farmer (he has a beet . . . → Read More: Dwangela, the yarn
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