By Tara, on July 25th, 2008%
Today’s interview (the third in the series) is with Bobbi of Kittygrrlz. She creates fun and exciting handspun yarn using fibers handdyed or carded by other with other fiber artists, a beautiful example of collaboration. You can read more about her fiber-y life on her blog.
How did you get started with knitting? I was vending (with jewelry) at the DIY Trunk Show in Chicago, in November of 2004. As I like to say, this show changed my life! Their local SnB group was there giving free knitting lessons. Since I had a Chicagoan helping me out, and it was pretty quiet in the morning, I went up and got my free lesson. They started me off with some needles and a skein of basic yarn, and, honestly, I never thought I would get it. I was all thumbs. But, I took it home, promptly bought some PURPLE . . . → Read More: Fiber Friday Interviews – Kitty Grrlz
By Tara, on July 22nd, 2008%
Every yarn is a collaboration between animal, farmer, dyer, spinner. Each yarn I spin is an unspoken agreement use the raw, pure fiber to create an artistic expression, to endeavor to honor the original fiber and the others who have worked with it.This sense of collaboration and community is why I choose to buy most of my supplies from local fiber farmers and handpaint the fiber myself. Sometimes, though, I like to create something in collaboration with even more artists, to work with someone else’s painted fiber. Last week I purchased some lovely fiber from a few Etsy sellers. The small fiber farm, Fleecemakers, raise Romney sheep and sell the roving dyed and blended in beautiful mixes. I ordered Ocean Wave and Tropical colorways (stay tuned to the shop or my Twitter updates to see the yarns this fiber become!)I’ve been a fan of Jayne’s work for a while, . . . → Read More: Collaboration
By Tara, on July 21st, 2008%
Grape tomatoes at Johnson City Farmer’s Market
By Tara, on July 18th, 2008%
Today’s interview (the second in our series) is with Abby of Folktale Fibers. She creates beautiful handspun yarn from cruelty-free and vegan fibers. You can read more about her fiber-y life on her blog, but be sure to check out her beautiful shop.
How did you get started with fiber art?
Honestly, I think it’s in my blood. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with textiles and the process of making things. My earliest memories are of finger crocheting on the school bus on the way to field trips (this was before kindergarten) and sewing buttons onto fabric scraps my mom gave me while she sewed clothes on her sewing machine. I had a fabric and yarn stash by the time I was three or four years old! I didn’t discover the art of spinning until about 3 years ago, when I suddenly realized that I . . . → Read More: Fiber Friday – FolkTale Fibers
By Tara, on July 16th, 2008%
Edited to add: and again this morning (7.17.08), I’m on the front page! It’s this Treasury, featuring the Independence yarn.
So, the front page of Etsy is kind of a big deal. The admin at Etsy select Treasuries to feature on the front page and Treasuries are made by Etsy users. Only the prettiest pictures get in Treasuries (in theory) and only the prettiest Treasuries make the front page. And my Sunshine yarn did it! Yay!
By Tara, on July 15th, 2008%
Taken by little brother T, at the Johnson City Farmer’s Market…purple bell peppers?
It reminded me of this yarn:Irises
So now I need it to inspire a new yarn!
By Tara, on July 13th, 2008%
This week’s picture was taken at the Johnson City Farmer’s Market: ripening Cherokee Tomatoes, from a local farm. Just as the rain subsided, I was smitten with the deep red and receding green of this heirloom variety.
I captured the purpley red on mill-ends wool (rescued wool from what would be thrown out by a commercial spinning mill) and handspun it fluffy, thick and thin. I then wrapped the squishy wool in hemp yarn, handyed the shade of green tomatoes. The two textures and colors play with each other, like the ripening of a tomato, creating a contrast for your eyes and hands. The knitted (or crocheted) fabric will have a slight tweedy effect with the green just popping up now and then to add some life to the . . . → Read More: Farmer’s Market Project #5
By Tara, on July 11th, 2008%
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.
By Tara, on July 8th, 2008%
Cherokee Tomatoes – also known as black or purple tomatoes, fully ripe their skin becomes a blackish purple. (I bought two – very mild in taste, not tomatoe-y)
By Tara, on July 7th, 2008%
Inspired by these peaches, the seasons’ first, I handdyed some local fiber 3 shades of peach.
The three shades in this 2 ply yarn create a self-striping yarn that starts with darker peach at one end and moves towards the lightest, peachiest color at the other end of the skein. Knitted (or crocheted), this skein will create one long color repeat that moves from darkest to lightest along the length of the project.
I was/am very tempted to keep this yarn for myself and knit a scarf out of it! It took all my moral fortitude to stick with the Project and list the yarn in the shop!
PS. This is a super busy week with out-of-town family (and pets) staying in my guest room/studio/office and dyeing lessons in my kitchen and knitting night at Jill’s. I might not be around too . . . → Read More: Farmer’s Market Project #4
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