By Tara, on October 31st, 2008%
Created from one local fleece, the LocalSpun line celebrates the unique properties of a breed while honoring the sheep that produced it. I’ve visited the farm, washed the fleece and laid it out in the sun to dry. The line includes dyed locks, handcarded batts and handspun yarns. Every item is one of a kind and once sold, can never be recreated.
Today the batts are in the Boutique, with locks to follow this weekend and handspun yarns on Monday (along with a video showing how I spin these batts here on the blog).
The names for these batts are inspired by John Keats’s poem “To Autumn”. It’s much too long to include in it’s entirety in the shop descriptions, so I’d like to share it here, along with the batts inspired by it. Serendipitously, today is Keats‘s birthday!
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, . . . → Read More: Introducing: Local Spun Batts
By Tara, on October 24th, 2008%
The LocalSpun 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 Blending.
The one question I seem to get most often when doing spinning demonstrations is “How do you get the wool like…that” with a gesture to the roving I’m holding in my hand. Most everyone understands that the wool comes from sheep and the fleece gets washed and dyed…but what takes it from a pile of fiber to the fluffy batt in my hands?
The fiber can be combed or carded . . . → Read More: Life of Yarn – Carding
By Tara, on October 21st, 2008%
After a death in the family last week, I’ve slowed down quite a bit. Being out of town for so long (first a craft show, then helping my mom move, then the funeral) resulted in me feeling a little scramble-y. But instead of snapping back into action, I’m taking it slow. Completing custom orders, pushing back the debut of a new line of yarn, spending some time with my new drum carder. Yarn is slowly re-appearing in the Boutique, but I’m taking my time and relaxing my demands (I’m a pretty demanding boss)Here’s how I’m slowing down:
Baking: banana bread, pumpkin bread, apple pie
Knitting: Twist & Shout (pictured above)
Sipping: Orange Dulce, Orchid Oolong
Listening to: Adele, Ray la Montaigne, Iron & Wine
Looking forward to: SAFF on Saturday, Urban Craft Uprising in December
I’ll be back in full force later this week, . . . → Read More: Slowing
By Tara, on October 8th, 2008%
The yarn, fiber and wooly goodness is taking over my house! I’ve been getting ready for CRAFT ATTACK, a craft show held in Charlotte, NC, this weekend. It’s only second craft show and I am overwhelmed and overexcited and swirling around trying to get ready in time. My mom and I are leaving Friday to take the scenic route, through Boone and Blowing Rock (3 yarn stores, right near a great coffee shop). I met a few of the CRAFT ATTACK organizers at my last craft show and have since been Twittering with them. They’ve planned an excellent show that will have over 80 vendors in the lovely Independance park. Since this is is just my second show, I’m still learning about preparation. Here’s how I’ve been getting ready:
Stock – trying to make as much as possible! What looks like “a lot” in my apartment, looks pitiful . . . → Read More: Craft Show Preparation: When yarn ATTACKs
By Tara, on October 7th, 2008%
My Seasonal To Do list. What’s on yours? . . . → Read More: Autumnal To Do
By Tara, on October 3rd, 2008%
The LocalSpun 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, . . . → Read More: Life of Yarn – Dyeing
By Tara, on October 2nd, 2008%
Tea Scarf – a lovely scarf just perfect to chase the early morning chill. Perfect for Sno-Cone, which is 170 yards of fluffy bright wooliness: Knit/Crochet Handwarmers So cute and simple, great for just the smallest amount of handspun yarn with the biggest impact. The fluffy 80 yards of Oceanic should be plenty for the crochet part (if you use another yarn for the knit cuffs) 200 – This bulky scarf is HOT! Even my picky I-don’t-need-a-scarf husband would wear this one (in the appropriate colors). It takes 4 different colors of 100 yards each and I’d mix Deep Sea with Autumn Sky, Juice and Sunrise Bananaiere. Inka Shawl: A beautiful shawl, this pattern calls for a self-striping yarn. It would be brilliant in a yarn like Summer Salad which is mostly green with little stripes of other . . . → Read More: 4 Free Crochet patterns for Handspun Yarn
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