By Tara, on February 26th, 2009%
A little departure from the weekly “Ask Tara”, this week I asked a few spinners what their Spin-Life is like. I’m delighted by the variety of places and ways people spin!
Today I’ll share their fiber “studio” set-up and next week we’ll talk about when and where they actually sit at their wheel.
But first, let’s meet the spinners:
Liz of Hobbledehoy Esther of JazzyTurtle Velma of ColorBOMB Creations Rachel-Marie of KnittyDirtyGirl Lacey of In A Circle of Fog Erin of Wooly Hands Mia of Knit and Play with Fire
Do you have spinning studio? If so, what’s it like?
Liz:
I have little corners of storage space set up like this:
for fiber to spin, handspun yarn, and batt bags. I spin out in my living room most of the time, but I have a giant bedroom that I sectioned into studio space . . . → Read More: Ask a Spinner – Do you have a studio?
By Tara, on February 24th, 2009%
Cosette of CosyKnits gets…cozy! . . . → Read More: Fiber Artist Interview – Cosy Knits (literally)
By Tara, on February 19th, 2009%
Today, I was going to write about my new line of Vegan yarn and roving. But I started Twittering with fellow yarnies about vegan fiber and why I don’t love bamboo and soy. The conversation turned to why I don’t stock those two fibers and I wanted to share my musings about it with you.
As I explored and researched bamboo and soy, I realized something deeper about my business ethics. The Boutique and my own personal life is fuled by two concurrent passions:
Support the community (both local and far-flung community of independent yarnies) Do my best to choose the most eco-friendly option
Those two passions converge nicely in nearly everything I dye and spin – local fleeces, mill-end fiber, recycled banana yarn (handspun by a fair-trade women’s co-op) but sometimes they get a bit tricky, like bamboo and soy.
Why not Bamboo and Soy?
Both are . . . → Read More: Ask Tara – Are bamboo and soy eco-friendly fibers?
By Tara, on February 13th, 2009%
This winter, I promise to snuggle in with fiber.
Through knitting: Leyburn socks (am now about to turn the heel in the first)
Twist & Shout (nearly done – working on 1st sleeve)
spinning:
And admiring fleeces: (Jacob fleece – dyed)
(see the first part of my Winter Manifesto here)
By Tara, on February 12th, 2009%
What can you knit with Banana yarn? A few suggestions. . . . → Read More: Ask Tara – Free Knitting Patterns for Bananaiére
By Tara, on February 11th, 2009%
Wrapping up the Month of Love!
Each weekday I’ll be posting 1 yarn inspired by a famous pairing, from now until February 14th and each Wednesday I’ll be giving a little roundup of the last week’s love-y yarn. The Contest is closed, since is the last week of Love, but you can always suggest yarn names and colors in the comments!
Pinky & The Brain – suggested first by my husband (whom I ignored) and then by my best friend (whom, of course, I listened to!), it simply stripes between pink + white (available here)
Crockett + Tubbs was suggested by Hanna of Ever Green Knits (she also created the most excellent resource for eco-friendly knitters – Green Knitter). It wasn’t until after I had spun together the ocean blue, seafoam green and white (available here) that I discovered it perfectly matches the Season 2 poster:
. . . → Read More: Month of Love – Week 4
By Tara, on February 10th, 2009%
Part of my commitment to eco-friendly crafting is to find high-quality, recycled spinning supplies. While there’s a plethora of local wool that qualifies, finding vegan (non-animal) fiber is a bit trickier. . . . → Read More: Eco-Friendly: Recycled Banana Fiber
By Tara, on February 6th, 2009%
Inspired by Amanda’s beautiful Winter manifesto, I’ve started writing my own. I’ll be adding to it for the next few Fridays.
February can be a cold, hard month: full of ice and short days and a deep longing for spring. I find there’s no better way to combat the cold than to embrace the light where I find it and to look for the small moments of joy. To remind myself that there is really just one more month of winter (spring comes early in East Tennessee!), I’ll dedicate myself to this manifesto.
1. Enjoy and relax with my loved ones;
with coffee,
with chocolates,
while baking,
while playing.
What do you want to enjoy this . . . → Read More: Winter Manifesto
By Tara, on February 4th, 2009%
Welcome back to the Month of Love!
Each weekday I’ll be posting 1 yarn inspired by a famous pairing, from now until February 14th and each Wednesday I’ll be giving a little roundup of the last week’s love-y yarn. But I need some help! Suggest a couple you can win 50% off your next skein of BCB yarn, by commenting right here!
This week was filled with bright, happy yarns made to combat the winter white and gray outside my window. As I started to write this summary, I realized most of them are inspired by favorite TV shows that are long gone! Consider this a fiber-y stroll through an old TV Guide!
Donna & David (let’s not pretend you didn’t watch 90210!)
(available in the Boutique)
Buffy & Angel (another yarn inspired by a TV show we know you love!)
. . . → Read More: Month of Love – Week 3
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