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 (it’s seriously ginormous!)  I usually
card at a table in my dining area (where we store my loom, but never
eat).
My bedroom studio area is a cat-free zone, so I keep finished products
there, a long L shaped desk with my sewing machine, a computer, my
fabric stash, and crates of bagged batts.  I have a separate closet
for storing bumps of wool or large quantities of un-dyed fiber, but
bumps only last a couple of weeks, so that closet is mostly filled
with packaging supplies.

Esther:

I usually spin in the living room because that’s where the tv/dvr is. I keep my prepped fiber in a big wooden salad bowl- next to my wheel, and a pile of ‘next on the wheel’ fiber next to the couch (unless hubby puts it back in my studio b/c he’s a neat freak)

My studio has my desk/computer a bookshelf and 2 metal 5 shelves for rubbermaid tubs full of fabric, my sewing machine, serger and other supplies. I have a table for my printer and carder with fiber underneath. I have an entire wall of cubbies (that i got from target) where most of my fiber lives (what’s not under the carding table) the closet holds 9 cubes from the craft store that organizes all my scrapbooking supplies.

Rachel Marie:

I store my drum carder on the shelf but I use it on the floor. I spin in the studio, use my laptop everywhere… My studio is right next to my baby’s room so I just gate off the steps and he can play in my studio and his room while I work.

I have my journal illustration supplies in a handy basket, so when I do need to work downstairs because I want to be around the family or something… it’s easy to take that down to the kitchen table.

Lacey:

Erin:

Today I’m so happy to share an interview with Cosette Cornelius-Bates of Cosy Knits (literally).  Cosy designs whimsical knitting patterns, knits adorable, embellished accessories, spins beautiful yarn and authored Knit One, Embellish Too. You can read all about the process (and her new article in Yarn Forward!) on her blog Cosy Makes.  I asked her to share her experiences as a full-time fiber artist and below is our interview.

When did you discover a love for fiber arts?

A couple of years out of college, I saw one of my good friends knitting (by the way, she was the first person I ever remember seeing knitting). However, she knit left-handed so I ended up teaching myself out of a Dummies book. Then I knit not too well (through the back of the loop) for at least a year. I also started teaching other people to knit and organized us into a knitting groups. I was hooked!

Then my husband and I moved to Vancouver BC. There, my favorite yarn store was an old school wool shop – batting, big huge carder in the back etc. They had a very small store front stuffed full of 6 spinning wheels. I noticed they offered classes and convinced my friend Sarah to take one with me. Spinning class led to dyeing class and shortly thereafter, I found 2 wheels at a thrift store. It seemed I was meant to be fibery.

How did the business begin?

Like most people, my business began because I liked to knit and so knit too many things. So the beginnings was merely getting rid of things I knit and had no use for. A girl only needs so many hats! That said, I think the business really began when I started embellishing my hats, making a unique and interesting artistic product.

How did it become full-time?

I became full time the first time because I had money left from my book deal to live on when we moved back from Canada. Then I picked up a small job for a bit because I needed to, and now I just became full time again – trying to build up the business and make it viable before we have children. The business has always been slowly building on itself. Knits, patterns, spinning, teaching, and then dyeing.

What’s a normal working day like?

I generally get up in the morning and check in with the computer. I do most of my marketing by blogging, so I generally think about whether it’s a blog day or not (depends upon what I’ve been up to). Deadlines are what my business is all about. I might have a pattern due at a magazine, a yarn/fiber show in a month or a big craft fair to prepare for. Any or all of the following might be included in a day.

spinning yarn
dyeing roving/yarn
blog writing
knitting ~ for patterns, commissions, or craft fairs
cooking
yoga
computer stuff ~ answering emails ~ updating etsy etc.
organizing classes for the Pittsburgh Craft Collective
bookkeeping
photographing fibery goodness

And all of this is carved around my husband’s school/work schedule so that I have time to play with him too.

What do you wish you had planned for/expected before starting?

For me, it has been a big woolie snowball that I’m just caught in, and that’s the way I like it It always seems like there are more things happening to me than me intentionally doing.

That said, it would have been nice to know a bit about sole proprietor small business taxes before i made that leap.

Is it easier or harder to be “creative” in your full-time fiber artist schedule?

I don’t really find the whole of being a fiber artist creative, or maybe it’s just creative in a different way. Pattern writing is creative to me. And knitting/embellishing my hats feels like painting. That said, I find spinning and dyeing to be less creative pursuits. But that isn’t bad because I find that they complete the job perfectly. It’s nice to have such a varied job. I couldn’t dye all the time or knit all the time. It would drive me insane. It’s like cutting and gessoing your canvas before you can paint on it.

You mention painting, did you study art?

Before I started knitting, I went to university for Art and English and was certified to teach both.  After I started knitting, I went to graduate school and got a Masters of Christian Studies in Christianity and the Arts.  At the end of my masters program, which combined a written paper with a presentation of art of some sort, I had a knit/spun/designed gallery show of my work.  That’s how the blog started, to keep track of the knit thesis.  Here’s the gist: http://cosymakes.com/2007/04/13/thesis-show-write-up/

How did your book deal come about?

Before the blog started (read, before my last semester when I was working on the thesis), I found that there were a lot of fabulous crafters on Flickr and started posting my knits.  Shannon Okey of knitgrrl.com noticed me and did an interview with me on her blog.  I started my etsy shop.  Got mentioned on Whipup.  Then one day I got a note over flickr from the crafts aquisition editor for my publisher, asking if I’d be interested in doing a pattern book.  I was busy with my thesis, but my friend Alissa talked me into it.  The other thing was that I had never actually written down a knitting pattern.  So working on the book was a totally new ball game.

Did you spin all of the yarn for the book?

You can find my handspun throughout, as well as that of Rachel-Marie (knittydirtygirl), Daniella (feltstudiouk), and Abby (folktale fibers).  Since spinning and dyeing also happened at about the same time, the book contains a lot of hand dyed recycled sweater wool and a whole section on how to recycle thrift store sweaters.

Did writing the book change your business? or your work?

To some extent, I felt myself claiming fiber arts as my real work before the book.  But after the book, it felt all the more real.  One good thing about my publisher is that they allow me to buy my book from them at wholesale and sell it, so the book became a part of the business as well as a boost to the business.  Having a diverse business is how I survive year round and the book has been priceless.

I don’t see the book as changing my work much.  The patterns in the book are like the hats I sell at craft fairs… which I still do.  They went well together and made a nice book, but you only need so many basic hat patterns to embroider on.  It has been fun starting there with my designing and moving out from it.  The book was a bit of a manifesto for me, to get some ideas and opinions out there on creation, recycling, creativity, spinning/dyeing and color.  It was great fun to write, but my work, even when the book was finally published, had moved so far beyond what was in the book!  I was surprised one day when I noticed that if I were to start the book last May (when it came out) it would have been totally different.

Can you explain your process from fiber to finished yarn (or knitted thing)? Do you plan it out ahead of time?

My knits contain a mixture of recycled sweater wools, handspun, hand dyed, and commercial wool. So, I enter the yarn room and start rummaging. It’s a bit like looking for truffles Sometimes I have an idea of what I want to make (perhaps size, color, or shape) and sometimes I let the yarns inspire me. After the physical act of creating the object, I get another bout of searching – wondering what the accessory needs to make it a successful, finished work of art. Sometimes it’s just a button or two. Sometimes it’s buttons and a bunch of embroidery in different colors. Each hat calls for something different.

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.
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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.

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.
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br />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…

Today I’m thrilled to get a chance to talk to Ricky of Silver Sun Alpacas. She is both fiber farmer, fiber dyer and purveyor of all things fibery! (all photos taken from Silver Sun Alpacas)

How did you get started with fiber art?
My true fiber passion started about 25 years ago,but long time before that I always had a pair of needles knitting something for someone. My mom taught me how to knit when I was younger, and still helps when I run into problems. She is 82 years young now and still knitting her heart out! She just loves knitting using the alpaca yarn. About 25 years ago I saw my first silk painting in an art store, and I knew then that I had to know how it was done. From that, the road to a living room full of dyes, paints and bolts of silk was very short. Loved the color mixing, applying it on the silk, making my own scarves, than designing my own skirts from my handpainted silk fabric. The walls of my relatives were full with handpainted silk pictures, since I ran out of space in my own home. After moving to the USA (I’m originally from Israel. My husband and I moved to the US 17 years ago with our 3 little kids.), I had a big pause, raising kids and working, but still knitting scarves and hats.
Which came first: the animals or the knitting or the spinning?
The knitting came first, as I mentioned before. Then alpacas just stole my heart 5 years ago, when I saw my first alpaca, and things were never the same again. When the children grew up and all moved out of the house, I had the urge to take care of something. I looked for something special, not familiar… new, exotic. We visited an alpaca ranch in the area, and when I first saw an alpaca, they captured my heart right away and I felt very comfortable around them. I knew then that that was it. Several months later(after lots of research!) we purchased our herd, which started out with 11 total(we’re up to 26 now!). We boarded them at a near by ranch until we found our own place. A year after that we moved to a ranch house with my 11 alpacas, now 24. Once we had all the alpaca fiber from our first shearing, I started to learn how to card and spin on my own.My daughter got my passion for animals, so when she got married and her husband got stationed in a close by Navy station, she came back with her own animals. Although, I know she is back temporarily, we enjoy her company and her help with the animals.

How did the business side of it start? Did you start selling on Etsy or some other way?
Usually, during fall and winter, we open the ranch doors to the public for them to see the alpacas. For most of the visitors it’s their first time seeing a “small llama”. Visitors were very interested in the yarn and fiber, and were asking for spinning fiber. So I pulled out my dyes, dying books, and purchased a drum carder, and experimented with natural colors, bright colors and carded it to batts. I liked the outcome. Put it in my ranch store, and customers loved it. After that, I decided to teach myself how to spin. So I bought a spinning wheel, and after a few weeks of practicing, I started putting up my handspun yarns on Etsy.

Did you set out from the beginning of it to have a business?
In the beginning, I planned to use the fiber for my personal use. But, as time passed, visitors and customers were asking for spinning fiber and handspun yarn. They were looking for handmade items, instead of commercialized things they would find at craft stores. I started slowly to introduce my colored fibers to the public and had a great feedback, especially with return customers.

Did you quit a dayjob to do this full-time? If so, how did you make that decision?
Me and husband had a retail/wholesale store in the city. So, when we moved to the ranch we closed the retail store, and continued with the wholesale department.
It was not an easy decision. But, I had an empty nest syndrome, and we were looking to change our environment. We are both animal lovers and knew that alpacas are for us. We researched extensively, visited several ranches and learned the whole process of raising these beautiful creatures.

Now that you are full-time, what’s a normal working day like?
Early in the morning, I go to the pasture with my coffee mug, filling the water buckets, make sure there is enough hay for everyone. I check on all the pregnant girls and their crias (alpaca baby). If there is a girl that is very close to give birth, I usually stay in the pasture, monitoring progress.
I like to sit with the girls early in the morning watch the babies playing.
During the day, I dye my fiber in pots or paint them individually, and put them up to dry. I card and blend previously dyed fiber, and wash raw fiber in between. I go visit my herd several times during the day. Early in the evening we clean the pastures and pens, add fresh hay, spread small trays with feed, minerals and supplements. That’s also the id
eal time for us to do some breeding, as needed.
After we finish taking care of all the animals in the evening, I sit in front of the TV – thats my favorite wheel time. I collect my personal fiber and spin it, and by the end of the night, I have several skeins of yarn spun up and ready for knitting!

How is this different than before?
Back when I used to work in a closed office, I didn’t have the time to be creative. I had other responsibilities to my employees and to my customers. And by the time I got home, I had the responsibilities for my household – my kids, my husband, my home. No real time for myself, to do the things I want to do.
Now, I do what I want with my time. I still do the things I need to do, but now I have the time to be creative!

Is it easier or harder to be “creative” in your full-time fiber artist schedule?
To create I need inspiration. Most of my inspired ideas come to me from my surroundings, or when I cook, or in nature. A beautiful flower, a lovely sunset or even a very tasty ice cream. I see the colors, and try to implement it to the fiber. It is easier to be creative for me, since most of my day I’m outside with my animals, or inside my studio trying to bring my creations to life.

Can you explain the process from fiber on-the-hoof to finished yarn?
Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in the spring time. Each alpaca produces 3 – 9 lb. of fiber.
After shearing, I take each blanket (top of the animal, which is considered the best part) and skirt it – clean out all the dirt, hay pieces, etc.
Some spinners like to spin alpaca fiber without washing, I like to wash it first.
I wash it 2-3 lb. at a time, and spread it outside to air dry, or to the dyeing room for added color if it needs it.
Now, it’s ready to be carded and blended with my drum carder. Before this batt goes to the public, I spin it for a trial. Make sure it deserve it’s name. I usually make a fiber by an inspired subject, sometimes after it’s done, it looks different from what it intended to be, so, it gets a different name.

What do you wish you’d planned for before you went full-time?
I wish I would have done it earlier in life!

What has surprised and delighted you about being a fiber artist?
Always surprised to see people’s reaction. They are amazed to see their first alpaca, first carding and their first spinning wheel lesson. I am delighted to teach and educate them about the fiber and what it takes to process it.

Anything else you want to add?
My husband always tells me that not very many people love, or even like, their job but that he takes great joy in seeing me love mine!

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 yarn, and just started knitting . . . I actually still have that first piece – which most resembles a table-runner, I think.

How did you get started spinning?
I came across the YARN WENCH site and just loved her handspun yarn. I totally splurged and bought one of her skeins and I LOVED it. So, I started knitting with hand spun yarn, mostly hers. By the Trunk Show the following year – 2005 – I was there selling mostly hand knits and wearing a sweater I had knit! Then, Lynn (the Yarn Wench) started dyeing fiber and I just so loved her colors – they are truly amazing and inspiring – and I thought, well, if I could spin, I could get the fiber, spin the yarn, AND knit it. What I didn’t quite expect is how much the spinning would take over! I try to continue to do both but admit that spinning has really become my first love. So, I am one of those who came from the knitting side of it TO the spinning. I have thought about dyeing, but quite honestly don’t think I want to invest the time into it when there are so many great dyers already out there. I’d much rather use that time to spin – and knit!
As far as choosing fiber – I am most attracted by color. Then the type of fiber. I get almost all of my wool from the Yarn Wench, but also buy carded batts from several etsy sellers. I venture out sometimes and try new dyers, if the color or fiber strikes me, but especially now that I have to watch my fiber budget, have been sticking to my favorites. I do feel that spinning fiber dyed by other artists help keep my items “handmade” throughout the process. I also like supporting other independent artists and etsy sellers. At times I wish I could support more of them!

How did your business begin?
Well, I have had my own website for a long time but had only sold a couple of jewelry items from it. And, I had done a couple craft shows. But, in 2005, I heard about Etsy from a fellow librarian. She had a shop, which led me to the site and so I thought I would sign up. At first, I didn’t make full use of it – I just listed my items and that was it. (And oh how I cringe at those first listings with the bad pictures! it’s amazing I sold anything at all!)
Once I started spinning (in December of 2006) I really started putting more effort into both my own website AND my etsy shop. At the beginning of this year, I also separated out my hand knits into their own shop – kittygrrlzknits.etsy.com – so I could better promote the yarns vs. finished items. That first year with yarn – 2007 – I really focused on promoting on Etsy – I was in the forums and did showcases and just tried to establish a presence there. Towards the end of the year, though, and into this year, I started doing outside advertising – places like Ravelry and Knitty and on various blogs. I’ve also managed to snag a spot in one of the Etsy Co-op ads and just managed to get another one recently.

Did you set out from the beginning of it to be self-employed?
I started out selling jewelry in hopes it would give me some extra income – a “part-time” job that would help me feed my creative side. I never thought of it as just a way to “support my hobby” – I wanted it to be an actual business. So, I did a lot of the official things like registered my business name, applied for the tax id numbers, etc. (I’d already had the domain name – just had to put more effort into the website). To be honest, though, the jewelry thing didn’t last long – and I don’t think it<
/span> would have worked out. I just didn’t have what it took to make it a sustainable business. I threw a lot of money at it in an attempt, but when I started knitting . . . and especially when I started spinning . . . I thought, now THIS IS something I could do full-time.

What led to your self-employment? Did you quit a dayjob to do this full-time?
At the beginning of this year, things really started to pick up and I started to seriously consider if I could make it a full-time gig. Then, right around that time, I found out the project I was working on would be “over” by July 1, thus my job would be ending. This really cleared the path for the option to spin and knit full-time. Over those months, I debated it endlessly. I did apply to a couple jobs I felt I was qualified for, but I didn’t apply for everything that came along. As time went on, it just seemed all signs were pointing to me doing this full-time, and who was I to argue with fate, right? There is a part of this that I want to express but am not sure how to word it. I’d always secretly wanted to do something creative full-time, but my obsessively practical side always won out. Which is weird given some of the other “leaps” I’ve made in my life. But, I always feared the uncertainty and loved the stability of my job. I’m also one who didn’t HATE the job I had – I actually liked it quite a bit – so wasn’t trying to escape a bad environment or anything like that. So, I hoped maybe some day I could do something like this, but just wasn’t ready until everything aligned and made it obvious that NOW was the time!

How did you make that difficult decision?
After I found my job was ending, I looked for related jobs to my experience, applied for a few, but in the meantime I was having some of my best sales months EVER! It really seemed like now was the time, everything kept pointing to Kitty Grrlz full-time and NOT finding another library job. I didn’t jump in totally unprepared, though. I knew I had some money saved. I knew I had options if things didn’t work out. Back-up plans abounded! But, I also felt this was the time to make the leap! While I DID make the conscious decision to go full-time, I also have to be honest and say it also sort of came about on its own. What else was I going to do? Job ending, Etsy sales up? I think the main thing, though, is that if I didn’t think I could make a go of spinning and knitting full-time, I probably would have stepped up the job search a bit.

Now that you are full-time, what’s a normal working day like?
Ha, I think the question should be, what would you LIKE it to be like, and what is it ACTUALLY like?
I really want to get on a normal schedule – similar to the one I had when I worked. I’d like to get up in the morning and do my Post Office run. Have my yogurt. Check my email/site/blog. Then, spin. Take a lunch break. Spin some more. Etc. . . . In reality, I’ve been sleeping much later than I should, and have been spinning into the wee hours of the morning! But, even with the schedule not being quite what I want, I have been working ALOT. My boyfriend warned me that I’d probably be working even MORE without the full-time job than with, and he was oh-so-right! I just finished a 3-day show which basically had me out of the house at 6am and not home until 7pm or later. I’ve got spinning to do, knitting for upcoming shows to do, pictures to take, items to list, etc. Last week I was basically working from about 8am to past midnight every day. I LOVE it, though!!

How is this different than before? Is it easier or harder to be creative in your full-time fiber artist schedule?
Since I am trying to keep a similar schedule as to when I was working, it isn’t that much different – except for the timing, I guess. I am staying up much later! As for the creative part of it – I actually think it is the same if not a little easier to be creative since (in theory) I DO have more time to work on fibery pursuits. I have been cramming for shows the past two weeks, but now have 3 weeks before my next show – I am looking forward to being able to just spin and knit what I want – I have a huge list of what I want to do – ideas for new yarns, and things I want to try. So, creatively, i think it is better . . . I think the main difference can be summed up like this – When I had the full-time job, when I thought of something I’d want to spin, knit, or try – I’d have to wait until i got home and rarely I had time that day and it sometimes would be weeks or months before I got to it – NOW, when I think of something, I can just spin it if I want, or at least get the fiber out and ready to go. Last week, before my show, I was so tired of spinning bamboo. So, I decided I would try corespinning – and I DID! If I’d had the day job, I probably never would have gotten to it!

Can you explain the process from fiber to finished yarn? Do you plan it out ahead of time?
Well, this is sort of hard to answer. Usually, I start with a fiber and often times the fiber helps tell me what it wants to become – an art yarn, or something simpler? Or, maybe a Navajo 3ply? So, I start with the fiber which is very much related to color. Then, I prep it. Sometimes, while prepping, I will change my mind about how I’m going to spin it – if I think it’s better suited for a different type of yarn
I’ll change my plan. On occasion, I may start with an idea of a project or type of yarn and then find a fiber to spin it – but I almost always start with the fiber. And, I almost always choose that fiber by color. For my FunctionArt yarns, the fiber is the first part and the second part are the yarns to spin in – which I take a lot of time in selecting. I look not only for color but also for texture and how I think they will work together with the fiber and each other. I just . . . think I “wing it” most of the time and just spin what inspires me at the moment. Or colors that I love.

How do you name your yarns?
First, I have different “types” of yarns – FunctionArt art yarns, Batt-tacular yarns spun from carded batts, Beautiful bamboo which is of course bamboo, etc. THEN each one has a colorway name. Sometimes these names come from the name of the fiber colorway (Lynn does name her colors, too, and often times they are so perfect I don’t change them) and other times I name them things I think of – either inspired by the color or something that struck me while spinning it. I love the names, though, and while sometimes it is hard to come up with just the right one, will continue to name all of my yarns.

What do you wish you’d planned for before you went full-time?
Well, I think I had thought of a lot of things and was prepared, but looking back I’m not sure it was wise to take a vacation right at the beginning. We had planned it before any job decisions had been made, and I figured it may be the last chance for a vacation for awhile, but it really threw me off my schedule and routine. (It was a great vacation, though!)

What has surprised and delighted you about being a fiber artist?
Hmm . . . that I’m actually doing this??? There are times I just randomly think, “Oh my god, I don’t have a job” . . . but, of course, I DO have a job, it’s just different! Then there are the moments when my practical side screams, “What are you doing!?!?” But, I just love being able to spin all day!!

Anything else you want to add?
In reading Folktale’s interview last week, I was struck by the fact that I, too, was such a writer when I was young! I wrote ALL the time, even up through college and even a bit once I was out. It really tapered off, though, once I started with the knitting and spinning . . . so i just love the connection of “spinning yarns” !

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 could spin my own yarn. I already knew the basic process, since I had been making cordage for years, but it had never occurred to me that yarn was made in the same way. I bought a spindle and some fiber from Earth Guild, and the rest is history!

Which came first: the dyeing or the spinning?

The spinning. All my first handspun yarns were undyed, and then I used them later as practice when I started learning to dye. I dyed mostly with kool-aid and food-safe dyes at first, and later moved on to natural dyes, acid dyes, and most recently, fiber reactive dyes. I’ve become a much better dyer than when I first started, and I think my color sense has developed a lot more too.

How did the business side of Folktale Fibers start?

I used to sell handsewn clothing and hand-carved/customized model horses when I was a teenager, on ebay and on my own website, and I think I’ve had a dream of having a successful online indie business for a long time. I started selling handsewn cloth pads on etsy before I learned to spin, so once I started spinning more yarn than I could use, I began listing it in my shop. And now I have a full-fledged fiber business!

How’d you come up with the name?

A lot of my inspiration is drawn from fairytales and folklore, old traditions and the natural world. Not to mention, spinning itself is a craft with a ton of tradition and many fables and myths connected to it (Rumpelstiltskin, the Norns – three sisters who spun, wove, and cut the fates of humans, and The Seven Swans to name a few). Wikipedia has some information about mythology & spinning/weaving here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaving_(mythology) . It took me a while to come up with my business name, but I think it’s a good reflection of where my yarns come from.

What was the path from hobbyist to full-time fiber artist like?

I really just wanted some spending money, and to share my crafts with others, but I eventually realized that I could do this full-time if I really wanted to. So I guess it morphed from a hobby into a business. If I had never started it as a hobby, though, I would never have had the confidence to attempt a self-employed crafting job full time.

I’ve never really had a “real” job, so I think I’m a bit of an oddity in that aspect. When I moved from the woods back to the city, I decided to open an official business to pay my rent & bills and hopefully save a bit to buy land in the future.

What do you mean ‘when I moved from the woods’? I’m picturing a Walden-esque lifestyle in the woods that required no income

Yep, that’s pretty accurate!
I was in advanced classes in high school, and in montessori school before that, and by the end of high school I think I was just burned out on school. I knew what I wanted to learn (mostly crafts, botany/herbal medicine and homesteading skills), and it wasn’t stuff I could learn in school without taking a ton of classes that I didn’t care about, so I ended up traveling the country for a few years with my current partner. We went to various skillshare gatherings, made new friends that taught us stuff, and visited old friends. We mostly hitchhiked our way around, with a few stretches of walking, trainhopping, and a craigslist ride or two. We didn’t really need money because we slept in the woods at night while traveling (under a tarp if it was raining) and all our food was scavenged from the wild or dumpstered. It’s pretty crazy how many fresh fruits and veggies get tossed out everyday. I did some work-trade here and there, and had a brief stint picking organic blueberries at an awesome little farm, but for the most part we just had no need of money. We still live pretty frugally, I think it’s just ingrained in us at this point.

After traveling for a few years, we eventually settled down on some land owned by our friends – 30 acres in the mountain of North Carolina that back up against a huge tract of national forest. We lived in various homemade shelters on the land, like a bark hut built from saplings and poplar bark. There were other folks who lived there, so there was a small community. We learned all sorts of primitive skills and crafts while we were there. We lived completely off the grid, no electricity or water. We cooked over wood fires and hauled our own water from the many beautiful mountain springs. Our friends had a composting toilet set up that produced compost for the garden. Our food came from the land (a small garden and lots of wild foods) and was supplemented by organic produce from local health food stores – we worked out a deal where they would let us ha
ve all the food they were going to throw out for free, and we would share it with the community. We lived there for about 2 years, but we decided to leave so that we could save up money to buy land and possibly go to school for fiber arts/herbal medicine (me) and ethnobotany (my partner). I eventually would like to build a tiny cabin in the woods and have a small herd of fiber goats and maybe a few sheep.

That is so fascinating!
What’s a typical working day like?

I usually wake up and start my day off slow by making a cup of tea or two and checking my email and etsy shop. If I have packages to ship, I pack them up the night before so I can walk to the post office in the morning while it’s still cool out and not too crowded. The rest of the day is spent multi-tasking – I usually have two or three things going on at once, like a pot of dye simmering on the stove while I spin or card. If I have things to list on etsy, I take pictures mid-day while the light is the best. I usually quit around 5 pm to start cooking dinner before my partner gets home (he works full-time). I cook all our meals from scratch, since we don’t eat processed foods and have a bit of a strict diet, so cooking usually takes a while! Then at night I usually check my email once more, maybe sew or felt some yarn embellishments, and make myself a to-do list for the next day. I also try to take a day off each week to clean the house and relax.

Is it easier or harder to be “creative” in your full-time fiber artist schedule (as opposed to creating as a hobby)?

I thought it would be hard to keep going at such a rate, and every once in a while I hit a bit of a slump, but I’m surprised at how much creative energy I have. I think it might be a bit easier for me to be creative now than when I spun and dyed less, because now I’m always thinking about it. Just the act of creating a new yarn or colorway sets off ideas for more.

Describe the creative process of designing a new yarn.

A lot of the time, I have an idea before I start dyeing. I try to write ideas down as they occur to me, otherwise I tend to forget them! But sometimes, especially with vegan fibers, I just dye them in large batches and then draw my ideas from the collection of fibers I have at the time. If I’m in a creative slump, it helps to have a big stash of dyed fiber to dig through. I can also just sit down with a notebook and a pen and come up with idea after idea for yarns and colorways.

What do you wish you’d planned for before you went full-time?

I wish I’d found someone to help me with taxes. I tried reading all the information I could find online, but it was a lot to take in and not always helpful. That was hands-down the hardest business-related thing I’ve had to figure out! I also wish I’d figured out an accounting system beforehand, since I’m just sort of making it up as I go.

What has surprised and delighted you about being a fiber artist?

That there is always something new to learn or discover when it comes to fiber, even if you thought you had it figured out!

Anything else you want to add?

I realized something a bit funny (to me, anyway) the other day. When I was a kid, I grew up without a TV and was an avid reader. I always wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and I wrote all the time. And what do I do for a living now? I spin yarns. (Get it?)

Yes! I actually encounter a lot confusing related to that metaphor, because my town has the National Storytelling Museum and Festival….telling people I “spin yarns” results in people thinking I’m a Professional Storyteller!

Thanks again to Abby for sharing her fascinating story! If you have any other questions for her or suggestions for upcoming interviews, please leave a comment.

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):

I first met Maple of North Star Alpacas through Yetsy, the yarn-centric Etsy Street Team. I was immediately smitten with the pictures of her alpacas; they accompany every listing, which really connects the fiber artist with the fiber producer!
Last week, running low on fiber, I contacted Maple to ask a few questions about her fibers. BCB is committed to using only eco-friendly, animal-friendly fibers and finding suppliers that fit the bill is a challenge. Some possible suppliers don’t respond to my questions or respond defensively (although I really try to ask the questions as un-judgmentally as possible!). I was thrilled when Maple answered me honestly and completely, so I thought I’d share a bit of her response,:

We just do the best that we can to take care of our little piece of the world. I’m probably more concerned about being animal-friendly…I think that all the farmers that I know are environmentally conscious because we value and want to take care of our land.

Well, I immediately bought a natural gray blend of alpaca roving. The deal was sealed when I realized one of the alpacas name was Weatherby, my maiden name!
PS. See that bit of pink? She threw that in for free, along with two cards with the alpacas pictured on it! That’s what I call customer service! Check out her blog for regular tutorials/tips on dyeing!