Hand Dyed Fiber for Sale

Well, I'm trying to turn a little profit. Finally put together some products to show online and elsewhere. Love the rainbow of colors now clearly evident from my years of experimenting with natural dye sources. The past few summers and falls have been exciting, magical times filled with growing plants, foraging for wild materials, and cooking up the dyepots. As early as June this year I started up the process again, experimenting with Jewelweed, Tickseed, and Tansy. More plans in the coming weeks for Dock, Borage, Elderberry, Comfrey, and Madder Root if precious time allows. Need to collect more Birchbark (from a neighbor?) and schrooms to get really crazy (not what you about those schrooms . . . they can produce some amazing colors . . er . . . in the dyepots. Better stop while I'm ahead here.)

Hope to check out Old Sturbridge Village's herb and dye gardens soon to see the Woad in full bloom. That source of blue dye I know will grow in these parts.

Definitely to be continued . . .

Betsy in Sandwich with Lambs

Dear Fiber Friend Betsy visited some  Gulf Coast lambs in Sandwich MA recently. I think she had a terrible time, don't you?!

Summer Spinning with Alpacas

Thanks to Debbie and Keith at Plain View Farm in Hubbardston for inviting me to spin and show my wares at their summer Open House. It was lovely to see the alpacas they raise cavorting in the pastures, and meet some nice new people.

Designer Alyson Lee

Love great design? Love beaded jewelry, frogs, and supporting good causes? Check out my friend's web site http://alysonleedesign.com/index.html and learn about her generous and beautiful work made for SAVE THE FROGS.

Too much fun skirting fleece . . .

Huh, you ask? Is that possible? In what way do you mean? Are you suggesting . . . "It's not possible to have fun skirting fleece." Or, conversely, are you of the mindset, "It's not possible to have TOO much fun skirting fleece!" I am definitely in the latter category, and I documented all the fun had this past week at The Salty Ewe Farm in Kennebunkport ME. Thirteen some fleeces later, I was in lanolin heaven.

The Maine Reef: Crochet Green Anemone Pattern

This is so cool! Help the folks in Maine with this project. Read on!

The Maine Reef: Crochet Green Anemone Pattern: Anthopluera Xanthogrammica  or the  Giant Green Anemone , is a species of  intertidal   sea anemones , of the  family   Actiniidae . Go the ...

BBC NEWS | Health | Knitting 'can delay' memory loss

BBC NEWS | Health | Knitting 'can delay' memory loss

I hope this is true.

Tuesday Visuals

Saturday fun in the studio with mother (knitting a summer scarf with yarn from The Sheep Shack) and good fiber friend Chris (combing some of her fleece stash). We enjoyed the coolness of the subterranean space, some yummy dark chocolate, lemonade, and great conversation. Sleeping dogs kept us company. 

Trying out grey llama while learning a core spinning technique courtesy of my new Jacey Boggs book.

Making some progress here with a long standing large quantity of beautiful chocolate Merino roving  acquired at  Gore Place in Waltham -- their annual spring wool festival was my first foray into festival going and fleece acquisition. We know how that story goes.

Crochet progress

I'm so enjoying my new skill, instructor, and the group of women in class. The hooks are fun and cool in variety and size, the patterns are more modern and fresh than I expected, the possibilities for creativity with jewelry especially are very exciting.  Here's another free hat pattern I received from the nice people at Classic Elite. A summer cap in happy colors. Who wouldn't want to make/wear it?

http://conta.cc/N5Cjwf