Fiber Fairy Tales

True Blood Art Yarn

Sookie Stackhouse learned to spin from her Gran one summer not too long ago and now she is creating the most fabulous yarns! I was walking by her house the other day just as she was hanging this yarn out in the warm Louisiana sunshine to dry and commented on how vividly red it was.

She smiled shyly and asked if I'd like to sit a spell and have some sweet tea and of course I agreed right away, having always been curious about Sookie but too shy myself to do more than wave and keep on going on my afternoon walks. I had heard rumors about her and some vampire named Bill but tried not to believe things I had no proof of- it didn't matter to me anyway, she seemed like such a sweet girl and her yarn sure was beautiful!

After she came out with the tea she told me that she had spun this yarn with Merino, Tussah Silk, Romney, Bamboo, Ramie, California variegated mutant fleece, BFL locks, silk, angelina, firestar and sari silk thrums in a thick and thin and then plied it with koolaid dyed mohair boucle yarn to make beehives, coils and tornadoes. She said that she serves so much True Blood down at Merlot's that she decided to name it that. I asked her if it was all right if I could take a few pictures to show here on my blog and she said yes of course and for anyone interested in learning how to spin to come by and see her. When I asked when would be a good time she said- any time during the day, but never after dark. Then she winked and I had to smile. That Sookie! She's such a hoot!

Jumping Back On Track!

I want this to be the place where I can share my yarn porn. I have been hiding it all over the internet like Facebook, Flickr and Art Yarn Collaborative, but it really belongs here. I need to keep up better, don't ya think? I started this Blog one sultry afternoon last year and then promptly went off and ignored it, month after month as I spun and learned to knit I refused to take the time to come here and share my stuff. It was everywhere else- why take that last step and be so organized as to actually catalog and utilize this Blog for it's intended purpose? Oh, I'm an artist, that's right! I am disorganized and chaotic and forgetful and hopefully I am back on track. Let's see if I can catch up! Please forgive me, Fiber Fairy Tales...I'll pay attention to you and give you some attention, I promise!

I bought the pink and yellow roving from Forest Fiber Works on Etsy (its blue face Leicester) and spun it with some flowers strung on a cotton core. Forgive the blurriness- it happens when I get excited!

These were some of my first yarns and attempts at plying or just spinning with a second strand of something. Not great as I look back on them but at the time I was almost peeing my granny panties with excitement over doing some fun yarns!

I'd love to have some funky name for this but all I can think of is crappy vintage kitchen counter. teehee and besides I've forgotten what batt I used or what the story was. See? That's why I need to do this so I won't forget all this stuff!!!

Here's another one that I thought was so beautiful at the time and now, looking back, it's just sad. I wanted to call it Yeti Spaghetti and thought that was so clever but now I can spin so much better and I realize how I was seeing it with my childish newbie eyes.

What is that? Remember when you were a kid and you'd make stunning mud pies and bring them to the nearest adult seeking praise and adulation? Mostly I was hoping for a cookie and a glass of chocolate milk, but I really thought those mud pies were beauties! So it is as I look back on my first yarns.

This guy was a gift from my friend Kim and he just reminded me not to be so critical of my beginner self. OK, so he's right- I will keep the critique to a minimum and concentrate on sharing the yarn.Besides, I did share this yarn back in August over here. Oh, my mind is sharp as a razor I tell ya.

This yarn has some Sari Silk Remnants spun in with it for an exotic color and shine with bonus texture and bulk!

The orange and black on the left was made by striping the colors of roving on the drum carder to make a halloweenish rainbow to spin from which resulted in a self striping yarn as it spun up. The center one is two batts together and the third is just roving with a bit of color. I ended up giving that to my friend Cheryl and she knitted up a bag with it.

It actually is nice looking once it's worked up.

She brought it over to to look at my fabrics to see if anything jumped out to be the right choice to line it with and I snapped a few pics just to show that even a quiet and somber yarn can be transformed into an object with subtle textures of wonderfulness.

Each side is different and since she used a white commercial yarn with it the knitting looks more even and has a nice continuity. There are small bits of colors and a bit of angelina sparkle- it really is all about the batts you spin from- if they are good then your yarn will be ok, but if they are spectacular then your art yarn will be bodacious!

This was from a batt made by my friend Kim- of Batts in the Belfry. You will be hearing me share more about her in the future- we are setting up an Etsy shop for her and I will have a link on the sidebar soon for it. Her batts are like a spinning adventure because they are a mystery- you have no idea what is coming next (because you didn't make the batt) until you spin it- then-bam!- silk- bam!- a lock of something shiny and soft-bam! I love spinning with her batts and it saves me time from making my own. I'm not sure mine are as beautiful as hers are anyway. Everyone has their thing and mine isn't making batts its spinning and dyeing- I really love the dyeing!But we'll get to that later.

This is a "politically incorrect batt that I bought at the Fiber In show last year.

It turned into this yarn:

I don't think I've knitted or crocheted anything with it so far.

So by January this is what I was spinning.

Locks of dyed curls spun into multi colored batts.

I gave it to my friend Deb to knit and she turned it into this:

She has written up the pattern and I think it's only $10. Here's her website if ya wanna email her and ask about the Gypsy Bag Pattern.

This is my first hat, knitted with the Sunset at Lido Beach yarn.

I know you thought it wasn't part of the Florida Lifestyle to knit or be in the wool business but I have news for you- we have AIR CONDITIONING that makes anything possible! This winter though, it has been cool and I got to wear some scarves and a hat a time or two! Today it is in the 70's already and too humid to think about wearing a sweater but I can still imagine spending the day spinning in the sunshine! I'll be back soon with more show and tell and until then, may all your tales be fiber fairy tales!

Love and Purls,

calamity kim

The Big Spin In

I started this in January....I didn't finish it and it has been snoozing in Draft Mode since then...bad blogger!  I am finishing it now...

I want to write about my recent adventure at Spin In 2010 which was last week in Destin, Fl, before I forget all the tiny details and it all just seems a dream. You know how memories are. Sharp and precise and then months from now, fuzzy and unclear. The drive seems long on the way there; about 8 1/2 hours to Destin, out past Tallahassee on the panhandle. The Redneck Riviera, it's nicknamed, has much to offer if you want to go shopping or dining. We passed lots of interesting Antique and Thrift Shops, not to mention the whimsical beach shanty gift shops along the way. Be sure to stop at BadAss Coffee Co for a great cup of Java.We arrived at the condo we had rented and then found a Publix and relaxed after making a simple dinner.

With a day of spinning ahead of us, we got up and ate, showered and we were off! The conference center was lovely and decorated in a Polynesian/Modern style with lots of glass, marble, chrome and carved wooden tiki statues. Once we walked into the ballroom where the Spin In was getting set up, the excitement was palpable. Or maybe that was just bits of wool fiber in my cereal.

We set up our chairs in a circle and got busy spinning. Vendors were setting up all around the room, against the walls and as they "opened" for business we would wander over and shop.

Most of the fun was talking with the vendors and getting to know them and learning about the many different types of fiber they were selling.

The owners of Sky Loom Weavers, Peggy Barnette and Penny Nelson, from the small town of Cat Spring, Texas located 75 miles west of Houston, Texas were great to talk with. I bought some of their dyed roving and learned about CVM (California Variegated Mutant) and New Zealand Possum fiber. CVM sounds so exotic and bizarre.

I also bought a Blue Ribbon winning cottswold fleece from Kim at Far Out Farms. I have since washed it and fallen in love with the beautiful white curls of wool.

I saw so many different types of wheels and even sat down at this one to try my hand at spinning on the point or tip of the spindle. It was different than my Lendrum for sure, but fun to try something new.

I recognize the Lendrum in the foreground but I can't tell what the others are- Kromski comes to mind, but I'm so new I don't know. I do know that the excitement was wonderful and there was such a happy vibe in the room full of spinners sharing their love of making yarn that I am sure I grinned from ear to ear all day!

This was Maple Row's booth- well, part of it and they carry Lendrum wheels and parts as well as wool and everything else! Next year I am bringing some basket money to purchase one of their lovely pack baskets.

River's Edge Fiber Arts booth was overflowing with wonderful hand dyed wool roving ready to spin. Picasso Moon now carries their roving and it spins up beautifully- I bought some "beach comber" that is all blues, tan and pink.

Don't you just want to touch it? Maybe dive into a pool filled with it? I love the look of it and to feel the softness as it spins is pretty wonderful. It's all about the comfort and touchability, right?

Everywhere you looked people were spinning and having a ball! The theme of the Spin In was Socks and there were some very cool ones being worn by all the fiberholics. I bought some wonderfully fun one toed socks when I got home from Little Miss Matched and am going to get a new pair of flip flops to wear them with.

Little Miss Matched is a very cool shop that carries socks in sets of 3's and they are each a different pattern. Check out the contest they having running right now that lets you have a chance at becoming a real sock designer. Deadline is April 15th so check it quick and send them an entry!

These are my new best friends I met at the Spin In and I had a great time sharing fiber tales and adventures of spinning with them. It's only been a few months now as I look back and it seems so long ago that we laughed and spun and waited with barely held breath until our names were called to receive a swap gift bag- everyone brought one to swap so there were at least a 100 and it was the highlight of the day for me- well- maybe the Knitty Noddy Majorette Drill Team was pretty fun to watch too.

As we spun we tossed the art yarns in a big pile in the center of our circle and it was fun to have folks come by and check out our progress and comment on our funky art yarns. There was an awful lot of brown sock yarn being spun and I think we converted at least one fellow spinner to try her hand at "going big and bold" with the chunky fat fiber and sparkle sequin game.

 

So, there you have it. A short and sweet review of the Spin In Spinning Conference 2010. I hope I see you there next year. You should check it out- investigate renting a condo like we did and bringing friends- it helps to save money to spend on fiber!

The newbies had to spin with socks on their hands (including me) and it was a funny rite of passage to initiate us into the Spin In Group. All in all it was a great way to see other spinners and buy fibers and make new friends. I'll keep you posted on next years sign ups- when I know you'll know. Until then happy spinning!