WWKIP: SFMOMA here we come!

Saturday was WWKIP day. Basically, I love anything that has to do with fiber and socializing. Which is kind of funny, under most circumstances, I would consider myself an introvert. I guess fiber really pulls me out of my shell.

On Saturday, I didn't have any solid plans for WWKIP. The real issue is -- is that there are too many things I want to do and not enough time. I knew that really I should work, and continue dyeing for the Black Sheep Gathering but how can I resist a little knitting in public? I knew of three potential places that knitters were gathering. Knit-One-One in Emeryville, Memorial Park in Albany, and Union Square in San Francisco. All great places filled with great people, but we decided to do something altogether different. At 8am yesterday morning, the time of day when I get most of my ideas, I recalled Adrienne telling me that the SFMOMA is now going to allow photography in the permanent collection's galleries. So, I thought -- hey let's go and knit with the paintings!. We called Sara and we were off...

Adrienne with a Rothko.


Sara with a Joan Mitchell.


This is an amazing piece. These are silk flowers sewn together to make a curtain. Not like we haven't been sewing things like this since let's see eternity. But now a man has done it - so it's Art. Ooooh hiss!


I am with the Femme Au Chapeau by Matisse. Here she is looking at me.


And here she is looking at my shawl that I am knitting. I don't think she approves. She told me to frog it! How rude!


We couldn't leave spinning out. Moore. Calder.


Then, we went back to the studio to sort our new Cormo fleece (Cormo + Merino). As explained a few posts back, I wrote that I fell down and bought another fleece!! At least this time I took Sara down with me, and the nice Cormo sheep grower agreed to split the fleece. So, when all was said and done, I ended up with only a quarter of a fleece. This is kind of like telling a cocaine addict that one line won't really get you addicted. It's just recreational. So, here we are, high as a kite, sorting the fleece to be washed.


Then, Adrienne and I carried the knitting and spinning party to our favorite cafe, Bittersweet. It's a chocolate cafe! One of the breakthroughs to having my new studio, is now, I only frequent Bittersweet once a week instead of 5-7 times a week. This would be absolutely fantastic news except that now I have a new cafe I frequent, Cafe Clem. It is literally on the other side of my wall at the studio. It is a french cafe. You can imagine the pastries and cakes.



For everyone who is just tuning in, right below this post, there are details about a contest I am holding right now, let us know how you spent WWKIP day, and you will be entered to win a bundle of baby camel / silk spinning fiber.

For all of you who have already played, I have loved reading all of your comments about what you have planned for WWKIP day. I absolutely love to learn of all the different places people live. It has totally yanked me out of my bad mood!

Grand Opening of AVFKW Studio! Party!

Get ready!


Get set!


Go!

We are having a party this Saturday and Sunday, June 7th and 8th, to celebrate the opening of my new studio. I have been dyeing tons of new, beautiful fiber and yarn.

Fiber:
baby camel
yak
cashmere
silk
merino
bluefaced leicester
finn
shetland
polwarth locks
and more...

Yarn, the official release of our new:

organic merino worsted weight yarn
wool/linen sport weight yarn
merino/silk fingering weight yarn

Stop by for a drink, new yarn, or simply to chat, spin and knit a bit. We always love to see old friends and meet new ones.

When:
June 7 & 8
10-3pm

Where:
Activspace
2703 7th St #145*
Berkeley, CA 94618

* my studio is on the ground level, facing the Activspace parking lot. We will have a signboard in front of my studio leading the way!

We have been working hard and would love to share this with you. Please come!

Wednesday Store Update: SW Merino Yarn

New, fun yarn in the store! I have been spoiling the spinners for the past few weeks with lots of new fiber. Well, I certainly don't want to leave the knitters out, so this week, I have added 2 new colorways of superwash merino sock yarn.

Annapurna & The Seahorse

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be dyeing even more yarn. I am so exited. Honestly, for you and for me, I can't wait to knit more.

I will be back soon!

Hot Silk

I moved to California from Minnesota in 1996. Even though, I have lived in California for the majority of the time from 1996 until present - albeit a 2 year stint in India, and a half year in total spent in DC - I still introduce myself as a Minnesotan.

That being said, this past week has changed everything. In the Bay Area, when the weather report announces that it will be 100 degrees, I refuse to believe that it. No matter how hot it has been, my studio has always been something of an icebox. (We will get to studio related knitting projects in a moment.) This week, the weather report was accurate. This week, we had three days of more or less 100 degree weather. I was miserable. Gone is my hardy Minnesotan "weather is fun, it provides drama" attitude. I am here to announce that anything less than 60 is freezing and anything above 75 is sweltering. I hereby announce - I am Californian (northern).

The best thing this week has been spinning on my new Bosworth cedar midi spindle. We are in love. This is the best $50 I have spent in a very long time.

I have been spinning for the lace ribbon scarf by Veronik Avery.

Materials:
A Verb for Keeping Warm merino in Supernova
A Verb for Keeping Warm Tussah Silk in Headlands

Yarn:
2-ply, spun over the fold, fingering weight

I really like the bottom, right hand corner of this photo because it demonstrates the way the silk changes from a peachy-pink to a grey-blue.

The Maker Faire, It's the Maker Faire! A Contest!

Yesterday was Day 1 of the Maker's Faire. Today, day 2, come and visit! It is very, very fun. Very inspirational to see so many people come together to create and make unimaginable (to me) robots, contraptions, rockets, music, fire, bikes, and yarn (of course). Today, I hope to walk around alittle bit more and take photos. Yesterday, I was so overwhelmed with the sights and sounds, I could not really focus. With the one exception, I saw a werewolf! I had this funny urge to hug it?! Maybe a twisted memory of my childhood and Disney World. If I see him / her today, I will try to take a photo for you.


Here is our booth in the mid day rush. Let's play a teensy tiny game called "who can you spot?" Let me know if you recognize anyone in this photo. You will have until Wednesday at midnight (PST) to submit your answer to this blog post. I will draw a person, and you will receive a 2oz bundle of the lovely baby camel/silk tussah fiber.

Well, I better get ready to go. If you are coming to the Maker's Faire. We are in the Bizarre Bazaar building. Hope to see you soon!

Maker's Faire & CNCH

What? I don't know. What? This is what it sounds like in my brain. This is a snippet of a conversation I have with myself when I try to multi-task. Multi-tasking does not work. I want to believe it does. I once read an article in the NY Times that talked about how multi-tasking lowers your IQ. That all of these gadgets we try to use to save time, like the iphone, actually distracts us, dis-allowing (if this is a word) to never really fully focus on anything. Kind of like instilling ADD. Life has been a little crazy.

Maybe it is the weather, the shifts from cool to very warm, the wind whipping through today, lifting all sorts of debris. Yet, the roses are in bloom. They are so unbelievably beautiful their red, pinks, and yellows. Spring makes my senses swoon.

Part of the problem is that I have so much to tell you. And, I keep waiting for the best time to tell you instead of just letting you know. So, here it is!

First, I have to tell you about Y Knit. This is a new-ish podcast. They have 6 episodes. I love this podcast. I highly recommend listening. Witty and intelligent. Leather and Lace. Art and Craft. Listen and Laugh.


Then, there’s the studio. Adrienne and I have been working our buns off on this one! Yes, I am a perfectionist. I want everything done yesterday. I want the place to shine as if I have a million dollar budget. I want this space to look like I have lived in it for 10 years and it to look like a mixture of Wes Anderson's design sense (think Royal Tannenbaum's or the Darjeeling Limited - completely off the subject: not a great movie, but boy did I love the set design!) and some kind of obscure London textile gallery. OK, well this vision clearly takes time. It's something that I have to grow into, a vision that must be developed along time. At then end of the day, I only have myself to fight with, and really -- not so much fun.

So! I have decided that we must have a party! April is a little hectic. I will get to that momentarily. I am hoping to have the party in May or June. I hope, if you are in the area (read California) you will stop by. Details to follow in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned.

The 3 following events all take place on the weekend of May 3 & 4:

Maker's Faire: Bazaar Bizarre
San Mateo County Fairgrounds
I have never been, and am excited to be part of it. I hear that it is the Bay Area's wacky version of a science fair. I can't wait to see all of the zany inventions. Bring your drop spindle and join us!

CNCH Sacramento
Brooke and Maia will be representing A Verb for Keeping Warm and Tactile. This event hosts thousands of amazing weavers, weaving workshops, and a great array of fiber and yarn vendors.

Maryland Sheep & Wool
A Verb for Keeping Warm is making its East Coast premier! Our fiber and yarn will be available at the Cloverhill Yarn Shop booth. This booth is going to be amazing. Jolene has chosen to spotlight 18 independent dyers and designers. Hopefully, next year I will be able to make it out to Maryland. I hear the event is a ton of fun!


In other news, Color Fiber Festival, held last Saturday at PSR, was a great success. People brought their wheels, spindles, and needles and spent the day together doing what we all love and live to do -- create beautiful objects out of wool, silk, alpaca -- fiber! It was wonderful spending the day with the talented women of Tactile, Pigeonroof Studios, and Girl on the Rocks. Thank you to everyone who participated.

I hope to see you this weekend at Maker's Faire!

Color Fiber Festival: Spring 2008

I would like to invite you to Color Fiber Festival!



Expect a laid back day of spinning, knitting, crocheting, etc. Bring your wheels, spindles, and needles. We will be there offering naturally dyed fibers and yarn along with Tactile Fiber Arts, Pigeonroof Studios, and Girl on the Rocks. We will also be offering drop spinning classes and fiber tastings. I would love it if you can make it.

Let's get Physical, Physical!

Wow! It feels like a long time since my last post. Honestly, I am still getting my bearings straight post-Stitches. I had been working so diligently towards that goal, that now, I feel a little discombobulated. I imagine it is something like running a marathon. Training for months, engaging not only the physicality of it but the mental and emotional aspects as well. I have never run a marathon but for the first time in my life, I feel drawn to do so. Another form of process in which you can watch your mind, body, and emotion evolve.


But then it’s over, the goal completed, and for the first couple week, my muscle memory walks me the area where my raw materials live and there are none. I dyed them all. And. I am kinda crabby because I am overtired but am running on adrenaline. But then again, exhilarated because Stitches was more than I could have ever expected. Seeing old friends, meeting new ones.

I am completely taken aback how much talent is in this field, moreover, the fact that the talent continues to grow and broaden. I had the opportunity to meet Nicole and Jenny from the podcast Stash and Burn. If you have not listened to them, check them out. I have listened to them for years and love their warm, kind and personable style. Nicole just announced that she has started a new podcast where she talks about TV watching – I am sure it will be hilarious.




Then, there was the Passport (deserves a capital letter). When I mentioned the Passport idea to Casey and Jess of Ravelry, I imagined that we might have some kind of sheet of paper for vendors to stamp. Of course, as we all know from the stunning execution of Ravelry, with everything Casey and Jess do, they bring it to the next level; aesthetically, functionally, fairly, and otherwise. Once again, they took an idea, and rebuilt that idea into something far more than imagined. It was also great to meet everyone who came by with their Passports. If I stamped your passport, REMEMBER YOUR COUPON FOR FREE SHIPPING, EXP 4/30.


Thank you to everyone who supported my business at Stitches and purchased fiber and yarn. Now, I have more confidence in my business. I have a little more wiggle room financially. This week I made a decision that I have been fretting about for months. I rented a studio. I am so excited. I have a printer, with a press (this could come in very handy), on one side of me, and a man who makes custom dentist chairs on the other. Over the next week, I will be moving in, doing some minor remodeling. Hey, do any of you have a free electric stove hanging around your house?


So, what have I been doing instead of dyeing? I have been knitting!! I am so thrilled. I am so mad at Christina and Leslie! They have created this outstanding pattern, Carmen, (actually a series of patterns) that I can’t put down. Literally. Except maybe to feed the dog. I highly recommend their patterns. They are simple, straightforward, sophisticated, and use a surprisingly little amount of yarn.

This week I delivered 3 lbs of fiber at Article Pract. Stop by and check it out. More is on its way (if I can put down my knitting). Also, Piedmont Yarn Studio on Piedmont Ave. is carrying my fiber. Both stores have a very sweet, helpful staff, if you are local or are in the area, stop by and check them out.

More photos of knitting to come soon…

I knit.

On Saturday, I took the day off, hoping to take Cleo for a walk in the woods. We had grand ideas of heading north to Sonoma County. But it ended up raining, and for the Bay Area, cold. Instead, we decided to stay in the neighborhood and went to Redwood. The walk was great. It was quiet, the trees were glistening with drops and dew, their trunks covered with mossy fur. Adrienne has really been getting into mushrooming. As much as I resist a new hobby, its actually kind of fun finding little mushrooms hiding under oak leaves. Taking the time to notice the slight nuances and growth patterns means more to me than identifying them. I have been meaning to post about mushroom dyeing. Soon.

Adrienne has a friend who is pregnant, we were invited to her baby shower on Sunday. There is no way that I could allow this prime opportunity to make baby booties slip away. And, what better sense to make of Saturday's rainy afternoon.

Saartje's Booties
100% Blue-faced Leicester Handpsun
Naturally Dyed: Cosmos, Birch, Indigo, Madder, Logwood Grey

Happy New Year!

Hello and Happy New Year!


I gotta tell you it has been quite the year for me. Last year, on this day, I walked into my 9-5, and announced that I was done. Through.
Period. Usually during major life transformations, I am excited, anticipating the new next thing. But this time, I was terrified. And had been terrified for many months up to that day. Now here I am. A year later, still alive, eating, paying my rent. Less savings but much happier. Walking on my path in this life. Practicing my life's purpose. If you asked me what my life's purpose is, I am not sure I could answer you directly. But in my heart and in my body, I can feel it. It's amazing.

Adrienne and I had not planned on going anywhere for the holidays. We both desperately needed time to sit, relax, create. We don't do very well at that though. So, about a week before Christmas, we decided to travel to Indio, California to visit Adrienne's parents and family. Honestly, this part of the world is not my most comfortable. But we had a really good time. Her mom made tamales, lengua, and nopal salad. We soaked up the warm weather. Last Summer, Michelle Wipplinger over at Earthues did a series of dyeing workshops in Desert Hot Springs (not far from Indio). I am hoping she will do it again. That way we can see Adrienne's parents and learn more dyeing skills.

Later in the week, we went in the opposite direction of Indio to Nevada City in the Sierra foothills. Here, I finally get to some real relaxing and knitting.


And then there is the nature in the Sierras...


A teensy tiny piece of fallen fruit. An apricot for a mouse.






The view of the Sierra Valley floor

I hate how I can never capture the largess and beauty of the mountains. This is the best I can do at the moment. I hope you enjoy this little bit of nature. Next post I will fill you in my knitting progress. I will give you a hint: I am knitting an Anne Hanson scarf "That Little Scarf". That woman is too amazing! To be continued...

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who came to the Winter Fiber Show. Thank you to everyone who helped us by telling a friend, listing this event on their blog, supporting us, etc. It was a great success. I loved meeting new people and visiting with friends. I have some great photos to share. My favorite is this one:

A DH holding his wife's fiber while she shops. He was totally great -- completely supportive of his wife's "habit". An enabler even, encouraging her to spoil herself! A prime example for DH and DW everywhere!


And, of course, photos of our offerings...fiber and yarn of course!




In other news, we had a little bit of rain here, which for us, that means "weather". It has been nice. I have been knitting. Arm warmers for my late night bike ridin' friend Meridyl.






And, while I have been doing that knitting, (time for a confession) I have been watching a very special TV show (especially trashy) called Tila Tequila: A Shot at Love. I love it (period) I hope Dani wins. Well, while we are at it, how about another confession, tonight is Project Runway. Another little addiction I have. If all of this confessing is bringing back memories for you of Catholic school, then confess away. OK, back to knitting, I came across this scarf on Knitspot the other day. Too darn cute. I almost cast-on immediately but called upon my self control. I have committed to a couple commissioned project and must/will finish them. Now, I have a reward for when I am through. What a good girl!

Winter Fiber & Yarn Show!

This weekend I am co-hosting the Winter Fiber & Yarn Show. I would love it if you stopped by to say hello, drink some cider, chat, treated yourself or a loved one with the gift of fiber and yarn.

If you are local, or know anyone who is local, if you would pass along this invitation to them -- that would be great!!

We are going to be at Glimakra Weaving Studio. This studio, in itself, is well worth the trip. Maj-Britt Mobrand, the owner, is a master weaver and can teach you possibly anything you wanted to learn about weaving and its heritage. Glimakra are a style of loom from Sweden. If you have ever been interested in learning how to weave, this would be a great time to visit the studio and meet Maj-Britt and the looms in person.

Then, of course there is Tactile Fiber Arts. They will also be there selling their beautiful natural dyed fiber and yarn, too. In other words, you will have lots of yarn and fiber to choose from!

Location:
Glimakra Weaving Studio
2728 MLK
Berkeley 94703

Email me with any questions!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

happy 30th techday

Try this experiment with your loved one. Describe and discuss, quite thoroughly how you perceive a website. Now make the website. And, look at the website, and wonder, did we really discuss this? I remember saying that I wanted the photos to be here, and the search bar to be there. . . and then do it again and again, and then start raising your tone of voice, and here and there start incorporating other tiffs in the house, like the time you left the dog puke on the floor instead of cleaning it up, and how that must be another example indicative of why the website looks how it does, etc. Yes, this was my household. But, now, as Adrienne and I, completely pleased with ourselves, snuggled into bed, we felt that we had left that all behind. We had finally made the switch to our new web store where all the programming would be in the hands of Yahoo. A place that I (not Adrienne and I) could simply upload new products. As I fell asleep, I smiled thinking about all of the dyeing and spinning I could now get to. The technical aspects were finally complete.

WRONG! When publishing my new store, yahoo changed the name of my blog, disabling all of the links to my blog. Nooooo, no more technical problems. No no no. And then there were the phone calls to Yahoo customer care. Let’s just say Texan accent, bad reception, code website speak, relationship politics, no dinner, late night. I think the best part of the conversation was when I was told by Yahoo “You can’t have your cake and eat it too”. I restrained myself from snapping back “it’s my thirtieth birthday this week, and I don’t want to hear those words!” But I didn’t. And, I had to compromise a la a splash page. Not my first choice – but I am soooo happy to have my blog back.

So, back to business, how is everyone doing? Fall is here. I like it – very cozy feeling. Like I mentioned before, I did turn 30 on Friday. This is something I have been really looking forward to. I spent time on Friday reflecting on some of the changes that have occurred in my life over the past year. Probably the biggest change in my life was quitting my “day job”. Last year at this time, it’s pretty safe to say that I was miserable. I didn’t want to leave my job but I needed to for my physical health and wellbeing. I was pretty crispy around the edges. When I did give my notice, on January 2, I wasn’t only giving notice that I was leaving my job, I was giving notice that I was going to live my life in a completely new and different way. This sounds very corny – but I am going to say it anyway – I decided to muster up as much courage as I could and listen to my heart. This will always be a struggle for me. I like to think about “the bottom line”. I desire stability. Risk makes my chest tighten. And my heart could give a shit about those things. Little by little, I am relaxing into those feelings, and in turn they feel less threatening. Point being, I am so grateful to be back in the fiber world and doing something that I absolutely love.

On the fiber front, I picked up the Alvros Sweater – love that thing! Love it. Love the pattern, love the yarn. I even love that it’s going to be a while before I finish it. I think this my first process piece.

The Tangled Yoke on the other hand. Not so much. The pattern is fine. But I am not happy with my choice of yarn. I chose to use Silky Tweed. I will be honest (here comes the bottom line). Well, I went with the Silky Tweed to save a few dollars. I have knit the body of the sweater and it just does not have the hand that I’d like it to have. I want it to be denser, woollier, cozier. So that being said – the Tangled Yoke is at a standstill for the moment.

I am spinning (and carding). Ramboulliet from the BSG. 2 ply. I think that I am going to make my little bro, Johnny, a sweater.

Well, that’s all for now. Sorry for the lack of photos -- next time I will treat you. I hope everyone is enjoying their Autumn!

Hide your fiber!

Because I am on a rampage and may put it through my drum carder. Listen to me, calling it mine. I was at my friend, Maia's today. She is on her way to Rhinebeck and has graciously loaned me her Patrick Greene drum carder.

The Beast:


My practice batt: merino, silk, carbonized bamboo, silk noils.


Have you ever seen a drop spindle look so happy?


Navajo-plied.



Knitty bo bits.

Maia better watch out I may hold this little beast for ransom until my lil' lady coughs one up! My birthday (30th) is coming up... In the meantime, thanks Maia.

Do you know what love means? Pomatomus of course!

Well, let's see where we are at with life. I shift from right to left in my chair, pull the chair a little closer to the desk, as it gently rolls back to the position it was just in, oh the pull of gravity, that's right I am on Earth. Proudly, I will announce I have been knitting. These days, although they may be full to the brim with fiber and yarn, I feel like it is as scrumptious as a dirty little secret when I get the time to sit down and knit.

I actually see the light at the end of the tunnel -- It's 2 FO's!


1. Pomatomus Socks -- I absolutely love this pattern. My brain feels like a sponge soaked with serotonin, or maybe it's more like my brain is a beach ball floating along a serotonin sea as I knit the lace pattern and watch the colors change along the strand of yarn. I literally knit in one position so long that my jaw became sore. Ah, the physical detriment of my addiction.

2. The damn Toe-Up Socks -- Again, 3/4 done with these suckers! Bored with the pattern, bored with the yarn, but oh so close!

Then there are the WIP, these have not faired as well, but will get much more love shortly:

1. Tangled Yoke Sweater -- on hold for the moment. But still as beautiful as ever.
2. Chevron Scarf -- I tell ya, this little f***er. I guess somewhere along the line, I added a stitch, because this scarf has gotten wider. I must frog and re-configure.
3. The Alvaros Sweater -- I am dying to get back to this sweater. I love this pattern, love the yarn. I miss you Alvaros!


Switching topics, on Saturday, Adrienne and I drove northeast to the Hoes Down Festival at Full Belly Farms. This is a 2 day event. And, just too much fun: farm tours, workshops on olive oils, wine, fruit trees, good soil, mushroom gardening:

3 stages with live music, bar-b-ques smoking with local food, beer, oysters, an herb yurt, a strawbale house, and tooooonnnnns of stuff for kids! Oh, and you can stay over and camp on the farm.

Here is an amazing woman, named Kathy Wallace, demonstrating her basket weaving skills:



WIP

Weaving Supplies

Probably my three highlights of the trip were:

1. Touring the strawbale house. Adrienne and I would love to build one of these in our lifetime. Complete with little strawbale cabins for our friends and family to stay in.

2. Listening to one of the owner's of Full Belly talk about how important their 200 sheep are to the livelihood and success of the farm. And, he didn't even know how fond I am of sheep and their wooly delights!

3. Learning about how the farm started, their fits and starts, and feeling completely and totally inspired to dream and create my fiber farm.


Farm tour: Who is that crazy lady holding a Pomatomus sock?

Knit me a home where the buffalos roam.

Well, I wish it wasn't but it is. This is our last night in Ashland. And we are listening to KD Lang singing covers -- playing name that tune -- trying to guess the original singer.

We've had lots of ups and downs on this trip. Which in some ways was expected. The back story: My mom, her husband, Adrienne, and myself decided that we would try to look for a farm together. Currently, my mom and her husband, Jim, live in Minnesota, where I was raised. I love Minnesota. It's beautiful, green, warm summers, and is affordable in comparison to California. Yet, I can not imagine living there now. Even as a child I felt the winter stifling and depressing. Sometimes, I tell myself that if I moved back, the close proximity to my family, and the ability to afford a home would make the cold worth it -- in my gut I know this is not exactly true.

I have this little dream of living in the country, dyeing fiber with plants out of my own garden, eating out of my garden, warming up next to a wood stove, spinning yarn, making art, sleeping under the stars, living like a recluse for a few years. Honestly, I enjoy checking out every once in a while. Allowing the world to go on without me. Giving my brain and body room to explore and expand. Yet, I freak out a little bit when thinking about leaving the city. What if I lose my grip? What if by the time I get back here, someone will have already cultivated my dream? How on earth am I going to make money living in the woods?? I live a paradox of loving the city and wanting to be in the middle of everything and checking out and living a little bit like a hermit.

Add to the equation that I really love spending time with my mom and want to live near her and her husband. So, here we are seeing if we can work out something. One by one, my mom and I eliminate potential states of residence. One of the first on the list for my mom and Jim is California. This is sad. I truly love California. Yes, as a lady born and raised in the Midwest, California can be a little kooky, a little too quirky at times. Overpriced and high maintenance. But then again, often times, I might use those descriptions to characterize myself. California's landscape is dynamic, the climate mild, the people energetic, creative, and forward thinking. All that being said, I've tried pushing but they will not budge.

Oregon (ashland)is one area that we agreed may work. Now, I have to admit, Ashland is about as California as you can get without actually being in California (sorry to any folks from Oregon who might get offended by this remark). There are a bunch of hippies, it's fairly liberal, geographically looks like CA, have good food, etc. Plus, they have the Shakespeare festival. I think that my mom and Jim like this area but I don't know that they love it. I think that they love Colorado. Looking at houses and farms, I think that we have found that we are looking for different styles of living. Adrienne and I want alternative energy, funky houses, uneven floors, crazy gardens. We did find some pretty amazing farms here that are doing just that. I guess in the end, Adrienne and I are going to push our dreams and continue our search. I want the easy answer, the straightforward path -- ha!

Anyway, I highly recommend visiting here. We went to The Tempest last night. It was amazing.

Today, we went to Crater Lake.






Cast-on: Tangled Yoke Cardigan in Silky Wool.

Cleo's Garter Pup Jacket

This is Cleo.

She has a new fall jacket.

We are in Ashland, Oregon looking for a farm. More to come soon...

Fiber Crazy at Camp Vejar

We've had a very exciting week over here at Camp Vejar. We built a mini-sweatshop. About two weeks ago, our friends Maia and Brooke offered us the opportunity to sell our fiber and yarn in their booth, Sincere Sheep, at California Wool and Fiber. This festival takes place in Boonville which is about 2 1/2 hours north of here. As to be expected, I was delighted and accepted their offer without much thought. Well, I have this part of my personality which goes into overdrive. Some may call it ambitious. I guess therapists may call it compulsive. Anyway, before I know it, I am in the midst of mordanting about 20 lbs of wool. The kitchen is completely trashed with dyes and pots and wet wool. The bathtub too. Adrienne is really an angel. It was kind of like camping but in our house.

The highlight of the week, after 8 days of straight dyeing, came when Adrienne took the bread out of the fridge to make toast, and said "Gee honey, there's even cochineal on the bag of bread". I, in the midst of dyeing, glance briefly over my shoulder, and say "um yeah". Thinking that it is like a drip or something and that she is overreacting. She puts the bread back in the fridge. A few minutes later I go open the fridge to look for some OJ. And, find "the accident".

I had made a titration of cochineal (beetlejuice), poured it into a Ball jar, and placed at the back of the fridge. For some strange reason, the fridge froze the cochineal, turned it into a cochineal icecube, which cracked the glass, and cochineal was _all_ over the fridge. Including in the veggie drawers, under the veggie drawers, etc. There really was cochineal all over the bread.

Point being, we accomplished alot. Here, is a glimpse of the work table.


I have to say I am really proud of our work. Michelle - thank you for helping me out!

70 Alpaca/ 30 Silk. Yarn perfect for shawl lovers. I did not want to part with this yarn.


Superwash Merino Sock Yarn in colorways Kyoto, the Revolution, and Trixie.


Bluefaced Leicester Sock Yarn -- sorry about the poor quality photo.


Wish these kids luck in the world, may they be beautiful socks, scarves, shawls, etc.

Out in the garden, we have more exciting things happening. Dye plants are growing like weeds! I love them. They are so beautiful.


Dyer's Coreopsis

Cosmos

Shungiku Edible Chrysanthemum

Adrienne is taking 2 horticulture classes. One of them is about building a greenhouse. And, she is going to grow another dye garden at school. Hopefully, in the next couple weeks, we will have some yarn and fiber dyed from our garden to share with you.

Pomatomus: You are a beautiful fish.

I have good news. I am knitting the Potomatomus Sock by Cookie A and can not stop. I love this pattern. It is interesting and I love to see the colors of the yarn devlop within the pattern. This is my first Cookie A pattern and I think she is a mastermind. I am using superwash merino sock yarn that I dyed with madder and cochineal. The name of the yarn is Indian Summer.

I can not pull myself away to take a photo but I will in a day or so and post it for you. I love big bright photos on blogs and am disappointed that I do not have to share with you at this moment. [Scratch that -- it is too depressing. I must insert photos]



I am going to try and take tomorrow off. This means that I will only skein and mordant a couple pounds of fiber and leave it at that. I look forward to seeing what Adrienne and I will come up with. We love to start projects -- and we need a new project like we need a hole in the head.

On Sunday, we are going to Maia's for a spin-in. This will be my first one over at her house and I am very excited. Little spinning wheel, where are you? How have you been?

This skein of yarn was our last foray together.


I don't know if I mentioned this but I bought a second spinning wheel. Did I say that I don't oficially have a job? Yet, I can not stop myself from buying more fiber related gadgetry. The very low price of $120 for a Louet S51 somewhat sealed the deal. It is so beautifully simple -- single treadle, the bare components to make fiber spin into a yarn. I had 3 ideas when buying this wheel:

1. Adrienne could use it. She now knows how to drop spindle and this wheel will be very easy for her to spin on.
2. I am toying with the idea of renting my friend's 1960's trailer in Nevada City. Yes, I said a trailer. BUT -- it is very very cute. And, it is in the country. And, it is 5 minutes from the Yuba RIver. I pictured this little wheel sitting in the trailer, waiting for me, and spinning in the country. Ahhhhh.
3. I thought that if someone wanted to learn how to spin, this could be my loaner wheel. Does anyone out there want some spinning lessons? Fall is coming... think how great a handspun scarf would feel.

I might as well come fully out of the closet...I also bought a Schacht rigid heddle loom for $50! That feels really good to say. yet again, do I really need this right now? At the store, I looked at it, and a bubble formed over it, and in that bubble my imagination took me to my famiily room, the loom clamped to my coffee table, I am watching trashy television and weaving very simple handspun white cloth. So, I bought it. Sick bastard!

The loom has been sitting on my living room floor for the past week. I walk over it, carrying buckets of newly dyed and washed fiber to the backyard. I resist putting it away because I really want to warp it ("it only takes 40 minutes to warp, and you can warp straight to the loom" the saleswoman exclaims). But when on earth do I even have the time to calculate a warp? Finally, yesterday, I stubbed my toe on the corner of the loom, I think tomorrow it may have to find a new home in storage. Loom, please don't look at me that way.

As an endnote to my last post, I replied to Ms. SJ's sweet message very simply letting her know that I did receive her message. She replied that the email was meant for internal use only, and that she does not know how I got the message, and she apologizes for that. However, her opinion is her opinion. Cheers!

My original question was never answered.

Needless to say, I have decided to not apply to the SF Craft Mafia Winter show. At this juncture, I want to focus my attention and energy on positive people, attitudes, and venues. The world is full of positive opportunities if you allow yourself to see them. I think that theoretically the SF Craft Mafia is a good idea and I hope in the future they will support new, up and coming artists and craftspeople. God knows if we don't support one another, who will?!

On that note, I hope everyone is creating beautiful things.

The Emotional Ups and Downs of Spinning and Knitting

Wow! It has been wayyyyy to long. From the ache in my back, I think I have been working too much. You know when you haven't seen a friend in a long time, and you don't know where to start -- that's how I feel right now.

Let's start right with this moment, where the wind has been taken out of my sails - I am awake this morning bright and early very angry. What a wonderful start to the day! Part of the reason I haven't been blogging is that I have been working hard on updating my website because I wanted to apply to the SF Craft Mafia's Winter sale. This was going to be my first attempt to get my product out to the public. So, I thought that I would pitch my products, and my wonderfully talented friends products, Maia and Brooke. They will be out of town and can not represent themselves and they have a great product. So, I wrote to Craft Mafia for their advice regarding how to apply/ proceed.

This has been our interaction so far:

Hi --

I am applying to participate in Mafia Made Winter 2007. My business's name is A Verb for Keeping Warm. www.averbforkeepingwarm.com

I have a question -- I am in a co-operative with 2 other businesses, Tactile Fiber Arts and Sincere Sheep.

I am wondering if it would be OK for me to represent our co-operative and sell products from all three companies. Unfortunately, the owner of Tactile Fiber Arts and Sincere Sheep will be out of town the 21st. All three companies have similar goals overall -- to offer earth friendly fiber and yarn products. More information can be found at www.sinceresheep.com. Tactile Fiber Arts currently does not have a website.

Also, would I apply as a joint applicant? And pay $95?

Please advise.

Thanks,
Kxistine Vxjar


And, this was their response:

From: Bxrbe Sxint Jxhn
Date: September 3, 2007 8:48:57 PM PDT
To: Kxistine Vxjar
Subject: RE: Mafia Made 2007 Question
Reply-To:

Well, I'm gonna vote no for her regardless of her coop businesses. Shes a
yarn spinner and she says WAY too cheap


Are you kidding? This is your response? hmmmmmm -- ok. what do I say to that one? I am having a very hard time trying to write something back even vaguely professional. This hits right on the edge of my personality that some may describe as sensitive and emotional -- a nice way to say bitchy and aggressive! And, why is she speaking to me in third person?? Do yarn spinners cheapen the DIY craft movement?! Let me tell you, when you are working your ass off -- it does NOT feel good for someone to call you cheap.

So, I thought I would turn to my fellow fiber bloggers for support. Argh!

On a happier note:

Brenda Dayne's new sock pattern, Brother Amos, has been posted. I am going to download it and hopefully start on it soon.

I finished a hat for Adrienne out of Judith McCuin's shetland yarn. She looks very cute in it.

I have been dyeing like a mad woman and having alot of fun. I really feel like I am learning alot about natural dyeing.

I have just cast-on Pomatomus.

My mom is coming at the end of September from Minnesota. We are going to Ashland, OR to look for a farm. I love when my mom comes to visit.

Black Sheep Gathering: The countdown has begun

OOoooh -- next week at this time, we will have just arrive to Eugene, Oregon for the Black Sheep Gathering. My mom is flying in from Minnesota on Tuesday. I can tell she is excited to come because she calls daily to tell me what we will be doing next week at this time. "Next week at this time, my plane will be landing", "Next week at this time, we will be driving up to Eugene", etc. Its very sweet.

We will drive half way on Wednesday and complete the trip on Thursday. I plan to go to sleep early on Thursday night and be up bright and early on Friday in time for the juding of fleeces to begin! This is my first fiber festival. I decided not to register for any classes although there were some that were mighty tempting. If there are still openings, I might attend the class named Organic Certification of Animal Fibers: Standards, Practices, and Considerations. Being that I do see sheep and a farm in my future.

If not full, I would have been very tempted to take Orenburg Handspinning. This is a type of Russian spinning that uses supported hand spindles to make lace out of the finest fibers like cashmere for lace weight shawls. Its funny. I don't think that my personality lends itself to spinning lace weight, knitting laceweight, or wearing laceweight, yet, I find myself increasingly drawn towards it. Maybe just for the challenge. I also think that I may be drawn towards the people who do spin and knit in this manner because I am in awe.

I think its interesting to think of how one's spinning may reflect one's personality. You know I joined the Spun Stitches SAL/ KAL to spin yarn for a shawl. I feel very lumpy among my spinning/knitting colleagues. They are spinning the most amazing, teensy, tiny, yarns. And mine, well, its pretty but lumpy. However, I do like the lumpy look. I could actually get defensive and say something along the line of "well, if I wanted to spin yarn that thin, I can" but really I don't find it fun. Every now and then, when I do spin something consistently laceweight, I can see the draw. I feel each individual fiber aligning just right with the fiber before it. I can feel the staple length. And, for a moment, I am pleased with being right there with my fiber and not caring how long it might take to spin 1400 yards. 1400 yards, oh my god, you might as well say 14,000,000 yards! My personality comes rushing back. My brain travels forward in its little time machine. I see myelf knitting and finshing. Then, my spinning flies forward into kind of lumpy bumpy. Oh, this feels more right, I am going to get to the next stage faster. So, I think part of my facination with these laceweight spinners is that they have fun making this kind of yarn. And, I would like to think that they are exemplifying the enjoyment of each minute, and each strand of fiber along the spinning process.

In saying all of that, the sheep to shawl competition is one event I am dying to see. This is a sport that I may actually get excited about. Instead of fantasy football, I could play fantasy shawl spinning. Expect to see a whole photo montage when I get back.

God, give me another set of hands please! Interweave Knits Summer 2007

It was gloomy and cold this morning. Adrienne, Cleo, and I decided to take a car ride over to Marin to Dharma Trading Co.. They are a great dyeing resource. Plus, their is an awesome Peurto Rican restaurant in San Rafael named Sol Food. At Dharma Trading, I picked up the Interweave Knits Summer 2007. I have to say its a pretty good issue. My only regret is that I am inspired but can't possibly start another project right now. AN extra set of hands would be prefect right about now. Instead of knitting, I thought that I'd use my inspiration to at least write about them. I want to make the Notre Dame de Grace. Oh, it look sso cozy. Motorcycle Chica Gloves -- hot! Garter Stitch Pup for Miss Cleo. And, Boot Socks. So if anyone out there is knitting these things, let me know. I would love to live vicariously through you!

Needless to say, the sun came out. It was nice and hot so we took a long hike in Woodacre. Knitting -- sunny hikes -- knitting -- sunny hikes -- how can one decide?