Phew – it has been taking us a lot longer to get the online store up and running than we originally thought. We’re almost there, but we want to make sure we get it right the first time. Hopefully, the store will be open in the new week or so. If you saw something at YarnCon that you’re interesting in purchasing before the next show rolls around, please email [email protected]
Speaking of the next show, we are excited to be taking part in a new Chicago-area event, the 2nd annual Spring Fiber Fling! It takes place on May 14th and 15th at the McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, Illinois. We’ll be selling in the marketplace, and it looks to be a good one, with everything from fiber art supplies to handcrafted finished items. But that’s not all. It’s also an educational event, focusing on fiber and the process from “Sheep to Shawl”, including my personal favorite, a sheep herding demo. Those dogs are just amazing, and I’ve never had a chance to see them do their thing in person. There are a variety of classes, from soapmaking and basket weaving, to felting and spinning, and even a class on how to buy a fleece. You don’t want to miss this, so come on out and enjoy an event unlike any other in the Chicago area.
I was thinking about all the natural colors in our SoSoft™ Bulky yarn. Due to the unique nature of the wool, the variation in color and texture in each skein and across the color palette is so pleasing to the eye and touch, something you can’t get in a mass-produced “factory” yarn. It has an almost handspun appearance at times. So I wanted to see what would happen if you mixed all of these together to take advantage of the different natural colors and textures. I chose the most basic of projects, a simple garter-stitch scarf, knit lengthwise. I am changing yarns after each row and leaving the ends as a fringe, so I don’t have to weave in the ends. I rather like the effect and I’m looking forward to finishing and blocking it as I’m sure it will look even better. It will probably end up to be about 6 feet long and 6 inches wide. I just might make up kits to sell at the show in May.
