Last of July

Earlier this month I started checking in with the amazing artists on Ravelry. The Art Yarn group continues to inspire and amaze me. This week I did a mixed bat that became an autowraped single here

But I have not posted here very much in the past two weeks and it is because my very short attention span has been taken up by this lovely new instrument that arrived finally from the wonderful people of Dusty Strings in Seattle:

It is a 4 &1/2 octave Hammered Dulcimer, Dusty Strings model D650 with dampers. I am so in love with it. You can see the hammers on the stool below the dulcimer. Because of this obsession I will be absent from this blog and the farmer's market for at least the next week while I attend the Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College in Asheville NC. Look for me back at the market August 14.

Latest Greatest Idea

People at the market are always asking me what they can do with a skein of yarn. Now most of my handspun skeins are 225+ yards - which means that you can make something and have lots left over. Or maybe make two somethings, like a matching hat and scarf. But since I've never been a matchy-matchy type I would be more interested in more colors and less matching. Which brings me to my latest idea, ready made pull-balls in various colors that come in around 100 yds. (They are marked so you know how many yards  you get.)

For those still wondering what to do with a ball of yarn I suggest the books by Judith Durant, One Skein Wonders and also 101 Designer One Skein Wonders. Check with Amazon.

Midsummer in the Desert

The Solstice reminds me of England and Stonehenge and the abundance of fecund green things everywhere. In my mind it is pleasantly warm with trees and flowers. In my reality it is over 100 and scorching sunlight that few things are able to brave to celebrate this mid-turning point of the year. In my yard this Mexican Bird of Paradise flowers and prospers energetically making bean pods that reseed it all over. In my hot summer kitchen I am dyeing wool and chenille - though not in the same pot. When I started this project of selling hand dyed yarns at the Farmer's Market back in February I did not dream that by midsummer people would still be buying wool and other fiber yarns from me. When it is hot I don't think about knitting as much but clearly there are many people who get their start on fall projects when it is blistering hot outside. I'm grateful to them. May you all be blessed as the wheel of the year turns.

Summer 2-ply

It is hot here in New Mexico this summer. I'm dreaming of cool ocean breezes with these colors. This yarn is a 2-ply of handspun wool and eyelash/flag all dyed in the same pot and twisted together for a fun yarn. This would make a great hat.

The heat is also reflected in this Shetland roving that is the colors of our sunsets:

And finally a yarn that reflects many of our local colors, turquoise orange and purple:

See you at the market on Saturday!

Books, Books, Books

Just in case you missed the Ramble last evening - there were lots of books. For the past few weeks I've been making coptic bound books. The above ones were covered in paper, the below ones were covered in hand dyed silk velvet and vintage laces. They were well received and several sold. Don't think I will be changing career directions any time soon because I still love yarn but these books were fun to make.

Have a great weekend and try to stay cool...

What is that stuff???

Every week at the Market someone comes up and asks me what that yarn is made from. Or maybe they finger the dyed roving and wonder what it is and what you do with it. Humans have been on this earth a long time but it has only been since the Industrial Revolution that we became distanced from our own lives. We used to understand where milk and steak come from, just like we understood where yarn came from because probably someone in our home was spinning it next to the hearth in the evening. For thousands of years that went on and now within just a couple of generations we have no idea how to bake bread, make butter and spin yarn. To me that is a great sadness. I enjoy this wonderful technologically savvy world we have created but I wish we didn't have to loose so much of the basic things while we are so very plugged in. All those people listening to ipods while spinning would be my idea of perfect! So here I leave you with a picture of roving, undyed and still in the huge ball as it comes to me from the mill. This ball weighed in at 20 pounds.

A small reminder that the First Friday Ramble is this Friday from 5-7 at the downtown mall in Las Cruces. The Quillin Studio (owned by Sally Quillin) will be showing handmade books with a variety of different bindings. Stop in and say Hello if you are in the neighborhood. Those shawls from the previous post will be there too......

Sneak Peek - or wasn't this a blog about weaving?

I'll admit that I'm prone to getting distracted. For months now I've been distracted from weaving, seduced by the color and texture of spinning and dyeing. There has been a warp languishing on my loom for months. Finally this week I got down to the weaving part. Here is a preview. The two new shawls can be seen on the Ramble Friday June 4 from 5-7 at the Quillin Gallery at 217 Water Street, Behind COAS, where the coffee shop used to be. Right here in Las Cruces, NM.

We all love yarn and I'm assuming that means you too or why would you be reading this blog? In the making of the above shawl I took out all kinds of yarn and spread them around the floor and auditioned the colors and thought about texture and then went to bed. Here is my office manager, George trying out the new stash to see if it is comfortable enough.