Visit to Skyloom Weavers

Although it was a cloudy day, it was the perfect day to visit Penny at her new studio. Penny, along with her business partner and BFF Peggy, have ventured into the world of marketing. They call their business Skyloom Weavers. Penny is smiling proudly in front of her studio. Take a step into her world.........
Marvelous warmth surrounds you, from the wood floors and walls to the fiber abounding around the studio. On her large floor loom, she is busy weaving away on her latest design.
The large triangle loom sits in the corner by the window. It is dressed with her very first handspun wool yarn! What lovely natural colors. This shawl will be a keeper for Penny.
Other triangle loom shawls grace their presence in other sections of the studio. Here are two luxury pieces just waiting for the perfect wearer.
Other shawls wrap these mannequins with color and happiness.
Penny and Peggy dye their own yarn; some of which is handspun. Each unique color has an intriguing name. Some are dyed with chemical dyes while others are natural dyed (two on right).
These are one of a kind yarns. Buy two skeins if you like them; most likely you will not find another quite like it again. Penny and Peggy are enjoying their adventure into the creative dyeing world.
This art yarn is perfect for just that accent to a collar, sleeve cuff or small scarf.
Penny's studio is located on acreage which gives her the privilege of raising animals. Here is a pen of 'Mos' or angora goats.
Llama roam in another area--curious as one presents the camera. Stand those ears up, boy! and do not spit!!
We have come not only to visit with Penny and view her studio, we have also come for llama 'berries' or poop! Okay, there is a story there--right! We have a friend who also lives on acreage and has a deer infestion. They are not allowed to eliminate the deer, which eat all new growth. Upon learning that llama poop was a repellent to deer--the rest is history! Scoop a little from one friend to share with another. In fact, Penny's llama yielded two large bags of berries (and we didn't work hard at collecting either)--now, we'll see if it works. Penny says, "I've never seen a deer on my property", so maybe that's a good sign.
We tour her property in her little 'rover' vehicle--her tubs are springing forth with new growth. Tansy in this one....................not much natural color from this though and hard to get rid of!
This is the beginning of new madder plants--lovely colors will come from these plants and roots. Another bin has the beginnings of cotton plants (for spinning) and marigolds (another great color producer).
A perfect day and visit with Penny in her studio--all days should be this good!

CREATIVE GENIUS

There is a little creative genius in all of us but some have more than others. One such person is Dottie, who was hostess for our March weavers' gathering. Dottie opened her home this week to share not only delicious lunch but also a view inside her creative genius. Dottie is most known for her lovely decorated Ukrainian Eggs or Pysanky. Each symbol and color has a meaning for those who enjoy and collect these art pieces.
Yes, Dottie does each and every one of these--creative genius and artistic touch!
These are her 'special' ones.
Her centerpiece in the front room contains wool hooked sheep
and the mantel in her family room shows off framework with wool hooking in progress--she is definitely a 'hooker' of creative genius!
She also captures facial features with her adorable hangings, using some of her handwoven fabric strips as tassels.
Dottie is not the only one in this group with creative genius--Rosemary shows off her woven needle cases that she needle felted sari silk strips for decorative features.
Antje, ah Antje! what creative genius she is! and waste not, want not is her motto--using up bundles of indigo ikat cotton threads from SE Asia to use as weft for her 'rag' rug.
A variety of blues on a background of white cotton warp--threaded for bird's eye off set of the middle--genius! It is a nice cushiony rug.
Scharine comes with her woven scarf, using her pretreadled loom (just recently purchased). She is also using sari silk for weft along with some rayon thrown between rows of sari--just touch and enjoy the feel; the drape is fabulous! A runway piece for sure.
And her small table mat is just as fabulous! A new weaver in the making.
Ah, what creative genius we surround ourselves with--maybe some of it will rub off and get our 'juices' flowing again!

Finally--OFF the Loom!

Yes, finally! After weeks or (dare we count months), ten yard warp has come off the loom. Taking the scissors to that last little bit of warp and snip, snip..............
Pulling out the lengths of woven fabric is a great satisfaction.
These are handspun cotton weft towels--look at the prewashed look now.......indigo dyed cotton
brown cotton & green cotton from own garden, colored cotton from Texas Tech labs....................
Now, give a look after washing--plain or tabby weave--gives a pattern called 'tracking'.....
Now, a nice pile of towels sit ready for gift giving--all hand hemmed, washed and folded.
But, the only problem........................................................the loom is empty again!

Just Chillin' with the Spinners!

Sometimes our gatherings do not whirl with wheels or spindles. These are days we just have too much to share so our mouths are busier than our hands and feet. The last spinners meeting was such a time. The spindles lay idle
and wheels sit posed for action so the sharing can commence.
Kate has brought her generous bag that was fulled. It holds fiber goodies galore.
Rosemary brings a sample sheet of natural dyes.
Another sample sheet gives more descriptions to this process. These sheets were made for educational purposes and handed to teachers during the annual livestock and rodeo. Our guild sponsors a booth with spinning and weaving demos, ongoing for three straight weeks--manned by volunteers--more forth coming on that event when it begins March 1.
Penny's basket sports two skeins of designer yarns. Looks that more will be created soon.
Since we are meeting in Antje's abode, we admire all her wonderful felted pieces. This one complements her kitchen.
Her kitted teddy bear is a gift for neighbor's soon to be born baby--very snuggly!
You can't help but admire Antje's handwork as she designs 'as she stitches'. A little here, a little there makes for a lovely shawl. This is made from her silk drapery fabric--truly recycled from a time she lived in Viet Nam. She has taken the fabric to the dyepot--nothing planned, just go with how she feels the day she is dyeing.
Another wonderful wallhanging in her family room catches one eye......
A close-up of felting work and needlework.
Another one of Antje's silk drapery shawls--serendipity!
Her newest bird, unnamed for the present, sits regally watching over our discussion.
Now, for the big moment of the day--carding. Here sits a drum carder. Everyone brought batches of different fibers to add to the batt.
Kate, in her marvelous sense of measuring, has used vegetable dyes she has around the house--blackberries and avocado. The blackberries yield a delightful soft lavender shade to the wool batt while the avocado lent to more of a camel color. Kate is one to measure exact--weight to weight! Kate made these batts before the meeting.
These series of photos come to us from Antje. Loading the drum carder with fiber.
A few turns of the handle and woo! looks what comes off!
Delicious, yummy batts--ready for spinning!
Waiting for the drum roll, please!
Maybe, our next gathering will feature some of these luxury yarns to share. Or maybe, we'll just have another chillin' gathering!

KFN

What in the world does KFN mean? The answer is simple--Knits for Needs! Plain title and easy to remember; it rolls off the tongue. This is a grassroots organization--based in Atlanta and run by Meredith but supported by many. This idea of charity is shared by those who want to give back to the community through their knitted wearables. KFN is working to obtain their 501(c)3 not for profit certificate and to encourage growth in the group, there is an ongoing contest at the present time. You can find KFN on Twitter, Ravelry, Facebook as well as through their website.

"The bigger we are, the more people we can clothe with warm goodies knit/crocheted from the heart, and that it what we are all about here at Knits For Needs." spoken by our faithful leader.

The items that are received are donate to anyone who needs warm stuff anywhere in the United States. And all monies and knitted/crocheted/woven items are 100% donated--that's what is good about this organization. There have been many times that we have shipped boxes to KFN. And a gathering is taking place now for a future shipment.

Scarf from stash yarn--have always wanted to knit this pattern and now that it is accomplished we move onto finishing another scarf in the wings.
How about FLG (fingerless gloves) from a mystery pattern that didn't quite fit these hands--perfect for the KFN box.
And this pattern was just calling to be knitted--Green head is doing her stuff!
And another stash yarn eliminated but going to a worthy cause. The pattern is from Woollywormhead collection--what great patterns to work up! What a thrill to give knitted wear to those in need--thanks to Knits for Needs!