Dorset Batt,

When I began this Dorset journey I had no idea where it would lead. Dorset was a new fiber for me to learn about. I have to say that I really like it. As I have posted before I went back to a colorway that I used a long time ago, but this time I used Jacquard dyes and was very please with how everything turned out. In fact it took the dye amazingly well.

 

So then it was time to knit. Since I have read and been told that Dorset is great for socks, of course that was the direction I went. I just wanted to find out what everyone was talking about. So on size US 1.5 circulars the test started.

 

The knitting experience was different. The Dorset makes a very solid fabric, because it grabs and clings to the stitches beside it. That makes a warm sock. To make gauge I did have to adjust the tension in how I let the yarn run through my fingers. After that, it was smooth sailing. The stitches are defined, close together and exactly what I was hoping for. Now I don't know if I would wear these in the Summer, but anytime it was chilly or cold, a Dorset fiber sock would be the way to go.

 

I had planned on just knitting one sample sock, but after finishing the first one, and enjoying the sock and it's fit, the second sock is on the needles as we speak. :-)

 

So I'm encouraging you to try some Dorset, I have several 4 oz bundles in the Etsy shop waiting for you to enjoy.

 

Dorset Batt, The Process I've Been Wanting To Share

A few months ago, Smoky Mountain Colors met a wonderful local woman who raises Dorset Sheep. We obtains one of her cleaned and processed batts and I couldn't wait to start spinning it. Here is a photo of what the batt looked like after I divided down to 4oz bundles.

As you can see it has a beautiful color, it's clean and a lot can be spun from 4oz. I've found it be airy and a little stretchy (which is fantastic for nice warm socks). Now I have to be honest and say that almost everything I spin has some silk or bamboo, or something in it to made it super soft. This is one of the few things that I have spun straight up, not blended. So with that said, I feel comfortable saying that it's a little softer that Lamb's Pride wool. If you have never used Lamb's Pride I guess it's comparable to Cascade 220 and maybe Galway.

So here is the next photo. I spin a little on the thin side, mostly fingering to sport weight. I spun this so that I could knit some socks since everyone has been telling me what great socks this fiber makes. :-) There is about 400 yards, 2-ply.

So my next step is to dye see how this yarn handles dye. I have changed the dyes I use and this gave me an opportunity to try out my new "goodies." Needless to say I was pretty excited about both learning how the new dye worked and seeing how the Dorset took the color. Let me insert a little side story, when I first started dyeing I did a colorway that I loved but sold it. So I've been looking forward to dyeing it again, and this was my opportunity. There is nothing like bright reds and yellows blending into a clean crisp orange, then that fading and then adding a touch of green and lightening it up to a lime so it will the blend into the color pattern. So here are my results.

 

Two days ago I started the socks and will have photos for you when they are finished so you can see how they look.

 

www.etsy.com/shop/smokymountaincolors

 

Smoky Mountain Colors Has Been Busy

It's been really exciting the past couple of months. I can't tell you how many people has encouraged us and are behind us in this new venture. We recently had a booth at the Old Mill Heritage Days in Pigeon Forge, TN. (9/28/13). It was great. Wonderful sells, good feedback and lots of connections. It was a start, a great start. Below are a few of our set up photos. I am so grateful that Karen was there too. We have both been so busy it was wonderful to spend the day with her. People were starting to come up to the booth so I didn't get photos of the finial set up, but you all get the idea. :-)

 



Now we are listing like crazy some of our new dyed and handspun yarns. The leaves are changing here in the Great Smoky Mountains and it's so inspirational. So keep an eye out for some really new colorways! Come and visit us at Smoky Mountain Colors.

My Life In One Word, CHANGE

It seems since I started this blog, oh so many years ago, the theme has always come around to  "change." So many changes in every area in my life and in the life of my family. Today is no different, and you may find yourself thinking the same thing.

Here I sit 3 years after a major decision to move from Atlanta, GA to Gatlinburg, TN. with all kinds of hopes and dreams, only to find that my journey had a way eliminating the foolishness and bringing me to a place where I'm on the verge of either falling off the cliff or falling into my dreams coming true. WOW, what a place to be in. (kind of a rush). The things that have come to pass, (and many I were glad they passed by.) have been so enlightening. Rough yes, enlightening Oh YES!

On August 21, I lost my job at Smoky Mountain Spinnery. A job that many of you know meant the world to me. I spent a lot of time on here promoting it. But, everything has a season and that season came to an abrupt end. I was immediately faced with choices. Here I was with a private life that was extremely demanding, health issues, care taking, and no money. I made a decision within 15 minutes of leaving that job, while sitting in the parking lot of the apartment complex I live in, that when I stepped out of the car it would be the beginning of the next chapter of my life. That I would not compromise, I would not be weak, I would not have time for anger, I would not have time to do anything that got in the way of what the next season of my life would bring. Stay positive, see the future as blank pages to write an amazing life and be true to myself. I learned about myself, that all my life I have not spoke up for myself, I have not promoted my gifts and talents  as I should and I have been content to stay in the back ground, waiting for someone to say, hey you are really talented, I love what you are doing, etc., while really wanting to be in business, to promote my talents and the share my love for what I do with others. I learned I have to appreciate my talents and gifts first, if others are going to. (among other things, which I will share in the future).

So in short, out of this evolves a co-op called Smoky Mountain Colors. With the support and encouragement of wonderful friends who aren't afraid to be real friends and are also amazing fiber artists we have developed an Etsy shop.  This Etsy shop brings together other fiber artists who are wanting a break. Wanting to get their one-of-a-kind, hand-made items out to be seen and purchased. We are spinners, knitters, hand dyers, potters, fiber prep and weavers. How amazing is that?  Please stop and take look we have some beautiful items and extremely talented artist. And don't forget to put the shop in your Etsy Favorites.

So I am encouraging you today, to be true to yourself, make bold decisions, get over the fact that a lot of people will miss read you, that they don't really want to know you or "get you." Appreciate those in your life who do, be vulnerable to those who do. Remove the blinders, be real with yourself and step out, just go a head and do it. You may think everything will happen fast, don't worry, all of it will happen when it's suppose to. Believe it will.

If it means going out to your car, having a talk with yourself and then stepping out of the car to start your next chapter, to except the changes (remember that changes are neutral its the value we place on them that make them good or bad, it's our perspective that influences our thoughts and out come.) Then go out to your car and DO IT, just DO IT.  I dare you. :-)

Hand Dyeing Again

It's been a very long time since I had the time to dye anything for myself and I think this is something that I need to do to keep my sanity. Though I sometimes dye at the Studio for work, I'm just not as relaxed and comfortable as I am in my space,  of course. LOL. 

Anyway, I got to experiment with dyeing cotton and then I had time to try another way to dye fiber. It was wonderful. Here are the results.

Just Stuff. LOL

Crazy times, but fun times. I've come to accept that I'm going to be busy with something from the minute I get up till I go to bed. And that's ok, because 90% of the things keeping me busy are things I love. (or people I love) when I stop for a second and think about it. How many people can say that? No I don't have enough hours in the day, but that's a sign that I am filling every moment with life. Much better than the other choice, don't you think?  :-)

So when I'm not Blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting or emailing, I'm "busy." Busy with family, busy with my Great Dane, busy with  knitting, busy with spinning, busy with  a great job surround by wonderful people and FIBER.  That makes me happy.
I just had to get that out there.

Fiber update! I've been learning how to crock pot dye. I've got a couple done, and learned a lot, it also brought back memories of art school. I'm really excited about this new area I'm getting into, and sharing it with my friends. Here is a couple of pictures of what I've done so far. Both are Falkland.
Spinning will begin hopefully tonight after I bind off the sock I am writing for the Spinnery. (Happy Dance)

Springtime in a Knitters World

It's been beautiful here in the Smoky Mountains. Spring has blessed us a little early with warm weather and beautiful views of the mountains. This weekend the Dogwoods have started to bloom and they have added just a touch of color to the mountain sides and along the road ways. This is truly a beautiful place to live.

It's also an amazing place to be involved in the Arts. Recently in the area there was the huge Quilt show that happens every year, and the Fiber Arts Festival in Townsend. Many of the attendees to these shows came to the Spinnery. We had customers from as far away as Massachusetts. It was a pleasure talking with them and finding out what the fiber world is like in their area.

On the home front, I have been really working on a schedule for weekly classes and a monthly workshop for the Spinnery. Right now here is a list of the weekly classes. (remember I don't have dates yet, that will be coming soon)

• Knitting (right now I have a Beginning Knit class on Wednesday mornings 10am but if you are in town you are welcome to come.)
• Knitting all levels
• Continental Knitting
• Magic Loop
• Crochet for Knitters. (edging, yokes, trim, cast ons, etc)
• Fair Isle (2 hand method)
• Drop Spindle
• Private Lessons

Workshops are going to be monthly. The April workshop will be the 14th, 1-3pm and the topic is LACE. I think Spring time shouts light lacy shawls and scarves, so I have a pattern that will be perfect. If you are in Gatlinburg on the 14th, please come and take the class it will be a lot of fun. Email me for further information.

Personally, I'm still living with what seems to be 100s of irons in the fire. But I'm coming to the belief that, this state I'm in is my "normal" I've always been a  person with a many things going on, that's why I've always been a knitter/spinner. It's my get away, my healing, my counselor, my therapy, my best friend at times. I'm truly blessed that I can be around it all the time. If being involved in with knitting, spinning, crafting, etc has done anything for you like it has me, you know what I'm talking about.  Now I'm finding that same feeling with designing. I'm currently working on a baby blanket that I'm going to call Celtic Butterfly. (Just have to get that Scottish touch in there LOL). The pattern is coming a long really well, and my goal is to have a couple of test knitters work with it by mid April. Cross your fingers.

I want to close out today with a thought.
Remember that there are always two sides to every story, before you come to a conclusion. This way you don't let other people form your opinions. You are one of a kind, so don't think like everyone else.

Me obsessed? Are you serious?

It has been "implied" to me, that I can be a little obsessed with some things in my life. I prefer to call it PASSIONATE. I've found that most of us that love what we do, are very passionate about those things that we choose to get involved with or let into our lives. Since I got my Schacht Side Kick,  I have done very little knitting but lots of spinning. This is seriously something that I have wanted to do for years. I still love my drop spindle and have some really nice fiber sitting here waiting to get spin on it. But, I'm so loving the learning and connection that happens as you learn something new.

One of the things I've just finished is this beautiful Ashland Bay Merino/Tussah. It's called Sea Mist. It was amazing to spin. So far in my vast 3 weeks of spinning I found this to be the easiest and most comfortable to spin. I will post some pics of the the finished product when it fully dries.

When I started working at the Spinnery I got to put out all the roving. HUGE boxes of roving was one of the best things that ever happened to me. I got to touch and weigh and get to know all the fiber that we carry. It only fed the desire to get a wheel. :-) It also worked on that "list" of things I want to try or have. Each of these colors were on the list. They are all Merino. 1) Cafe 2. Mocha (Yes, I have a Starbucks addiction) 3. Sandalwood. I have finished spinning the Cafe and Mocha and will ply them in the next couple of days. The Sandalwood will get spun after that.

Remember the Life Is Orange And White project? It's finished!!! It's actually the first yarn that I plied on the wheel. Plying on a spinning wheel is so much fun. I've plied with a drop spindle but it's going to take me a little while to get use to plying on a wheel. My son is really excited that I have it finished up since I promised him back in 2010 to knit him a hat when it was finished.

Personally I have to say that this week was rough. Both my kids were sick, and then Gunther got sick and I thought that I was going to have to rush him to the vet. But, thank heavens he got better rather quickly. The kids are getting there and doing a little better every day. Then it hit me. Here I am getting ready to teach my workshop on Saturday, and I have no voice and feel like I was beat up. The good thing is I am feeling better this morning, so lets hope I just stay on this roll I have going. (Though this is good opportunity to catch up on my knitting) There are so many ill around here. It's that time of the year. They are even closing schools because so many of kids are sick.

It's time to wrap this up and head out the door for breakfast. I hope you have a great day, that you find your passion and commit to it. Allow it to take you where it wants. You know there is no limit to greatness when love what you do.

Be Blessed.





Back to TN

This afternoon I'm headed back to TN. I have a knitting classes to teach this morning that I just didn't want to cancel. These ladies are wonderful so I'm knitting and then traveling. I have to be back Monday, so it's not going to be a very long trip.

Mom hasn't been sounding too good on the phone and she needs to be checked on, and of course I've got to head to Gatlinburg to visit my favorite fiber store.

So I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend and that it's filled with doing things that bring you peace of heart and peace of mind.

Blessed be,