because some things have to be said with words
As much as I loved yesterday’s green dye, I wasn’t going to be satisfied until I indulged myself in my favorite shades of turquoise.
Jacquard Acid Dyes in Turquoise and Violet on two-ply thick-and-thin bulky.
Yesterday, I had time for a quick dyeing session. The Aerie doesn’t have a dedicated dye kitchen, so I am limited to small-ish batches of acid dye on the stovetop. I use dedicated pans and utensils, of course.
Jacquard Acid dyes on Romney sliver
Isn’t that a sweet little drop spindle? It’s by Golding Fiber Tools.
At 1.9 ounces, it is a bit heavy for the fine yarn I am spinning, but the Romney is a very forgiving fiber.
For many years, this was my one and only spinning wheel, an Ashford Traditional. It’s been upgraded every way possible, with a double treadle, modern drive band, and of course the three-speed flyer. It was time for me to move on to something more portable, and I am now spinning on a Lendrum DT. I’m selling this wheel with the accessories shown for $300. And you get to visit my studio at the Aerie when you come to pick it up. Wouldn’t that be fun?
Since I am about to dive into the world of art yarn, I just wanted you to know that I can spin fairly typical yarn if I want to. Here are a few skeins that I spun this autumn.
The art yarn influence was already creeping in to the third skein.
Some of you know that in addition to my art studio, the Aerie also has a fiber arts studio. Would you like a brief tour?
The heart of my studio is this 46-inch Schacht floor loom.
I have a new spinning wheel, the Lendrum Double Treadle, that I just picked up at the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck. It’s a delight to treadle this wheel, and it has the capacity to spin some very creative art yarn.
I also have an older Ashford Traditional Wheel, that’s been upgraded several times, but this post is getting very picture rich, so I will save that for another time.
What do I create in my fiber studio? I spin some of my own yarn for knitting, and I weave scarves, shawls, and the occasional table runner. I’ve just started to explore art yarn, which is a close equivalent to my art journal style.