Check it out, our new logo created by my younger daughter.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Stitches 2011
I have been meaning to post photos of our beautiful fibers that will be featured in our Stitches booth, but time sneaked up on me once again. Most of our spinning fibers contain silk, this gives the fibers extra sheen, depth of color and just feels real nice. We will have Kundert and Louet spindles, yarns and more. I hope you can come by and say HI. We will be in booth 1146 and will have specials running throughout the show. We will be offering discounts on Thursday nights and drawings that you can enter. I will bring one of my wheels but probably will not get much spinning time in. In the booth we will have drop spindle demos. I am excited and a bit nervous, this is one of the biggest yarns shows and is guaranteed to be fun for all. Ravelry will be there.
Friday, January 21, 2011
2011 is here!
I have been neglecting the blog, seems to be a theme with me and the blog. Waiting for something great to write about and then never get around to it. The holidays were fun, had both of my girls with me and that is always (well maybe not always!) great. Younger one is back at school to finish her senior year. Where did the time go?
On the knitting/ spinning front... Both the Monday and Thursday night groups are back in full swing. A few of us are thinking of starting a Saturday coffee, treat and knit group. We usually end up talking more than anything else. I made a shawl that I call my mistake shawl during our talkative knitting time. I kept on loosing count and then just let the shawl take over. Every mistake represents a fun conversation and the shawl looks nice, no one notices the mistakes unless they look real close and they don't belong that close to me!
Last weekend we had a fun outing to a A Verb for Keeping Warm in Oakland. They had a book signing with Ysolda and Cookie A. Ysolda opened up the knitting with a discussion about her patterns. Her patterns come in a wide variety of sizes, and there is something for everyone. Cookie A is, of course, known for her sock books. Here is a picture of my friends with Cookie A and Ysolda------------->
And this is me with Ysolda:
Right now I am up to my eyeballs in fiber and dye, getting ready for Stitches West in February. My passion is silk and silk blends. Come visit for some of the shiny stuff. Twisted Sunshine will be in Booth 1146. Special treats for blog followers and repeat customers. We have a wonderful selection of hand dyed spinning fibers, yarns and handspun. We will also have spindles, stitch markers, earrings and project bags. My friend Karen has challenged me to come up with the perfect red and I have been working on it. If you see an abundance of red in the booth you know why. Did have a bit of an accident today, dropped a container of dye powder on the floor of my utility room - what a mess. Powder everywhere, just missed it getting in the hamper. I was able to salvage a bit, then I swept up with a scoop I made our of a card, then vacuumed, then mopped, then used rags. I hope never to do that again.
In addition to the reds I have been experimenting with overdyeing and using black. I hope to post some pictures this weekend. Now off to measure out fiber for tomorrow's dying extravaganza
On the knitting/ spinning front... Both the Monday and Thursday night groups are back in full swing. A few of us are thinking of starting a Saturday coffee, treat and knit group. We usually end up talking more than anything else. I made a shawl that I call my mistake shawl during our talkative knitting time. I kept on loosing count and then just let the shawl take over. Every mistake represents a fun conversation and the shawl looks nice, no one notices the mistakes unless they look real close and they don't belong that close to me!
Right now I am up to my eyeballs in fiber and dye, getting ready for Stitches West in February. My passion is silk and silk blends. Come visit for some of the shiny stuff. Twisted Sunshine will be in Booth 1146. Special treats for blog followers and repeat customers. We have a wonderful selection of hand dyed spinning fibers, yarns and handspun. We will also have spindles, stitch markers, earrings and project bags. My friend Karen has challenged me to come up with the perfect red and I have been working on it. If you see an abundance of red in the booth you know why. Did have a bit of an accident today, dropped a container of dye powder on the floor of my utility room - what a mess. Powder everywhere, just missed it getting in the hamper. I was able to salvage a bit, then I swept up with a scoop I made our of a card, then vacuumed, then mopped, then used rags. I hope never to do that again.
In addition to the reds I have been experimenting with overdyeing and using black. I hope to post some pictures this weekend. Now off to measure out fiber for tomorrow's dying extravaganza
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Lambtown!
It has been a while since I posted. I celebrated a birthday and both of my sisters came out to California to spend time with me. We had a great day in San Francisco with one of my daughters and a friend.
It has been an odd summer that was cooler than any other summer I remember. Only a few days broke 100, while the rest of the country was experiencing heat waves we had a temperate summer here in the SF Bay Area. Unlike San Francisco, the East Bay usually gets pretty warm in the summer, but the heat waves only last a few days and then fog creeps in to cool us off. Then it burns away and we get warm again.
Anyhow, the lazy days of summer have come to an end and it is the time for the falls shows. I have discovered my love for the 50/50 merino silk roving that I am know dyeing. It seems like everyone else loves it also as I am selling a lot of it. The silk gives it a beautiful sheen and it is easy to spin. I worked with this type of roving in a class that I took at the CNCH (Conference of Northern California Handweavers), taught by Judith M.M. Spin Off Magazine also had an article about spinning this type of roving earlier this year. It is fun to spin in a bulky single that you full after spinning. I made some and gave it to my friend Gabrielle.
Speaking of Gabrielle, when she worked with me at the Indie Mart, she told me that I needed to work on my warm colors, especially the reds. I took her advise and apparently, that is what everyone else thought, my reds started selling before the vendor area opened to the public and were sold out mid way through the day. Thanks for the great advice Gabrielle!
I have started a fan page on Facebook for Twisted Sunshine Designs, please join us and feel free to post any photos you have of our products or your projects, whether they are underway or complete.
I recently bought a used Silver Reed LK150 knitting machine, joined the SF Bay Area Machine Knitting Guild and went to a meeting. Today I am picking up an instructional DVD and will be setting up the machine, wish me luck! At yesterday's guild meeting I learned a lot about hand manipulating stitches on he machine to make beautiful patterns. I am excited to get started and am hoping to incorporate my hand spun into projects just as I do on the loom and in hand knitting.
Due to selling at shows, I have temporarily closed the etsy store, please email me with any order requests you may have.
It has been an odd summer that was cooler than any other summer I remember. Only a few days broke 100, while the rest of the country was experiencing heat waves we had a temperate summer here in the SF Bay Area. Unlike San Francisco, the East Bay usually gets pretty warm in the summer, but the heat waves only last a few days and then fog creeps in to cool us off. Then it burns away and we get warm again.
Anyhow, the lazy days of summer have come to an end and it is the time for the falls shows. I have discovered my love for the 50/50 merino silk roving that I am know dyeing. It seems like everyone else loves it also as I am selling a lot of it. The silk gives it a beautiful sheen and it is easy to spin. I worked with this type of roving in a class that I took at the CNCH (Conference of Northern California Handweavers), taught by Judith M.M. Spin Off Magazine also had an article about spinning this type of roving earlier this year. It is fun to spin in a bulky single that you full after spinning. I made some and gave it to my friend Gabrielle.
Speaking of Gabrielle, when she worked with me at the Indie Mart, she told me that I needed to work on my warm colors, especially the reds. I took her advise and apparently, that is what everyone else thought, my reds started selling before the vendor area opened to the public and were sold out mid way through the day. Thanks for the great advice Gabrielle!
I have started a fan page on Facebook for Twisted Sunshine Designs, please join us and feel free to post any photos you have of our products or your projects, whether they are underway or complete.
I recently bought a used Silver Reed LK150 knitting machine, joined the SF Bay Area Machine Knitting Guild and went to a meeting. Today I am picking up an instructional DVD and will be setting up the machine, wish me luck! At yesterday's guild meeting I learned a lot about hand manipulating stitches on he machine to make beautiful patterns. I am excited to get started and am hoping to incorporate my hand spun into projects just as I do on the loom and in hand knitting.
Due to selling at shows, I have temporarily closed the etsy store, please email me with any order requests you may have.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Summertime Blues
Anyone who knows me, knows I am all about blue. Any shade of blue, just check out my acid dyed rovings and batts. I am branching out to purples and greens, but then again, they also contain blue. I have had some fun with color saturated 50/50 merino silk blend rovings. Unfortunately, I did not take photos and sold out (which is great) at last Sunday's Indie Mart on Wisconsin St. in San Francisco. More about that later.
I haven't posted in a while, it has been a busy summer, a lot of traveling, visiting with friends and working. Regretfully, not much picture taking. June started out with the Spinning at the Winery which was fun for all. Beautiful weather, fun people, good food and wine and silk/merino to spin. Who could ask for anything more! Then it was off to Columbus, OH for work and to visit with some vendors in town for the TNNA. Then back home and off to the Spinning on the Farm event in lovely Healdsburg. Twisted Sunshine had the opportunity to vend at this fun event situated in the vineyards of Sonoma County. Low key, spinning in a beautiful setting and a great pot luck. Met friends, new and old and Twisted Sunshine rovings, fibers and earrings were well received. The booth next to us was operated by Sue who raises BFL sheep, which one day I hope to visit. Of course I bought some fleece, when I got home I washed it and dyed it purple and violet. Then used some of it to make some core spun yarn wrapped with glitz. I will post some photos soon. Judy and I had a great day up in Sonoma.
Last Sunday was a total blast at the Indie Mart. I recommend that everyone check out this event, you can follow them on facebook. My great friend, Gabrielle, and I went into SF to set up early in the morning (some might argue that 830 is not early). Starting at the Parkside, at 17th and Wisconsin, and continuing to 16th Street there were many indie craft and vintage vendors lining both sides of the block. There was music, food, beer and plenty of DIY projects. We even had a surprise visit from Alison and Maryam who, looking very tired, came to visit after working since 530 AM (now that's early) at the AIDS Walk.
Gabrielle has convince me that I need to branch out from blue (green and purple) so look for warm colors in some new projects.
Now for the Blues - going to Memphis this week - Blues, BBQ, Beale and Elvis!
I haven't posted in a while, it has been a busy summer, a lot of traveling, visiting with friends and working. Regretfully, not much picture taking. June started out with the Spinning at the Winery which was fun for all. Beautiful weather, fun people, good food and wine and silk/merino to spin. Who could ask for anything more! Then it was off to Columbus, OH for work and to visit with some vendors in town for the TNNA. Then back home and off to the Spinning on the Farm event in lovely Healdsburg. Twisted Sunshine had the opportunity to vend at this fun event situated in the vineyards of Sonoma County. Low key, spinning in a beautiful setting and a great pot luck. Met friends, new and old and Twisted Sunshine rovings, fibers and earrings were well received. The booth next to us was operated by Sue who raises BFL sheep, which one day I hope to visit. Of course I bought some fleece, when I got home I washed it and dyed it purple and violet. Then used some of it to make some core spun yarn wrapped with glitz. I will post some photos soon. Judy and I had a great day up in Sonoma.
Last Sunday was a total blast at the Indie Mart. I recommend that everyone check out this event, you can follow them on facebook. My great friend, Gabrielle, and I went into SF to set up early in the morning (some might argue that 830 is not early). Starting at the Parkside, at 17th and Wisconsin, and continuing to 16th Street there were many indie craft and vintage vendors lining both sides of the block. There was music, food, beer and plenty of DIY projects. We even had a surprise visit from Alison and Maryam who, looking very tired, came to visit after working since 530 AM (now that's early) at the AIDS Walk.
Gabrielle has convince me that I need to branch out from blue (green and purple) so look for warm colors in some new projects.
Now for the Blues - going to Memphis this week - Blues, BBQ, Beale and Elvis!
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