A Small Dye Event

You would think that snow up to my chin would be perfect weather for dyeing...not so much!Not only is the snow deep, but it is too cold out there to open the window for ventilation! But, I was getting REALLY BORED spinning white cotton. I was getting good at it, but it looked like I was making kite string...and who wants to run around in chin deep snow with a kite? Well, who COULD anyways!

But then, I remembered my Procion dyes. They do not require cooking. So, I grabbed the 3ply cotton yarn I had spun, some carded cotton roving and some random Tencel roving and did a tiny dye session.

Cotton is very hard to wet down. I had to squeeze it under water the push out the air and encourage the water to penetrate. I painted one hank of cotton roving, the hank of tencel and the 3 ply cotton I had spun. I also dyed 2 other hanks of cotton by pouring color onto them in a zip lock bag.

The dye did not penetrate to the core of the rovings, but, so far, they are spinning very nicely. The white core, when it comes to the surface, just forms white tweedy flecks. It is really very lovely on my bobbin. I had wondered if the roving would be hard to draft after the harsh compression...but, no, it is easy peasy. I am spinning the cotton on my Hansenn eSpinner while I read a novel. I saw Rita Buchanan do it, so I figured I would try it.

South Minneapolis Wild Wool Market

Returns in time for Holiday Shopping

Come Saturday, November 27 & December 18, 10-4, to Susan Hensel Gallery, for wooly, silky, alpaca goodness!

•spinning

•weaving

•felting

•re-using!

Demos and shopping!

Fresh food!

You will find art dolls, handspun and hand dyed yarn, tote bags, tapestry, weaving, spinning materials. It is an ever changing roster of artists!

Almost all the artists will be demonstrating! Some teach, so talk to them. All invite you to sink your hands into the marvelous world of fine fiber.

WHERE? Susan Hensel Gallery, 3441 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Wild Wool Market is coming

I have set up a rolling display for the upcoming South Minneapolis Wild Wool Market, happening May 29, 10-4. Yes, it IS Memorial Day Weekend...but we'll have fun anyways. Tonight it is under wraps for the gallery opening.

Aura, Aura, Oxenfree?

The Majacraft Aura arrived on Monday. I was sitting on the airplane at MSP, awaiting the gate, when I got the email. I drove out on Tuesday morning to get it and put it together pretty quickly. I haven't had much time to play...not as much as I would like. But this soon will pass.


I did a test run on soft spun singles which I then plied. Easy peasy. Then I plied singles with silk flower additions with another single and beaded Habu textile pink metallic thread. It was a bear for a variety of reasons: I was tired, it was dark, I could neither see nor feel the Habu thread and the tension band flipped off a couple of times and the silk flowers did not want to feed on. Readjusted myself, and the bands on the wheel, and most of the flowers whipped through the guides...just the remaining large ones got stuck.The completed yarn is very nice and the plying is much more even than usual.

Shepherd's Harvest with a goal!

I have dream! It is to own an Aura Wheel from Majacraft. So, day one of Shepherd's Harvest has gotten me part way there in the most enjoyable fashion! What could be more fun than enabling other happy fiber people to fulfill their dreams too? I spent the day selling and teaching from the booth about Wild Batts, spindling and "Lazy Felt". And I spent it with my newly engaged friend Carla who bought her first loom today. I bought alpaca fleeces. So, I ask you, "What could be better?"

Come by tomorrow if you are in the area. With or without purchases, it is a blast!

Shepherd's Harvest is 2 days away! he newest product I am bringing is hand painted bamboo. It is SOOOO pretty! And SOOO slippery! The hard part was figuring out how to package it so it can be handled without unwinding. I finally cut up some wild paisley chiffon and tied each ball up like a gift box! Hope this works! If you are interested in the bamboo, come early...the supply is very limited.

This year I also have Angelina fiber, dyed wool and cotton nebs, sari silk and yarn confetti for sale as Wild Batt additives to take home.

Try out the Batt Your Own Wild Batt station. AT the carding station, for an additional fee, you will be able to card up to 2 ounces of purchased Sue's Luxury Fiber at a time with additives such as angelina, firestar, nebs, yarn confetti, mohair (included in the price of carding.) It is too fun!

Let the Dying Begin!!!

Work in the Susan Hensel Gallery has been overwhelming of late. We just opened the tenth anniversary show of A Reader's Art! TEN YEARS! 100 artists books from 50 artists from all over the world. Quite a feat, made more possible by the able curation of Jon Coffelt.

Slowly, between naps, I began dying mohair this week.New spring colors and the tried and true easter egg brights that mohair so loves to be.

Today I began the roving...peacock colors and muted early spring colors.

Come see the new colorways at YARNOVER, Saturday, April 17. I will be helping out Steven Be and will have fiber and yarn in his booth.

Then, Mother's Day weekend, SHEPHERD'S HARVEST!!!!!!! Save the date!!!!! May 8 &9.

Cold day, Warm batts

It's COLD here in Minnesota! We got pretty slammed by snow and arctic air...but the new carder is humming away, producing yummy batts. I got in the Luoet electric carder last week! Wowsers! It is magnificent.

These batts are packed and ready to go to the Women's Art Festival this weekend. (Note the incredible black alpaca batts! They are some of the nicest alpaca I have ever had!)

In addition to these batts that so excite me, I'll have lots of handspun, felt and even a few handmade books with felt covers. Also, I will have my last, new in the box, Babe Fiberstarter single treadle spinning wheel at an unbelieveable price! They now sell for $194. Come ask me how much at the show!

Art Fair Weekend

Come visit me here! I will be showing fiber, fiber and more fiber!

Designer Yarns,

Beautiful Wild Batts, Roving, and

New Felted scarves and

hand dyed silk scarves...all reasonably priced for gifting!

I'll be spinning on site! Come and say hello!

Completed yarn

The wild batt 2-ply yarn and the llama 3-ply yarn, over 450 yards each. The llama weighs a lot! The wild batt yarn is light and lofty. The batts were spun on the Roberta Electronic Spinner and the llama on the Ashford DT Traveler. Now I am spinning a bit of leftover pink and peach merino and some more batts.

Pictures of Llama,wild batts

Wild batt on the Roberta, Llama on the Traveller.

wild batts from wool, alpaca, mohair and a smidge of sari silk.