Making

I’m very excited to share the 17th episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two wonderful fiber folk from here in the bay area, both women I’ve really loved getting to know and have had a special part in contributing to this community on both a local and global scale…Molly de Vries of Ambatalia and Kristine Vejar of A Verb For Keeping Warm. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Knitterly, a very special yarn shop created by Shelli Westcott, based in Petaluma California and online at shop.knitterly.net. I am always so amazed at the well curated selection of yarns, fibers and classes Shelli works so hard to provide all us fiber enthusiasts. Make sure to visit when in Petaluma and online at shop.knitterly.net Fiber folk 1: Kristine has had a beautiful fiber journey, from India to Oakland and many places in-between. She’s has built a yarn, fiber and fabric shop, A Verb For Keeping Warm, where her days are often spent growing and honing her natural dye business. She’ll be releasing a book soon on natural dyeing, which I can’t wait to dive into. You can find her at averbforkeepingwarm.com and on Instagram @avfkw. Man on the Street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a question, shared by Karli in our Raverly group. “If you were on a budget for your fiber goods, how would you go about continuing to buy and use natural/local yarns?” One of our Man on the Street team members Abby @abbygoodknits, had a great answer. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Molly is so passionate and honest, which I’ve come to love as I’ve gotten to know her. She has a beautiful journey in self discovery and part of that has translated into her impactful business, Ambatalia. She’s on a mission to spread the love and simple pleasures of a non-disposable life. You can find her at ambatalia.com and on Instagram @ambatalia. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Taralynn Dixon! You’ve won a 2 year subscription to Taproot Magazine. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Ambatalia, and we’re giving away a collection of 5 assorted bento bags, which work perfect as project bags, as reusable bulk food bags or to carry any variety of special goods. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. Thank you so much to everyone who has participated in the March knit along of the Moto vest. Tomorrow we’ll be kicking off the April knit along, a fun quick knit for kids and bunny lovers alike. We’ll be knitting Beau the Bunny, my newest Little Woolens pattern, a small toy bunny who’s ready for Spring. You can find more details on our

I’m very excited to share the sixteenth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two very enthusiastic fiber folks from Vermont, both of whom have had quite the journey to where they are today…Michael Hampton of Hampton Fiber Mill and Tamara White of Wing and a Prayer Farm. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Taproot Magazine, a quarterly print magazine full of delightful stories and photos written by and for people living fuller and digging deeper. Each issue is created around a subtle theme, featuring amazing recipes, crafts, and tales, all with the intention of inspiring people who are interested in deepening their connections to their families, communities, and themselves as they strive to live locally and closer to the ground. You can visit Taproot Magazine online at Taprootmag.com and on Instagram @taprootmag. Fiber folk 1: Michael is a passionate knitter, spinner, and fiber mill entrepreneur. He’s been on an exciting journey from engineer to now building and operating a fiber mill in Richmond, Vermont where he mills a very exhaustive list of wools and fibers, including our second guest Tamara’s beautiful yarn. His enthusiasm and excitement for fiber and helping bring something back to this community and industry is a really wonderful thing. You can find him at Hamptonfibermill.com and on Instagram @hamptonfibermill. For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer a question, shared by Samantha in our Raverly group. “Is there a project that inspired you to improve your skills?” We had some amazing replies from Nikki @woolenviolet and Leanne @leannecoppola. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Tamara is a gem among farmers, fiber folks and friends. We were lucky enough to have her and her daughters SJ and Char, stay for a visit last week at our home. Our time together was filled with laughter, good food, Vermont maple syrup and plenty of farm stories and it was great to be able to talk and record our chat in person as we all sat on the living room floor. She is a true testament of strength, compassion and her love of fiber farming and her animals is infectious. You can find her at wingandaprayerfarm.com and on Instagram @wingandaprayerfarm. The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Jessica from Mittens and Mason Jars! You’ve won 5 skeins of the Westcountry Tweed yarn from Blacker Yarns. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Taproot Magazine, and we’re giving away a two year subscription to this wonderful publication that brings so much to this community. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. We’ve got an exciting shop update this week. Tamara, our second guest has worked very hard to create some beaut...

I’m very excited to share the fifteenth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two fiber folks, both women with a special love for Gotland sheep and both with unique fiber journeys that have taken them to interesting and inspiring places…Sue Blacker of Blacker Yarns and The Natural Fibre Company and Kim Goodling of Vermont Grand View Farm. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Portfiber, a wonderful shop in Portland, Maine, specializing in one of a kind, hand-dyed fiber and yarn. Casey has curated an incredible collection of spinning fiber including yak, Chiri, Alpaca, Polwarth and hand-dyed blends. You can visit Portfiber in person when in Portland Maine or shop online at portfiber.com Fiber folk 1: Kim is a passionate ambassador and breeder of Gotland Sheep, dyer, entrepreneur and hardworking mom. She runs a beautiful farm in Vermont where she hosts farm stays and a great selection of fiber related classes. She recently launched her online shop of Gotland yarns and fibers at gotlandwoolcompany.com You can find her at grandviewfarmvt.net and on Instagram @vtgrandviewfarm. For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer a question, shared by Cady in our Raverly group. “What advice would you give to someone just starting their fiber journey?” We had some amazing replies from Sonja, Samantha, Beatrice, and Abby. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Sue has a pretty amazing and adventurous fiber journey, beginning with her flock of Gotland sheep and life as a fiber farmer in the UK, where she runs her fiber mill, The Natural Fibre Company and specialty breed yarn company, Blacker Yarns. She puts an incredible amount of work into spreading the word and love of Gotlands and other rare sheep breeds. You can find her at thenaturalfibre.co.uk and at blackeryarns.co.uk. The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Madeline Fidler! You’ve won the Radius pattern collection from Dreareneeknits and two skeins of Radius Yarn Bulky from Knitterly. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Blacker Yarns, and we’re giving away 5 skeins of their Westcountry Tweed. All the fiber from this yarn comes from within a 100 miles of the Natural Fibre Company mill in the UK, made with intentions to have the smallest footprint possible. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below.   Music by Jónsi Transcription to follow shortly…

I’m very excited to share the 14th episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two beautiful women who both bring something unique, both in personality, design and passion to this fiber community of ours, Shelli Westcott of Knitterly and Andrea Mowry of Dreareneeknits Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Knitterly, a very special yarn shop created by Shelli Westcott, based in Petaluma California and online at shop.knitterly.net. I am always so amazed at the well curated selection of yarns, fibers and classes Shelli works so hard to provide all us fiber enthusiasts. Make sure to visit when in Petaluma and online at shop.knitterly.net Fiber folk 1: I first met Andrea via Instagram and was amazed by her beautiful designs, sweet smile and genuine approach to making and sharing her knowledge. After getting to know her a bit more I realized what an inspiration she is to the fiber community and I know so many of you will resonate with her story. You can find Andrea on Ravelry at Dreareneeknits and on Instagram @dreareneeknits. Man on the Street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I’d actually love your input on what to ask the Man on the Street team for future episodes. Visit the Woolful Ravelry group and let me know what kinds of questions you’d like to hear the team answer. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Shelli is a mother and grandmother, landscaper, designer, maker, vintage enthusiast and owner of one of my favorite yarn shops, Knitterly in Petaluma. Shelli’s passion for local farm yarns is what initially sparked my interest and was reinforced by her dedication to teaching and sharing through her wonderful shop and her love of knitting. You can find Shelli at knitterly.net and on Instagram @knitterlypetaluma. Giveaway:The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Tonya from Plain and Joyful Living! You’ve won three skeins of Local yarn from O-Wool, to make the lovely Blue Bell Hill scarf pattern. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by both our guests, Dreareneeknits and Knitterly. We’re giving away Andrea’s most recent Radius collection featuring 4 gorgeous patterns, including a hat, slippers, headband and cowl. We’re also giving away two skeins of Shelli’s Radius bulky yarn made from local farms fibers, which is the yarn that inspired Andrea’s collection. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below.   Music by Jónsi. Transcription coming soon!

I’m very excited to share the thirteenth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two amazing women who’ve focused their lives and businesses on sustainability and helping bring awareness to what you live and make with, Sasha Duerr of Permacouture and Jocelyn Tunney of O-Wool.     Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Fancy Tiger Crafts, a beautiful yarn shop based out of Denver, Colorado, who recently launched their online shop, fancytigercrafts.com. They have an amazing selection of fabrics and yarns, including their own Heirloom Romney Yarn, which is grown, milled and dyed here in the US. Make sure to visit Fancy Tiger Crafts in person when in Denver and online at fancytigercrafts.com. Fiber folk 1: Jocelyn is a very special entrepreneur who’s had a unique fiber journey that led her to own and build O-Wool, a wonderful yarn company that focuses on sustainable and organic fibers, including a certified organically grown and processed, machine washable yarn. You can find Jocelyn at O-Wool.com and on Instagram @owool. Man on the street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I changed it up a bit and asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to ask me a question and I’d answer one. Brienne Moody asked a great question about time management, how to make time for making, but also planning and reflecting on what you’re creating. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Sasha Duerr has a background rich in permaculture, regenerative design and thoughtful making and consuming that has been a huge inspiration to me ever since I came across her “Seasonal Color Wheel” which is a beautifully painted color wheel poster which illustrates the palette of natural dyes available from seasonal plants common to the bay area, based on mordants used and time of year. You can find this color wheel for sale at interfaceartgallery.com. You can find Sasha at permacouture.org and on Instagram @sashaduerr. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Leslie Eaton! You’ve won a skein of Hole and Sons yarn and a pair of Brittany double point needles. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by O-Wool, and we’re giving away three skeins of O-Wool’s Local, a gorgeous organic merino and alpaca blend yarn, so you can make Jocelyn’s Blue Bell Hill Scarf Pattern. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. This week we’re beginning the March Woolful Knitalong. I have been waiting weeks to start on this and am so excited March is here! We’ll be knitting the Moto Vest, designed by Shelli Westcott, owner of Knitterly and creator of

I’m very excited to share the twelfth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two special fiber friends, both farmers and both from the UK, but living the farms and fiber journeys from opposite sides of the world…Benjamin Hole of Hole and Sons and Annie Rowden of By Annie Claire. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Yarn, a charming online and local yarn shop based in Eureka, California. Yarn was created by Sunni Schrivner who has a dedication for natural fibers and supporting local yarns. Make sure to visit Yarn in person when on the coast in hum bolt county and online at yarn-fun.com.   Fiber folk 1: Annie is an incredible designer, mother, farmer and friend who makes her home on the Lost Coast in Northern California where she runs a goat dairy farm with her husband Ryan and daughter Louella. She’s been a huge inspiration and encourager to me personally and she’s a big reason as to why Woolful even exists. You can find her at byannieclaire.com and on Instagram @byannieclaire. This past week Annie released a special pattern in collaborate with our sponsor Sunni from Yarn. You can find this beautiful shrug pattern, Avana, knit with Savannah from the Fibre Company, on Ravelry. For this week’s “Man on the Street” I changed it up a bit and asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to ask me a question and I’d answer one. Leanne asked a great question about things I’d wish I’d known as a new knitter. Fiber folk 2: Our next guest, Benjamin Hole is a humble and passionate farmer, running a beautiful generational farm on the Isle of Purbeck with his entire family, including his 90yr old grandfather, and comradery of animals. This past year he helped bring to life the wool of their Poll Dorset sheep, creating the amazing Hole and Sons yarn. You can find Ben at holeandsons.com and on Instagram @benjaminhole. The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Alina! You’ve won a pair of knitting needles and needle wax from Brittany needles. Congratulations! This week we’re giving away a skein of Hole and Sons yarn in Fog and a pair of double point needles from Brittany needles. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. Today and tomorrow, my husband David, Coltrane, my mother and I will be at Greenbow Farms helping work the shearing of their Icelandic sheep, which are the lovely creatures and farm that brought us the Greenbow Lopi that was in the shop earlier this year. Make sure to follow this adventure along on Instagram and for all those that have emailed and inquired when we’ll be getting more of this Lopi yarn, well, this is the first step in the processing! Next it will be mailed off to the mill and come Fall we’ll have a brand new batch of the loveliest Lopi you ever did see.   Music by Jónsi Transcription to follow shortly…

I’m very excited to share the eleventh episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two special fiber industry companies, and the folks that make them what they are…Emily Tzeng and Tatyana Vashchenko of Local Color Fiber Studio and Chris Barnes of Brittany. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Tolt Yarn and Wool, my favorite yarn shop. In 2013, Anna Dianich opened Tolt Yarn and Wool. a local yarn shop in Carnation Washington. Most recently she launched an online shop, full of yarns each with their own story and each handpicked by Anna. You couldn’t ask for more soul when it comes to a yarn shop. Visit toltyarnandwool.com Fiber folk 1: Emily and Tatyana are two natural dyers, farmers, business partners and makers who created the wonderful company, Local Color Fiber Studio. Together they’ve been discovering and building a sustainable business and process around natural dyeing and raising Finn sheep. You can find them at localcolorfiberstudio.com and on Instagram @localcolorfiberstudio Man on the street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “What other types of things outside fiber crafts, do you enjoy making?” We had some amazing replies from Carly @porcupineology, Nikki @woolenviolet, Amber @dapperewe, Maria @ninja.chickens and Sam @samanthamaylamb . Fiber folk 2: I was introduced to our next guest via a listener and was excited to learn that they are one of the only, if not the only US manufacturer of wood knitting needles and crochet hooks. Chris Barnes and his wife Michri have carried on a family legacy and business, while focusing on creating a nimble and sustainable operation. The heart and passion they put into making a quality product and a satisfied customer is so very evident. You can find them online at brittanyneedles.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/brittanyneedlesUSA Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway is…Brienne Moody! Congratulations, you’ve won a special naturally dyed mini skein pack from Southern Textiles. This giveaway this week is sponsored by Brittany, and we’re giving away a pair of their beautiful wood knitting needles along with their brand new needle wax, which helps maintain the finish and slickness of your wooden needles. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. I wanted to bring your attention to an important event,

I’m very excited to share the 10th episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two fiber folk who are such an inspiration and both in their own unique ways, Maryanne Moodie and Amy Higgins Stambaugh of Woolcrush. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Knitterly, a very special yarn shop created by Shelli Westcott, based in Petaluma California and online at shop.knitterly.com. I am always so amazed at the well curated selection of yarns, fibers and classes Shelli works so hard to provide all us fiber enthusiasts. Make sure to visit when in Petaluma and online at shop.knitterly.com Fiber folk 1: Amy is an amazing natural dyer living on her farm in Columbia, Missouri, where she recently built a beautiful natural dye studio. You can find her at woolcrush.com and on Instagram @woolcrush. Man on the Street: Did fiber arts run in your family or did you just happen to “fall into” your fiber art?”. We had some amazing replies from Jennifer @jaykay_knits, Beatrice @threadandladle, Carlene @carlenergy, Emily @alafrench and Amber @dapperewe. Fiber folk 2: I first came across our next guests work awhile back via the Design Sponge blog and was immediately enamored with her use of color in her weavings, adventurous designs and excitement around building community. Maryanne didn’t come from a legacy of weavers, but she’s working hard to leave one with this beautiful fiber community. You can find her at maryannemoodie.com and on Instagram @maryannemoodie. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is Tina Charlotte! You’ve won a $25 gift certificate to Fringe Supply Company. Congratulations! This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Southern Textiles, a wonderful farm and natural dye studio in Tennessee. We’re giving away a naturally dyed mini skein kit, perfect for weaving, knitting or crochet. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below.     Music by Jónsi. Transcription coming soon!

I’m very excited to share the 9th episode of the Woolful podcast, I really am this excited every week, trust me ;). Today we get to meet two women whom I’ve come to greatly admire, each from opposite sides of the world. Both Karen Templer of Fringe Association and Felicia Semple of The Craft Sessions, focus on intentional making and creating a handmade wardrobe, and that doing so doesn’t take talent, but a willingness to learn. Sponsor: This week’s episode is sponsored by StashBot. Buy yarn smarter with Hannah Fettig’s new iOS app StashBot. If you find a yarn you can’t live without, StashBot will help you determine how much you should buy. It will pay for itself again and again as it saves you from purchasing more skeins of yarn than you need. Just as importantly it will keep your stash useful as you will be sure to have enough yarn to knit the projects you would like.  StashBot will soon be available for Android and is also available in print.  For more information head to www.knitbot.com/stashbot. Fiber folk 1: Karen joins us to share her journey from designer to proprietress and her passion for a handmade wardrobe made of things created with intention. You can find her at both fringeassociation.com and fringesupplyco.com as well as on Instagram at @karentempler and @fringesupplyco. Man on the Street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “Share a little about your stash and the goals you have for it this year…”. We had some amazing replies from, Andrea @dreareneeknits,  Jennifer @jaykay_knits, and Maria @ninja.chickens. Fiber folk 2: I was first introduced to our next guest via Instagram through a friend nearly two years ago and I remember being amazed by her thoughtfulness in what she made for herself and her family, as well as for a community she was building in Australia, The Craft Sessions. Felicia has been on incredible journey, one that has led her to some amazing discoveries in mindful making. You can find her at thecraftsessions.com and on Instagram @thecraftsessions. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is @dawnincali! You’ve won a skein of both Moeke Yarns Elena and Stela. Congratulations! This week we’re giving away a $25 gift certificate to our first guests shop, Fringe Supply Co. Karen has put together such a beautiful collection of tools and supplies, that I can only imagine it will be hard to pick just what to get! To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below.

I’m very excited to share the eighth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today’s episode is a little different. As I’ve gotten to know today’s guest, Ioana van Deurzen of Moeke Yarns, and spent time hearing her incredible fiber journey, how it shaped her childhood and ultimately her life as an adult, I felt this story deserved it’s own space…it’s own episode. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Tolt Yarn and Wool, my favorite yarn shop. In 2013, Anna Dianich opened Tolt Yarn and Wool. a local yarn shop in Carnation Washington. Most recently she launched an online shop, full of yarns each with their own story and each handpicked by Anna. You couldn’t ask for more soul when it comes to a yarn shop. Visit toltyarnandwool.com Fiber folk 1: Ioana van Deurzen is an amazing woman, as you’ll soon learn. A little over a year ago she embarked on a journey with her brother and parents to create the  yarn company Moeke Yarns, to bring something back to her community that had been lost and honor her grandmother, Elena. You can find Ioana at moeke-yarns.com and on Instagram @moekeyarns.         Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is @kelseyleftwich. You’ve won the Paffuto hat pattern by Michele Wang and a skein of Quince and Co Puffin. Congratulations! This week we wanted to give away some of the very special Romanian yarn, our guest Ioana has created, Moeke Yarns. We’re giving away a skein of each the Elena and Stela yarns. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment below. Update: As you’ve heard me talk about already, I am smitten with this amazing yarn. Not only because it feels and smells so good, but because of it’s story. It’s rustic qualities lend so well to certain projects and I plan to start on a pair of socks tonight. I’m very excited to have partnered with Ioana, to bring Moeke yarns here to the States. You can now find both Elena and Stela in our shop at, Woolfulmercantile.com   Music by Jónsi.  

I’m very excited to share the seventh episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two exciting and colorful fiber folk that come from different places within the fiber industry, but both hail from New York, Caroline Kaufman and Michele Wang.     Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Fancy Tiger Crafts, a beautiful yarn shop based out of Denver, Colorado, who recently launched their online shop, fancytigercrafts.com. They have an amazing selection of fabrics and yarns, including their own Heirloom Romney Yarn, which is grown, milled and dyed here in the US. Make sure to visit Fancy Tiger Crafts in person when in Denver and online at fancytigercrafts.com. Fiber folk 1: Caroline is a up and coming fashion designer, color enthusiast and fiber junky.  You can find her at carolinerosekaufman.com and on Instagram @crosekauf. Man on the street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “Describe your fiber comfort zone?” We had some amazing replies from Andrea @dreareneeknits, Nikki @woolenviolet, Sonja @atreebytheriver, Andi My Sister’s Knitter, Jennifer @jaykay_knits, Maria @ninja.chickens, Rhea @hedgerowcottage Fiber folk 2: Our next guest is someone I’ve come to admire as both a designer and spinner, but even more so as an entrepreneurial go getter. Michele is an incredible knitwear designer as well as the creator of Gauge + Tension, a shop in Brooklyn featuring hard to find yarns. You can find her at mishi2x.com and on Instagram @mishi2x. January 24th and 25th, Gauge + Tension is hosting their final pop-up shop at it’s Meserole Avenue location, featuring two special events with the Plucky Knitter and Miss Babs fibers and yarns. Beginning in February, you’ll find Gauge + Tension at it’s new home, a shared location with Brooklyn Craft Company in Greenpoint Brooklyn. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway is… @liseydear! Congratulations, you’ve one the Trewlawney Mitt Project Kit. The giveaway this week is a special one, our second guest Michele’s Paffuto hat pattern along with one skein of Quince and Company’s Puffin. To enter this giveaway,

I’m very excited to share the sixth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two fiber folk that inspire in different ways. Jennifer King of The Sachem Farm and Bristol Ivy. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Yarn, a charming online and local yarn shop based in Eureka, California. Yarn was created by Sunni Schrivner who has a dedication for natural fibers and supporting local yarns. Make sure to visit Yarn in person when on the coast in hum bolt county and online at yarn-fun.com. Fiber folk 1: Bristol is a designer, spinner, jack of all trades for Brooklyn Tweed and lover of cats from Portland, Maine. You can find her at blackbirdturning.blogspot.com and on Instagram @bristolivy. And with that, here’s Bristol… Man on the Street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “What fiber aspirations do you have for the new year?” We had many amazing replies from Andrea (@dreareneeknits), Nikki (@woolenviolet), Sonja (@atreebytheriver), Andi (My Sister’s Knitter) and Brittney (Wool + Wood). Fiber folk 2: Our next guest I met through the Woolful blog, after she wrote me one of the most encouraging notes, shared from her heart as a woman and mother. As time went on and I got to know Jen a little better, I came to learn more about her amazing journey at The Sachem Farm in Warren, Connecticut and as a mother of three boys. You can find her at thesachemfarm.com and on Instagram @thesachemfarm. And with that, here’s Jen. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is @anna_dandelion! You’ve won two skeins of Rambouillet fingering yarn dyed in indigo from Local Color Fiber Studio. Congratulations! The giveaway this week is sponsored by Sunni Scrivner of Yarn. We’re giving away the Trelawney Mitts project kit which includes a skein of knitted wit Welterweight Rambouillet and Sunni’s beautiful Trelawney mitts printed pattern. To enter this giveaway, visit the giveaway post on Instagram @woolful and tag a friend in the comments. You can also enter by leaving a comment on this post. The past couple of week’s, my family and I were at our ranch in Idaho, working on the cabin, soaking up our first white Christmas and naturally dyeing over 60 skeins of yarn using plant matter found on our property, for the Winter quarter natural dye club. It was quite the undertaking and we had a blast doing it, even in the sub zero weather.

I’m very excited to share the fifth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two amazing and talented women, Julie Hoover and Deedee Morris.     Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Fancy Tiger Crafts, a beautiful yarn shop based out of Denver, Colorado, who recently launched their online shop, fancytigercrafts.com. They have an amazing selection of fabrics and yarns, including their own Heirloom Romney Yarn, which is grown, milled and dyed here in the US. Make sure to visit Fancy Tiger Crafts in person when in Denver and online at fancytigercrafts.com. Fiber folk 1: Deedee is an amazing photographer, fiber dyer, passionate gardener and explorer in the kitchen hailing from Halifax Nova Scotia. You can find her at deedeemorris.com and on Instagram @diemorr. Man on the street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “How has your fiber community inspired you?” We had some amazing replies from Andrea (@dreareneeknits), Barbara (@stixandstring) and Beatrice (@threadandladle). Fiber folk 2: I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know our next guest over the past few months as she shared her humble fiber journey, and it really struck a chord with me, as I know it will for many of you. You might be most familiar with Julie Hoover as a designer for Brooklyn Tweed, but more than that, she’s spent her lifetime making her way as a creative, while raising three boys and most recently, building her dream home in Ann Arbor. You can find her at juliehoover.com and on Instagram @jgourmet. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is…@bethanydean. You’ve won a copy of Mandarine’s Pinecone and Mulberry hat pattern and 2 skeins of Quince and company’s Owl tweet. Congratulations! The giveaway this week is sponsored by Local Color Fiber Studio, an amazing fiber and natural dye farm located on Bainbridge Island, Washington. We’re giving away two skeins of their US grown, spun and dyed Rambouillet wool yarn in fingering weight, dyed with Japanese Indigo from Local Color’s farm. To enter this giveaway, visit the giveaway post on Instagram @woolful and tag a friend in the comments. You can also enter by leaving a comment below.

I’m very excited to share the fourth episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two fiber folk that have inspired many of us in many different ways. Matt Gilbert a shearer and founder of the Mendocino Wool and Fiber Mill and Melody Hoffman of Mandarine’s. Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Yarn, a charming online and local yarn shop based in Eureka, California. Yarn was created by Sunni Schrivner who has a dedication for natural fibers and supporting local yarns. Make sure to visit Yarn in person when on the coast in hum bolt county and online at yarn-fun.com. Fiber folk 1: Melody is a passionate knitter and maker, with new aspirations as a knitwear designer. Originally from France, she now lives is Latvia where she focuses her days on knitting and self-sustainability. You can follow her journey on her blog at bmandarines.squarespace.com and on Instagram @bmandarines. Man on the Street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a handful of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “If you could raise a flock of sheep in the breed of your choice, which it be?” We had many amazing replies from Melissa (@hey_lady_hey), Jennifer (@jaykay_knits), Andrea (@dreareneeknits), Madeline (hollertree.tumblr.com), Nikki (@woolenviolet) and Sonja (@atreebytheriver) Fiber folk 2: When it comes to gumption, tenacity and spirit, I’m not sure many come close to having as much as our next guest, Matt Gilbert. For over a decade Matt has been a shearer in Northern California, witnessing parts of the area that very few ever see, while gathering a lifetimes worth of wooly knowledge. A couple years ago he began building the Mendocino Wool and Fiber Mill of which he hopes to launch very soon. You can find and follow Matt’s journey on Facebook at Facebook.com/mendowool. Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, is….Charlene, grandknit on Ravelry. You’ve won 3 skeins of Snoqualmie Valley Yarn, naturally dyed with black walnut. Congratulations! The giveaway this week is another special one, our first guest Melody’s Pinecone and Mulberry hat pattern along with two skeins of Quince and Company’s Owl Tweet. To enter this giveaway, visit the giveaway post on Instagram @woolful and tag a friend in the comments. You can also enter by leaving a comment below. Awhile back I had an idea, to help bring the focus back to smaller producers, those concentrating their efforts on building domestic production (to whichever country they belong) and trying to do so consciously in regards to the environment, animal welfare, economy, and more.

I’m very excited to share the third episode of the Woolful podcast. Today we get to meet two incredibly talented women, both diverse and coincidently Austrailian, Jacqui Fink of Little Dandelion and Julia Billings of Woollenflower. Sponsor: This week’s episode is sponsored by StashBot. Buy yarn smarter with Hannah Fettig’s new iOS app StashBot. If you find a yarn you can’t live without, StashBot will help you determine how much you should buy. It will pay for itself again and again as it saves you from purchasing more skeins of yarn than you need. Just as importantly it will keep your stash useful as you will be sure to have enough yarn to knit the projects you would like.  StashBot will soon be available for Android and is also available in print.  For more information head to www.knitbot.com/stashbot. Fiber folk 1: Julia is a horticulturalist, experimenter and explorer of natural dyes, and purveyor of all things wool. Her knowledge of plants and natural dyeing was inspiring not only to continue natural dyeing, but around the foraging and identification of plants. You can find her at woollenflower.com and on Instagram @woollenflower. Man on the street: For this week’s “Man on the Street” I asked a couple of fiber enthusiasts to answer the following question, “What is one way knitting or another fiber art has changed your life?” We had some amazing replies from Tiffany (@knittingfarmer) and Sam (@samanthamaylamb) Fiber folk 2: Over the past few months I’ve heard some amazing stories, but none quite as moving as our next guest Jacqui Fink’s story. A few years ago, Jacqui had a transformational experience that opened doors to her future she never even imagined possible, and all leading to this spectacular thing called unspun wool. You can find her at littledandelion.com where she just launched her online shop full of extreme knitting yarn and needles and on Instagram @jacquifink Giveaway: The winner of last week’s giveaway, sponsored by Monarch Knitting is Allison from Fieldwonderful.blogspot.com. You’ve won two skeins of Woolfolk’s Far yarn and the Knop hat pattern! Congratulations! Our giveaway this week is a little different, but just as special. I spent last week in Idaho at our ranch where we converted an old milking parlor into a dye studio. It was our first time using the studio, and it was a surreal experience to dye with black walnut from our property and watch the beautiful caramel color emerge. Sooooo, this week we’re giving away those 3 skeins of naturally dyed Snoqualmie Valley Yarn created by Tolt Yarn and Wool, and naturally dyed by myself. To enter this giveaway, visit the giveaway post on Instagram @woolful and tag a friend ...