Woolful Podcast –

Episode 82: Rebecca Burgess – Natural dyeing, Regional fiber systems, conscious consuming and Fibershed

August 18, 2017

Sponsor: My Sister Knits is a locally owned and loved yarn shop located in For Collins, CO, minutes away from Historic Old Town and located in a carriage house. What started out as a small venture for founder Julie Luckasen, grew into a passionate community of creative minds. My Sister Knits provides a welcoming atmosphere for knitters of all types and skill levels, a place for people to gather and cultivate their passion for knitting, share and support one another. Join them each Tuesday night from 5-8pm for their Open Knitting Night. And make sure to visit mysisterknits.com to view their list of upcoming classes including a special workshop taught by Elizabeth Doherty. And if you find yourself in or around Fort Collins, make sure to visit this shop in person to find wonderful yarns and more. Follow on Instagram @mysisterknits

Fiber folk: Several years ago while living in San Francisco, I was introduced to an amazing organization called Fibershed, founded by an even more amazing woman named Rebecca Burgess. It was Rebecca, her fellow producers and Fibershed that prompted me to look deeper at the materials we use and where they come from. This in turn was much of the interest that inspired Woolful and eventually our move from the city to our farm in North Idaho. The work that Rebecca has done and the movement she’s inspired will forever impact the direction the fiber industry is moving in…recognizing the environmental, economic and social benefits of the materials we use and wear. You can find Rebecca at fibershed.com and on Instagram @fibershed.

Photos by Paige Green, Andrew Plotsky, Dustin Kahn

Sponsor: Texture, fit, technique, style. Just a handful of elements that inspire today’s knitter to pick up needles and cast on. When it comes to men who knit or those who wish to knit for them, though, sources of inspiration are often difficult to come by. The solution is Rib Magazine. Devon and Jennie, the founders of Rib Magazine hope to establish an ever-evolving, inspirational library of men’s knitwear patterns and highlight the renaissance of men returning to the craft and art of knitting. As you flip through the pages, you will not only find engaging designs, but stories of men who participate in and contribute to our fiber community, whether they be knitters, designers, weavers, spinners, or dyers. Through their stories, Rib aims to motivate and attract more men to knitting.

Now introducing the second issue of Rib Magazine: No. 2 | NAVIGATE. In the pages of this issue, you will find designs and articles that explore the craft of knitting along with selected garments and accessories with interesting constructions and techniques—challenges for you to navigate and adventures to embrace. Whether you are embarking on a project to learn a new skill or fine tune your craft, we hope that you enjoy the journey of creating a timeless piece for your wardrobe or a loved one’s. Look for issue No. 3 launching this October. Subscriptions and individual issues are available on at ribmag.com and follow along on Instagram @ribmagazine

Giveaway: The winner of our last episode’s giveaways are Claire and Noelle. Claire you’ve won Melanie Berg’s Whiteout Shawl kit from Shibui and Noelle you’ve won Melanie’s Secretkeeper shawl kit from The Yarn Collective. Congratulations!

This week’s giveaway is sponsored by the Fibershed and Twirl Yarn and they’re giving away a copy of Rebecca’s natural dye book Harvesting Color and 3 skeins of Twirl yarn.

Music by Jónsi.

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Making Podcast Woolful Podcast

Episode 81: Melanie Berg – A career in IT, Germany, Yarn Weights and Self Publishing

June 23, 2017

Sponsor: Shibui Knits was born in 2007, in the basement of Darcy Cameron’s yarn store Knit Purl in Portland, Oregon. Faced with the limitations of yarn from big-brand companies, she started her own label, bringing yarn of the highest quality to small, independent stores like her own. Shibui Knits has since grown to represent timeless sophistication in local yarn stores worldwide. All of the Shibui yarns are designed to become unique, luxury fabrics in a coordinated palette made for mixing, at any gauge. Each pattern is tailored with thoughtful techniques, resulting in an intuitive knitting process and garments with optimal fit. Today, they continue to be grounded in the concept of simplicity well executed, with loving attention to detail. In March of this year Shibui launched the SS17 collection along with their newest yarn Lunar, a lace weight merino and silk blend. You can view the SS17 lookbook along with the full line of Shibui yarns at shibuiknits.com and make sure to follow along on Ravelry and Instagram @shibuiknits

Fiber folk: When I think of shawl designers, Melanie Berg is one of the first to come to mind. Her work has inspired a generation of shawl knitters and her soft and sweet presence charms anyone who’s had the opportunity to talk with her. From her life in Germany with her family to exploring new European yarns, I hope you enjoy hearing Melanie’s story. You can find Melanie on Ravelry and on Instagram @mairlynd.

Photos by Melanie Berg, Carrie Bostick Hoge, Whitney Hayward, Pam Allen, Woolfolk

Sponsor: The Yarn Collective is a new fibre and design company focused on working with the best independent designers to bring you luxurious hand-dyed yarns in a range of inspiring colorways. The Yarn Collective has kicked off the launch with a trio of designers representing the best of modern knitwear design: Melanie Berg, Carol Feller and Bristol Ivy. The first of these international designers is Melanie Berg from Germany, who has launched Portland Lace, a fine yarn spun from the softest merino wool to create a wonderfully soft handle that is suitable for all types of knitting and crochet. The yarn is available in 10 shades, picked by Melanie Berg herself. The Yarn Collective has had the pleasure in collaborating with a family run mill that has been established for over 85 years in Peru. Now run by the third generation, their passion for ethics matches The Yarn Collective’s own commitment to environmentally safe practices and social responsibility. The yarn is accompanied by the Secretkeeper Lace shawl pattern, which Melanie named as “sometimes knitting can feel like weaving in little secrets into fabric as you go. Thoughts that you won’t share with anyone, just your knitting..” Visit theyarncollective.com and follow along on Instagram @theyarncollective and you can purchase the yarns at loveknitting.com

Giveaway: The winner of our last episode’s giveaway is Lianne Scott. You’ve won Taproot’s GROW project kit for the Summer Rain Shawl, Thread and Ladles autographed copy of MAINE Knits and 4 skeins of Wing and a Prayer Farm’s Shetland DK to make Beatrice’s Gentle Ewe Shawl pattern. Congratulations!

This week’s giveaways are sponsored by Shibui and The Yarn Collective. Shibui is giving away a project kit featuring Melanie’s Whiteout Shawl along with their Lunar yarn. The Yarn Collective is giving away Melanie’s Secretkeeper shawl along with their Portland Lace yarn. To be one of the winners of this weeks giveaway, enter by leaving a comment on this blog post. And if you’re on Instagram and would like another chance to enter, see our giveaway post on Instagram for more info.

Music by Jónsi.

391 Comments

Making Podcast Woolful Podcast

Episode 80: Beatrice Perron Dahlen – Making a creative living, teaching, making a book and Thread and Ladle

June 16, 2017

Sponsor: Taproot Magazine, is 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. The content in each issue consistently blows me away. It is fulfilling and inspiring. The most recent issue GROW features a collection of wonderful finds as we close out Spring and step in Summer. With lessons in dyeing, making dolls, kefir, brunch and herbal recipes, essays on Marion Stoddart and the wonder of cacao, and a collection of knitting, crochet and sewing projects. There is so much goodness in each issue. You can visit Taproot Magazine online at Taprootmag.com and on Instagram @taprootmag.

Fiber folk: Beatrice Perron Dahlen is a woman of many talents and I’m continually amazed with her creations and contributions to this fiber world, whether it be knitwear, embroidery or dyeing. But more than that, Beatrice is a mother who invests in her family, exploring creative ways to provide and balance being a maker and mother. She recently released a very special project, MAINE Knits. A book featuring 16 knitting patterns inspired by the Sea, Farm and Wild of Maine, designed by a wonderful group of Maine based designers. Make sure to check out MAINE Knits on Ravelry and Beatrice’s website, threadandladle.com. You can also find Beatrice on Instagram @threadandladle.

Photos by Beatrice Perron Dahlen, Carrie Bostick Hoge, Kathy Cadigan

Sponsor: I want to thank Taproot Magazine again for sponsoring this week’s episode. With the natural, easygoing and heartfelt focus of each issue, I find myself continuing to go back to it throughout the quarter, gaining a little something each time and looking forward to the upcoming issue. Make sure to check out the most recent issue GROW, and join Taproot’s Grow Makealong. All you need to do to join is make something from the Hands section of GROW, and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtage #taprootmakealong for a chance at the crafty grand prize. Visit Taprootmag.com and renew or subscribe.

Event: Mark your calendars for a special event happening at Elaine and Mike’s farm, Old Homestead Alpacas. On June 17th they’ll be hosting their third annual open barn event, a day full of fun, fiber and some great history. So if you’re in the Walla Walla area, it’s worth the visit to meet and get to know both Elaine and her fiber family. I encourage you to visit Old Homestead Alpacas on Facebook and on Instagram @oldhomesteadalpacas

Giveaway: The winner of our last episode’s giveaway is Alyssa. You’ve won a copy of Making Magazine’s most recent issue No 3. DOTS and a yard of Robert Kaufman’s double gauze fabric. Congratulations!

This week’s giveaway is sponsored by Taproot Magazine, Thread and Ladle and Wing and a Prayer Farm and they’re giving away Taproot’s GROW project kit for the Summer Rain Shawl by Leah B. Thibault which includes two skeins of Milo by Manos del Uruguay in a Taproot screen printed bag. Thread and Ladle is giving away a copy of MAINE Knits and Wing and a Prayer Farm is giving away 4 skeins of their Shetland DK to make Beatrice’s Gentle Ewe Shawl pattern. To enter leave a comment on this post.