sheep

Episode 8: Ioana van Deurzen – Woolen heritage and legacy, Romanian sheep, purpose and Moeke Yarns

January 20, 2015

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.

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Knitting Making Podcast Woolful Podcast

Episode 6: Jennifer King & Bristol Ivy – Generational gaps, fiber industry passion, building a fiber farm and sheep dreams.

January 6, 2015

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. This week I’ll be sharing a preview of Spring quarter’s Natural Dye Club which has some pretty exciting yarn bases. To be a part of this sneak preview, signup for the newsletter in the sidebar.

Music by Jónsi

Transcription to follow shortly…

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Woolspiration

Woolspiration: Just Wool, 1933

October 22, 2014

Right now we’re in Idaho, our first visit to the property as owners and it’s pretty exciting. So much going on and to share, but it’s late and I need to collect my thoughts a bit more for an actual fiber mill update. So, for now you can follow along on my Instagram (@woolful) as I share live updates from our ranch.

In the meantime, here’s one of my favorite although very short Woolspiration videos, Just Wool from 1933. It probably has a lot to do with the fact that the opening sequence is written in gorgeous type, for all you designers and type appreciators. The quote is worth a watch alone.