A Wool Story | Processing A Fleece In A Fiber Mill

I've been wanting to make a video of this process ever since I began learning about it.
(It's probably that whole eyes like a shutter, mind like a lens thing)

This is my first foray into using youtube and iMovie past throwing together video clips and putting a song to it.

Editing the voice memos and music together was definitely a learning curve and I apologize in advance for any difficulty in hearing what I'm saying in the first part of the video! I decided to let that whole "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" thing be my mantra and get this video done vs. not because after staying up until 4am the other night working on it I had reached my limit (and here I am typing this at 4am.... I am definitely going to need some sleep this weekend!)

Over all though I really loved making this video and as I've been wanting to get more into doing videos of travels/vlogging/how-tos, this is probably not the last you'll see of this sort of thing. 

So if you feel so inclined---> Subscribe to my youtube channel!
And let me know if there's any sort of videos in particular you'd like to see on there.


P.s. My friend Emily deserves another shout out for helping me with this video (since I don't own a selfie stick and taking videos of myself would have been extremely difficult...)
Go follow her ethereal self on Instagram.

A New Venture

I shared over the weekend that I will be having a trunk show at Quirk Gallery on October 1st.
I wanted to share a little more about what this trunk show represents for me.

I've been working intentionally over the past year or so on my education in regards to my knitwear designing and being more involved in the process and construction of a garment.
I've been going on various visits and tours of farms (which you can read more about in Farm Days posts More coming soon!) and learning about shearing, processing, and spinning wool into the end product (yarn) that I'm used to working with.  
It's been such en enlightening and gratifying experience. 
To know that I'm able to take a natural and God given resource and within my own abilities and resources, turn it into something that's able to be enjoyed and used by others for (hopefully) generations to come is really satisfying. 

The idea for this new venture into this kind of knitwear came from my pursuits and interest in recent years into the art of slow, mindful and intentional living. 

What was I consuming? What was I allowing into my life? What was I saying, unknowingly or otherwise, with the things that I used and wore and bought on a daily basis?
I not only wanted to practice more mindfulness in these areas in my every day life, but also find a way to embody that in my art. 

I’ve been knitting for about 17 years, and designing collections for a living for four of those years. However it wasn’t until I started pursuing a more ethical and sustainable lifestyle as well as educating myself on fast fashion, that I thought about how my knitwear played into that. I realized I had no idea how the yarn I used for my collections was made, where it came from, what effect it had on the environment or even whose pocket my dollar was going into when I bought it. 
That, along with attending a local fiber festival and learning how to spin yarn, set into motion my pursuit of being involved in every phase possible of the construction of a piece of my knitwear.
If I don’t personally source the wool from a farm I’ve visited during my travels or built a relationship with, take it to the mill to be processed, process it in my own home or spin it into yarn myself, I take great lengths to make sure the yarn is sourced and made by a similar minded fiber artist.

While it’s my dream to one day learn how to shear sheep myself and maybe even own a few, I am content with being as much involved in the process of the “sheep to shawl” idea of my knitwear as I can be in this current season of my life as I live in the city. 

I’ve also been experimenting and learning about the incredible art of natural dying and will occasionally add that as an element to a special piece. Collecting flowers, lichen, moss, plants, and other found materials to form dyes that only add to the beauty that can be created when using natural resources.

As a result of this process, each piece is one-of-a-kind and a work of art in and of itself. 
Each carries with it a story that has many chapters, each of which is very much apart of me and my journey as not only a knitwear designer but a traveler, photographer, and an artist.

I'm excited to share this next phase with you guys. So many of you, my dear family and friends, have been such a huge part of this becoming and evolution in these pursuits and passions of mine.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I couldn't do it without you.

xo

P.s. I've been working on a video to showcase the story of processing a fleece start to finish at the fiber mill so keep an eye out for that coming soon!

Farm Days | Beltayne Farm

Being able to visit Beltayne Farm was a result of a connection I made through someone seeing this Instagram post of mine and kindly recommending me to their friend Sunshine’s shearing day that she and her family were hosting. 

After exchanging some Facebook messages, and grabbing my friend Meagan to come along, I headed out on one rainy Spring day to see some sheep. 

We had the best time and instantly connected and loved Sunshine and her family who could not have been more generous or welcoming (sending us home with a dozen eggs from their chickens, as well as a promise of some wool upon our next visit).

The Summer has gotten away with me and kept me quite busy but I hope to return to this little homestead sometime soon to revisit the new friends I made there.

The day involved me holding my very first little lamb (named Pip… whose sibling is named Squeak) which obviously could not have made my day any more than it did.

I'm grateful for the generosity and kindness of strangers that’s extended and shared even before common interests and passions are established.

Hope you enjoy a few iPhone snaps from the day! 

Event | Quirk Gallery Trunk Show

Excited to announce a trunk show I will be having at Quirk Gallery along with my lovely friend Jess of Willow Knows!

It will be held a week from now on October 1st from 11am-5pm at Quirk Gallery which is located next to Quirk Hotel at 207 W Broad in Richmond. 

You can find more details and RSVP at the Facebook event page here.

Hope to see you there friends!

xo

Farm Days | Whispers of Eden Farm

Back in February I responded to a craigslist ad that my Father, The Sailor, had sent my way in regards to some alpaca wool for sale (I'm telling you what, he just gets me).
So after arranging a time, I grabbed my adventure buddy Meagan and we headed to Whispers of Eden farm.

I wasn't sure what to expect but upon arriving and meeting Mehleh, we pretty much never wanted to leave (never ended up translating to over two hours... but you get the idea).
Mehleh was so friendly and wonderful and gave us an extensive tour. Telling us about farm life, what raising her various animals entailed, and entertaining us with endless charming stories about each of her adorably named creatures. She primarily has goats, and were the ones most willing to be photographed, though I did of course manage to purchase some wool from her alpaca's Scamper and Firecracker.

I've yet to process it into yarn (Five months later... eep...), but now that I finally have a spinning wheel the time for that will soon be approaching.

Meagan snapped this photo of me at the end of our visit and It's a pretty good summing up of our little adventure.

Photos shot in 35mm film

Daughter Of A Sailor Crochet Hooks

It all started when I saw the boat hook that my father, The Sailor, had made for Una.
"Hey this looks like a giant crochet hook..."
Wheels started turning and shortly after he made me a set of beautifully handcrafted crochet hooks for my Birthday. After some more wheels turned, and upon request, he made a much larger one. 

So of course, naturally, it's the first product brought to you by Tumblehome.

Each hook is artfully crafted from red oak and poplar, coated with shellac and waxed for an extra smooth finish. 
As a final touch, each hook has a sailboat, the Tumblehome logo, burned into the end.
It's light in weight and a great hook for beginner crocheters! 

They're each one-of-a-kind and measure 4" around (about 1 ¼" in diameter) and 12" long, which is larger than any hook sold in a craft store (yep, even larger than size Q), so you have so many unique creating possibilities with these beauties that no one else has.

If you'd like to be the owner of one of the few Daughter of A Sailor Crochet Hooks we have, head to the shop!

Happy to have such gorgeous photos that do these beautiful works of art justice.
Thanks to my life photographer Meagan for taking them.
xo

Learn To Knit With A Girl Named Leney

So excited to announce that I will be teaching a knitting class hosted by the lovely collaborative talent that is Richmond's own Campfire & Co. as a part of their Good Vibes Only workshop series!

The workshop will take place at Campfire & Co.'s studio, The Marvin Lang Building, at 1623 W. Broad Street from 6–8 pm on March 22, 2016. Plenty of street parking is available along Broad so don't let that deter you from coming!

The class will include all of the supplies you need to make a pattern I'm working on just for you guys which includes some beautiful ethically sourced yarn (Instagram preview here!), needles, a knitting guide and a super awesome Blaze New Trails tote bag from Campfire & Co.
There of course will also be some snacks and drinks because, let's be real, we're going to make this a party.

I was also interviewed over on the Campfire & Co. blog, so be sure to check that out as well!

Okay, what are you waiting for? Sign up here!
There are a limited amount of tickets remaining so get yours before we sell out!
Hope to see you there.
xo

Featured | Quirk Gallery

Excited to announce that I made a few special knits just for Quirk Gallery over at Quirk Hotel! 
Definitely a dream to have some pieces of mine grace their beautifully curated collection of goods. 
Head over to check out these OOAK knits as well as some other wonderful unique pieces made by other local designers! Quirk is also an awesome spot for an afternoon drink or early morning coffee stop if you're out and about downtown. Once you hang out in the lobby and gallery you'll pretty much never want to leave.