I’m sad to say my recent sale had no purchases. I’ll donate some of my own money as I can though.
Sale results
Author: Grayson
Save 20%, Give 20%
The fiber arts community in North Carolina is suffering horribly. SAFF, the big fiber arts festival, has been canceled because of Helene. So, taking after my weavers guild friend Patti Barker, I’m having a sale to benefit Asheville artists. You get 20% off with the code ASHVILLE20 until Oct 13th. And 20% of your sale amount will go to the fundraiser being done by fiber arts collective Local Cloth. On Oct. 14th I will post the sale total and donation receipt on this blog.
Do a little shopping and feel good about it. Thanks, and have a good day.
Instructional Video: Medium Draw
I made a video on how to spin without injuring your hands, using a technique I refer to as “medium draw”. Enjoy!
Labor Day Sale
Get 10% off your order with code LABOR2024! Good through 9/3/24.
I’m Back!
Back to spinning, that is. My right thumb problem turned out to be arthritis. But I modified my spinning technique and did a little practice, and now I’m back to shop-worthy spinning.
I just finished this gradient (about sport/DK weight, 285 yards, 5 ounces, merino and nylon) and I’m working on its twin, as I have another braid of this colorway. They’ll be in the shop soon, along with a few yarns I spun before my thumb started bothering me.
SwitchKnits in Person!
I’m doing a vendor table (very rare for me — the last one was around 2017) at the closing of the SOFT exhibit at the Thomas Center here in Gainesville, FL.
When: Friday, July 23rd, 2024 — 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Where: 302 NE 6th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32601
I’ll have about 30 skeins of handspun with me, almost everything in the online shop right now. Come by and say hello! And if you can’t make it, there are some new yarns online for you.
The Dangers of Spinning
In February I developed tendonitis in my right thumb (aka De Quervain’s). It’s only a particular movement that causes pain, and it’s the movement I use while spinning. Yeah, I overdid it. So I’ve been taking a break from making yarn. Instead I’m cross-stitching, which doesn’t hurt. The results won’t be for sale, though.
So the store is still running, as I have lots of yarn available. I’m just not making more, and taking commissions is on hold for a bit. As are spinning lessons. (I can still knit and weave, thankfully.)
I hope everyone is well and has a great summer!
Antique Wheel, and My Fiber Stash
Two announcements:
First, I was given a beautiful antique spinning wheel, which I’ve fixed up. It’s from the 1860s; I know when and where it was made, and it was an heirloom in a family that went west in the 1880s in a Conestoga wagon! I’m using the wheel now for my own projects, and I’m willing to spin commissions on it. (Your yarn has to be on the thin side, though, as the wheel won’t do thicker yarns.) For more on the wheel, check the related posts on my personal site. There are even videos of me using it.
Also, I have some really beautiful fiber in my stash these days. Let me know if you want to call dibs on any of it!
(Click on pictures to embiggen.)
I hope you all are well. Happy holidays!
Sneak Peek – Upcoming Yarns
A friend was destashing some fiber, so I picked up some to make handspun for the shop.
Everything is wool except some brown alpaca. The Frabjous Fibers tubes are going to be mini-skein sets, I think. I’m looking forward to spinning it all!
The Grayson Loom
I didn’t name it after myself, I swear. The maker chose the name. It’s a warp-weighted loom (the style of loom used from ancient Sumeria through the Middle Ages) that I designed with a weaver/carpenter. It’s portable, and breaks down for storage. You can weave up to a four-shaft pattern with it once you get the hang of it. It’s great for reenactors and history nerds.
To see the story of the loom and info about it, go here. To purchase, it’s on Etsy here. I’m very excited to have helped create a reasonably priced WWL for people who don’t want to build their own!
