my first ever sponsor giveaway is from wild faerie caps!
wild faerie caps is the shop of melissa, also known as eidolons. melissa is a multi talented spinner,
dyer, and knitter. this waldorf inspired, eco-minded mother of three has discovered her passion
(i remember when she bought her first wheel!) and is ready to share it.
in melissa's own words :
Spinning, to me, is like alchemy. Transforming clouds of fluff into
strong cords of texture and color. It is magical to watch another
person spin yarn. I cannot find the words to explain how it felt the
first time I was able to spin my own. It was like coming home after a
long journey and settling in with a cool drink. Even before I learned
to knit, I would admire the handspun yarn of others. Wishing,
dreaming, budgeting, scouring classified ads - these were a part of my
path to spinning. Having never used a wheel before - never having seen
one used in person - I chose my wheel carefully. Months of research
and penny counting led me to Dervish, my Ashford Kiwi. When I sit
before Dervish with a lap full of fiber I am transported to ancient
lands, to wooded hills and log cabins. My mind wanders as the fibers
slip through my fingers and the quiet whoosh of the wheel summons
windswept plains and waves breaking on a silent beach. Spinning is my
meditation, my calm, my freedom. I've learned so much in the short
time that I've been at it. It gladdens my heart that no matter how
much I spin, there will always be more to learn.
(all photos by melissa)
I prefer to spin wool above other fibers. I am especially drawn to
wool acquired as ethically and locally as possible. That said, I am
not above ordering fiber from elsewhere - Florida isn't exactly known
for it's roaming sheep. When I dye fibers I tend to do so before they
are spun. I enjoy using my Brother drum carder to blend the colors,
creating something reminiscent of the watercolors my mother painted
when I was little. If spinning is alchemy, then dyeing is like brewing
potions. I began dyeing with food coloring - drops, egg dyes, powdered
drink mixes, and cake gels. Using food safe dyes allowed me to involve
my younger children in the process. Long afternoons of mixing colors
and painting yarns and rovings are always loved by all. In the rare
moments that I have to myself with the dye pots I like to play with
natural dyes. I've had my share of flops and user error, but the
experimentation is part of the joy. My oldest son and I gather fallen
black walnuts from the parking lot of a local grocery store every
autumn. Some families have hay rides and bonfires, we stain our
fingers brown tearing open walnut hulls to make beautiful dyes.
Most of my yarns are named by myself though my husband and oldest son
often contribute suggestions. I am drawn to fae things - wilderness
and darkling woods, mermaids and kelp-filled lagoons, chilly caves
filled with squatting goblins. Often times the yarn names itself as I
spin it. On the other hand, my family is filled with avid gamers and I
am an avid reader. Some names are subtle (and not so subtle) nods to
characters in movies, games, and books.
thank you so much melissa for sharing a bit about yourself, and how your yarn is
made. and now dear readers, melissa has generously offered a skein of her
hand dyed, hand spun wool to one lucky winner!
from melissa:
One-of-a-kind hank of hand-dyed, handspun, 2-ply yarn. It is 100%
merino wool. It was spun, plied, and then dyed with yellow onion skins
(giving it a soft wheat, almost peach color). As with all of my
handspun, it has been washed in unscented Soak wool wash.
Weight: approximately 75 grams
Yardage: approximately 60 yards
Fiber: merino wool
Care: hand wash, dry flat
to win this hank of beautiful wool leave a comment below, i'd love to know if you spin and how you
came to learn also (and would you come and teach me?!) i'll choose a name this
sunday october 28th and announce it back in this post.
good luck!
the winner is:
W~S Wanderings!
"What a wonderful interview! And I remember when the multi-talented Melissa first
got her spinning wheel too :-)Sadly, I do not spin, but I sure do have
spinning envy! Such a wonderful giveaway. The yarn looks
gorgeous.Crossing my fingers...
Congratulations W~S W!! please email me at lorix5@hotmail.com
p.s. to visit wild faerie caps shop go
here, blog
here
