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India Flint Workshop – Eco Dyeing

 

I just got back from a trip to California where I took a 3-day workshop with India Flint.

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Magic, alchemy, fun and LOTS of information! I LOVED the workshop! I haven’t done a lot of dyeing before (though I also learned Bengala Dyeing this past summer) or stitching – so this was a whole new adventure.

We went exploring the streets and railway tracks of Loomis and found many treasures.

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We rolled them up in cloth, put them into a dye pot…

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added water and other materials, boiled it up and waited…

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Then…..the magic! Opening the bundles to see what happened…

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After 3 dyepots we had 9 squares of fabric that we stitched together…

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Then cut!! Then stitched onto a backing and stitched some more….

I find myself now looking at leaves in a new way – their shapes, their colours and wondering what they may become in a dyepot.

I learned so much from India, including a different way at looking at things and thinking about things. Thank you!!

everything

Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

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Fall Fairs

I love fall. It always feels like the new year to me, getting back to schedules, school for some, fall harvests and so on. In celebration of the season, one of my favourite things on Salt Spring is the Salt Spring Fall Fair – a chance to connect and enjoy the community, friendships and abundance.

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

The Salt Spring Weaver’s and Spinners guild always has a display and items can be entered into the show. My SAORI loom is always there for people to try out…

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

This year’s theme of the Fair was ‘Green and Growing’. Here is Jane’s SAORI multi-media entry into the fair…

Fall Fair

Aya made a bag for carrying her yoga mat…

Fall Fair

I did some spinning this year – something that I had dabbled in off and on – but inspired by Kristen and Carmen and Elaine (who taught me to use a drop spindle when she was here for a weaving retreat) – I have done more spinning this year…(and won a first prize ribbon!)

Fall Fair

Next, it was off to the Fairfield Community Fall Fair in Victoria. Again, the SAORI loom came along and Lynn helped with the hands-on demo, Claudia was doing some spinning, Karen some crochet and Bob was making buttons…

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

Fall Fair

– a fun, foggy and fibre-y day…

Fall Fair

…and a finished banner to hang in the community hall…

Fall Fair

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

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Good Fibrations!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, August 21 for: FIBRATIONS – “a community-based celebration of fibre artists sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for their craft” from 10-4 at St. Ann’s Academy Orchard, 835 Humboldt St, Victoria, BC

Saori Salt Spring and friends will have a vendor table, selling SAORI yarns & accessories as well as SAORI handwoven items from many local SAORI weavers!

All Day (10-4): SAORI demo – come and try out a SAORI loom
All Day (10-4): SAORI yarns, accessories and handwovens for sale
1:30 – 3:00: SAORI Kai

At 1:30 pm we will be hosting a SAORI Kai (a gathering) to share SAORI with a show and tell of our newest creations. All welcome – please bring a SAORI woven piece to show if you have one, or just come and join us to see what all the fun is about – as we learn from each other. We look forward to seeing you!

Oh – and please enter the Loonie/Twoonie auction for fabulous prize from various vendors and participants – including a set of 8 cones of SAORI yarn.

New yarns have arrived in the studio today:

Indigo Set

Multi-coloured set

Cotton Loop yarns – SOLD

Flower Garden set – SOLD

Blue/Green set – SOLD

Yarns are $15/cone – a set of 20 is $250 (including tax).

Purple Cotton Warps (200 threads x 8 m long) – $70 each (including tax)
Note: limited stock

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100 Mile Fibrefest

This past weekend I attended a 100 Mile Fleece & Fibre Festival in the Parksville/Coombes area. It was great to meet people, talk about the Salt Spring Fibreshed (I have some updates to do!) and to bring my loom…

100 Mile Fibre

…warped with all Salt Spring Fibres…

100 Mile Fibre

…and let people (and cats!) try out Saori weaving with wool, alpaca, mohair and llama.

100 Mile Fibre

I brought the finished piece home …

100 Mile Fibre

[a few coloured locks from Lorrie at Ewetopia farm are also in the weaving]

100 Mile Fibre

[that gold is also some Salt Spring wool that was in my basket]

100 Mile Fibre

I have now washed it to see how it felts. Needs another wash to felt more, then more photos and then I’ll see what I can make from it. I’m thinking a bag of some sort…

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

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A Vancouver trip

I had a quick trip to Vancouver this week for a SAORI workshop at a women’s centre in the downtown eastside. It was great to be there and to meet the women. They enjoyed the weaving and created two banners that will be displayed at the centre. Sorry I couldn’t take any photos – but perhaps once they install the banners, I can get a photo of that.

Thanks to Felix for organizing the workshop and to Anik for helping out!

After the workshop, I got a chance to stop in at MelonHeadKnitwear‘s studio to pick up one of her Project 355 yarns that she spun. Wow – gorgeous yarns – a whole wall full of them. I bought number 232 – Gentle Tides! And then there were two bonus yarns – Storm and Robin’s nest! Love the yarns, love the names, loved being at the studio! I also got to meet Kristen, who was knitting away on a sock – using the two circular needle method – I’d love to learn how to do that!

I can’t believe that I didn’t take any photos of the studio – too much to talk about and share I guess. More talk about a Fibreshed too!

A late ferry home to Salt Spring Island.

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

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Salt Spring Fibreshed

Through Chris at Joybilee Farm and the Fibershed blog I have learned about Fibersheds – or should I say Fibresheds in Canada.

A fabulous idea! Since I moved to Salt Spring Island, I have been thinking about ideas like this – with all the sheep here (and alpacas, llamas, etc.), spinners, weavers, dyers, clothing makers as well as the Gulf Islands Spinning Mill there is a great potential. Add to that everyone within a 150 mile (more or less) radius and there is a lot of products and a lot of talent! The idea of a Fibreshed has brought it all together for me.

The 150 miles would include everything from Salt Spring Island almost to Penticton, Vancouver, Hope, Merritt, the Whistler area, most of Vancouver Island (perhaps all if we extend it north a bit), down to Seattle and Tacoma, the Olympic Peninsula…wow!

Wouldn’t it be great to bring that all together and create a collaborative group to share, learn and produce local products? How about connecting that with the Transition Town movement and Transition Salt Spring? Transition Victoria and others?

Salt Spring Sheep
Here are those Salt Spring sheep again….
Sheep herding

Interested in joining me to explore this idea? I’m going to set up an email list and start putting ideas together. Please contact me with your ideas and let me know if you want to be on the list. Chris (at Joybilee Farm) is also setting up a Fibreshed in the Grand Forks area (southern interior of BC) and surrounds, so you can also contact her here.

Happy Weaving (and spinning, dying, knitting, sewing, shearing, …..)
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

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