it all started two nights ago

COCOONS !!

Two nights ago, I had two of my babies graduate :)....last night there was this guy.
I woke up at 4:30 this morning and decided to attend to the worms, as it usually takes over an hour to clean and install new branches. This guy had just started spinning, you could see him weaving and bobbing inside...but ... two of his buddies were trying to eat the leaves he was using for support.

well...mom came to the rescue....encouraged one to completely leave the branch, but the other guy was very stubborn, so I hooked some leaves up for him to eat. You can see his belly in the lower left hand part of the picture.

btw....as reference to how much they have grown....you see the little stem that exits the pic at the lower left?....that is thicker than these guys were when they hatched...amazing huh?

I predict that there will be three more graduate tonight or tomorrow night....

does a spinner proud when her babies learn how to spin silk

one more time

heads UP !!

the cottage is moving once again...probably won't be till the end of sept / first part of oct....but the plans are in the works

I don't look forward to having the guys move all the furniture so soon after moving it here, but I am looking forward to being streetside, and the interior of the new space ROCKS!!

stay tuned for pics as they arrive..........(gotta wait till Hammerpress moves out first)....

you can view the website for more details

bigger

...had several people wanting to see growth of the worms. Here is a pic of them taken a day ago. Wish you could see their size relative to something, but I haven't yet been tempted to place a ruler in there with them....you'll just have to take it from me........they are big. They eat like mad....(notice the spots where there USED to be leaves)

anyway........pic as promised

awesome isn't it?

no matter what colors I come up with in my yarn, she reminds me that she can do me one better. this is an untouched pic of the night sky. color is unbelievable isn't it? I know I know, it's not fiber related, but well....I figured I had to share with someone..........

Babies

soft hearted fools beware

here is what happens when your son calls and asks if you want a moth he found in the parking lot at work........and after you hesitate, tells you that it's laying eggs in the cardboard paper box that he saved it to.....

speaks to the mother in you from a couple levels doesn't it?

turned out to be a silk moth

every morning they get fed ... it's getting easier now that they are getting bigger...when they were less than 1/4 inch it wasn't that easy since they could crawl through most everything I tried....including the antique real silk french stocking that I used in desperation one night (don't ask)

anyway...I thought I would share. We've had a lot of them die off sadly (this is not unexpected), but the ones that remain look pretty good. I'm not holding my breath in hopes that they make it till cocoon-dom, but I've been charged with an obligation to try to keep them going.

what's a mother to do?...............

Ask me how I know........

Go ahead, ask me.......

Well, this has been an experience to say the least....and let me pass on some important tips.

IF you have a spot in your house where you accumulate items to donate to charity
IF those items are typically placed in a plastic trash bag
IF you also happen to have a bunch of hand-dyed yarn that is finished drying
IF you also happen to place that yarn in a plastic trash bag until you can get it balled off

PLEASE... whatever you do, do NOT....this is important here, so pay attention....do NOT place that trash bag in the same area that you typically use for the donated items bag

Go ahead....ask me..........

Yep...you guessed it, the wrong bag got taken to the Planet Aid box last night. Of all the times that the box was empty enough to actually put a bag in, it had to be last night....

sleep did not come easy......at least I was able to work on the pillows I'm weaving

This all does have a happy ending however, as I spoke with a wonderful young woman at Planet Aid, and a very nice young man made a trip out to that box to pick up the donated items after calling me and giving me a heads up that he was headed there. I met him there, handed him some cookies warm from the oven, retrieved my bag, and gave him two bags full of donated clothing.

kinda like a two for one sale

now I'm off to rewash some yarn

Eye Candy

Been dyeing, and I thought I'd share the most recent locks...or at least part of them...there is a whole batch of wonderful reds as well. Some of these may be going to a show in the late fall, some may be heading to another local store that has ordered some wholesale fibers from us. Some of them I just might keep for myself .... would make wonderful fun additions to some upcoming handspun.

Studio'n

Having a great time today in the studio with my loft-mate. Ames Hall weaves these unbelievably soft merino blankets. Full or Queen size and always (so far) natural colors from locally raised sheep. Processed and spun to his specs.... Anyway, he was in his studio busy at work on the AVL loom that is just simply ... well....HUGE! (would have to be huh, to weave blankets that large)...

If you want to visit his website here it is http://www.fortnerhall.com/home.html .

Given the fact that this is all hand done from start to finish, these are a steal...save your money and get one of these heirloom quality blankets.....jeez I sound like a promotional piece...oh well.... they are just too cool, and I can walk into his studio and feel them any time I want....lucky me huh?

He sold my favorite last night during First Fridays... a wonderful chocolate brown waffle weave beauty. Perhaps I can talk him into doing another one like it when the loom is warped up with the next color.... it's called Twig...and it's sorta kinda like a warm grey...sorta.......you've got to see it to understand.

me?...I am reeling off 15 pounds of neverending superwash sock yarn. MAJOR Dye Days coming up, and I'm definitely in prrroooooduction mode!

It is certainly good to have a friend in the next room to distract me once in a while....

First Fridays at the Crossroads

This is such an inspiring ARTS District. For those of you who are new to Kansas City, check out the Kansas City Crossroads website http://www.kccrossroads.org/ to gain a better understanding of what this area is all about.

There is such energy down here on First Fridays.....it's great to be part of it, and we are looking forward to tonight!

Finally

Well, we are finally (keeping fingers crossed) going to get the website functioning. A good friend is going to help me get it running. With her help and the help of my oldest it should be working soon....you can visit her website at http://www.thefunkyfelter.com/

The shop will be undergoing a transformation of sorts, shifting focus from primarily a retail shop to a working studio that also has kept on certain retail product lines to support fellow artists. I'm hopeful that it will all work out. Not sure exactly how it will all play, but decided to trust the stars on this one. More on this in future posts.

I will be putting pre-loved looms and wheels up for sale shortly. If you are looking for used equipment, be sure to let me know...I just might have what you are looking for.

Books Be Gone

These books need to go to good homes.

In addition to the special order that folks on the shop's mailing list got to participate in, everyone who comes in during the month of July can pick up in-stock new books and magazines at 20% off, and used books at 50% off the already reduced prices. Once they're gone ... they're gone.........don't be the last one in!

This sale comes on the heels of the 25% off yarn sale last month.

Next month...who knows...maybe small equipment??