Spinning Away The Summer Day!

The studio and gallery was full of energy, as yarn and the Eugene summer breeze interwove to make for another great day at ETC!  Our favorite Leslie Leonard led this month's Beginning Spinning class, in the gallery.  The spinning wheels and creative wheels spun in unison as the full and eager group learned the basic techniques of handspinning their own yarn.  It was a wonderful time had by all, as well as fun skills learned.

Throughout the rest of ETC, the weaving and surface-design studios were bustling with multiple artists at work on their exciting projects.  Around every corner, the process and creation of art could be seen.  ETC was certainly the perfect place to be today, to get inspired, learn, or create some awesome stuff!  Can't wait to see what the weekend brings, here in the studio!    

ETC will have a booth at Convergence, next week!  Be sure to come by and see us if you are there!   

                     

  

Arty Yarns and Ways to Use Them

This Past weekend was wild here at ETC.  We had two wonderful 2 day classes going on at the same time.  The first one was Natural Dyeing with Marilyn Robert.  Marilyn has retired from ETC ownership but still continues to teach classes here.  Natural Dyeing is a favorite one for her to teach, as well as highly requested by students.  The other workshop was Camp Pluckystuff with Lexi Boeger.  Lexi is well known for her Art Yarns.  She is quite an innovator in making wild and crazy yarns.  She taught blending on the drum carder with many different kinds of fibers and lots of ways to ply in "fun stuff" 

New in the shop is a book titled Magical Materials To Weave by Lotte Dalgaard.  This book has so many great ideas in collapse weave it just boggles my mind.  The best part of this book for me is the practical uses, like fabric for blouses and other clothing.  Lotte provided a shrinkage chart in her book as well as a list of the suppliers from where she got her fiber for the projects.  I hope you check this book out as it is Superb!

ETC Bombed

Do not be alarmed. It was not destructive. It is actually quite decorative. We were yarn bombed. Some people call it yarn tagging. Our mailbox got hit as well as the stop sign. But the most decorative of all is the tall ugly pole to the left of the building. Come on by and see it. We do not know how long it will stay up as we are not sure who put it up there.

Color from Weeds

I am so excited to finally get some time out in the garden area. I love the feel of dirt between my fingers. Although I do not like scrubbing out the dirt underneath my nails after hours of digging in the soil. I have spent two years muching an area of my yard to get rid of the clay and make it ready for something nicer than weeds. I have discovered though that some of those plants I do not want, (weeds) will make nice dyes. One of those plants, is the Dandelion. It makes some wonderful yellows and greens. My neighbors who will not cut back their Blackberries gives me tans and browns from the leaves and blueish purples from the berries. Tansy which spreads throughout the fields also will dye some bright yellow and with mordanting can give greens. Comfrey which I stupidly tilled throughout my yard dyes my yarns browns and makes some nice herbal potions. This spring though i am determined to plant some flowers that I will enjoy sniffing, looking at and dyeing with later this summer and fall. So I am pouring over some of the dye books we have here in the store and resource library. If all turns out as I hope I will post photographs throughout the season. I hope some of you will also join me in the pursuit of growing our own dyestuff.

A little bit of new info.

Great news for all of you Surface Design artists out there. We just got in 10 copies of an awesome book on Thermofax printing, titled Thermofax Printing: Bringing personal imagery alive. If you are looking for a way to move past just the basics in thermofax printing this is an excellent resource. It goes into layering in color, and values, how to use line in texture and different types of resists. Recipes are given for making dye paints. This book even has a section on using discharge paste.
Please don't be alarmed though if this is an art that you have wanted to explore but not found a clear and thorough resource on the topic. This book can take you from novice to as far as your ideas can go. And for many of you that is pretty far. The photographs are clear and well labeled. I think this will become the "go to book" on thermofax printing.

We also got some beautiful new yarns in from Habu. The choice of colors in stainless steel/Silk has expanded. We also have some astounding Gima Cotton that is a flat yarn. Also not to be forgotten are the newest items of Pineapple Ramie and Kibiso Silk. Kibiso silk still has the seracin attatched and can be used as warp as well as a weft thread.

As a side note I was reading an article in National Geographic magazine at the doctors office last week and saw an interesting statistic. In the country of New Zealand they have a population of 39.9 million sheep. The population of the country's people is only 4.9 million. That is a 9/1 ratio of sheep to people. Thats a lot of wool.

Indigo

Ah the wonder of Indigo! I don't think there is anyone out there in cyberland that is not in love with the color. It is the dye of the ever wonderful jeans that we wear almost daily. I love the dipping a white piece of fabric into the Indigo pot and pulling it out. The green color that oxidizes to the beautiful blue that I love is absolute magic. Now for you that love to learn almost all there is to know about this natural dye there will be a talk courtesy Oregon State University on Indigo. Dr. Roald Hoffmann will speak April 19th at 8pm At the Embassy Suites Hotel. His talk is titled "INDIGO A Story of Craft, Religion, History, Science, and Culture. Dr. Hoffmann is the 1981 Nobel Laureate. This talk is free, and open to the public. It is recommended that you reserve a seat by calling 541-737-2075.
And don't forget that we have a wonderful Indigo Pot here at ETC. Come by and use it on our Indigo Drop in Days. You can check our scedule on the website or call the store to find out the dates.

Spinning Group

As you may or may not know, we have a wonderful spinning group that meets here every Thursdays between 2 and 4. Yesterday as we were are making our fantastic yarns we decided we needed a name. After a short brainstorming session we came up with Etcetera's, or ETC'S. It is an acronym for Eugene Talented and Creative Spinners. Our motto is Where anarchy rains. Yes that is rains not reign, because we get alot of it here. We have no president, dues or rules. Just come and spin and have some fun. Also to let you know that the Spring Tea is in the planning stages. Keep an eye out for details soon.

Buy one, Buy all!

All is calmer now that Jason Collingwood has finished his three day rug weaving workshop here. The classroom/gallery was full of looms. The students claimed they learned a lot and their work on the looms showed it too. I came by one sunday to peek at the progress and all you could hear was the sound of beaters. Everyone was deep into concentration and the zen of the weaving.
Along with the Collingwood class, on Saturday Marilyn Robert taught a splendid NUNO felting class. And to top it all off we have this fantastic fiber sale going on. Many people have found wonderful deals and leave the store with inspiration from the texture and colors. But we still have a lot of fiber left if you are feeling the need to get something new to create with.
Don't forget this weekend is the Antique Spinning Wheel Show in Aurora.

Spinning and Felting

Have you heard of Groupon? We have started using this great advertising tool to offer classes at a reduced price. There have been a lot of people who have never ventured into the fiberarts realm who are coming in and taking advantage of these classes. The first group of classes we offered was Introduction to Felting. The students got to make a piece of felt that was large enough to make a large wallet or small purse. The diversity in the pieces was so facinating to see. The best part for me was having them come back into the store and showing off the work they have done after their initial lesson. I guess they just needed a little instruction to get that fire of artistry going in their lives.
Many of you are now proud owners of one of Lynn's wheels of fleeces from her estate sale. We are so happy to hear how much you love your new wheels and are so thrilled to see the awesome yarn you are now spinning. One of Lynn's wheels, the pendulum great wheel was purchased by a young woman who will be demonstrating it at the Old Aurora Colony Museum. She is part of the 30th annual Antique Spinning Wheel Showcase March 10 & 11, 2012. This is quite an educational event with live animals and a spinning wheel raffle. The cost is only $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for students with ID. You may call 503-678-5754 for more informatuion.

Snow and Hearts

Winter has finally arrived and we are enjoying the brisk cold winds, some rain and this past weekend we enjoyed some light dusting of snow. The snow was only on the ground for a few hours and then melted away. This past weekend knowing of the forcast of snow I decided to put on a nice warp of some Harrisville Highland wool and weave a throw. I used some of my homespun for the weft. I sat at my loom and listened to a book on CD. I could look out my windows and see the snow falling off and on through the day. I felt like I was having a day out of a storybook.
I hope that many of you were able to participate in the Yarn Sale that happened here last week. There were so many great deals going out of the shop. I am looking forward to seeing the projects that arise from those yarns.
Now that it is already the middle of the month I planning what to weave for Valentine's Day. I only have a short amount of time so it will probably be something simple. What are your plans to weave next?

The Last Blog of 2011

Hello again. Great news! Our new schedule is out for the New Year. We have added a few classes that have not previously been taught here. One of those classes is Needle Felting. Along with this we have a few new products and new books. Books are one of my favorite things to buy.
The Holiday Store in our Gallery seems to be a success with many of you coming and finding unique gifts to give to friends, family or yourself. We plan on hosting this again next year, so mark it on your calendars.
Most of all we want to thank you for your continued support of the business. We are here for you and want to make Eugene Textile Center the place for all of your creative fiber needs. Have a very happy holiday season, along with a peaceful and healthy New Year.
Susie, Janis, Vicki & Leslie

Give a Mouse a Cookie

I bet you have been wondering where I have been and why there have been no new postings. Well I have no good excuse. I went to post photographs from a rug weaving workshop and the spinners guild and became overly frustrated. But that is no excuse. It seems I start writing the blog and then I have to help a customer, or do some other job. I am sort of like the mouse in the childrens book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
So to fill you in on what has happened here lately. Susie taught an introduction to Rug Weaving which has led to a request for a full rug weaving course. We will have Jason Collingwood come teach in March on rug weaving and shaft switching method. This is a popular class since he comes here from the United Kingdom. Besides the fact that Jason is so handsome and charming and a mighty good teacher to boot.
Our spinning circle continues on each Thursday from 2-4pm. Sometimes we are a large group and other days, (most recently because of the holidays) we are small. But whatever our size we always seem to have a nice time.
This is the first year we have our gallery changed into a Holiday Store. It is packed full of handmade items from various artists in out Eugene area. If you haven't been by yet and still need a gift for someone this is a wonderful opportunity.
I also want to encourage you to read the Jan/Feb issue of Handwoven. Susie has another wonderful project in there. Maggie, Susie's granddaughter is also featured in the magazine.
I want to wish everyone Happy Holiday and a Healthy New Year full of love and peace.

Spinner's Spooktacular Tea Fotos

Our second Spinner's Tea was a nice success. We had a room full of wonderful spinners and lots of good food. We had deviled eggs and mud pie, pumpkin cheesecase, chocoale mice and cheese fingers to name only a few of the delicious items. The gallery show added a lot of color, but the Halloween theme came through with the tablecloths and decorations all around the room. A few people wore costumes, but most wore a mask. The masks came off as the spinning began as it hampered the spinners vision. Our next tea will be in the spring. I am planning some new events and bigger and better raffle prizes.

Janice chose to bring her beautiful Navaho Spindle.

Rachael came all the way from Grants Pass to participate in this fun event. Her spindle of myrtlewood was hand made by her grandfather.

Guests lining up to get some of the

tasty treats.

Maggie in her beautiful costume. She found her dress at a thrift store and made the mask herself. We thought she was a flapper girl, but she said she was a black cat. She did purr all day.

Someone looks happy with her plate of goodies.

Moving Along

There is a lot of moving going on here at ETC. After over three and a half years we have moved ours shelves around and made the store more user friendly. When you walk in the door you will notice the nice open space and a plethera of color that will stimulate your senses. We have expanded the spinning corner and put down a nice carpet. All of our books are once again in one area so you don't need to go from one area to the next to pick up books on different subjects. Our wonderful resource library has been moved back to a quieter area so you can read undisturbed. Alas the resource library is near the sale corner so there is that distraction of low prices on needed or wanted tools and yarn. BEST of all we are now carrying all of DYELOTS products here.
To add to all of this excitement, we also have the most wonderful felt show by Tylar Merrill. I personally have never seen any felt so artistically done. She has wall hangings as well as clothing on display. Above is a tiny portion from a larger piece. I hope you come and see it.
Our Spinning Spectacular Tea is this Saturday. I have planned some great food and fun surprises for the attendees. It should be another fun affair.
Hopefully one of these three changes will bring you in to see us soon.

Weaver's Spirit Power

Last night I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Opening Reception for a weaving exhibit at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History here in Eugene. The weaver Susan Pavel had an exhibit of woven blankets and clothing that she has done, all of which will be gifted to people in her life next February. Susan learned to weave 15 years ago from "Uncle". She spent three months of her summer preparing the fiber from the sheep to the finishing of a blanket. That first blanket was gifted to"Uncle". The following year she spent the next summer doing the same task and gifting that blanket. The third summer of her apprenticeship she actually finished two blankets. Each piece that Susan works on is inspired by the Spirit talking to her and instructing her in her work.
One thing that is different in her work is that the weaving is either twined of done in twill. The yarn used is quite thick as is traditional in Salish weavings, since they area a tribe that lives in the cooler Pacific Northwest.
One of the fibers that she uses is Mountain Goat Wool. This wool must be collected from bushes that have bits of fiber on them from the wild goats brushing against them. This goat wool is extremely soft, quite like quiviet fiber. There is a part of the exhibit that you can actually touch a sample of this lucious fiber. Along with this you can try your hand at twining and a bit of twill weaving. She also dyes her fibers and uses natural dyes that have been used traditionally by the Salish people.
The exhibit will be on display until January29th 2012. I do encourage you to go see it. If you are able to go on a Monday, at certain times, you can actually weave a bit of fiber into a blanket in the Longhouse on the museum grounds.

Weaving & Spinning Week

Here we are in the middle of Weaving and Spinning Week and I have not had a moment to let you in on all the fun around here. We are rearranging the layout of the store to make it more user friendly. All of our books are arranged in one lilbrary area. The resource library is still separate from the sale books. Our spinning corner is larger, getting cozier with a new rug and is a work in progress. I think you will like the finished look. We have also put out our new schedule of classes. We have printed copies here at the store or you may check them out online.
Meanwhile, Suzie is once again up at Whidbey teaching. She will return on October 17th. Vicki is going up to join her next week, and Marilyn is away in Vancouver B.C, so Leslie will be here minding the store.
In the weaving studio here, Joanne is putting on a warp for a Rep Weave rug. Our friend Tom, who is also in the spinning group here is learning and helping her. Last week Tom fixed our Serger sewing machines for us. He is a "jack of all trades".
Our spinning group is still meeting here from 2-4pm on Thursdays. Please come on by and join us. Last week we were treated to fresh baked zucchinni bread.
Have a wonderful week of weaving and spinning. Let us know how you celebrated this fun time.

We're Back

I am so happy to tell you that OFFF was a great success. I worked with Sara (Suzies daughter) on Saturday, and we were so busy I only got to take a bathroom break. I know, TMI. We have many happy people who bought their first drumcarder or first spinning wheel. One girl who bought a wheel is coming in for her first spinning lesson next month. A great buy went to Suzy from Idaho who purchased a well loved Norwood loom. She just had to have it to go with her other Norwood. I must admit it was the deal of the entire show. We all work hard to make our booth nice for you. We try to think of all the items that you would want and need. This year the only item I am still kicking myself for forgeting is the Yarn Gauges with the Diz. I don't know where my brain was on that one. As exhausting as all the work is, I must say it is so much fun. Put me in a building full of fiber and fiber people and I think I am in heaven.

We're OFFF

It is that wonderful time again for the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. Once again we will be up at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds, but we will have a larger booth this time. You know what that means, more of what you want and need for all of your creative needs. Be sure to come on by and enter the contest for the gift certificate to Eugene Textile Center. As always the store itself will be open on Saturday from 10am till 5:30pm.
As summer slowly changes into autumn I seem to be spending less time in the garden and more time indoors with my fiber. I am now spinning some beautiful merino/silk roving in oranges, creams and light browns. I am not sure yet what I will do with it but it just glows on my bobbin so far. I only have 8 ounces so it may be a knitted shawl or part of a nice woven piece of cloth. I still have not completely finished my huck lace on one loom and so until that comes off I will be searching for creative ideas on how to use this beautiful yarn.
I am not sure if i mentioned in a previous blog about the next Spinners Tea. It will be a Halloween Spooktacular Day. We will have apple cider along with our tea and scrumptious food. We may also creep in a few shocking surprises. You should wear a costume or a mask and come and enjoy this wonderful afternoon. It will be October 22nd from 10-4. Reservations and payment of $10 must be made in advance as seating is limited.
Have a great weekend everyone, and see you at OFFF!

Plan Ahead

These days it seems everyone is busy, busy, busy. We all are packing as much as possible into each and every day. Our own work schedules takes priority, with our kids and husbands, and volunteer work all keeping us going 24/7. To keep track of it all I have a calendar in the kitchen, one in my studio and a small pocket calendar in my purse. My favorite calendar is the Handwoven calendar in my studio. It has beautiful fotos of weavings featured in past issues that inspire me. It also lets me know which past Handwoven issue has the instructions for that particular project. 2011 was the first year I got this calendar. The new one for 2012 just arrived, and we have it here in our store for sale. I just love the choices for this new issue. I hope you too can find it inspiring and useful for keeping tract of your busy days.

Halloween Tea Party

I can hardly believe it is already September. This must be the shortest summer of my many years. It didn't seem that summer ever came, with the cool weather that lasted until almost August. I had my mom come to vist last week and we had the most fun playing at ETC. She learned how to use the heat press and made some beautiful printed fabric. We also took a few hikes where I was able to collect some plants for future dyeing.
But now it is September and my mind is thinking fall. I just got some beautiful Merino/Silk roving to spin in shades of oranges and browns. Along with this I was thinking it is time for another Tea Party. So on October 22nd we will have our second tea party. The theme is "A Halloween Tea". So come in some sort of a mask or costume. Spin yarn in fall colors and drink tea or hot apple cider. It should be a fun afternoon from 12 to 4. The cost will be $10.00 since there will be sandwiches along with goodies. Reservations and payments should be made in advance.