Tag Archives: Fibreshed

Fibreshed explorations

Inspired by India Flint and her wonderful book Eco Colour, by the various Fibresheds happening (also here), things I’ve been reading, thinking and dreaming about – I have started a series of Fibreshed explorations.

100 Mile radius around Salt Spring Island…
Salt Spring Fibreshed

I am weaving with local wool – unspun (locks & roving), handspun and mill spun (Gulf Islands Spinning Mill).

I have been collecting some local plant material including cedar and arbutus and am now soaking it and will see what happens. I have the cedar in an aluminum pan…

Cedar

and the arbutus bark in stainless steel…

Arbutus bark

So far, I have just done one small section of weaving and will try it in one of the dye baths and report back! I have so many ideas…

Saori weaving

Saori weaving

Happy Weaving,
Terri

My website: www.saorisaltspring.com

Note: There is a 100 Mile Fleece & Fibre Fair coming up in May on Vancouver Island featuring Fleece and Fibre from the Vancouver Islands including sheep, alpaca, llama, angora goats, angora rabbits and more!
Admission: Free
Date: Sunday May 27, 2012
Time: 09:30 am to 3:00 pm
Location: The Bradley Centre, 975 Shearme Road
just off the Port Alberni Hwy, 1 mile east of Coombs

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

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

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