Girl on the Rocks

Upcoming Shopportunities October 8, 2008

I can’t believe that I have waited this long to tell you… There is going to be another Color: A Fiber Festival in just a few weeks. It is at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley CA on Saturday October 18. If you didn’t make it last time, and you are in SF Bay area and have any interest in yarny or fibery pursuits, you have to stop by. There will be a few local vendors (including me!) so you can pet before you buy… Uh, I mean pet the fiber, not the vendors. There is also quite an assortment of very affordable classes from drop spindling to weaving on hand looms. What’s that you say? Tell you more about weaving on hand looms – sure thing!! I taught a similar class at the last Color, in the spring. I think everyone had a good time learning how to weave on some of my vintage weave-its.

Picture from flickr user Mrs. Knitwit

This year it is still just an intro to weaving, and students will get some practice, pointers, and a list of helpful resources. Students are welcome to borrow my looms for the duration of the class. BUT this year I will also have looms available to purchase. I have a few Hazel Rose Multilooms (readily available perfect substitute for weave-its and weavettes) and I will be letting go of a few of my vintage weave-it looms.

Sign up for any of the classes through the webpage, or check out the Ravelry Color group for more info (the ravelers are planning a potluck!).

Okay.. enough about fiber. Let’s talk about junk. It’s here… My favorite garage sale of the year. The El Cerrito city-wide garage sale. It is THIS Saturday, October 11 from 9 am to 3 p.m. A participant list will be posted on the City of El Cerrito webpage so that you can plan your shopping strategies. Keep in mind that you have to pay a small fee to be published on the map, so those are the serious garage-salers. Many more houses have sales and just don’t bother to pay to get n the map. This year, the neighboring city of Albany is having a sale on the same day, too. That’s a lot of shopping. Here is some of my loot from a few years ago. This year I am hoping to find an ice cream maker and a set of small bowls… And any random pyrex would be an awesome find. What are you gonna look for?

Event Report – Color: A Fiber Festival April 29, 2008

Saturday was a perfect day in Berkeley: Sunny and 75. It couldn’t have been a better time for Color: A Fiber Festival. I was a vendor at this event together with A Verb for Keeping Warm, Tactile Fiber Arts, and Pigeonroof Studios. (But I couldn’t have done it without Abby and my table wouldn’t have looked the same without her tweed chickens, so thanks!). The Verb and Tactile ladies are fiber show pros, and they have a ton of product. In my typical style, I am less professional and little more garage sale-y, but I try my best. I still could not resist capturing some of their setup in action. I took a photo of my little table.

I loved hanging out here and meeting other Ravelers and especially several of my blog readers. Hi Ladies – leave a comment!! I was tickled every time I met someone that I recognized from their Ravelry avatar.

The festival provided not only an opportunity to shop, but also several free classes. I taught two rounds of “Weaving on small hand looms” and was so happy that I had so many participants! A big high-five to everyone that was in my class! I hope you left with lots of ideas and that you aren’t all bidding against each other on ebay right now.

And just because I was selling doesn’t mean I wasn’t buying….

California Red Wool

Icelandic, Gotland and Wensleydale Wools
I sure hope there are more Color: Events in the future. Seriously, it was SO much fun. Thanks so much Sara for your awesome organizational skills!

Links

• I started a flickr Group so if you have photos on Flickr, send them over.
• There is also a Color: group on Ravelry
• Looms to go Ravelry Group

Doomed April 10, 2008

I fed a beetle to one of my carnivorous plants (a Cape Sundew).

If you live in the bay area and you want to buy some nice Carnivorous plants, you should stop by the UC Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale. It is Saturday April 26 from 10-2. Of course you should go there AFTER you stop by Color: A Fiber festival.

Fiber Festival Fun April 8, 2008

Just around the corner, on Saturday April 26th there is an exciting little fiber festival. Color Fiber Festival is taking place in Berkeley and will include fiber tastings (materials fee only) and free drop spindle classes. Several local indie dyers and crafters will be there including yours truly. I am looking forward to browsing some Pigeon Roof Studios fibers – can you imagine how nice it will be to see a bunch in one place?! I am particularly excited that A Verb for Keeping Warm and Tactile Fiber Arts will be there. They have the NICEST naturally dyed fibers. I’ve spun up all of my Yak and I need more!

You should definitely check out the session/class schedule – there will be fun things to do all day. I might sneak in there with a few weavette/weave-it demonstrations, and I’ll even let you give one of my looms a try!

If you have an hankering for anything in my shop, let me know and I will bring it and you can pick it up! You can even get recycled vinyl wallets from Abmatic as she’ll be representing with me.

Did I say how excited I am about this?? There is inside and outside space available so you can come and shop for fiber, hang out and spin, and even get lunch nearby! I hope I can sneak away to try out some fibers from Rare Wool Breeds.

So, will you be there?