A Field Trip and a WIP
A few days ago a friend and I met at a wonderful shop called Mohair and More, in New Waverly, Texas. The shop is just a few minutes from the freeway, but the neighborhood still has that old time, tiny town, unhurried feel. The two ladies in the shop were so welcoming and knowledgeable, but they were also content to let me wander, re-wander, and repeat wandering up and down every aisle as I fondled and pondered the delectable choices.
The quintessential yarn shop — teaching, browsing, reading, and chatting going on in one bright colorful space.
The shop owner raises Angora goats and sells the fiber in her shop! You can’t get much more local than that. Look at all the colors available! And I appreciate her giving me permission to take photos.
The color samples are tucked into this louvered door — what a good idea.
Luscious colors. I believe these rolls were for felting.
I don’t have a spinning wheel (yet) so I bought yarn instead of fiber.
After much deliberation, I settled on these.
Berroco Captiva — cotton, polyester, and acrylic, made in Italy.
Malabrigo Lace — merino, made in Uruguay.
(In light of what I’ve been reading about sustainability, it’s interesting to read the history of the Berroco company, and about Malabrigo‘s history and commitment to sustainable practices. I look forward to the day when quilt fabric companies provide this level of information.)
The best find of the day was PLY magazine. I don’t consider myself a spinner, but the magazine’s big bold pictures called out to me, and as I skimmed through, I could see that there were articles for drop spinners, wheel spinners, knitters, and artists. I chose two issues, on Community and Texture, and when I got home I just read them straight through. There is such a wide range of articles — along with the expected ones on sheep breeds, fiber art history, and spinning techniques, there are articles on how to set up a fiber retreat, how to avoid injuries from the repetitious motions in craft, how to express a sense of place on one’s fiber art.
Some of my favorite articles: “Metal-wrapped Yarn,” “Spindle Sommelier: Pair your fiber perfectly”, and “Spindle 7”, an account of a site-specific art project on the #7 train in New York. So many new ideas!
Here’s the video mentioned in that article:
<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/15853937″>Spindle 7</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/susanforste”>Susan Forste</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>
The magazine’s generous and inclusive attitude seems to me to be summed up by article author Suzy Brown: “The concept of ‘intellectual ownership’ is impossible if you believe in the collective unconscious so I prefer to go ahead and share ideas and inspiration rather than keep them to myself. I prefer to be part of a community, rather than a dragon alone, guarding my gold.” (in the article Collective Creativity in the Community issue)
I will definitely be re-reading these and subscribing.
That’s the joy of a Local Yarn Shop — not just the hour of fun in the store, but the extension of the visit with hours of creativity and community afterward!
Other than that, I have not been making huge progress on any projects. I am still working on the Shirts and Ties quilt blocks, and I am up to a total of 10. In eight the diagonal is “forward slash” and in two it is “back slash”, so I need to make more “back slash” blocks. I haven’t begun to decide how I will cut up these blocks and rearrange them. I am enjoying making them because they are “suited” to being worked on in small amounts of time.
Eight “forward slash” blocks.
Two “forward slash” and two “back slash.”
I kind of like the way that the rocks holding down the corners give a little roundness to the design. I think I will try to add in something to evoke tie pins and cuff links.
So my actual textile time has been minimal lately, but it has affected many more hours with mental satisfaction!
What a wonderful and inspirational day out.
It’s been a while since I did any textile-related shopping! I’m like you, trying to use up what I have before I buy more. But sometimes you just have to give in. 🙂
Sounds like you had a wonderful and refreshing day.
Very much so! I could have stayed all day.
Ply is a fantastic magazine, so glad you found it. What a great yarn shop, all that angora yarn, eye candy for sure! So are your quilt pieces, I do like the foreward slash and backward slash pieces together.
I can’t believe I haven’t found it before now! But on the other hand, I am always trying to work with what I already have, read the books and magazines I already have, that I don’t go out looking for new sources. I just need to work faster so I can get to the new goodies! 🙂
Loved the yarns you selected. Will have to add this shop to my list!
Between you and me, we have a pretty good guide to Fiber Attractions of Texas!
That malabrigo is so yummy!! What will you make with it?
I am planning to make just a simple scarf, with the dark blue as a vertical stripe on either side, and the variegated as the central stripe. Maybe even with a cable. Although I don’t know if variegated looks good in cables or too busy.
Thank goodness I admire yarn but don’t covet it. If I did I’d be flying down to Texas to visit that shop. Love the striped chevrons in the shirtings.
And if you ever do, it is very convenient to the airport without having to suffer in the crazy Houston traffic.
And I do think I will go with chevrons in the shirt quilt instead of having them face all one way. We’ll see.
I can’t believe you’re not a spinner – I think you’d enjoy it so much. However, it sounds like you are keeping busy with your other lovely “makes” – difficult to find time for everything you want to do.
Well, I know how to spin and I do love it, but I don’t have a spinning wheel. I do have some drop spindles and lots of fiber, and even some spinning books! So I think I need to get into it more.
Lovely angorayarn, and the rest of that place looked nice too. To bad it’s on the other side of the atlantic… Or, maybe thats a good thing for my wallet 😉
Okay, but if you ever DO get over here, it’s very accessible from Houston Intercontinental Airport! And in the meantime, sometimes a virtual visit is almost as relaxing as a real one — and as you pointed out, more economical! 🙂
I love the diagonal blocks! And your outing sounds very rewarding, in multiple ways.
The quilt blocks are amazing! Your field trip looked like so much fun.
Love those blocks – great job. If you liked Mohair and More, then you need to make a trip to Comfort, Tx, to the Tinsmith’s Wife Shop. It’s awesome…
I have seen that shop on several blogs, and I go through Comfort when we go to our Hill Country place, but we are always in such a hurry! I need to be sure I am driving next time and then I will just happen to have to pull over in Comfort….
Oh pls do as I know you’ll enjoy it.