Phinela: Part I

One of the things I love most about being involved in the fiber world, is the people I get to meet. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world that I get to wake up every morning and be outside with the animals I adore, in all kinds of weather. Most days I have my hands in the dirt, and the rest of my time I get to enjoy not only the fruits of my labor in the garden, but also the fruits of working with fiber animals. Producing a fiber product from start to finish is a lot of work, but incredibly rewarding. Along the way, I work with other farmers, a shearer, veterinarians, animal supply store owners, apprentices, farm helpers, fiber mill owners and employees, vendors, knitters, artists, and pattern designers. It truly takes a village to create a farm-to-fiber product.

One incredible woman I have had the opportunity to get to know is a very talented pattern designer by the name of Beatrice Perron Dahlen (@threadandladle). She knew exactly what to do with my yarn, and created a lovely, luxurious shawl that is truly perfect for everyday use.

Beatrice decided to call the shawl “Phinela”, after the name of our staple yarn blend, which is made with next-to-skin soft 60% finnsheep and 40% kid mohair, all from our flock/herd. Although I am partial to our own fiber, there are so many sport weight yarns out there that would be stunning as well for this pattern. And as Beatrice states, and I concur, knit with something you truly love! As the second half of a two-part post, I will be talking a bit about where the inspiration came from for the names of our two lines of fiber; Phinela and Mary.

As many of you out there know, my background is actually photography, not fiber or farming. So, another part of my job is getting to occasionally put those skills to work. Most often I use them for my own products, but I LOVE photographing knitwear! This photoshoot was particularly fun, and Beatrice was a trooper when I asked her to go wading in the ocean to get to where the light was most beautiful.

I am just itching to get this shawl knit up for myself in a couple of our naturally-dyed skeins. (See the previous post…I’m thinking that beautiful goldenrod…)

If you are interested in knitting this shawl, please head over to Beatrice’s ravelry page, and snatch up the pattern. Also, while you are there, take a look at some of her other stunning work; she has also written a wonderful book!

August Dyeing

Let the dyeing marathon begin! These upcoming weeks will be devoted almost entirely to dyeing fiber in preparation for the Common Ground Fair. This is really my favorite part of the process, as creating the colors never does get old. This first batch is with some of our "Mary" yarn; a blend of 70% mohair, 30% finn, and the combination is just out of this world in terms of the luster. Because of that luster, every skein of yarn is jewel-like in its beauty. 

I am particularly fond of this gradient of blues into greens. I'm just itching for someone to purchase the lot of them and knit up something divine. My favorite of the whole dye batch is the second photo...goldenrod and weld. That color is a shade I begin to crave in the middle of winter, when I can't remember what the sun's rays feel like on my face...

(Late) July, (Early) August

We've been so crazy busy the past few weeks that it's rare for me to have a free minute to sit down at the computer and write. There have been many beautiful, wonderful moments and family times of connection; a 60th birthday party, a visit from my brother and sister-in-law and their little boy all the way from Hawaii, a few perfect days at a lake, a new barn in the works, a bountiful and productive garden, and a quick getaway for just the two of us up North where there is nothing but silence and each other.

July.

Tonight was one of those nights. It rained off and on for most of the day, and when it stopped, we were left with every beautiful scent of a humid July evening. The fog hung in the air like a thick blanket, wrapping itself around our bodies and filling the air with a sticky dampness that clings. There is nothing quite like the smell of damp earth and forest, but those who are lucky enough to know what I mean, well, you're lucky.

The challenge for me during this season is, as always, to slow down. I don't mean slow down and do nothing, I mean slow down and appreciate. Take notice. This can be done simply by taking an extra deep breath on a particularly fragrant evening, such as this. Or, closing my eyes and letting the sun warm my lids for a few seconds in the garden. It is difficult to remember to do those things, but they are imperative. Those few seconds of noticing have the power to change the entire day.

Summer.

Well, I'm going to skip right over the past few months until later, because, well, I can. And it's peony season. I think if peonies and lily-of-the-valley bloomed year 'round, we would all be better people...or, at least our houses would smell like heaven.

Most of the time, my photos serve as a tool to illustrate a story, or promote something, and that's okay. But, there are times when I remember that I can photograph for pleasure too. Sometimes that's hard for me, to not necessarily have an "assignment"...creative freedom can be a tricky thing for a perfectionist. And really, how can one possibly capture the essence of such a flower in a flat image? Well, that's the challenge, I suppose. And yet, the essence of an object is a bit subjective; it means something different to everyone. I can only try to create an image that allows the viewer to see an object the way I saw it, felt it, smelled it, lived it.