Tactile: A Fiber Arts Studio

We've Moved!

The Tactile blog was moved to the Tactile website.  You can find it here.  Please join us!

As seen in Knit 1 Magazine

I think you can just make it out in the picture but #7 is our naturally dyed cotton yarn.  It is in the most recent issue of Knit 1 magazine.  Pretty cool, huh?  If you are interested in purchasing some it is in the store here.  We will be posting more soon!

Purples

I was re-skeining yarn was struck by how many different shades of purple there were in the group.  This is only a fraction of the different purples that can be made using natural dyes.  Just thought I would share this pretty picture!

Sept. 19th Update: Organics!

This week’s update is all about organic fibers and yarns. For the spinners in the group we are offering organic merino top and organic cotton sliver. The organic cotton sliver is from Sally Fox who grows the cotton here in California and is working on breeding colored cottons.

If you are more interested in yarns, we have a sport wt. organic merino yarn and a worsted wt. organic cotton yarn. I used the cotton yarn to make the ‘Baby Soft Cardigan’ from Knitter’s Book of Yarn (Rav page here ). It’s wonderful to work with.

 

Alpaca! September 5th Store Update

Alpaca!  This week we are offer alpaca spinning fibers and yarns.  So soft and luscious and warm.  Even though I live in a mild climate, I am always trying to work alpaca into my spinning and knitting.  Alpaca has wonderful drape.  Blend some alpaca with wool to add drape and warmth. 

A selection of naturally dyed and natural color (undyed) alpaca fiber including alpaca-silk blends.

A selection of alpaca yarns: Alpaca-Merino Worsted Weight, Superfine Alpaca Sport Weight, Alpaca Handspun.

We have also added some wonderful books on spinning and dyeing. 

Stop by the Tactile web store to see it all.

August 29th Shop Update: Silk!

  This week's update focuses on silk.  For the spinners we have Tussah Silk Top and 80/20 Merino/Cultivated Silk Top.  If you are looking for yarn we have Silk Lace yarn and 50/50 Merino/Silk Worsted Weight yarn.  We love silk for its luster and the drape it gives our projects.

We also have some beautiful handspun yarns to share with you as well.  These were spun with our top and are all naturally dyed or naturally colored.  This is a great option if you don't spin but want to experience the joy of working with handspun.

You can check it all out at the shop!

Wool-Cellulose Blends, August 22 Update

Today's update of the Tactile store is BIG!

We have added Merino-Tencel fiber.  It is 50% Merino and 50% Tencel.  It has incredible shine.  This is a fun fiber to felt. 

Merino-Bamboo fiber is a wonderful blend of 60% Merino and 40% Bamboo.  Often the bamboo doesn't take the color as well as the wool, creating a heathered fiber. 

Wool-SoySilk is a blend of 50% soft Wool with 50% SoySilk.  Yummy!

Linen-Merino Sport Weight Yarn is 60% Linen and 40% Superwash Merino.  The dye often strikes the two fibers differently creating a marled yarn.  It is quite nice to knit with and there is just enough Merino to give it some memory.  Try this yarn for warm weather socks or a cute tank top.

We have also added: a Learn To Spin Kit, spindles, a tote bag, a book, a couple of natural color fibers, and more colors of our Merino fiber, Merino-Tencel fingering weight yarn, and Merino fingering weight yarn.

Enjoy!

The Color Co-op - A Multi-Dyer Club

More fun news from Tactile! 

Kelly and Laura of The Unique Sheep came up with a brilliant sock yarn club idea and have asked Tactile to be a part of it. A multi-dyer club called The Color Co-op. Six dyers: The Unique Sheep, Sanguine Gryphon, Macek Designs, Mama Llama, Miss Babs, and Tactile Fiber Arts dye yarn inspired by the same piece of visual art. Each month club members will receive a yarn from one of the dyers. After 6 months, you will have received a yarn from each dyer and the cycle starts again.

How fun is that? It will be very interesting to see the six yarns created from the same inspiration. Club members are invited to submit and then vote for the visual art that will inspire the dyers. Members will be able to buy skeins from the other five dyers as well.

The first shipment is in November! Sign-up at The Unique Sheep. Details at the Color Co-op Ravelry group and on the Color Co-op blog.

Tactile Online Store Grand Opening!

We are pleased to announce that Tactile's online store is open for business!  You can find it at www.tactilefiberarts.com.  The website is restyled with more content coming soon.

We are starting with three fibers and two yarns.  We have so much more to share with you including more yarns, luxury fibers, patterns and spinning equipment.  Store updates will occur every Thursday night by midnight Pacific time.  Information on store updates can be found here on the Tactile blog.  You can find more information and share your projects featuring Tactile products on our Ravelry group which will be active later today.

As a thank you for shopping in our new store we will be adding a thank you gift to the package of the first, ninetieth, and twenty-third customers (Maia was born on the 19th and Brooke on the 23rd, hence the numbers!)

Stop by and visit it at our new home on the web,

Brooke & Maia
Tactile: A Fiber Arts Studio
www.tactilefiberarts.com

Black Sheep Gathering

We had a great time at Black Sheep Gathering!  It was so nice to see old friends and make new ones.  That is one of the best parts of this business.

Yarns on the display rack.

Lots of fiber.

Michele of Toots LeBlanc made this amazing sock from two of our yarns (one brown and one brown & gray).  I love it!  It is intarsia in the round.

See the cable crossings and the beaded picot edge?  (click on any image to see a larger version)  So creative!

More on our personal blogs (links in the side bar).