drucilla pettibone

the indigo seedlings are finally looking a bit stronger. there are only five out of many that i planted... but i'm cautiously optimistic that i'll have some natural fermented blue. what i've been working with up until now is a pre-reduced vat, one of those that comes with powdered indigo in a kit, which is fine and has worked great, but the process will be even more magical once i've grown the plant. so i'll transplant soon. i do also have some that i sewed directly and they are a bit larger than these, but i've actually been hard pressed to say which ones are indigo and which are weeds, so at least now i have these precious few seedlings to help identify..

 it's been frantic here getting ready for everything, a big fiber show starting on the 18th, my first really. i've done small shows with a table, but never one this size. so i'm hardly sure whether i'm over- or underprepared (well, i know right now i'm underprepared, but have a schedule of making i'm following until then). i'm trying not to stress too much, and i suppose i'll find out whether i'm a fair person. i've wondered if i'll be one of those vendors hiding and who hardly looks up from her laptop, or whether i'll be able to chat and enjoy the scene. i just have to be sure not to spend every bit of what i earn, since shopping is a big danger at something like this!

i've also been under seige with custom orders. oh, woe is me!! haha, i have always longed for days like these, and never believed this life could be possible. where my biggest problems are whether i can bear to spin all day!! and what podcasts to listen to and netflix to watch. but i have to shift to show prep now and it bothers me to have back orders and wonderful customers waiting for their yarns.. luckily they are the nicest bunch.. etsy-ers often say that, don't they? but it is so true!! in the meantime, my house is a wreck and it's likely to stay that way during this busy month, so i'm trying to ignore it and stay put in my studio, emerging briefly to refill my coffee or wine, and for puppy walks and bunny chores. and a little laundry. today my husband called me elusive.

i decided to try dyeing millspun for this show. i've dyed my own fleece and handspun, but a friend suggested offering some hand-dyed millspun and the idea has grown on me. i'm not sure why i've felt that i had to handspin everything myself. some notion of wanting to stay connected to the animals i suppose. but i am feeling so drawn to the dye process and wanting to play more and more with natural dyes. something about being a dyer is calling to me so strongly. i know it's the influences of many of my artist sheroes, india, jude, glennis, arlee and eva. maybe it's some way of connecting their work, which i love so much, with my yarnie vocation. anyhoo i'll have a small bunch ready for the show and if all goes well, start offering it in the shop. if somehow i feel i must spin the yarn myself, i can always press bedelia, my pseudo-canadian production wheel, into service. she is great at producing thin yarn, i can barely keep up with her.

i've been remiss in my blog visits lately, friends. you know how it is though, sometimes we have to hole up a bit to accomplish our business.. i'm here though, well-wishing and popping over as time allows.