In March I took a weaving class from Linda LaBelle at The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn. Friday evening a reception was held at Habu to showcase the finished hand woven works from the Spring and Fall classes. It was also a party to celebrate the publication of Linda LaBelle’s new book The Yarn Lover’s Guide to Hand Dyeing – Beautiful Color and Simple Knits. It was quite a large crowd and everyone circulated the gallery, examining and enjoying the hand woven techniques and materials used in each piece. The highlight of the evening was when Linda read an excerpt from her book. She traveled the country interviewing seven hand dyers, collecting stories of their excitement and passion for dyeing yarn. The book contains a wealth of information on hand dyeing (from Kool-Aid to Jacquard Acid to PRO One Shot) and step-by-step instructions on how to hand dye accompanied by clear how-to photos. Each process is followed by a pattern. The behind-the-scenes look at the seven professional hand dyers (Hand Jive Knits, Schaefer Yarn to name a few) is fascinating – you get to see them at work in their studios and outside in the rich landscape and lush gardens that inspire them (often accompanied by their dogs).
And I must share with you the color and texture of the hand woven works. Enjoy!