So, it’s a new year!

The latest Mythic Fiber Club is finally mailed out, the latest big update is up, and… the world turns. Which means it’s time to talk about the future. Gnomespun’s and mine. Don’t worry, I’m not closing it down. I still have to pay bills for the foreseeable future.

However, I have something new starting. I’m going to be volunteering in a toxicology lab at UMass Amherst. This is definitely a good thing.

After all the up and down and back and forth over jobs, I’ve ended up going 2 years without active science on my resume. This is not so great a situation for trying to get a job in this economy with the government cutting funding to just about everyone who funds biologists. So now that’s ending, and I’m putting active science back on the resume, getting a new letter of recommendation, some new skills, etc. If I’m really lucky, maybe I’ll even get a new publication.

It does mean my time will be compressed. This is pretty much a full time position, plus 2 hours of commute every day. So, what does this all mean to you guys? It means there won’t be a winter Mythic Fiber Club. I’m still hoping to do another one in spring. There will be updates, but I don’t know right now how frequent or large they will be since I will be dyeing on nights and weekends.

So! Gnomespun will continue to be around, but slightly different for the next 3-4 months.

That’s all for now!
~The Gnome

The shop has been updated.

Shop is as always, here.

Fibers: Rambouillet, Coopworth, New England Blend, Tunis, Dorset, and blended batts

Colorways: Bubblegum, Butterfly, Cardinal, Curry, Copper Kettle, Deep Amethyst, Green Frog, Green Mountains, Heady Brew, Hold Me Close October, Jasper, Kitchen Sink, Lichen, Nettle, Northwest Passage, One Fish Two Fish, Ruby, Scarlet, Sorbet, Spicebush Swallowtail, Storm Squall, Swamp Thing, Tweedle Dum, Witching Hour, Zombie Attack!

Notes: This is the last of the New England Blend, Tunis, and Coopworth.

You’ll notice some more carded batts! Not many, they’re a little slow to make. These are non-specific blends. That is, I can tell you what’s in them but not exact quantities.

Aaaand you may notice two wood things down there. Spindles! A bottom whorl and a top whorl! Right now the bottom is listed as a kit with 2oz of fiber with it. However, if you want it without the fiber just drop me a note and I can do that for you.

I’ve tried to price them so as to be accessible to beginners but spend enough time on finishing that they are quality tools. I test each one before listing it and have spun a fair amount of yarn on their companions.

Maple and pine bottom whorl – 2.0 ounces

Maple and red oak – 1.2 ounces

Stuff happening this week. Will let you know how it goes.

Puppies say, “Daaaaad come BAAAACK!”

~The Gnome

Like the title says! The last shipment of this club went out this morning. You guys should be receiving it shortly!

More on other stuff soon!

That’s all for now!
~The Gnome

The shop is, as always, here!

Fibers: Coopworth, Dorset, Tunis, Rambouillet, New England Blend, Wensleydale, Coopworth

Colorways: Beaufort Sea, Berry Surprise, Deep Sea, Deep Wine, Defying Gravity, Falling In, Grapes of Wrath, Heart of the Fire, Hold Me Close October, Icelus, Leaf Pile, Little Green Frog, Mossy Pond, Nebula, Rhubarb Cobbler, Deerfield Ledge, Shrimp Scampi, Smoke on the Water, Spanish Shawl, Swallowtail, Spring Grass, The Sun Rises, Winter Comes, Witching Hour, Wooded Glen

A note: This is the last of this particular batch of dorset roving.

That’s all for now!

Mokey says, “Paint me like one of your French girls!”

~The Gnome

Stuff that needs to get mentioned…

November club went out. Totally forgot to post that. December on the way.

Next update should be later this week. It will have more NEB, Dorset, and Tunis, yes.

On sourcing…

As a rule, my tops come from some large suppliers I have found, with a few notable exceptions.

My rovings, come from largely local farms. I haunt most of the New England fiber festivals and pick up fleeces there. Additionally I get a lot of fleeces from local farmers with smaller flocks. Small flocks often don’t make enough fleece to be worth sending to the wool pools. So, we both win. Then I skirt the fleeces and send them off to a mill for cleaning and processing into roving. It’s a fairly lengthy process. As a rule I send out the bulk of my fleece in May, and don’t get it back until late July or August.

That’s all for now!
~The Gnome