Lockalicious!

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Artisan Spotlight: Natalie Redding of Namaste Farms

I love the wool shampoo so very much!!

thewooleryguy

A good wool wash is worth its weight in gold for both spinners and dyers, and Namaste Farms’ Wash and Dye is one of the best ones out there: not only does it clean and condition fibers, it also increases dye uptake – all without the use of parabens or sufates. Today, we have an interview with Natalie Redding of Namaste Farms, which is a family-owned and operated business based in Southern California. Enjoy!

Most of our fans have probably heard of you via your show on Nat Geo, Shear Madness. Can you tell us about how that came to be, and what it was like to film a reality show on your farm?

I know many farmers can relate to this, looking for ways to supplement the farms income. In 2008, hay prices skyrocketed because China was shipping their empty containers back filled with our hay. This made the…

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I am beehiving!

I finally got the hang of spinning bee hives yarn, here are the man faces of my versions ! 

    
    
    
   

Bunny Challenge

   

  

  

  

  

 Ahhhh…there is always a challenge said I ! Yeap I take the challenge Nigela! Suppose I am the last one who completed this! I carded merino, and angora rabbit fur/fleece, mulberry silk top and sari silk waste, I choose natural colour. As I never accepted this sort of challenge before, it’s got to be different from what I have done in the past . No dyeing said I . After I spun the single, it’s in my head it’s a challenge! Not to prove to anyone, but me ! Okay…I look around what is happening around me, everybody is doing all the overtwist that and that, this way , that way and think to myself..really? I don’t like twisting!! But it’s a challenge you ding dong! Well…think Mellissa, you have gazillions books! It’s is time…..the voice of Rafiki is in my head…! 
Looking at my book,  The spinner’s book of yarn Designs…. Yea pigs tail will do..said I , this is when I decide to take the challenge, that is couple of moons, or is it few moons ago. Time passing, I look all those people dyeing colors, should I , should I not dye this batts! One thing for sure, when I made a decision , that’s it! Then come Elsa Lam Halliday, with her chilli yarn! I am talking about colours! Dye or not to dye! That take another 2 days of my day, Nigela been sending reminders……

So today I said to myself..it’s now or never! With my singles, bunny batts and cotton boucle! I present you ‘ CHRISTEN’ . My first ever not so ordinary yarn. Pig’s style version , monkeys tail? Cats tail? 

Fibers all the time

   
    
   

Who will be my Valentine?

Too many thing to think, too many hours slipped my fingers, dishes to do, laundry is calling my name! Where all the Super heroes gone? Green Lantern? Flash?? She Ra, Wonder Woman at least!…. Sighhhhhhh…

The heat of summer weather in Auckland actually slows me down! Not to mention the age!

Back to the drawing board ! Actually my weeks filled with glee, meeting with interesting people! Professional and not so professional…Day time job!

Working towards my project/ goal/ Dream/ my passion… Process a lot of fleece, Perendale looking sleek and clean, test dyed mohair and Perendale batts! Work in progress with my colouring skills , really to be honest! I am so delicate said Annette Monty😛!

My journey to my own Golden Fleece is steadily marching strong, my baby steps is getting stronger by day…..alleluia !

Meeting with young designer and a call from senior designer alike is just overwhelmed to this poor ole soul!

So who will be my Valentine?

Saturday is in New Zealand…..housework is calling….

Carder, carding carded!

Too many things on my mind today, lights flickering in front of my eyes giving signs to me sit down and have a cup of tea! No can’t do that….took out the drum carder, I need to paint!baking done!

Drum carder and me is dangerous combinations, we understand each other well… Like a painter and their canvas, anything could happened !

My Drum Carder…..

Dearie, dearie – 2nd grade wool classer..

Too good of the weather today, not to wash fleece !! Today it’s Perendale day ! Sorting out, the motto for processing my fleece is, ‘ if in doubt throw out!’ The motto that I adapt from others that processing the fleece from the beginning!

Kids at times asking me, how much wool is enough? And why I have to get the smelly fleece? Well the fleece don’t just don’t turned in many colors from the sheep back dearie!!

In not do many words, I tried to tell the kids, nothing come from the silver spoon!!sone one got yo do the hard yard! Don’t think it’s sink in yet, but one day it will be….

So why the hassle Mellissa? Why can’t just make it short and simple? Don’t know……

I don’t grow up in the farm, the closest is living in a country with chickens, ducks, goat!! No sheep, well not at my place..

Spinning is something I would like to do when we migrate to New Zealand , but never have that chance, blame it on kids with their moods!! 😜

Btw…. Spinning has its mysteries as far I experience, in my opinion. Suzy Brown aka WoolWench , http://www.woolwench.com once said in one of her article, nothing like to feel the greasy wool and work from there….. And that is what exactly I did! She one of the first few, that lighted up that fire in me to want to spin ! I admire her work, her choice of colors speaks to me like my mother and my grandmother who nags me… So here I am ….living in the Country where is more sheep than its people 6:1 ratio lol.

Getting to know Perendale……

…. Dearie reader this is only the beginning…..the stories continues….

Hidy Ho Neighbours! Day 3!

..As the blogging journey and assignments continues.. I am just like a blind person, I learned well by doing mistakes! Reading and following my new neighbours, I know I am not alone!

I don’t think I will change my Blog name, I like it, I like it to be chic ‘n’ fish, what the hell is chic ‘n’ fish!? does it matter what? I just like chic ‘n’ fish! Be chic! and be fish!

From them I have learned that when one has the passion .. nothing is impossible, I still find it hard to write , to put into words, but I just have to read more, See I know why we have to visit the  neighbours and have brand new spanking blogs to read! Its a big world out there.

I been reading and looking a lot! Kinda like my new neighbours! Would like to learn what make them ticks! Still struggles with tags and categories but its only 3rd day !

.. enough rambling

Say you, say me, Say my name

It’s ,not really easy for me to write things on paper, words don’t come easy at times but I will take my baby steps ……

Mother of 4, working full time by the time I sit down to try writing the blog about stuff… I doze off to sleep! But that is then…this is 2015 ,New Year, nearly new me!!!

….the journey continues😊