Interview - Yarns From the Plain

I am so excited to officially announce that one of fluphs favourite Indie dyer is coming back for a second visit! Yarns from the Plain will be back on 

Wednesday 25th May

2pm - 8pm

Nic will be here with her beautiful array of freshly dyed yarn, and scrummy fibre. I cant wait to have a proper catch up as the last time i saw Nic was at woolfest 2015 and i was in a very sleepy zombie state and didn't really know who was accosting me in front of the ripplescrafts stall. Last year Nic answered a few questions for me, which yesterday i realised i hadn't posted (bad bad LJ) so lets find out a little bit more about Yarns from the Plain

First i must ask, what are you doing this end of the country? anything exciting planned?
I'm on my way up to John O'Groats for the Caithness Craft Retreat, hosted by Louise from the Caithness Craft Podcast. I kept hearing about how lovely Fluph was from Jo, the host of the Shinybees podcast, so since I was taking the shop up to Caithness, it seemed like an ideal opportunity to come and say hello!



What made you start dying yarn?
It first started years ago when I won a raffle prize of some undyed sock yarn and KoolAid sachets. I enjoyed it, so then took a workshop with Debbie Tomkies of DT Craft and Design. I dabbled a bit, dyeing yarns and fibres for myself, but had so much fun I couldn't stop. About 18 months ago I took a surplus to a Spinning Guild meeting to test the reaction. The members were grabbing the yarns and fibre out of my hands before I could even put them out! This reassured me that others would like my colour ways, so I carried on.

so what is currently on your needles?
Too many things! I have a horrible habit of starting things and getting distracted! However I am currently working solely on a Hansel Hap, by Shetland Trader, as part of the Knit British hap-a-long. I'm using one of my new bases, Wildboarclough, a North Ronaldsay 2ply. It's toothy and just right for a hap!

How do you take your tea/ coffee?
Decaffeinated! Tea is milk and two sugars, coffee is just milk, but I usually drink coffee.

Favourite cake?
Ooh, tough one! Either ginger or coffee and walnut I think. But cake is cake and I've not yet met a cake I didn't like!

Dogs or cats?
Cats. I've shared my life with both, though and they each have their own merits! I would like a dog again, but it wouldn't be fair on my elderly cat.


What draws you to a yarn?
That's hard to answer. Sometimes it might be the colour, but other times it will be the smooshiness. I love working with Blue Faced Leicester.

Tell me what your stash is like?
Out of control!

So apart from yarnygoodness, do you have a passion for anything else?
Weaving, reading and cake!




A massive thank you to Nic for answering my daft questions and make sure you mark the date in your diarys!

Lj out!

An Interview with Julia Billings

 

I'd like to introduce you all to Julia Billings, our new tutor here at fluph. When the infamous Clare Devine introduced me to Julia i knew she would fit in at fluph perfectly...she also likes the two mutts

fluph - Julia, you are new face to the Scottish knitting scene, can you tell us a little bit about where you are from?

Julia Billings - I'm from Melbourne, in the south-eastern corner of Australia. My husband and I moved to Glasgow a couple of months ago and are finding it pretty similar in many ways: the architecture, the weather, the dry sense of humour... it's not so different! Melbourne is a lot bigger though so it's lovely to be able to get out of town more quickly...

f - so why Scotland?

JB - We were after a change- we'd both lived in various places in our late teens and twenties and were keen to do so again. I think that many Australians feel a connection to Scotland because so many of us have ancestral roots here... so it was in part a chance to connect a bit more with that. But we both love getting out into nature and you can't beat the Scottish landscape for beauty and drama! And, for me as a knitter and knitting teacher, it's a dream to have the chance to explore some of the Scottish knitting traditions and to learn from some amazing knitters. I'm especially excited to get back up to Shetland for Wool Week after visiting there a few years ago... A magic place!

f  - So a few times I have found myself describing what a certain Scottish word means to yourself (and the Devine) what's your favourite word so far?

JB - Weegie, mostly because it sounds so great (and is very similar to another word that makes me laugh!), bairn and hen. I like the sounds of words and it's great for that here!

 f  - Can you tell us a cool Ozzy phrase? possibly to do with knitting? (does that exist)

JB - Umm. I don't know of any knitting phrases and I never know what is Australian and what isn't! But I do like the Australian habit of shortening words and adding -o to them, like bottle-o for the bottle shop or off-licence! I think it adds a fun rhythm to the way we speak!

f - always find it really interesting what made people pick up the needles/hook so where did your love of yarnyness begin?

JB - I had a go at crochet in my early twenties but it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I learnt to knit. I was working in horticulture at the time and there were a lot of cold mornings in the nursery so I decided that I better knit myself a scarf! Around the same time, a friend asked me to go along to a spinning course with her and I got hooked on spinning- and then I had to knit my yarns up into samples for the course... and after that, it became a big part of my life pretty quickly. Horticulture can be an amazingly creative job but it's pretty hard work and my hands loved the softness of yarn after a long day in soil and water. I don't spin anymore but I still knit all the time.

f - You made quite a splash at Edinburgh yarn festival with your beautiful recycled tweed pouches and machine knitted cowls, What kind of things do you like to do in your spare time?

JB - Thanks, that's lovely of you! Do you mean knit-wise? I'm a pretty pragmatic knitter, in that I only make stuff that can be worn- and worn hard. I suppose garments, big, sturdy shawls and hats are my mainstays. I love colourwork and do a bit of that but mostly I like to make things that are interesting to knit but that are wearable for me. So small details, interesting construction and lovely textures are what I look for in designs.  

And, when I'm not knitting, I'm mostly outside hanging out with plants. 

f - now the imporant stuff, how do you take your tea/coffee?

JB - Just quietly, I don't drink much of either- terrible, isn't it?! But I love Rooibos, straight and strong. 

f - It was Love your yarn shop day on Saturday, what do you love about local yarn shops?

JB - Having the chance to learn from people who know more than I do about a yarn, a technique or a tradition. I've worked in yarn shops for years and the two-way exchange of knowledge is the best. You just don't get that in an online sale.

f - Favourite cake?

JB - Sturdy, spicy ginger cake. Or carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Or baked cheesecake...

f - A question close to my heart, dog or cat?

JB - Oh, don't make me choose! I think it depends on the time and place. When I was a teenager, it was dogs. Then I shifted to cats, mostly because of one very special cat. Right now, I live in a 4th-floor flat and am beginning to think a floppy rabbit might be the only option I have!

f - What draws you to a yarn?

JB - Texture and then colour. I'm drawn to yarns that have been very lightly processed, the kind that still smell of sheep and have a good bit of bounce in them! And I love yarn from coloured sheep and fibre with a bit of a halo, like alpaca and North Ronaldsay.

f - Tell me what your stash is like?

JB - At the moment, it's pretty small! I'm not a huge stashed but I did have to pass on a lot when we packed up the house and I only brought my absolute favourites with me. Stuff like Rowan Scottish Tweed (why did they discontinue that stuff?!), Isager Spinni, some handspun and a colourwork mitten kit from beautiful Finnish natural dyer Riihivilla. But I did buy a few yarns at Edinyarnfest though so it now includes some John Arbon, North Ronaldsay and Ripples Craft Hebridean/ Shetland!

Julia will be teaching a range of classes with us at fluph, so head on over to the workshops page and see if you fancy learning something new.

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An Interview with Karina Westermann

The magnificent Karina Westermann, over the past year or so I have gotten to know you and spend a lot of time hanging out and making you feel uncomfortable. .. GIGGLES MADLY.

Ok, now to the interview!

fluph - Coming from an art school background, i'm always interested in where people take inspiration from and how they translate it into a tangable object. Where do you look for inspiration and what processes do you undergo( ie sketchbook) to turn that inspiration into one of your stunning designs?"

Karina Westerman - Inspiration is all around if you look. It's possible to find inspiration in the most unlikely places. I really love a specific pedestrian footpath over the motorway here in Glasgow – its combination of colour and form is extraordinary. I also love Pinterest as I can create moodboards on all kinds of topics: colours, textures, themes. I keep notebooks with colour swatches and design ideas – I take a notebook with me wherever I go.

f- Its Love your yarn shop day today, I would ask you who your fave yarnshop is, but thats obvious ;) so what do you love about local yarn shops?
KW - I really love that local yarn shops always reflect who runs them - every single one is different depending upon who owns it. I used to work for a yarn company (and now I travel across Britain), so I've seen a lot of yarn shops in my time and every one is different. I've seen everything from minimalist art gallery to eclectic pagan temples. It's always fun! And never underestimate what a good yarn shop can do for the local knitting community! All the best yarn shops understand and love their local knitting community. 

f- As I have mentioned you are a massive force in the knitwear design world, and I remember the first time I met you I totally fan girled. Do you have anyone that you would fan girl over?
KW - I have only been slightly daunted by famous people once or twice in my life! The first time was when I stood next to my all-time favourite musician and instead of chatting to him, I started examining a concrete pillar. The second time was at the infamous KnitCamp in Stirling when Norah Gaughan walked up to a stall I was working and said hello. I was a bit star-struck - Norah Gaughan is a North American knitwear designer that does all sorts of intricate cabling. As for fan-girling .. well, there's always Ewan McGregor! I might fangirl him a wee bit if I were to meet him!

f - How do you take your tea/ coffee?
KW - Both: milk and no sugar. I go through an enormous amount of milk with my beverages.

f - Favourite cake?
KW - Lemon drizzle, hands down.


f - I know that you are a dog person, but what is your favourite breed? (apart from spaniel obviously!)
KW - Oh, oh! Cavalier King Charles Spaniel! I used to have a Cavalier, a Blenheim one (the cream/ruby coat) and he was just the best dog ever. Cavaliers are not the brightest dogs, but they are affectionate, food-loving and appreciate the finer things in life like sleeping all day. I can completely empathise with that!

But all dogs are lovely.

f - We were both recently at Edinburgh Yarn Festival (which was amazing) did you actually have time to buy anything? And if so what? Let me smoosh! 

KW - I didn't get anything! I was so busy working that I only briefly stepped into the marketplace and then only to say hello to friends on stalls. I did come away with a new sock base sample from an indie dyer - but only a tiny undyed hank so I could swatch and see what I thought of the base. I was really gutted that I didn't have time to go around and see all the amazing stalls. Next time!

f - What draws you to a yarn?

KW - I really love rustic yarns - yarns where you can still sense the wool's come from a sheep and it hasn't been processed beyond recognition. As long as I am working with natural fibres, I am happy. I do have a soft spot in my heart for yarns that look really nondescript in the ball but which spring to life once I start handling them.

Also, half my stash is moss-green but I'm trying to grow as a person!

f - Tell me what your stash is like?

KW - Huge. I used to work for a yarn company, so I picked up a lot of yarn as a result. I also have a very kind and generous family who all like buying me yarn for my birthday. And when I first got back into knitting, I didn't know what I liked so I just picked up a lot of stuff in the sales. I'm not really loving the size of my stash because it's hard to find what I'm looking for and - because of my job - I cannot use yarns that have been discontinued. I think I'm due a good stash overhaul!

f - I know you are a huge eurovision fan, so if you were to enter yourself what would you call yourself, what genre of song would you sing and more importantly what would you wear?

KW - Oh, I'd be either be Karie Bookish singing a twee little song ala Hinemoa's song in this year's Icelandic qualifiers (https://youtu.be/CgoW9MLjxic) whilst wearing a fair-isle cardigan and a retro dress.. OR I'd go full out with the glitter and form a girl/boy band complete with dance routines and disco balls. Something along the lines of this Swedish entry (https://youtu.be/IgB0se-Iq4E).

Full disclosure: one of my all-time favourite ESC entries is this one from Turkey (https://youtu.be/riMSxOc7ZyA0 but I can't see myself doing the whole frontman-of-a-rockband thing..