Name: Jess Pflueger
Business name: Fiddlehead Fibers
Website(s): Fiddlehead Fibers Etsy Shop

What kind of items do you make?
Washed wool locks/fleece

What got you interested in your art of choice?
I’ve been an avid knitter for a while…knitting led to spinning; and spinning eventually led to working with wool right off the sheep.

What do you most enjoy about what you do?
I really enjoy the opportunity to work with the wools from different breeds of sheep. Each fleece is a new adventure.

What makes your creations unique?
The wool I offer is in a “raw” (but washed) state – the lock structure is retained. So you can still get the experience of working with a specific breed’s wool in its raw form without having to get an entire fleece or having to do the dirty job of washing and sorting the fleece.

What is something you strive to offer the fiber arts community?
The opportunity to use wool from different breeds of sheep in its “raw” state. There are so many different textures and natural colors available from breed-specific wool.

Name: Karen Orchard
Business name: Berry Patch Creations
Website(s): Berry Patch Creations Shop, Website, on Facebook, on Pinterest

What kind of items do you make?
Hand dyed wool and wool blend yarns.

How long have you been in indie artist?
For 10 years I have been sewing, knitting, and dyeing fabric and yarn. The yarn dyeing started about 8 years ago and I started really doing that almost exclusively two years ago.

What got you interested in your art of choice?
I had started sewing in order to make cloth diapers, then started knitting to make diaper soakers. I began selling cloth diapers and later knit soakers. I was a part of a large WAHM community of artisans and crafters all centered around the hand made cloth diaper industry. Many of us are all still friends and keep in touch, even though most of us have moved on to other ventures outside of WAHM diapers. One of my greatest influences and mentors would have to be Morwenna of Mosaic Moon, we even share the same birthday. Marnie and Julie of The Cushie Tushie, shared much knowledge with me about dyeing yarn, as well.

What do you most enjoy about what you do?
Color! I just love color, closely followed by yarn. Most people are pretty happy when shopping for yarn, unlike shopping for insurance or getting a prescription filled.

What most inspires you?
Photographs or palettes, mostly. I find a lot of inspiration from photographs or graphic art on Pinterest and Etsy. It could be anything, though. Sometimes even watching a movie with my kids will inspire a new colorway or an assortment of colorful items on a clearance rack.

Do you have a favorite item or colorway?
Tough to choose a favorite colorway. I just couldn’t. Lately, I have been thinking I really want to make something using Forest Stream. Who could pick one yarn base? You have to have variety.

What is something you strive to offer the fiber arts community?
I do a lot of custom work, where people will ask for a custom colorway to be created. Being able to offer that is fun and satisfying.

Does being an indie fiber artist affect other aspects of your life?
Probably makes my husband crazy. I am probably nuts to keep at this and have a full time job and 3 kids. However, now that I rediscovered my creative side 10 years ago, letting go of it frightens me. The thought of not being able to create feels suffocating and horribly boring. Life would pretty dull without art.

What is your fiber arts superpower?
Custom palette creation motivates me. From what customers have reported back, I think I have delivered what they had in mind

How is the fiber arts world different for you today than it was five years ago?
It seems to be growing and growing. Many more knitters and crocheters now, than just 5 years ago.

Name: Allena Williams
Business name: StarKnits
Website(s): StarKnits Shop, on Facebook

What kind of items do you make?
I like to think of it as knitting, crocheting and spinning support. I make various project bags, fabric baskets, stitch markers and custom crochet hooks

How long have you been in indie artist?
I opened an etsy shop in ’06 but I finally got really serious about it in 2010-2011

What got you interested in your art of choice?
It started one Christmas season when I wanted to give my students a useful gift and not go broke. I went into my bead collection and made some fun, fancy and dangle stitch markers that I affectionately called Bling. (because every crafter should Bling up their work in progress) I gave my students these blings and they LOVED them. I was asked to consign a few to the local yarn store. Then in an attempt to keep my yarn off the floor I came up with the yarnlet bag. Those too, I was asked to consign at the store. Shortly after I started making a portable project bags because I like to have a project with me at all times. By then I was hooked and decided to list a few bags and bling on etsy.

What do you most enjoy about what you do? 
I love color and fabric. When I walk into a fabric store I go a little crazy. I’ve always loved making things with my hands.

What most inspires you?
Things around me, bright colors, shapes, kids toys etc.

What makes your creations unique?
I would say pockets, most of my bags have pockets. and most of them don’t have exposed seams either. I take my time with each and every bag.

Do you have a favorite item or colorway?
I can’t really pick any. I do really love the Dr Who fabric I have.

What is something you strive to offer the fiber arts community? 
I think everyone needs a little color and fun in their life. So my bags are fun and colorful, some of them make me laugh and others catch your eye, there’s no need to carry your knitting/crocheting/spinning around in plastic bags.

Does being an indie fiber artist affect other aspects of your life?
Yes my house is over run with yarn, fabric, wool, spinning wheels and anything to do with all of those.

What is your fiber arts superpower?
I can’t reveal that to you then you’d know my secret identity!

How is the fiber arts world different for you today than it was five years ago?
I think the biggest change is Ravelry. Before that I would spend hours finding patterns or yarn now I can do a simple search and spend hours chatting in forums. LOL  Also I’ve learned to spin and weave in the past 5 years.

For basic info about the show, click here.

VENDORS
The vendor list on the right side of the blog is final and accurate!  Check them out.

PARKING
If you’ve never been to the show before, know that it is at a school in a residential area and that all parking is street parking. If you are worried about having to park a couple of blocks away, come later in the day when the show is less busy.

HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY
This show is not handicap accessible. We are using the second floor of an old school and the community center has not been able to raise enough money to get an elevator yet.

GIVE-AWAY TAKE-AWAY TABLE
New this year to the show! A table to get rid of the fiber arts stuff that you just have lying around collecting dust. And maybe to score something new that makes you happy. Books, patterns, needles, knitting, crochet or spinning supplies all welcome! You do not have to bring something to take something or take something if you bring something.

SNACKS
There will be snack table this year, without the coffee and tea that we had last year.

DONATIONS
Both the snack table and the give-away take-away table with have a place for donations. All donations will go towards the elevator fund of the community center.

PLACES TO KNIT/SPIN
There are four empty booths this year that will be set up with chairs.  Feel free to make yourself comfortable, grab a snack and chat with other folks!

Hi all,
IKS had an amazing group of volunteers help out last year! And I’d like to get some more for this year. Sometimes it might just seem like there’s nothing to do, and that’s okay. If you don’t mind just sitting and knitting when there seems to be nothing going on, feel free.

The perk: all vendors will be ready to go at 10:30 so that you get a full half an hour of shopping before the show opens.

We will need most volunteers in the morning. Here’s some of the things you could be doing:

Loading in (Saturday 8 am to 10:30)
We also have some folks loading in Friday night 7-9 if you want to help load but that works better for you
Booth Set up
Giving folks in the booths breaks
Monitoring the give-away take-away table and/or the snack table

Please note, we are on the second floor this year and there will be lots of stairs to carry stuff up and down if you choose to load in.

Please contact me at cosymakes (!at) gmail (dot!) com if you’re interested.

Indie Knit and Spin is looking for some new vendors! The event will happen Saturday November 16th at the Wilkins School Community Center from 11-5.  This show is for knitting or spinning supplies – yarn, fiber, buttons, stitch markers, bags etc.

Please email me at cosymakes (!at) gmail (dot!) com if you are interested and I’ll send along a complete information sheet.

What: Pittsburgh’s only Indie Fiber Arts Marketplace

Who: Everyone who loves to work with beautiful and unique yarn and fiber. There will be yarn and fiber dyers, spinners, designers, creators, and sewers – and, of course, you and your fiber arts friends!

Where: Wilkins School Community Center in Regent Square, 7604 Charleston Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15218 **

When: Saturday November 16th, 2013, 11:00-5:00

Why: Because this is the best place in Pittsburgh to score fabulous hand-made yarns and fiber! Come shop for your holiday knitting, gifts or… just for you!

and entry is free!

**Please note, this space is not handicapped accessible, and requires the climbing of several flights of stairs to get to the show. Despite efforts to raise the funds, the Community Center has not yet succeeded in getting enough money for an elevator.

Thinking about what Stephanie has been up to since last you saw her?  Here it is.

Wondering what Lisa has been up to in the last couple of months. Oogle these photos!

Wondering what Cosy has been up to since last you met?