River's Edge Fiber Arts

New fiber line being introduced at the upcoming Spring Shows – IN Fiber & Music Fest, Waynesburg Sheep & Wool Festival, Great Lakes Fiber Fest & Iowa Sheep & Wool Fest. Hat Trick is the name and 3′s are the game! This is a 40/40/20 blend of Merino/SW Merino/Silk and even with 40% due to the fineness of the merino, it wet felts too! This has a gorgeous hand to it, and is sure to delight anyone wishing to have pure luxury running through their hands.

Time to get your fiber fix for sure! I have been super busy dyeing North Port – an excellent DK weight, 3-ply 100% merino – Vat Dyed and if today’s presentation is an indicator – attendees loved the depth of shades and subtle color changes. There is also a great selection of sock yarns.

While it lasts – at the upcoming shows there is a season clearance on the worsted weight (reg. $35 now $25) and a few of the sock/sport weight yarn lines (reg. $19 now $15).

Hope to see you at one of the listed events. There is nothing better than going out for a day of play with a whole bunch of others who feel the same way – we all love to play with fiber!

Yours,

Carol & Soft Shoe Louie

To help celebrate – enter the code “Louie” at checkout and receive 10% off your purchase from my Etsy shop – listed to the right. Discount good thru MAY 1ST (extended!).

I just listed a brand new custom houseblend – Exotica. It is excellent for spinning and welt felting alike! This is a limited run, not to be repeated so don’t wait! If you need more than what is listed, send me a quick email, I have backstock on several of the colorways at the moment.

Photo – Louie age 1 – WI Spin-In.

Happy Birthday to Louie, Happy Birthday sweet love.

Due to a personal emergency Greencastle Indiana – Putnam County Fairgrounds for River’s Edge is not attending for 2012, we will be back in 2013. Darn.

Because of the stock that was created in preparation for Greencastle, Etsy will be updated in the next few day’s with some really interesting and beautiful new fibers and yarns. Exotica is a limited edition signature house blend – I am in love with. This is a one time offering, so don’t hesitate!

Also, the batts – the hand-make batts – the hand-dyed, picked and carded batts.  I will be posting some additional new colors.

And, the balls – the hand attenuated, color drafted balls – I do these be hand as many of you desire to have the fibers but not in the braid format. The colors have been hand-blended to create long colors with flecks of complimentary colors running through each color section. They are available as a very limited offering this time, and as the demand grows, so will the selection!

Wheels – we have Schacht and we have Kromski’s!

Wheel purchases from us include annual tune-ups, and a generous gift-pack for starters.

I will be attending Kensington Metro Park by Novi last weekend in April. Go to the farm area, lots of demonstrations, baby farm animals, sheep shearing and more! 12-4 on Saturday & Sunday – there is a small entrance fee.

Farmer’s Markets are starting up in May. Can’t wait to partake in these!

April brings wonderful new things via Mother Nature. I enjoy watching the various flowers and foliage come up throughout this month. I am trying some of those upside down planters this year as my 1st foray into gardening for produce. Reviewing my show schedule – I should have some fresh grown pesticide free vegetables for our fall journeys.

River’s Edge has gone through many changes for 2012. We now carry two brands of spinning wheels – Schacht and Kromski – pretty much covering the range of any wheel a person would desire: entry level, modest price, travel, traditional saxony styles, cadillacs and made-to order Schacht/Reeves – Schacht’s heirloom line. River’s Edge has an excellent package and continued support and service on our products.

Another new line that has gone through it’s trial testing is our hand-made batts. Each batt takes up to two hours to create, pulling from a huge range of hand-dyed fibers ranging from Yak down to the finest merinos, among other fine wools, silks, milk, banana, bamboo and more. They are offered in small quantities and non-repeatable so I recommend purchasing what you plan on to make sure you can complete your project. The Etsy shop is updated as each new colorway comes off the carders.

River’s Edge has been slowly introducing a 2nd line that is also created totally by hand – the business has been well known for the colorways offered to create gorgeous yarns/felted items in the past, I have gone one step further and now offer many of those colroways already prepped and ready for spinning – the color layout is listed on the label. Yes, they are a litte more expensive than our “braids” due to the additional labor involved, however many found they preferred the fibers this way and are having a great time with their spinning results.

I invite you to come and check out our new lines.

I was ready to come home. This unexpected weather made me long for the sounds of the river. Louie and I spent about an hour sitting (I sat and laughed while he ran around the yard in big circles full tilt) out on the top step of the stairs down to the river, just enjoying observing the already bloomed daffodils, the still in bloom hyacinths and the soon to bloom tulips all the very first bulbs I planted when I moved into my home 10+ years ago.

We had a great time in Townsend, TN and Bowling Green, OH; seeing so many of our friends we have been making over the years, and making new ones, too. Some of our wheels found their new forever homes, and to see that side of the business grow is thrilling to me. River’s Edge did not go into selling spinning wheels lightly, we wanted to make sure we provided the best service possible, and hope those who have acquired their new wheels from us are pleased with their choices, and confident in how to use them.

I wish to thank every single person who chose to purchase fiber, yarn and equipment from us. I am forever grateful for your business and friendship.

Carol & Soft Shoe Louie

March begins our spring show season with 2 shows, the first one in Townsend Tennessee (my most favorite place on earth), and Bowling Green, Ohio the following weekend. On the menu bar above, select “Show Schedule” for links, dates, and more information. This month has me giving a program on “Loss Prevention” at Spinner’s Flock Guild Meeting in Chelsea, MI. This particular guild is known throughout the midwest for its 3 huge sale events featuring all things fiber offered by members. I hope to see you at one of my scheduled events.

Yours,

Carol & Soft Shoe Louie

River’s Edge Fiber Arts Leap Year Day Sale continues through March 4th.
Enter code: LEAPDAY10 when prompted and receive 10% off your order.
New batts, colorways, fiber lines, yarns!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/riversedgefiberarts
Thank you.
Carol Larsen
River’s Edge Fiber Arts

River’s Edge Fiber Arts will be available at several of the local area farmers’ markets (greater Lansing, Michigan) when time allows. I love how the markets’ are run, management is always present and protective. I love to be with others’ offering out the fruits of their labors. It’s how I prefer to conduct business, and I look forward to any of you wishing to come and visit, making the effort to do so.

After a very disturbing event at the location I had some of the products in, I decided it was not the proper environment for me. River’s Edge Fiber Arts products are no longer available at Ledge Craft Lane in Grand Ledge.

Sincerely,

Carol & Soft Shoe Louie

After being on the road for several weeks, it always takes a little while to get things back where they belong. The drive home was uneventful – perfect.

So, tomorrow more photos, and out comes the batt machines! I am so looking forward to offering these out to our fiber friends! Be watching for our Valentine special to be sent out in the next few days.

The bitter cold has Louie acting like a little barnacle. He has such short fur, he loves to have his sweater put on to keep his little body all warm and snuggly.