How did I discover Birch Hollow Fibers Yarns and make three new friends, Octavia, Bernice and Robin you ask ?
Well let me tell you…cause there is always a story right !?!!
I was just visiting, hanging out if Im being truthful, lounging on the pink couch if im being truthfully honest, at one of my favorite LYS’s @heartsonfiber in Davidson, NC. I had purchase one of the wonderous yarns that owner Kim Clark along with daughters Lily and Logan thought up and dyed up. It was a striped hank of softness in their namesake indie dyed yarn brand “HOF” that was given the color name, “Lime Monkey “. As I lounged...I was looping through various inspirational thoughts complete with pixie dust…to guide me to next. For whatever was next…was it going to be all in Lime Monkey or Lime Monkey and…????
Well the thought fairies decided Lime Monkey was in need of a partner in crime for a Funky Crochet Hat escapade. Rising from the pink couch, lovely as it was, I hunted around this amazing modern home of yarn-ie goodness, “chit chatting and all thatting” with Lily and Logan…and There. She. Was. Phillis from Birch Hollow Fibers in all of her Avocado loveliness whispering, “Hey Gurl...yeah YOU of the Funky Crochet Hats. You know I go with the Lime Monkey right ? Don’t pass me and my DK-ness by too many time cause...you snooze you lose. I know you want that worsted-ness thing, but you can hold me together cause you got skills. Do that and watch me work"
Never a Gurl to ignore an audible yarn whisper…or opportunity to buy “new to me” yarn when it comes in a color I vibe…I grabbed a hank of Phillis in Avocado, giving an initial squeeze that induced cover your mouth smiles for both of us and knew, this was going to be the beginning of something good. How good? So good…I cld not even have dreamed it up.
Back in the studio, Im just hooking along, Lime monkey on the crown, Phillis in Avocado starting to show up on the body, when it dawned on me…this is not even about yarn chicken…imma straight up run out of yarn. Thankfully this was during the summer when an appearance with the Queen City Designer Trunk Show was in motion, so no worries, I would bring it to work on during the appearance and grab another hank of each, fingers crossed.
Sitting at Hearts on Fiber the day of our appearance with the other 3 designers in the show, (in chairs vs the pink couch cause we were trying to be cute, greeting all who entered), I scored and placed my two hanks that were in stock, (thank the yarn gods) right behind me so I wouldn’t forget them when leaving. The shows leader and awesome knit designer Jessica Brist of @Snickerdoodleknits, noticed them and asked if I had ever considered a collaboration with Birch Hollow Fibers. Well... no, I hadn’t as having recently discovered Phillis, I was just happily checking that out. She offered to connect the owner and I as she thought it could be a great opportunity.
Well…if you know me, you know, Im on it. A connection in a text, lead to a phone conversation that was just pure fan girl on fleek as, the more I listened to Robin Guy, Owner and Dyer of Birch Hollow Fibers share her story, talk about life in upstate New York, sharing that she names yarns after female authors and poets, hearing about the “The Society of Tea Drinkers and Fiber Makers”, the more I thought…I really dig her.
Requested yarn samples in weights that are more in my jam zone, Phillis's sisters so to speak, arrived the following week for swatching. "Octavia" in her all kinds of ways goodness, in her how many ways can we bring the Funk, squish-able self... just sang to me. Straight ahead Jazz. A little Ella, a little Sarah. I couldn't get Octavia on the hook fast enough. Some kinda in the round crochet magic was going on. Working it up in a fan repeat almost made me clutch my non existent pearls. Yarn Bestie!!!! “Bernice” in her luscious blooming beautiful mini hank, all fluffy and stuff, gave me a come on an give me a squeeze call to action that was louder than a whisper, a booming contralto in fact, daring me to get her on the hook. Well lawd... another new friend was made is all I have to say.
A true collaboration ensued with photos of potential Head Gear Swag in their proto form sent, colors discussed, suggested, selected, and put into work…all to make some loopy magic happen.
Well here we are...Dragon Fly Drum Hat proto’ed and sampled in various mixes of yarns, was finalized using Octavia. Breeze Worthy, another new Chapeau, Topper, Quite the Hat...also being release this year went through the same process and is being finalized using Bernice, a "bulky all that is good about fiber turned yarn", as its base.
So that’s the story and some "Behind The Scenes" deets of and on, how I made three new friends. One is real and two may not be real to others... but are to me via their talking yarn voices and distinct yarn personalities. Too much time around yarn...said no Fiber Artist EVER!!!!
Check out @birchhollowfibers and Robins amazing array of yarns. I have my fav’s, Octavia and Bernice, but Phillis is some DK goodness with faith her other bases can hold their own as well. And the colorways....OMYarn Goddess are they good!
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