In honor of our grand opening we  will be running 3 contests starting on opening day:

1. The first 100 customers will be placed into a drawing for a $10 gift certificate towards a future purchase from Pulling at Strings
2. Anyone who signs up for the Pulling at Strings newsletter between October 31st and November 7th will be entered into a drawing to win a free pattern of their choice up to a $7 value
3. Comment here on my blog between October 31st and November 7th with your favorite item in my store to be entered into a drawing for free shipping on any future order from Pulling with Strings

Now, its time to meet one of our artisans, Katie of Wool Food Market.  I have long admired Katie’s work and have quite the collection of her wool food for my little ones.  When she wrote her wool fruit felting tutorial earlier this year, I knew that I definitely wanted to carry it in my store.  Luckily for me, she agreed.

Here’s Katie!

When and why did you start felting?

I’d been introduced to felting by an on-line friend and fellow crafter.  However, she was a needle felter and I preferred the wet-felting process.  I had a rather large bag of wool roving that I started rolling into balls.  As I stood at the sink rolling wool in soapy water, I lingered on what I could make from the balls.  Most of the colors were fruity in nature and wool food was born.

What do you use for inspiration?

A farmer’s market or the produce section is where I get most of my inspiration for food.  I try to replicate the hues and variations of the fruits and vegetables.  Pineapples still escape me.

When I make playscapes, I love to create what one might imagine is hiding on the forest floor.  A gnome, troll, critters…a secret home in the base of an old tree stump.

What is your favorite item you have felted and why?

I really enjoy felting up wool tree stumps.  What exactly emerges from the water bath is always a surprise.

What are your favorite colors?

Orange and avocado green

Tell us one secret:

Tell us one secret: A washing machine is more forgiving than your own hands when wet-felting.  It’s not discriminating and felts evenly on all sides.  Our heads, via our hands, try to manipulate the wool.  A washing machine allows the wool to do what wool does…felt.  My greatest works would have never happened if I’d hand felted them.  Unwrapping them after a run through a washing machine allows the wool a certain amount of freedom that usually works.

I also understand that I’m working with a natural element so it’s not always going to work out as I envisioned.  I go into it every time understanding that some days the wool just isn’t going to work with me and I have a willingness to scrap disasters.

While working on the site design has been fun, shopping for the store has been even more exciting.  I have started placing wholesale orders these past weeks, and actually had my first show up on my doorstep this morning!  I will have some pictures for you soon as well as another Artisan reveal.  Hope you all have been having a great summer!

<3 The Yarn Lark

But for now, I would like to reveal another artisan – Julie of Selah!

“I am the knitting and spinning WAHM behind Selah. During my third pregnancy I accomplished a long-term dream and learned to knit. This quickly blossomed into an obsession with beautiful yarn and all the colors that could be created on such a useful canvas! Soon I was dyeing my own and fell in love. This has just progressed from there into my business “Selah”.

Color has always inspired me and sometimes actually moves me deeply… it can be healing, inspiring, peaceful or joyful. It is my hope that that also comes to you with your yarn and fiber.

My family and joy consists of three beloved little boys, a treasured daughter and my wonderful husband.  Family is very important to us and we value our unique little ones dearly. Among other things, I am a doula, local ICAN board member, doula network leader and birth activist on many levels. One day it’s my dream to become a homebirth midwife. In the meantime I am Momma, and work hard to bring joy and peace to those in my life.“

When and why did you start dyeing?

“I started dyeing yarn in the winter of 2007.  I was pregnant and had just learned to knit so that I would be able to make diaper covers for the new baby we were expecting.  I wanted to use premium yarn (yes, I am so a yarn snob, in the best meaning of the word!), but I didn’t always find what I was looking for so I started creating some of my own.  I quickly took to this new artistic expression for myself and fell in love!”

What do you use for inspiration?

“Inspiration comes from SO many areas!  People, experiences, pictures, the world in general – there is color all around!”

What is your favorite colorway you have dyed and why?

“I think *one* of my favorites is “Iron Giant” though I think they all take a seat in the “Favorite” spot for at least a season!  I love “Iron Giant” currently because the story is touching, powerful and a testament to the grace of human kind.  The colors jump out to me and I love it.  It looks to me as the exact way I would imagine the Giant.”

What are your favorite colors?

“Oh wow, that’s hard!  In particular I love red, blue, green and every shade of those.”

Tell us one secret:

“I just bought my first electric skein winder – for two years I have spun every single skein by hand!”

Thank you Julie!  :)