Today, we bring you a giveaway from SouleMama Sponsor, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company. In Leah's words:
"Kelbourne Woolens is the distributor and design arm of The Fibre Company yarns. We create custom spun yarns which are then hand-dyed in a lovely array of tonal, natural colors. We design knitting and crochet patterns and also, recently, have begun making craft accessories.
We blog regularly. We also have an online shop where customers can purchase notions, books, patterns, mill ends and one-off dye samples. This is new territory for us, but we have been making and dyeing yarn now for so long that we're overrun with sample skeins! We're adding new things all the time, and it's been a fun work in progress."
SouleMama: How do you come up with new designs and ideas?
Leah: I'm constantly knitting on the go, and trying to find different solutions to constant problems along the way. For example, for the holidays my family and I travel to rural Kentucky to visit my father's family farm, which is a seven hour car ride through the hills of West Virginia, aka perfect knitting time. While admiring the beautiful countryside I finished two sleeves for a sweater I was working on at the time. However, when we finally arrived at the farm I checked the gauge and my relaxed vacation knitting was completely different than my swatch. As any knitter will tell you, gauge is important, especially when knitting a sweater. So we designed and created the keychain knit check for on-the-go gauge checking.
SouleMama: What's your favorite part of your job? The most challenging?
Leah: One aspect of my job that I love is finding sourcing and working with different craftsmen and women to create unique products for our customers. Ironically, it is also one of the more challenging parts of my job as well. Hunting for sourcing is like playing a weird game of hide and go seek with manufacturers. On top of that is the production tango with countless prototypes and samples all leading up to the final product. However, the best feeling is holding the final product in your hand ready for the public.
SouleMama: If you could spend a day with any crafter/artist who would it be an why?
Leah: Wow, this is a tough one! I follow a ton of artisans through their instagram accounts and they all seem so inspirational and connected to their art. One of my favorites, however, is Maryanne Moodie, an extremely talented tapestry weaver who creates one of a kind wall hangings. Her exploration of fibers, color, and incorporation of fringe is breathtaking and truly inspirational. She holds workshops around the United States, and I plan on taking one of her classes in the future.
For today's giveaway, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company is generously offering the following gift to ONE lucky winner:
~ The Kelbourne Woolens Notions Gift pack.
This amazing prize features all Kelbourne Woolens notions including our locally sourced knit checks!
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To enter today's giveaway, please leave a comment (one entry per person, please) in today's post. I'll close comments by 8:00 am EST on Sunday, and announce the winner, chosen via Random Number Generator, shortly after. Comments closed! The winner is...
Great giveaway! Perfect timing since fall always kicks my knitting into high gear!
Posted by: Leah C
Thank you, Kelbourne Woolens + The Fibre Company!
