tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28658600613472614312011-11-08T19:10:15.655-08:00StarcroftLocated in the hills of coastal Maine on a hundred acre farmstead, Starcroft Fiber Mill is a small family owned and operated spinning mill.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-11489171203276244402011-08-06T15:09:00.000-07:002011-08-06T15:09:07.502-07:00Time-out! The other day my daughter gave me a 'time-out'. No, not the you've been bad go sit in the corner kind of 'time-out'. The other kind. The you've been good, working hard, and deserve a little 'time-out' of the hustle and bustle of your ordinary everyday life. The pause-the-game, take-a-break, recharge- the-juices-kind of 'time-out'. The go-out-and-smell-the-roses kind of 'time-out'.
Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-48984578580746635352011-07-05T12:41:00.000-07:002011-07-22T13:15:08.045-07:00Hand Spinning Fleeces Anyone?
Okay, they are ready! I have been enjoying several days of complete fiber nirvana. Fondling, skirting, fluffing, primping 20 luscious Nash Island Hand Spinning Fleeces. I had to push through several intense lustful moments. I'm proud to say I resisted temptation. I've had my moment, and now I'm ready to share. After all how many Nash Island fleeces does one girl need? (Don't answer Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-85796973791542867262011-06-30T11:54:00.000-07:002011-07-22T13:14:46.199-07:00Simon & Lang I've been listening to the radio lately while I'm milling about (thank you MPBN & WERU). Paul Simon has a new album out. So does k.d. lang . It seems these 'old' artists have come out with 'new' music that is based on their 'old' work. They've revisited their earliest roots to re-discover that place where their artistic journey was born.
Must be something in the air. I've dusted Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-83505638465596455492011-06-09T11:28:00.000-07:002011-07-22T13:13:58.307-07:00Shear (ing) DelightShear (ing) Delight is......
3 beautiful islands off the coast of Maine
3 gloriously sunny days in a row
170 big wooly sheep
60 wee wild wooly lambs
23 wonderful family & friends working, laughing, & eating together
3 incredibly hardworking women shearers
1 lobster boat full of wool headed to the harbor
900 pounds of luscious fog washed wool headed to the mill.
Yup, that's shear Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-35662226723437915692011-05-30T05:20:00.000-07:002011-05-30T05:21:17.087-07:00Wee Wild Woolies
5 am. The fog rolls in from the ocean. So thick you can hardly see past the shoreline. It brings a deep quiet, muffling the sound of waves on the shore, the cries of the gulls, and the distant baaing of sheep. You know they are out there, but they are hard to see. White on fog. It's lambing time on the island. The weather can be a bit nasty in May (especially this year). It's the Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-79623632974470517852011-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:002011-04-27T10:32:28.477-07:00Just Milling AboutLiterally, milling...about...waiting...for spring, gardening, & lambing. While I'm waiting I am tackling in earnest the mountain of wool waiting to be washed, carded, and spun into miles of yarn.
While fluffing endless hand fulls of wool, I watch for signs of spring out the window and daydream, meditate, think, scheme..... Here's a few thoughts that drifted by as my hands were busy fluffing Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-40871148373883262272011-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:002011-01-21T20:34:15.294-08:00Cabin Fever Colors
The third blizzard of the season is howling and swirling outside my window, covering the panes with lace and enveloping me in a cocoon of white. I'm cozy inside by the fire, deep in the dye pots, conjuring memories of clear blue skies, undulating green seaweed, and beach gleanings of deep purple mussel shells, pale green urchins, and turquoise sea glass. And from the dye pots have come the Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-61557240041795813332010-10-22T07:04:00.000-07:002010-10-22T11:25:46.316-07:00Autumn InspirationsIt's that time of year.
Wonderful little color moments everywhere.
Divine inspirations.
A simple walk in the woods on a crisp day inspires a new project.Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-47444637338905299222010-09-22T10:52:00.000-07:002010-09-22T10:52:00.955-07:00Felting Demo @ CGFWe're excited to be giving a Felting Demo at the Common Ground Fair this year! It will be Sunday morning at the Wednesday Spinners Tent, next to the Fleece Tent. We'll show how we lay out our rug designs and felt them by foot, with musical assistance by Wiffletree.Our rugs start with hand-dyed "pre-felts". We process the shorter staple (fiber length) Nash Island wool into batts (a big Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-53775975363756785192010-09-15T11:53:00.000-07:002010-09-17T12:17:34.443-07:00Save Us From Fiber Lust!Dear Local Handspinners,We are suffering from a terrible affliction here at Starcroft Fiber Mill, and fear that only you can save us.An epidemic of fiber lust has rendered all other work impossible at the Mill.We are in the midst of preparing the hand-spinning Island fleeces for the Common Ground Fair and are overcome with the most powerful desire to do nothing but fondle such lovely fiber... Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-58009940811592792132010-09-08T08:41:00.000-07:002010-09-17T08:57:18.432-07:00Souvenir Hat KitsSeaweed Hat Kit with Ruffle BrimNow available at the Schooner Olad gift shop along the Camden waterfront - Nash Island Hat Kits! Nothing says "I survived the blustery winds of Penobscot Bay" like a Maine island wool hat.Mussel Shell Hat Kit with Earflaps Each color comes in a different style, and each hat is a simple-to-knit pattern you can whip up during your vacation. Lobster Bake Hat KitStarcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-23259419512904039252010-09-01T08:31:00.000-07:002010-09-17T12:15:43.888-07:00Dockside RegulationsSign reads:"24 Hour Max for Gear Storage. Move 'em or Lose 'em per Harbor Ordinance."Duly noted.Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-26817489044141310802010-08-05T09:02:00.000-07:002010-09-17T10:29:40.869-07:00Rocky Coast ColorsOur 2009 Colorway, Rocky Coast is nearly at the end of its limited edition. Every year or so, we think up new color schemes for our yarns & rovings to keep things fresh and inspiring. Each trip out to the island gets us excited to try new dye recipes, hoping to capture the beauty we find there.Seaweed is the rich blend of dark gold highlights with several shades of olive-y green.Clear Skies is Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-46204297874285271992010-07-21T07:47:00.000-07:002010-09-17T08:26:36.210-07:00Shearing - 2010 ClipSome beautiful weather afforded us a couple of lovely days out on the islands for shearing this year. These two little lambs looked on as their mom got a hair cut.There were many fleeces selected for handspinning, which will be for sale at the Common Ground Country Fair in September.At the end of a long morning, and a fantastic picnic lunch, it's time for the boat ride home.Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-46939322683690322812010-07-17T10:55:00.000-07:002010-07-17T12:58:34.108-07:00The Sweat ShopAs lovely and super summery as it's been the past couple weeks, I'm sure you can imagine what nearly 90 degree heat and 90% humidity feel like when one is trying to make yarn... AWESOME.We like to practice a Spanish workday when it gets this hot: Siesta from 2-4pm. It is much easier to make yarn at 7am and 7pm on days like this. But we're so happy that our new Fog Yarn has been flying off theStarcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-38044945403167558982010-06-09T12:32:00.000-07:002010-06-09T12:54:07.275-07:00The Calm Before ShearingJust taking a moment to enjoy the lull between Fiber Frolic and our last weekend of shearing. Already had a few Nash Island fleece handspinners request to purchase 2010 fleeces - pray for sunshine this weekend and we'll have wool for you!Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-39772626424457536212010-05-26T10:24:00.000-07:002010-09-17T10:51:52.180-07:00New LambsCute.Twice as cute.Three times as cute.The one on the right is nicknamed "Knees". Next year's fleeces are looking good!Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-27091367711991383542010-05-19T10:17:00.000-07:002010-09-17T10:23:55.843-07:00Lamb-y LoveSometimes all you want for your birthday is a nice hug from your Ya-ya.Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-54708633047798588432010-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:002010-09-17T08:39:02.497-07:00Need an Idyllic Vacation?See that cute little farmhouse down by the water? Wouldn't it be a nice place to spend a quite Maine vacation...Gazing at the picturesque views of Pleasant Bay, the water just steps from the back of the house. You could watch the local lobstermen take their boast out in the morning while you enjoy a cup of coffee in the sunroom. Or watch the farmhouse sheep graze in the yard as you make Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-78444660098456415102010-05-01T08:21:00.000-07:002010-07-17T09:51:52.185-07:00Getting Ready for Fiber Frolic!We're looking forward to being at the Maine Fiber Frolic this year, which will be June 5 & 6th at the Windsor Fairgrounds. We haven't had a booth there in a little while, since that weekend is usually island shearing. Now that we have the daughter-work-force involved, there will be a booth vending detachment as well as our normal shearing special ops group, enabling simultaneous event Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-58494648738830791952010-04-02T08:21:00.001-07:002010-06-09T12:57:19.826-07:00Ravelry ProjectsSpring cleaning has inspired us to dust off our old knitting projects and take stock before this year's clip of wool arrives. We've updated our Ravelry account to show some of our finished works... which is just inspiring us to knit more!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-83789619052548250952010-03-24T21:16:00.000-07:002010-06-09T13:26:00.820-07:00Shoreline & Deep Woods ColorwaysBetween the Equinox last week and Easter next week, we're excited for a little spring color. Our NEW 2010 colorways are now on the website for sale. Enjoy! Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-44350752545213181382010-03-03T09:26:00.000-08:002010-09-17T10:28:32.766-07:00A Pretty Bit of Knitting - Lace Scarf KitsWe have a sign in the mill that sums up our general philosophy on things: Simplify. It might be living on an old farmstead in Maine, or it might be the Yankee ingenuity in our genes for generations, but everyone from Martha Stewart to the Shakers inspires us to simplify everything we do. It somehow imparts elegance, enjoyment, practicality and purpose in things all at the same time. We Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-40432955235482016342010-02-21T06:55:00.000-08:002010-02-21T06:55:00.335-08:00SPA Weekend - Freeport Spin-In & Retreat! Excited to see you this weekend at SPA! SPA Spin-In Hilton Garden Inn, Harraseeket Inn & Hampton InnFreeport, MaineFebruary 26-28th, 2010Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-5247336076848672002010-02-14T15:03:00.000-08:002010-06-09T13:25:17.420-07:00One Fair Done, Onto the Next!We had a great afternoon at the Newport Spin-In and it was lovely to see you all! We got home from Newport and started right in on next weekend's event, the SPA Knit & Spin in Freeport. We've cleared out space in the mill to work on our booth display. (You can see the blue spinning machine in the background there.) Finding a place for all of our new yarn & roving colors, plus new felting wool Starcrofthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14675536113987204182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-53237992459619575702010-02-07T14:59:00.000-08:002010-02-07T15:13:34.625-08:00Newport Spin-In We'll be at the Newport Spin-In this Saturday, February 13th with fiber goodness for your valentines. Our last skeins of the 2009 colors (pictured above is our Rocky Coast Collection: Seagull, Seaweed, Lobsterbake, Mussel Shell and Clear Skies) will be available as well as whatever we get dyed of the new colors this week!See you there, Valentines!Newport Spin-Inat the Newport Elementary Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-34165572627761348012010-01-31T11:27:00.000-08:002010-01-31T15:11:36.348-08:00Getting Ready for SPA Knit & SpinWe've been busy bees in the mill this month, getting ready for a SPA getaway! The New England Textile Arts' SPA Knit & Spin that is.We'll be at the Hilton Garden Inn Ballroom, in Freeport with the other vendors for the NETA Merchantile, the perfect place to aquire a few fiber pick-me-ups! Come visit, relax, knit, spin, and treat yourself on Friday, February 26th from 5-8pm, Saturday the 27th Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-29646773485185710992010-01-10T09:26:00.000-08:002010-01-10T09:26:00.379-08:00Table WoolensWe’re working on expanding our felt goods to include “table woolens”, small runners or placemats made of a thinner felt wool with machine-stitched appliqués. The table woolens are machine-felted and hand-fulled like our wool rugs, to create a tight, soft, hard-felted and long wearing finish. We've been playing around with sea creature-shaped appliqués - anemones, starfish, sea urchins, and shellsLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-83573554764428705512010-01-01T09:05:00.000-08:002010-06-09T13:10:19.686-07:00Lambing on Nash Island Every year we wait excitedly to see this year’s lambs and get the first feel of their new fleeces. For three to four weeks in the spring, new lambs are born on the Island, and we spend time out there with the shepherds to help the flock with their new arrivals. Often the ewes have no trouble delivering their new babies, so most of Lambing involves roaming around the island, watching the sheep Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-75653857537070906292009-12-27T08:58:00.000-08:002010-06-09T13:08:22.178-07:00Pineos Hat Our Pineos Hat has a little something for everyone - part hat, part neckwarmer. We now have them for sale in our Etsy Shop. The Pineos hat is based off of our Lobster Bake Hat Kit pattern. The kit pattern features a 4-pointed crustation-tentacled top, which we’ve modified in these hats to feature a drawstring top. That way you can open the drawstring to wear your Pineos Hat as a neckwarmer whenLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-43500254789038317702009-08-10T08:52:00.001-07:002010-06-09T13:06:19.724-07:00Doing Business in MaineGot to hang out at the WERU station today with other fiber entrepreneurs and talk shop about small fiber businesses in Maine. You can listen to the archive through the link below.Doing Business 8/06/09Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-58620750314552196242009-06-26T13:37:00.000-07:002010-06-09T12:58:50.696-07:00Nash Island Hats - Tunk Lake CapHat shown in Lobster Bake Red with Seagull Gray Using our Seaweed Hat Kit patterns, we’ve been knitting up finished hats with beautiful Fair Isle designs, and playing with mixing our Rocky Coast colors in one knitted piece. These hats are done with our Seaweed hat pattern, which features a knitted seaweed ruffle around the brim. We’ve left this off our finished hats to show you a simpler style ofLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2865860061347261431.post-21722964236129249802009-06-01T11:41:00.000-07:002010-06-09T12:58:24.697-07:00Made with Nash Island YarnWe ordered woven labels for our new handknitted goods and were so excited to see them arrive in the mail the other day. They add the perfect finishing touch to the knit hats. Right now we’re working on wristers, but I’m still trying to figure out where to put the labels on those. We ordered the 5/8" wedding style labels online from Namemaker.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12763645596472761911noreply@blogger.com0