Picasso Moon Yarns, that is. I first met Debra Lambert, the owner and knitter extraordinaire at the Atomic Holiday Bazaar Show 3 years ago. I wasn't a knitter but her booth was so full of interesting and wonderful stuff that I eventually visited her shop downtown. As you drive down Fruitville Rd, her shop is in a strip of antique stores and there is plenty of parking- you can walk to Whole Foods or one of the nearby restaurants if you want to make a day of it. Usually, once you are in there, you just don't want to leave.
It's like a fairy tale world for fiber junkies.
There's something very relaxing about having a seat in a funky chair and talking about yarn and new things to make. It's a nice way to step out of your worries and into a separate place where there is nothing to think about except knitting and crocheting and sharing that love of fiber with other women who want to be creative and make things as well. It's an escape. It's a fiber adventure. It's addicting.
Did I mention I was hooked on yarn?
Did I tell you about how I was converted to the religion of crochet, spinning and finally, Knitting?! I was so resistant! I was never going to learn! It was too difficult!
It started off slowly, as I went to the shop each week for Knit & Bitch (Wed anytime until 8pm) and brought my quilting, embroidery or handwork, I watched with amazement as the ladies knitted. Fingers flying as they created something from yarn, string essentially, much as I had when I wove baskets- just different materials. It looked hard. Way too difficult for me.
I think the first book I bought was by Nicky Epstein on crocheted flowers.
I was so proud of those little bluebells. Then I moved on to learning to knit and after a few false starts (the scarf that looked like a giant pink tongue was pretty bizarre) I finally got the hang of knitting.
I had begun spinning yarn after I saw Shawn Schoonmaker demo and teach at a knitting retreat I went on last April and was amassing baskets of handspun that was so lovely I didn't want to sell it. I knew I had to finally learn to knit and use that yarn for something.
This is my first hat. Deb helped me finish the top and eventually I will learn how to manage 3 sticks at once, someday, but until then she generously will teach you anything and there is never a charge. You just come in and say I want to make______ and she helps you pick out yarn, the proper sized needle and you are off on a new fiber adventure!
To not only learn to spin yarn but, to be able to use it for knitting is something I never thought I would ever accomplish and in less than a year I have met a challenge and grown so much. Currently I am working on a lining for a bag that Deb knit and felted and am incorporating hand spun and embroidery and love the look of it. Gnarly and funky art yarn makes me so happy.
Here is some photos I recently took at Picasso Moon. I hope to see you there someday.
Noro Yarn~ hurry before it's all gone!
cotton in many colors
Sinning wheels and batts and roving for spinning are available as well as once a month spinning classes by Shawn Schoonmaker.
Antiques and yarn hang from old fashioned ladders and bedsprings. There are scarves, hats, gloves, bags and sweaters everywhere!
This lovely flower filled shawl was knit by one of our members, Barb Callahan, who also learned to spin last year. I think it's like sitting in a garden with flowers and moss everywhere.
You may even see a wild thing or two!
fiber to spin or needle felt- some of it is natural, organic fibers like bamboo and silk, and sea cel and then there's handpainted wool roving and locks...its like heaven.
Come on in and meet Deb and ask her to teach you to knit. It'll only take a second and maybe like me, you'll wonder why you waited so long!
and maybe fill up a bag with some yarn. See more pictures here on
Flickr and join Deb at
Facebook and
Ravelry.
Be sure to check out the
Picasso Moon Website for more info and mark your calenders for March 9th to come to a meeting and see Deb, Shawn, Kim Perkins and a few more creative ladies spin and discuss different fibers and their properties.