tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56028511900463240592024-03-05T08:52:19.863-06:00Dye & FirePeople often ask me, "what is it you do again?" For the most part they understand the whole Yarn Shop Owner part, but when it comes to the wheels and dyes they are lost. So I'm trying to fix that.
This blog is not a DIY or how-to blog. But it may provide a little glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes. Although we do offer some classes through the shop, we do not provide consulting or advice to aspiring artists. Enjoy the voyeurism --- please don't seek a professor. Thank you.NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-927616157408599352010-12-18T13:10:00.007-06:002010-12-18T14:18:46.683-06:00Ever Heard of a Urkrainian Loom? (You want to.)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxRi0gIKCAKAg_M4F56c7dLM-8gJla8y6kKRXcpdEXJgqQ_SXRL7BfxQFP-dQe4uNdVqGJTodudmHonlzGfB-ScbGWAFmR5o39wV-PvElYWwkljpIupCvQcvAbHQs93BRePj0TfKku0o/s1600/12_18_10A.jpg"><img style="margin: 10px; display: block; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxRi0gIKCAKAg_M4F56c7dLM-8gJla8y6kKRXcpdEXJgqQ_SXRL7BfxQFP-dQe4uNdVqGJTodudmHonlzGfB-ScbGWAFmR5o39wV-PvElYWwkljpIupCvQcvAbHQs93BRePj0TfKku0o/s400/12_18_10A.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552108203058898498" border="0" /></a>Customers really have their value some days! So we're talking about this unsightly pile in my classroom, when she randomly asks me, "Have you ever heard of the Ukrainian Loom?"<br /><br />"Nope."<br /><br />"Well you want to."<br /><br />What a tease, eh?! So the second she's checked out, all Merry-Christmas'd, and sent on her happy way, guess who rushes back to the computer to bring up YouTube and search for these mysterious Ukrainian Loom videos. Yeah... you probably guessed it.<br /><br />Well, I done found this!<br /><br /><object style="height: 244px; width: 400px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Ev5avFC9vQ?version=3"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6Ev5avFC9vQ?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="244"></embed></object><br /><br />Ok, those of you who know me, probably know there's little love lost between me and the humble knitting loom. They are great, but not great for me. I <i>know how</i> to use one. I've taught all my kids. I've even contemplated dating one. But when it came time to take him home and introduce him to mom... yeah, it didn't work out. We just weren't meant for each other.<br /><br />But this one? Oh my, such beautiful hooks and pins! And look! The pattern is different on each side! Such loom knitting glory!<br /><br />I think I'll just spend the afternoon sitting here eating Christmas Fudge and watching this guy knit instead of digging through that scary burlap sack in the false hope that there's an operator's manual for that knitting machine buried somewhere within...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4TQxqpQDyTEuy_IF1PBSVLRwuZv2wg7EUbRr8KYShoMJKgIl2gXZ886ialhqpdsIVFHW_ZARW7LNcl0FfRe5XpJTgFShgplvKOd-V-BP6ulZpLq11ErheikgiLDsSDEnJxPzn8-mkj0/s1600/12_18_10B.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq4TQxqpQDyTEuy_IF1PBSVLRwuZv2wg7EUbRr8KYShoMJKgIl2gXZ886ialhqpdsIVFHW_ZARW7LNcl0FfRe5XpJTgFShgplvKOd-V-BP6ulZpLq11ErheikgiLDsSDEnJxPzn8-mkj0/s400/12_18_10B.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552118775861811698" border="0" /></a>NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-10067752562431460662010-12-03T15:10:00.006-06:002010-12-03T15:45:31.091-06:00Libby Needs Her a Hat!!!Well, like we couldn't all see it coming... The single digit highs hit and Libby's hat goes missing! Both of them, actually. So I'm wearing my ancient acrylic cabled huffler (hat/muffler) that I made in college and dreaming longingly of toasty warm wool-covered ears again.<BR><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbo-5N4f71PDZ3l2FOY6XJAKfyejPedLKhVyVE2dKjKaBG6P-Of5TJxdDzBhkux-jalkvsAMVUdPlrDiW-oXo9kXE4OMsvuwcrZ9QdT3nKq96_Q4Fv4WzBq9VMKVYqj0WPRrXT6WHP1Rc/s1600/03dec1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbo-5N4f71PDZ3l2FOY6XJAKfyejPedLKhVyVE2dKjKaBG6P-Of5TJxdDzBhkux-jalkvsAMVUdPlrDiW-oXo9kXE4OMsvuwcrZ9QdT3nKq96_Q4Fv4WzBq9VMKVYqj0WPRrXT6WHP1Rc/s400/03dec1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546570620196704658" /></a>I'm sure any normal, <B>sane</B> person would just get a new hat. Or at the very most, grab a skein of yarn from the shelf and quick knit one up tonight over a hot mug of gingerbread tea while watching a pleasant holiday movie. (Hee hee, okay, in my house that's probably <I>Shaun of the Dead</I> or <I>American Werewolf in London</I>...) So what does Libby do? Yeah, you got it, she starts to eye that fresh pile of Buffle Batts over in the bin waiting to be packaged and labeled. They do look delicious... Black BFL, Bamboo, Alpaca, Mohair, Camel Down, Wool Noil... slightly inclined toward striping... blue and grey... I did make an awful lot of them... Mmmmmmmmm.<BR><br />Yup, I'm afraid I've repossessed two oz of them and diz'd them into roving for a lovely 2-ply. But them I'm thinking, I need ear flaps. Two ounces won't be enough... So off I go to the drum carder to whip up some more BFL/bamboo/alpaca loveliness!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg366kxPOQPglS2E7Lti_HfVbHjJI9iz7EtLJIwGYSkw9aY7V1pI-ey1rgX_WXHyQUcVzrFOLeJ3bC70Ymz3vOleAEedO0WY-lILPTq_qYwy2t-jkss8k4ym-_2PlyInflhinvm9ZMraog/s1600/03dec2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg366kxPOQPglS2E7Lti_HfVbHjJI9iz7EtLJIwGYSkw9aY7V1pI-ey1rgX_WXHyQUcVzrFOLeJ3bC70Ymz3vOleAEedO0WY-lILPTq_qYwy2t-jkss8k4ym-_2PlyInflhinvm9ZMraog/s400/03dec2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546571728504939554" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M7TpSKnFgxlaW0JFofZrsdcjwGUY87ejRLSy-N-end0PHzXg80RltNyjJRiEUtiA89bO8lx_mYKRLmzhZiS2tGUh9AWbU_fuZX0P0Xs4WxG1xwTKrnUbRQeC57Cw-91RVhbE-1jTqvQ/s1600/03dec3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:10px; cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1M7TpSKnFgxlaW0JFofZrsdcjwGUY87ejRLSy-N-end0PHzXg80RltNyjJRiEUtiA89bO8lx_mYKRLmzhZiS2tGUh9AWbU_fuZX0P0Xs4WxG1xwTKrnUbRQeC57Cw-91RVhbE-1jTqvQ/s400/03dec3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546572064911944066" /></a>I laid it out so when I diz it off it comes out ready for self-striping. I'm starting to like this plan! I've decided to do the brim and flaps in this non-noil yarn. (Especially with my mild mohair allergy. I love mohair to death, but putting that fiber anywhere near my face is a certain recipe for disaster. Grrrr. Luckily the amount of mohair is slight and pretty dander-free so I'll be okay spinning it at least!) Perhaps N-ply the stuff so I can be lazy and not divide such a small amount (it's only about 1.6 ounces.)<BR><br />So now I just need to spin it up as quick as I can this afternoon so I can simmer me a cup of tea, fire up that zombie movie, and crank out a hat before amputation is necessary! I can do this... I can totally do this.<BR><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriopzycOCOaR_aV0HCCA7ZOxqF_JKYoFtc1r7o6w8SI1rjOjIHKMlaHj20Ss0RSbJ-XcRjS70Vb9jurNWOzBA33ZEtGe8tPSobKSUXNqJFi-heI3PALgYbCrd9fdLwijk8RsmCzcay9E/s1600/03dec4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriopzycOCOaR_aV0HCCA7ZOxqF_JKYoFtc1r7o6w8SI1rjOjIHKMlaHj20Ss0RSbJ-XcRjS70Vb9jurNWOzBA33ZEtGe8tPSobKSUXNqJFi-heI3PALgYbCrd9fdLwijk8RsmCzcay9E/s400/03dec4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546574102353746130" /></a><br /><br />(I'm hoping to get the rest of the Buffle Batts listed over on etsy next week just in time for last-minute Christmas shopping :D )NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-24906704613712576392010-09-08T17:09:00.007-05:002010-09-08T18:38:27.564-05:00The Not-So-Spooky Deer WheelRemember the plate that wanted to be a wheel so bad it climbed through a brick wall to come live in our shop instead of the antique store next door?<BR><br /><center><b><i>This plate?</i></b></CENTER><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px; float: left;" src="http://www.northerndyes.com/blogger/spookdeer_sm.jpg" alt="Spooky Deer Plate" width="200" border="0" height="200" />Towards the end of summer the wheel design finally fell into place and we've been working on it between other jobs. The Spooky Deer just seemed way too lonely, wandering through it's blue and black bushes, searching for it's companion. So we gave him a friend. I mean really, what's better than one spooky albino deer wandering through a creepy forest filled with blue trees? TWO spooky albino deer wandering through a creepy forest filled with blue trees! How could we go wrong? Really.<BR><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px; float: right;" src="http://www.northerndyes.com/blogger/gemini_udfrontwhl.jpg" alt="Spooky Deer Plate" width="200" border="0" height="195" />So we were informed by a highly influential person that "The Spooky Deer Wheel" perhaps wasn't the best name for a spinning wheel. (Okay, it was my mom visiting us on vacation.) I needed something to put on the bin label so she'd stop pestering me and "Gemini" seemed to fit the description. It's got twins on it, and well, my mom is a Gemini so it flattered her enough so that she'd leave me alone about my mad naming skillz.<br /><br />Today it got it's first touch of color! This is a blue & navy HitchHiker wheel.<br /><br /><center><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.northerndyes.com/blogger/gemini_tabledyed.jpg" alt="Gemini - dyed base" border="0" /><br /><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.northerndyes.com/blogger/gemini_painted.jpg" alt="Gemini - Wheel Color" border="0" /></center><br /><br />We're hoping that the weather warms up just a tad and we'll have her finished next week. This wheel isn't spoken for yet and will be available for sale at that time. (She'll be priced around $600.) If you want to place dibs (half down) email us at info@Northerndyes.comNorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-67441300566653279642009-08-29T15:20:00.006-05:002009-11-06T17:32:31.652-06:00Gretchen<img style="float:left; margin: 0 10px 10px 10px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3865552117_1f533c5740_m.jpg" border="0" WIDTH="180" HEIGHT"240" alt="Gretchen - Rear Upright" />And the moment I know a few have been waiting for, the "Gretchen" wheel is officially on the market. Designed specifically for this wheel, the gradual red and wine colorway is by far my favorite finish yet.<br /><br />Gretchen is a new Merlin Tree RoadBug complete w/ 3 bobbins, orifice hook, on-board oil bottle, attached lazy kate, and 3 direct-drive whorls. She'll ship fully assembled, so you'll just have to take her out of the box, scerw in the flyer and spin, spin, spin!<br /><br /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 266px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2510/3865551875_f2f1c5de9c_o.jpg" border="0" alt="Gretchen - Treadle" />The idea for the Gretchen wheel actually has origins in a contest held by a Canadian TieDye Wheel owner who held a wheel naming contest on her blog (it's still Hreinn in our catalogs, haha!) Someone suggested "Gretchen" after the song <I>Gretchen am Spinnerade</I> from the lied by Schubert. Being a fan of Goethe's <I>Faust</I> I thought, "Yes, Gretchen totally needs a wheel designed by me just for her." So of course, it's a simple wheel made special through it's beauty. The color is a rich & vibrant red with rising shades of burgundy and wine that draw up from the bottom, symbolizing the darker forces behind the love affair between Gretchen and Faust. The wheel, treadle, flyer, and bobbins are stained a rich reddish-brown.<br /><br /><CENTER><img style="margin:0 0 0px 0px; width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3534/3866336598_10ce6c76db_m.jpg" border="0" alt="Gretchen - Front View" /><img style="margin:0 0 0px 0px; width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2475/3865552073_725996f7d4_m.jpg" border="0" alt="Gretchen - Rear View" /></CENTER><br /><br />Here are the RoadBug specs:<br />WHEEL DIAMETER: 14"<br />ORIFICE: 3/8", 17-1/8" from the floor at 45 degree angle upward<br />FLYER: Merlin Tree #2 w/ Hooks (screws off for travel)<br />BOBBIN CAPACITY: 5-6oz<br />RATIOS: 7:1, 9:1 & 13:1<br />WEIGHT: 8.9 lbs<br />DIMENSIONS: 7"w x 14"l x 16" h (airline carry-on compatible)<br />WOODS: Baltic Birch ply, ash and cherry<br />FINAL FINISH: Semi-gloss Polyurethane<br /><br /><B>PRICE: SOLD</B><br /><br />We can stain and finish additional bobbins to match if desired for $12 each. We can also stain/dye to match Jumbo flyer units, niddy-noddies, and stand-alone lazy kates (in both the red oak and the tie-dye finishes.) <br /><br /><A HREF="http://www.etsy.com/shop/NorthernDyes?section_id=6435187">Other wheels are available for sale on Etsy.</A> Payment by credit card accepted over the phone or via PayPal.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3Dgretchen%26w%3D22205756%2540N07&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3Dgretchen%26w%3D22205756%2540N07&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=gretchen&api_tag_mode=bool&api_user_id=22205756%40N07&api_safe_search=3&api_content_type=7&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3Dgretchen%26w%3D22205756%2540N07&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3Dgretchen%26w%3D22205756%2540N07&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=gretchen&api_tag_mode=bool&api_user_id=22205756%40N07&api_safe_search=3&api_content_type=7&api_media=all&api_sort=relevance&jump_to=&start_index=0" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-4405387396587315792009-08-22T15:44:00.014-05:002010-03-30T16:23:16.724-05:00The Phoenix<img style="float:left; margin: 0 10px 10px 10px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2509/3834713127_9b8d9f9de6.jpg" border="0" WIDTH="200" HEIGHT"348" alt="" />It's kind of exciting putting two new custom wheels together in one night! We assembled both "Gretchen" and "The Phoenix" Monday evening amid warm, ridiculously humid temps.<br />The Phoenix is a new Ashford Traveler complete w/ 4 bobbins, orifice hook, hemp drive band, cotton drive band. She'll ship partially disassembled, but I'm pretty sure it'll be 4 cam bolts and 2 screws and you'll be ready to go.<br /><br />Her inspiration is a rising phoenix. The main wood components are stained a very dark black/brown to symbolize the ashes, and the treadles and wheels are stained a burgundy, red, orange, and yellow to symbolize the phoenix reborn. There is a braid decoration burnt onto the wheel (front and back) along with the fallen and rising phoenixes on the treadles. <br /><br /><I>Although the treadles should be able to handle considerable wear before the image is affected, we do recommend stocking feet for this wheel.</I><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3834713213_2d44f6536c_m.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 216px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3834713213_2d44f6536c_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Here are the Traveler specs:<br />WHEEL DIAMETER: 46cm (18")<br />ORIFICE: 1cm (3/8")<br />FLYER: Standard w/ Hooks<br />BOBBIN CAPACITY: 100gm (3-4oz)<br />RATIOS: 5.5, 10 & 14:1<br />WEIGHT: 7kg (15lb)<br />FINAL FINISH: Semi-gloss Polyurethane<br /><br /><B>PRICE: Private Collection</B><br /><br /><CENTER><br /><IMG SRC="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2629/3834713501_7a691c3b8e.jpg" border="0" WIDTH="400" HEIGHT="300"><BR><br /></CENTER><br /><br />We can stain and finish additional bobbins to match if. We can also stain/dye to match Jumbo flyer units, niddy-noddies, and stand-alone lazy kates (in both the dark and the tie dye finishes.) <br /><br /><object width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3DPhoenix%26w%3D22205756%2540N07%26s%3Dint&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3DPhoenix%26w%3D22205756%2540N07%26s%3Dint&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=Phoenix&api_tag_mode=bool&api_user_id=22205756%40N07&api_safe_search=3&api_content_type=7&api_media=all&api_sort=interestingness-desc&jump_to=&start_index=0"></param> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="offsite=true&lang=en-us&page_show_url=%2Fsearch%2Fshow%2F%3Fq%3DPhoenix%26w%3D22205756%2540N07%26s%3Dint&page_show_back_url=%2Fsearch%2F%3Fq%3DPhoenix%26w%3D22205756%2540N07%26s%3Dint&method=flickr.photos.search&api_params_str=&api_text=Phoenix&api_tag_mode=bool&api_user_id=22205756%40N07&api_safe_search=3&api_content_type=7&api_media=all&api_sort=interestingness-desc&jump_to=&start_index=0" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-34047380084061977172009-07-05T08:00:00.004-05:002009-07-05T20:24:39.270-05:00The Idea FairyWhere do our designs come from? <I>All over.</I> Sometimes we work from patterns purchased with commercial reproduction permissions and a lot of our less expensive designs come from modified existing patterns. When a client contracts a custom wheel we like to talk to them and find their likes, dislikes, favorite colors & animals, what artists do they admire, and so on. Then the brain is allowed to wander.<BR><br />By far, however, our favorites are the ones that assault us in the night, sneak attack from the horizon, and pester us when we're trying to <i>not</i> be creative. Annoying creatures like <b>this</B>:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAwV1Z_NSuR13eFwS7cH1x0FBTnOBgQfZrDdCwsvBA60U-nurCOflbDrRZPqso4eXJqArry-I01kfCcwZaMoWR2oeifdQ5dMBRrKPOnbeF_e9-sPNSRqjI6F88qjRFDQMW8XEWSBBJnE/s1600-h/spookdeer2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZAwV1Z_NSuR13eFwS7cH1x0FBTnOBgQfZrDdCwsvBA60U-nurCOflbDrRZPqso4eXJqArry-I01kfCcwZaMoWR2oeifdQ5dMBRrKPOnbeF_e9-sPNSRqjI6F88qjRFDQMW8XEWSBBJnE/s400/spookdeer2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353965370353677218" /></a><br />This deer-thing has been haunting me through the wall. It's been living on a plate in the antique shop next door since they opened for the summer last month. Today it had to come over to stay in the workshop for a bit. I don't know what it is, but something on this plate has me thinking of wheel designs. Not exactly the same, but definitely inspired by it. I think it's the background design. I dunno. But a wheel is definitely coming out of this thing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTjSYaZ1R8xucA3UQSPwhWlNm1SeXc-oivo46SB-n2aGLSQia4NE9AhNSjbv2OFaVKnWxlv9MQzcAD4QbDGt2LldgDgPHukK5fe4rMl41c7PGVduMRN7WguSZERL4a5KiKQJUvYlax9c/s1600-h/spookdeer1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTjSYaZ1R8xucA3UQSPwhWlNm1SeXc-oivo46SB-n2aGLSQia4NE9AhNSjbv2OFaVKnWxlv9MQzcAD4QbDGt2LldgDgPHukK5fe4rMl41c7PGVduMRN7WguSZERL4a5KiKQJUvYlax9c/s400/spookdeer1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353966268553940002" /></a><br />If you're in Ashland, WI, during the summer <I>Antiques on Main</I> is a great place to check for cool stuff. They have walls full of beautiful china.NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-18401333906281533782009-07-02T14:50:00.009-05:002009-07-02T15:31:32.266-05:00Expression is Not an Exact ScienceIf you've ever contracted out expensive custom work to our shop, you've seen the "art can be unpredictable" clause on our contracts. I've never had to actually use that clause, but it's better to have it there. When it comes to dyeing our shop is a formula shop. That means we make very repeatable colorways and colors are somewhat predictable. But sometimes the city changes it's water, a company ships a new batch of dyes, there's a little more of a breeze, etc and things are off just a little. But being formula guys it isn't generally a problem.<BR><br />Today has nothing to do with dyeing or formulas or perfection. It has to do with what happens when Libby can't follow her own pattern....<BR><DIV style="float:left; margin:0px 10px 10px 0px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 500px;"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhaGnP8IxzJREK_d-_ccHEfx-TDIzV81Ap9-Rl0NlJv2sfD05aUdS2neRv-h7C1FUJ_H97W6bfXUfaDiTFOUb1SDj1byFgTnsPFCMn-hSPYmHqcM2AKDqC1k0BcUtu2X-s25QnAo4IkU/s1600-h/RB_Hex_test1a.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhaGnP8IxzJREK_d-_ccHEfx-TDIzV81Ap9-Rl0NlJv2sfD05aUdS2neRv-h7C1FUJ_H97W6bfXUfaDiTFOUb1SDj1byFgTnsPFCMn-hSPYmHqcM2AKDqC1k0BcUtu2X-s25QnAo4IkU/s400/RB_Hex_test1a.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353955539450021970" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagpJ9Fu5Ekun048sDw0DbLOoNWDfZRZhCs8PsoQq9oImMOfy1hXPXrJ8Q-vQnmOhHDM7OAw-fKOHr3ZcOUPZBOcmphxIZTsL4nJ7KfyT7uiDE5phEq_vxY5zmB0tr7VareiJI_QsEpTE/s1600-h/sidebar_fpw.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgagpJ9Fu5Ekun048sDw0DbLOoNWDfZRZhCs8PsoQq9oImMOfy1hXPXrJ8Q-vQnmOhHDM7OAw-fKOHr3ZcOUPZBOcmphxIZTsL4nJ7KfyT7uiDE5phEq_vxY5zmB0tr7VareiJI_QsEpTE/s400/sidebar_fpw.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353957274157809874" /></a><br /></DIV><BR>After the initial design is done and before we even get out the wheel, we always do a test burn. We take selections of the final pattern (especially any motifs we aren't sure about) and do full size burns on scrap wood. Sometimes a scaled down version of the front design is done with a variety of textures and shading to determine the final look of the piece. At left is a sample from two wheels currently in progress, <I>Gretchen</I> and <I>The Frog Prince.</I> Doing test burns is an important step from what we see in our head to what actually works on the wood. Often there are marks, big X's, arrows, sometimes sharpie highlights, etc to help me prepare the final piece.<BR><BR>So what happens when you get it perfect and then you go and goof it all up...?<BR><BR><I><B>Art happens.</B></I><BR><BR>NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5602851190046324059.post-90562649512724784392009-06-12T13:48:00.006-05:002009-06-12T14:09:37.491-05:00In the beginningOk, technically this is several rungs up the ladder, but honestly, when's the last time anyone actually started a story in the beginning?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP-o6zE3Y2NgFvA0F2Xd5ZgQgWHHCZUzbNG-kDn15feMhtrmINCM7KHUUqhNeRZA5BQoV1YcCKB9Dfn2WpyQOhZexK73zw53O7efNhlmxSOL9ElXpygLwFD2tlDJMgmFLNiwr5x4QFl8/s1600-h/DnF_dragon_design.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 304px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP-o6zE3Y2NgFvA0F2Xd5ZgQgWHHCZUzbNG-kDn15feMhtrmINCM7KHUUqhNeRZA5BQoV1YcCKB9Dfn2WpyQOhZexK73zw53O7efNhlmxSOL9ElXpygLwFD2tlDJMgmFLNiwr5x4QFl8/s400/DnF_dragon_design.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346518957933577682" /></a><br />Custom wheels all go through a development stage which includes real-size mock-ups. This was taken as I added the final touches to our current custom "Frog Prince" wheel. <U><B>Lesson #1:</B> the required "napkin with math."</U> You must have one of these. It is <span style="font-style:italic;">essential</span> to good wheel design. Although bar napkins do tend to bear some of the best ideas, a fast food rag can be helpful in a pinch. I once had to go get late night fries at McDonald's just so I could finish a project. Sometimes in this business sacrifices must be made.NorthernDyeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08112271554605915900noreply@blogger.com2