Spinning Yarns – from Nepenthe to Bali, by Way of Long Beach - January 2010

My Nepenthe, signed by author Romney (Nani) Steele, arrived this month, and what a feast it is. MyNepenthe "celebrates the magic and history of place through food and the Fassett family". Nepenthe, in Big Sur, was the childhood home of designer and author Kaffe Fassett, who changed the world of knitting with his first book, Glorious Knits, written in 1985. An extraordinary colorist, he continues to inspire, create and teach. Nani Steele, Kaffe's niece, is a gifted storyteller and chef and her book is full of photos of the family, Big Sur, Kaffe's textiles and, of course, food! Yes, you can get the book cheaper from Amazon, but why not order a signed copy from the Phoenix Shop in Nepenthe instead? http://mynepenthebook.com/

I shared My Nepenthe with friends and colleagues at the National Needle Arts trade show in Long Beach, CA. Kaffe Fassett designs for Rowan and Westminster, so it was only fitting that his niece's book should be enjoyed at the Westminster booth!

Another booth at the trade show that created excitement was that of the Spinning and Weaving Association (SWA). Deborah Jarchow did a stellar job organizing the booth, and recruited members of the Designing Weavers Guild to help out. SWA introduces the joys of our craft to a broad audience, and as a result more retailers are bringing spinning and weaving into their mix of offerings. www.spinweave.org

California Fibers met in late January, where member Michael Rohde presented a wonderful program on textile artisans of Bali. He passed around lots of fabulous handwovens and batiks which of course we all went crazy over. On February 5th, California Fibers will celebrate the opening of our next exhibit, Liminal Spaces, at Visions Gallery in San Diego. The exhibit runs from February 5th through April 25th.
http://californiafibers.blogspot.com/