The trip from my home to Sweet Georgia Yarns (SGY) takes 45 minutes when traffic is light. I had to run another errand this morning which took me within 17 minutes of SGY so it made sense to stop by.
Sweet Georgia's main purpose is hand-dying wool, a labor-intensive activity to be sure, but one that doesn't really take up that much space. I expected the space would be small, but both the retail and dyeing space were really very small when I first walked in.
No one was around in the retail area so I walked in the dyeing space and asked if I could take a picture and if there were roving braids for sale. As the dyer located help for me, I took the photos above.
But the colours of the yarn were the main attraction for me. They are so bright, vibrant and clean; I just smile every time I see them. Felicia Lo has a knack for putting lovely combinations together. When help arrived I was taken next door where a trove of goodies were stored. (SGY is taking on additional space and most of the retail items were in process of moving. There was also another dyeing space in the second store. I take all this as signals of business success.) Here is where I found the roving braids.
They were just lovely all lined up in their colour-coded order. (BTW, the photos on the wall above and behind the braids gave a year-by-year progression of the business.) On the opposite wall were all the spun yarns that were labeled seconds. I did not leave empty handed.
Starting at 11 o'clock in the photo above you see 100 grams of Panda, a combination of superwash merino, bamboo viscose, and nylon in the colourway of Terra Firma. This will become socks. Then at 1 o'clock 100 grams of polwarth and silk in the colorway of Grouse (I suspect this refers to Grouse Mountain). And of course the last, found about 5 o'clock, is my replacement Honey and Fig only this time it is 100 grams of polwarth and tussah silk. Such eye candy.
My field trip to SGY was well worth it. I know I will never seriously dye roving because to get the vibrant colours I like one has to use serious chemical dyes and there is no space to do it either here in Greater Vancouver nor in Minneapolis. It is nice to know that if I am willing to pay for it, these braids are available to me with a minimum amount of effort.
I am well stocked for Spinning Wednesday.
Sweet Georgia's main purpose is hand-dying wool, a labor-intensive activity to be sure, but one that doesn't really take up that much space. I expected the space would be small, but both the retail and dyeing space were really very small when I first walked in.
 |
| These shelves represent about one-half the retail shelves I first saw. |
 |
| This is the dyeing space which was warm and humid on this cool rainy day. |
But the colours of the yarn were the main attraction for me. They are so bright, vibrant and clean; I just smile every time I see them. Felicia Lo has a knack for putting lovely combinations together. When help arrived I was taken next door where a trove of goodies were stored. (SGY is taking on additional space and most of the retail items were in process of moving. There was also another dyeing space in the second store. I take all this as signals of business success.) Here is where I found the roving braids.
They were just lovely all lined up in their colour-coded order. (BTW, the photos on the wall above and behind the braids gave a year-by-year progression of the business.) On the opposite wall were all the spun yarns that were labeled seconds. I did not leave empty handed.
Starting at 11 o'clock in the photo above you see 100 grams of Panda, a combination of superwash merino, bamboo viscose, and nylon in the colourway of Terra Firma. This will become socks. Then at 1 o'clock 100 grams of polwarth and silk in the colorway of Grouse (I suspect this refers to Grouse Mountain). And of course the last, found about 5 o'clock, is my replacement Honey and Fig only this time it is 100 grams of polwarth and tussah silk. Such eye candy.
My field trip to SGY was well worth it. I know I will never seriously dye roving because to get the vibrant colours I like one has to use serious chemical dyes and there is no space to do it either here in Greater Vancouver nor in Minneapolis. It is nice to know that if I am willing to pay for it, these braids are available to me with a minimum amount of effort.
I am well stocked for Spinning Wednesday.
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