Jennie, JoAnn, and Karen each took on 10 color cards to load with yarn.

JoAnn became very skillful at making skeins from big hanks of yarn with this antique skeining machine.

I held my first of many studio workshop days in Byrdcall Studio this week.  The goal was to familiarize helpful (and interested) friends in some of the day-to-day operations in the studio as they relate to my new rya rug design and supply “division.”  The other goal was to have fun with some awesome women folk who volunteered to help me get this “show on the road” as we made yarn sample cards and spun skeins from hanks of dyed rya yarn.  The less time I personally spend making yarn sample cards, the more time I have to work on my book on making rya rugs.

After a grueling three hours in the sweatshop, we enjoyed a variety of salads, bread, and guac&chips (by Karen) under the patio umbrella.  I believe everyone had a good time and I am very well supplied with sample yarn cards for a few weeks (hopefully).  Soon we will be putting together kits, organizing yarn displays, hemming backings for orders, and having more fun.  I have a few other people on my “helper list” who could not make it this week.  If you would like to help out some day, please let me know.  Thanks.

And very sincere thanks to these three women who caught on quickly and made my day a wonderful day!

Karen and Jennie put finishing touches on the sample cards.