This is pretty exciting! I'm hoping that you'll stick around and join me as I discover and develop these whims I'm referring to in my business name.
I started Alchemist's Whim just over a year ago with just an idea. I hadn't even dyed yarn yet other than with kool-aid many years ago. I kept referring to the someday I want to have my own yarn dyeing business motif that would sprout up occasionally as I was trying to find a soul satisfying vocation.
I finally dyed some yarn and launched a website, this website, in December of 2021. I had my first Whim street fair in July of 2022. I've had four in person events this year as I've grown and begun developing who I am as an artist.
This is my tent at Apple Harvest Festival in Ithaca, NY from the beginning of October.
This is my indoor set up at Little York Fiber Festival in Preble, NY at the Cortland Repertory Theater, from the second weekend in October.
As you can see, or read in the alt text of the photos, I didn't stop at dyeing yarn. I went on to dye fabrics using the ice dyeing method. And I revived my interest in printmaking using hand carved linoleum blocks to print on fabric and paper.
I'm a big fan of setting goals and doing things that I know nothing about. I set out to make drop spindles because I thought it would be cool to have those with the spinning fiber I had yet to dye. It takes several weeks to make drop spindles due to the cure times of resin and modge podge, but I did it! I made eleven drop spindles with loads of glitter in the resin, hand painted the poplar shafts, and sealed them with glittery modge podge.
My next challenge is to start a YouTube channel. It's Alchemist's Whim of course, though as of this post I haven't posted anything yet. My idea is to do a Folklore Friday series where I go through the whole process of making a print. I'll make the paper, draw the design, carve it, and print it. I'll also talk about the folklore subject, might as well learn something, right?
From there, I plan to do crochet creatures inspired from the folklore studies. I'll have the patterns available and kits, for which I will dye the yarn.
So, that's a pretty good summation of the first year of Alchemist's Whim. Things continue to grow steadily. I anticipate frequent blog post updates.
Thank you so much for reading and joining me in this adventure!