Final day of our Fiber Trunk Show blog series! Last but not least, here is the incredible Debbie, our spinning fashionista and one of the winners of our Halloween costume contest.

What's your name, what's your business name, and where are you from?

My name is Debbie and I'm the person behind Tanuki Dyeworks. I'm based in Cambridge, MA.

What came first knitting - dyeing - spinning?

I learned to knit as a freshman in college, and then I picked up spinning while writing my undergrad thesis. One thing led to another, and I started dyeing my own fiber the year after that.

What's your favorite fiber to work with?

I love dyeing BFL(blue-faced leicester) and silk blends! I get inspired by the luster of the fiber, and both of them just soak up dye like crazy. From a spinning perspective, I usually aim to make laceweights and sock yarn, so silk's drape and BFL's durability really suit my needs.

How do you fend off creative-block?

Sometimes, I pick an idea or theme and dye a collection based around that theme. It's a fun cerebral exercise that really helps me analyze the way that I dye *I'll be bringing my Odyssey collection to the trunk show!) I think the most important thing is to just keep creating, though, even if you don't know exactly where you're going with it yet. Uninspired times are perfect for experimenting with new techniques and materials. I feel like if I acknowledge that I'm working without a fully thought-out plan, it takes a lot of pressure off and I'm freer to come up with new ideas.

What do you love to make with your yarn/fiber?

I love fine-gauge spinning. It pleases my thrifty soul to be able to make an entire shawl or a pair of socks out of a braid of fiber. I enjoy the portability of spindle spinning--I can bring my Bossie to Pints & Purls and walk around talking to people.

Any exciting things in the works that you want to share with us?

I recently started stocking organic merino top! I'm excited to be able to offer this hormone-free, pesticide-free fiber, and being merino, it's also dreamily soft. I'll be bringing some braids of that to the trunk show, so watch out for it!

Follow Tanuki Dyeworks on twitter, read her awesome blog, and shop on Etsy.

Day 4 of our series! Meet NJStacie*Made - spinner extraordinaire and all around crafter. So happy she'll be joining us this Sunday (November 20th)!!!!!

What's your name, what's your business name, and where are you from?

My name is Stacie, my business is njstacie•made.  I'm originally from New Jersey, but I've been in the Boston area for 13 years. <PREVIEWEND>

What came first knitting - dyeing - spinning?

What's your favorite fiber to work with?

I love love LOVE to spin longwools like Wensleydale and Romney.  It's got a great luster and hand, and knits up wonderfully.

How do you fend off creative-block?

What do you love to make with your yarn/fiber?

Any exciting things in the works that you want to share with us?

Holiday crafting is about to take over my life :)

To quote Stacie, "I blog (infrequently) over at njstacie.blogspot.com" and "I occasionally sell things on Etsy."

Day 3 of our series! Excited to introduce KnittinK aka AdyBee who created a new yarn in honor of a crazy dream of mine, "Unicorn Mane"! In my humble opinion, she's a rockstar. Without further ado...

What's your name, what's your business name, and where are you from? 

AdyBee, KnittinK, & I can currently be found in Roslindale, MA <PREVIEWEND>

What came first knitting - dyeing - spinning?  

Knitting, then dyeing, then spinning. It's a ::very:: slippery slope, be forewarned. 

What's your favorite fiber to work with? 

oooh tough call. I adore BFL (and blends) and Polwarth. They're strong but soft, and have myriad uses from socks to sweaters to mitts. 

How do you fend off creative-block? 

I have a thread on my Ravelry group where I ask people to post pictures and ideas they 'd like to see in yarn/fiber. I'm really lucky to awesome and hilarious customers. 

What do you love to make with your yarn/fiber? 

HATS. I'm addicted to hats. I can never have enough and I LOVE making them.  

Any exciting things in the works that you want to share with us? 

Yarn clubs, kits, new products, lotsa stuff. Stay tuned, cupcakes!  

You can sign up for KnittinK's newsletter here, follow her sass over on Twitter, and shop for her awesome fiber right here!

Day two of our Trunk Show artist blog feature! Shannon is one of the first spinners I approached about the shop. She believed in a stranger and for that I will always be grateful. So excited to have her join us on Sunday!

What's your name, what's your business name, and where are you from? 

My name is Shannon and I'm the monkey behind the wheel of The Spun Monkey Fiber Shoppe. I am originally from the SF Bay Area, but have found my home in southern VT with an awesome husband, a wild child and lots of crazy feathered creatures. <PREVIEWEND>

What came first knitting - dyeing - spinning?

What's your favorite fiber to work with? 

Hmmm...my favorite fiber? I will pick sheep's wool over any other protein fiber, hands down. I don't go in for plant fibers unless I blend them in with a lot of wool. I don't pick favorites with the sheep fleece because I love each and every one for its unique characteristics.

How do you fend off creative-block? 

What do you love to make with your yarn/fiber? 

I am a hat girl, all the way. It's my favorite one-skein project, and my favorite way to show off a great handspun yarn.

Any exciting things in the works that you want to share with us?

New things on the horizon are some themed repeatable colorways that will be offered on fiber as well as millspun yarns made with local small-farm fibers in limited edition runs.

You can learn more about Shannon on her blog, get updates on her Facebook page, and buy her yarn/fiber on Etsy!

Five days until the trunk show! Each day we'll be featuring one of the awesome folks we've invited to be a vendor. Here's an opportunity to learn more about each of them before meeting them in person this Sunday!

What's your name, what's your business name, and where are you from?

I'm Stephanie from Dirty Water DyeWorks.  I live and work in Arlington. <PREVIEWEND>

What came first knitting - dyeing - spinning?  

I learned how to knit and sew when I was a little girl.  As an adult I learned how to spin and started dyeing.  I dyed fabric and clothing - dresses, t-shirts, socks, towels.  Everything was a blank canvas waiting for color.  Since I'm an avid knitter, the shift to dyeing yarn and fiber was a natural progression.

What's your favorite fiber to work with?

My favorite fiber . . . that's a tough question.  I work mainly with animal fibers.  Blue faced leicester is always a favorite. These days I'm also enjoying a Polwarth wool /silk blend.

How do you fend off creative-block?

I make a concerted effort to identify new and exciting colors around me on a regular basis.  That doesn't mean I translate them to dye right away, but it gives me a starting point.  If I'm on a deadline to create new custom colors and they aren't coming out in the mix, I take some time to step away from the project.  Go for a walk, do some baking, sit down and knit a few rows - time to clear my head.  Usually things come together after a little separation from the project at hand.

What do you love to make with your yarn/fiber?

Any exciting things in the works that you want to share with us?

I'm considering a couple of new yarn bases that will debut either this winter or next spring .  There are also new kits in the works.

 You can follow Stephanie on twitter, read about her work/inspiration on her blog, and shop on her website.