I have always had a thing for sparkle and color.  It’s all around me and is a constant inspiration.  When I was younger I sewed patchwork clothes and sold them at Grateful Dead and Phish shows. I loved paring fabrics (with sparkles) using the colors to compliment each other.

When I was planning my wedding, I knew that I wanted to do something special for my bridesmaids. My plan was to crochet them each a shawl or scarf in a color that suited them.  When I went to look for yarn, however, I was vastly disappointed in my options.  NOTHING was sparkly enough.. Or had the colors I wanted..   Until I found handspun yarn.  OH how I loved drooling over photos on craftster and listings on etsy. I realized to afford enough yarn for 6 shawls, I was going to have to learn to spin myself. So I took a beginning class that taught me how to use a drop spindle.  We were also introduced to wheels.  Less than 3 months later I had my first wheel, an Ashford Joy.  I loved my Joy so much! I could bring it with me to work (I’m a massage therapist) and spin between clients.  I was quiet and compact..and perfect.

Perfect until I realized that I really wanted to spin primarily art yarns and the Joy is just not designed for that kind of spinning. With a small orifice and tiny bobbins.. I was getting more frustrated with my spinning than allowing myself to be creative.  It was then I decided to sell my dear Joy and get my current wheel, and total love of my life (sorry husband) my Lendrum DT (named Desmond)  Desmond can do everything. He spins thin and then I can spin a chunky bulky art yarn with NO limitations on my creativity!! It’s completely opened up my creative box!!

I love being inspired by the things around me when I spin.  Spinning outside is one of my joys!! I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Bonnaroo Music Festival with my husband, who gets press passes.  I was able to set up my wheel backstage and spin to the music.  I was SO inspired by what I saw and heard! I think I spun some of my most favorite yarns there!!  I also just flew to Chicago with my wheel, for an amazing weekend with Lexi Boeger and Camp Pluckyfluff.  What did I do with my extra time at the airport when my plane was delayed?  Spun at the gate of course!!

I spin at least an hour everyday. It’s my meditation. Without that and yoga I think I might lose my mind.  I love the peaceful feel of the fiber slipping thru my fingers.  I love the way my mind works when I’m planning out a yarn.  Gathering supplies, deciding on techniques.  I spin a couple different ways. I believe the fiber tells me how it wants to be spun.. and then I plan a yarn around that.  I also love to spin yarns inspired by music, emotions and the world around me.  Spinning is my creative outlet.  It’s my way of interpreting what’s going on around me.  It’s my journal in a sense, and if I can’t spin a bit everyday, I get a bit crabby.  It’s my emotional outlet. So much of me goes into every yarn I spin.

I specialize in spinning and blending all sorts of fibers!! I am a sparkle queen and my husband calls my yarn my “adult glitter” I put some sort of sparkle into 90% of my yarns and batts.  It’s so fun to mix and match the fibers with the sparkle- and my sparkle comes in all textures and colors.  I love to spin “straight from the lock” or fleece; creating super textured yarns with curls.  I also love combining fibers- matte and shiny, coarse and soft. It creates wonderful interest in the yarn.  I also LOVE spinning bamboo and tencel.  The shine and drape are just amazing! There’s nothing better than the silky feel of tencel and bamboo.  They are also vegan, so it’s great to have something to offer to those with wool allergies and people living the vegan lifestyle.

I hope my yarns inspire others as others inspire me. I love this ever-growing fiber community.  We learn from eachother and teach eachother.. we share fiber and trade stashes.  I feel so lucky to be a part of this fiber world.   I hope I can learn as much as I teach others.

I could NEVER use all the yarn I spin.  I have an ever-growing “personal” stash, then I sell my yarn in my etsy shop, www.jazzturtle.etsy.com .  I also blend fiber for spinners and felters. I have smoothie batts and super textured art batts.  I like to spin lots of yarns, so I like to blend lots of textures of fiber.  I blog about my fiber and other crafty projects at www.jazzturtlecreations.blogspot.com

Every day is a lesson, and full of inspiration.  My responsibility as an artist is to find that inspiration everyday and create with it.

Editor’s Notes:

You can find more of Esther on Ravelry here: http://www.ravelry.com/people/Jazzturtle