Moonshine Mohair at Keldaby Farm
Here at Keldaby we raise the beautiful, gentle and shyly friendly angora goats that provide Moonshine Design with the cloudsoft and highly lustrous mohair used in our fine selection of hand dyed, hand woven goods. Wrap yourself in a throw, toss a scarf or shawl around your shoulders or luxuriate in our fabulous ruanas. Step back to a more romantic era in a Western Isles hood. Discover the magic of mohair socks dyed in every color of the rainbow.
Too bad it wasn’t the weekend for the CRAFTS OF COLRAIN TOUR but it was a time for getting so much accomplished in the dye studio. I spent two full days in the beautiful Indian Summer weather dyeing mainly yarn but also quite a few socks. And here’s the proof!
What a spectacular day today has been!! Bright blue sky, gentle breezes and prospects for a happier future. I am already planning how I will set up under my tents so everyone will have plenty of space for social distancing because we’re just one week away from our CRAFTS OF COLRAIN STUDIO TOUR–oh please, Lady Luck, let next weekend will be as beautiful as this one! I decided to take a few photographs of my latest work, several nuno-felted scarves. As you probably know already, this is the process of felting wool and mohair onto silk, creating one pattern on the front and an entirely different design and look on the back. Here are my three new scarves:
Just two weeks out and I’m trying to finish up several projects. Yesterday was a glorious fall day–we’ve had so many this year!–so I decided to work out in my dye studio. Also I had to finish up a special order hat. Aced it!!
Mohair comes from angora goats. Angora comes from angora rabbits.
After a great deal of procrastination I have finally assembled a gallery of products that I make here at Keldaby. Although some of these specific items are still available, this series of photos is really meant to give you an idea of what I offer. Of course you know me, the colors are always changing. If you are interested in a specific piece or in a general category put it into a “Comment” or “Contact Form” and I will be happy to photograph what I currently have here in the studio.
Virtually all yarn used in these products is 65 percent Keldaby-raised mohair, 35 percent wool. Unless specified as hand spun, my yarn is mostly made at Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney VT. I do have to purchase the boucle yarns which I like to use interspersed throughout my pieces or as the weft; however, I always buy white and do all my own dyeing. I sell yarn here in my studio and at the shows we go to but it is possible to order from me if you don’t live in our area. Mill spun is $20 to $28 per 4 oz skein and has approximately 220 yards. Hand spun skeins are priced according to weight and composition but are generally $9 to $10 per oz.
The mobius shawl is one of the most popular styles at Moonshine Design. The shawl sits squarely on your shoulders, no fussing with pins or loose ends, and it is perfect with jeans or to dress up with a long skirt at a more formal event. Just enough coverage for a chilly evening, a brisk fall day or a warm wrap around the house. $175
The ruana is an absolutely classic garment…Celtic, South American, you name it. It can be worn hanging straight down the front, pinned or not, or with one or both ends tossed back over the shoulder. This is for the person–man or woman–who likes to make a statement so it’s not for the faint of heart! The split at the neck is reinforced with a Japanese braid so you don’t need to worry about wearing it a lot. It will never fall apart. $350
Unless you live along the equator there are always nights when you will be chilly. If you live in more northern climes, as we do, there are many such evenings. Our mohair throw (56″ by 72″ plus generous fringes) is totally the right piece to wrap up in. Easy to maintain (mohair seldom needs to be washed; a good shake and a day out on the line will freshen it up just fine) this will keep you happy for years…and it gets softer and softer as it ages. Depending on length, $250 to $275.
Leg warmers, under or over pants or tucked down inside boots, are $50
Ahhh, the burnoose…or is it a monk’s robe or a wizard’s cloak? Here is the garment you can live in. Long, warm, hooded, this can be worn (as can the ruana) over another coat or heavy sweater in the depths of winter. These are custom made (though I still have two of these shown); this garment is $400.
Mill-spun yarns are $20 for a 4 oz skein, approx 220 yds per skein
I now realize a truth about maintaining a blog. You can’t let the bloody thing go too long with out creating a new post. Events which seemed fresh and interesting one day and you think Oh, I must write about that and in your mind you do write it and revise it, adding here, subtracting there, become very flat very quickly. So you sit down to write and then think Oh, I can’t be bothered to go through all that again! I am already sick and tired of that story.
As the season has progressed from soft autumn to harsh winter ,which although we missed the great snows that swept into New York State south of Buffalo, the next storm though amply forecast caught us unprepared so that our Thanksgiving feast, uninspired spaghetti and a sliced avocado, was eaten sullenly by the light of three icy-white LED flashlights. It was our own fault, we didn’t have to be there, we were to have drinks and dinner with a good friend in Shelburne Falls but by dark I had already slid into a slough of despair and self-pity. Land lines and cell phones had both failed us but not our wonderful Tempwood stove which kept us warm nor our cook stove which works fine with a match.
The next day we did go into the Falls
Along the reservoir in Whately from Catamount Hill
the West Branch of the North River
Elli Fenris
Maggie in her mohair coat from last year Our first customers at Crafts of Colrain
Hartsbrook Waldorf School’s Holiday Fair
