Bee's Knees Knitting

What would Yarn Obsession be without the yarn. . . just an obsession. But Bee's Knees Knitting is part of the industry that enables my obsession and for that I was drawn to her shop. However, what got me to keep her as a favorite shop was the fact that she handspins her own yarn and fiber. How much better could it be?

If you don't already have a yarn obsesion maybe what you should do is check out her shop and develop one.

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m Jenny, originally from Beloit, Wisconsin. I’m married, have two grown children, and live with my husband and 2 cats in Michigan. I spend my days spinning yarn, dyeing wool, exercising, and taking care of the household, plus reading and knitting/crocheting for leisure.

What inspires you to your craft/artistry?

I've always loved fuzzy or sparkly things. When I was little, I would sneak out of the house wearing some embellishment with my school clothes (a colorful ribbon around my dress or my Sunday shoes, for instance). I loved going to the local thrift shop with my Mom in hopes of finding a frilly old prom dress to play with. One of my earliest memories is of seeing a pretty lady in a pink angora sweater. The angora sweater really caught my attention. And those rabbit-fur pom-poms on winter hats – how I envied the little girls in church who had those! Once I learned to knit, of course my favorite yarn was angora – though I rarely had the funds to buy any!

My parents were also a source of inspiration for me while growing up. They were very creative in so many ways! For my Mom, it was painting, drawing, sculpting, wood engraving, etching and pottery. She could also knit and sew. For my Dad, it was ham radio, building satellite dishes and two-seater airplanes in the garage, building a pottery wheel and a kiln, throwing pots. I learned knitting, macramé, crewel-embroidery, rug latch-hooking, drawing, and sewing. After I was married, I taught myself to crochet, needlepoint, and hand-quilt. After my kids were born, I taught myself to spin. While my kids were in high school, I finished college with a degree in graphic design. During that time, I did lots of "painting" with graphite, colored pencils, art stix, and guache. So I've been active in crafts and artistic endeavors on and off throughout most of my life.

How do you promote your items?

I will post new yarns on Flickr and Ravelry groups once per week. Other than that, I don’t advertise right now.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to new artists?

Allow yourself some quiet time every day without thought to gain inspiration. A minute or two here and there is all you need - that’s where creativity comes from, that silent space of stillness without thought. When you are creating, be fully present with what you are doing – that way your energy passes totally into the thing you are creating, endowing it with an aliveness, as it were.

How do you see yourself evolving in the next 5-10 years?

I usually don’t spend time looking ahead. But, at some point, I would like to return to drawing with colored pencils, as that is one of my most favorite artistic endeavors. I don’t really have time for both spinning yarn and drawing right now.

What are some of your favorite things?

Yarn, audio books, books on paper, listening to Eckhart Tolle while I spin, going to movies with my husband, enjoying my kitties, talking to my kids (they live in other states, so I don’t see them much), dark chocolate.

What is your favorite quote?

I have many favorite quotes, but one that is appropriate to this profile is:

“Joy does not come from what you do, it flows into what you do and thus into this world from deep within you.” (from A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle)