Susan Shirley she/her
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susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Susan Shirley she/her
@susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
910 followers 1.2K following 350 posts
Idiocracy was supposed to be satirical. Public school teacher, fiber artist, gardener, film/tv enthusiast, upcycler, & hobby farmer doing the work of being anti-racist & vertical despite fascism taking over the country.
MosshollowHill.com
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susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Hello from Mosshollow Hill!
Sierra the #leonberger #dog and I were letting out the sheep, goats, & chickens, & behold! A Western Jack o’Lantern #mushroom I can use for #dyeing #wool & I am so excited.
November 11, 2025 at 7:39 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Highlights today at our guild meeting were Allison revealing that she had finally #spun enough yarn to create the rug she has envisioned. So impressive!
Also Three has been processing the champion Corriedale #fleece he won from last year’s wool auction. Holding it was like holding bubble bath suds!
A huge pile of hand spun yarn skeins is piled on the floor of a green and multi colored carpet. Each skein is in hank form and labeled with a tag. A brown skinned hand is adding white Corriedale locks onto a hackle (a tool mounted on a table with a row of nail sized sharp prongs protruding vertically. A goldenrod sleeved hand is holding what appears to be a puff of bubble bath suds but is really a cloud of a white Corriedale wool batt.
November 9, 2025 at 6:49 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
#Rhinebeck is as gorgeous as it’s hyped to be! The New York State Sheep & Wool Festival is so overwhelmingly vast & beautiful, but I think I am prepared. We got some great interviews today, got the hospitality booth set up for the barn volunteers who brought their sheep, & met some amazing people.
October 18, 2025 at 2:39 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Headed to #rhinebeck for the New York State #Sheep and #Wool Festival!
Anyone else headed there too? I’ll be on the Backyard Green Film crew interviewing artists, and vendors, and I am so excited!
October 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Behold! My latest #batts for @lambtownfestival on October 4-5 in Dixon, CA!
To the untrained eye, this might look like dryer lint.
To like-minded #spinners and #felters, this is pure gold.
I bought Matilda’s natural brown #fleece, a Rambouillet x Romney #sheep, at the Monterey Fair wool auction.1/
September 22, 2025 at 3:14 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
I’m done. The irony of @disney capitulating to #fascisminamerica by suspending @jimmykimmellive.bsky.social days after #Andor rightfully won the #Emmy for best #writing, which included #MonMothma’s senate speech decrying Palpatine’s #genocide, is staggering. This is beyond shameful.
Screen shot shows cancellation of Disney+ subscription Screen shot shows cancellation of Disney+ subscription Screen shot shows cancellation of Disney+ subscription Screen shot shows cancellation of Disney+ subscription
September 19, 2025 at 3:30 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Working on some #lambtown prep by dyeing some of our Wensleydale x Romney #wool. Both in #roving and #locks. The greys overdye so beautifully! Is anyone planning to attend Lambtown this October 4-5?
September 14, 2025 at 1:29 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
🥹
September 3, 2025 at 2:40 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Monterey County Fair #Wool Auction starts at 11:30!
Come and get yourself a #fleece. Shari at Morro Fleeceworks has agreed to take any fleeces for processing even though she is partially retired. This is always a fun hang. These days, I’ll take a fun time whenever I can.
September 1, 2025 at 6:07 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
My school year officially started today, so I spent the day sorting through bins, boxes, & bags. I’ll finish up tomorrow to have it ready to greet my 26th class of students on Monday. Feeling grateful to be with 2 members of my 20+ year team in a district that values #empathy & #equity.
A school classroom that hasn’t been set up yet has blue plastic covering shelves, desks clustered on one side of the room and on the window bench seats are plastic tubs, bags, boxes, and tool boxes. A middle school auditorium has a screen showing a google slide that reads: 2025 Welcome Back Rally Leading with Empathy Growing Through Equity
August 15, 2025 at 3:43 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Here’s my newest #spin ~a collection of coils, beehives, mini rosebuds & fishnets on Polwarth #wool blended with tussah #silk and #plied with a cotton x poly blend sewing thread. It’s gorgeous! Reminds me of coastal CA and the importance of preserving the land for future generations to enjoy.
Art yarn in coils, beehives, mini rosebuds, and fishnets in shades of deep blues, greens, and combinations of both is wrapped around a bobbin on a light-colored wooden spinning wheel that matches the bobbin. In the background are river rocks and a yellow-green maple tree.
August 10, 2025 at 7:03 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Fiber Friends, you have until Labor Day to prepare for California’s only #wool #fleece auction held at the Monterey Co. Fair 8/28-9/1. You’ll get a chance to speak w knowledgeable guild members to help you find the fleece that works best for your interests.
Let me know if you have any questions.
A wall of wooden shelving holds about 50 clear plastic bags of wool fleeces. A wall of wooden shelving holds about 50 clear plastic bags of wool fleeces. A multi colored carpet has about 8 large, clear plastic bags of fleeces with purple ribbons on top of each bag.
August 10, 2025 at 2:38 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Thanks to @backyardgreenfilms for the chance of a lifetime. I’ll be joining them at @nysheepwool this October to help conduct interviews for their annual livestream!
🥹 I’m honored to be invited to seek out vendors, artists, makers, shepherds, & attendees to ask them all about their creative process.
A illustration of a wooly sheep with long locks over its face is wearing a colorful, knitted blanket as a scarf. To the right of it, text reads New York State Sheep & Wool Festival Est. 1980 Below that it reads I’m going to Rhinebeck! Guess why…
August 6, 2025 at 7:06 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Here’s my #tourdefleece25 collection of spins! I challenged myself w some #Turkishspindle plied yarn & improving intentional thick & thin singles in order to ply fishnets, coils/beehives, & rosebuds. I’m designing some lovely necklaces w them for Lambtown in Oct!
#handspunyarn #spinning #artyarn
August 3, 2025 at 10:38 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
My guess, these guys.
July 23, 2025 at 1:11 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
I finished #plying my funky little bundle of Navajo Churro/silk singles at #Asilomar State Beach this afternoon after our CCG meeting hosted Siobhan Harlakenden’s Varafeldur presentation at the Fairgrounds. So incredibly inspiring. I’m grateful to be surrounded by progressive #fiber artists. #TDF
July 20, 2025 at 6:11 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Thanks to the Carmel Crafts Guild for bringing the brilliant Siobhan Harlakenden to give a presentation & demonstrate how to weave the Nordic Varafeldur!
She showed both woven and wet-felted samples. Interested in learning how? Read on…
July 20, 2025 at 5:55 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Hello #fiber enthusiasts!
This Friday is a reception for local #textile #artists from Santa Cruz, Monterey, & San Benito Counties. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone & their creations on display. All are welcome. Textiles have long been a form of rebellion & opposition to fascism. Still is.
Seaside Art Program Presents July 18th, 2025 7:00-8:30 PM RECEPTION QUILTING, FELTING, WEAVING, FABRIC COLLAGE WALTER LEE AVERY GALLERY 440 HARCOURT AVE, SEASIDE, CA Sponsored by the Seaside Art & History Commission
July 16, 2025 at 11:41 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Hello Fiber Friends,
If you’re interested in learning how to make and #spin #yarn on a #TurkishSpindle, my friend Chris, with the help of myself and other fiber friends, is teaching a #workshop. If you’re seriously interested, message me for the contact number.
A flier with green, blue, and purple yarns on the left side reads: Aromas Hills Artisans presents our 2025 Summer Fun Workshop Spinning 101 Saturday, July 26 9:30 am-1:30 pm at the Aromas Grange, 361 Rose Avenue, Aromas Learn about the wide wonderful world of wool, explore its variety and usage, learn preparation techniques for spinning, and observe spinning in action. You'll make and use your own spindle to create handspun yarn, as well as have the opportunity to try out a spinning wheel. We will finish off the workshop learning to weave your newly spun yarn into your choice of a small basket or mug rug. Instructor and AHA member Chris Martinez often can be seen demonstrating wool spinning at the Aromas Grange breakfast and other local events. As a spinner, weaver and knitter, she occupies a corner of the slow fiber movement by turning fleece from her own Shetland sheep into wearables, rugs, and other woolen creations. $75, includes all materials For information and registration, call Linda: Aromas tils Arlisons AromasHillsArtisans.org
July 16, 2025 at 7:09 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Here’s some beautiful #moss & #lichen for anyone who needs to see something beautiful. This is on my walk down to the sheep barn, & it stays like this all year long. The coastal foggy mornings help it all to thrive. Sending ✊🏼 to all the farmworkers in solidarity of their strike.
A coastal live oak tree trunk is covered in a variety of dark green mosses and sage green lichen.
July 16, 2025 at 6:09 PM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
#tourdefleece25 day 5, & I’m #spinning some of the funky, dyed CVM I picked up at Morro Fleeceworks yesterday on our road trip. I love the colors & textures. It’s been a rough day so a bit of tipsy #corespinning is helping. Might put on the Catskills episodes of Maisel soon. Annual summer watch.
A Victoria Louet spinning wheel bobbin is slowly building up a funky, textured, corespun teal yarn.
July 10, 2025 at 2:28 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
#tourdefleece25 day 4 My fiber friend Andrea & I took a short road trip to Morro Bay to the Fleeceworks to visit Shari & drop off some of our fleeces for washing. We drove up to Cambria for lunch at Robin’s & some fav shops b4 heading home. We both #turkishspindle #spun & she e-spun in the car.
🥳
A series of 6 images from top left and clockwise shows a black tub with a yellow lid and multiple bags of wool fleeces in the back of a mini van; the front of a 1 story building with a sign that reads Morro Fleeceworks; Morro Rock in the distance with the ocean in the middle & a grassy hill in the foreground; a green wooden storefront with a sign that reads The Garden Shed has beautiful trees around it; a wooden, painted white sheep with a black face has a hand painted sign below it that reads The Sheep Shed; and a table has two Turkish spindles on it. One with blue yarn and the other brown yarn.
July 9, 2025 at 3:29 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Behold my #spins from Tour de Fleece days 1-3! I’m practicing my thick and thin singles and then #plying rosebuds, fishnets, and beehives depending on the thickness of each slub. I 🥰 making intentional, designer #artyarn & will continue to practice. #tourdefleece
A rough wooden table holds 2 skeins of handspun designer art yarn. The thin one on the left is pine and loden green plied with copper cotton/flax thread. The thicker skein on the right is a mix of blues, turquoise, & chartreuse plied with the same copper thread.
July 8, 2025 at 4:26 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
After many attempts at #spinning thick & thin #yarn I finally got it thanks to classes w Jacey of @plymagazine.bsky.social & @charansachar.bsky.social at #blacksheepgathering They taught me coils, super coils, fishnets, beehives, & rosebuds. This is Falkland wool wrapped w cotton/flax thread.
July 5, 2025 at 12:28 AM
susanofmosshollow.bsky.social
Hello Fiber Friends.
My friend Kristi @ Cedar Grove Ranch in coastal OR created this for #tourdefleece & I think I’m joining the adventure this year. My friend Andrea coined Tour de Touch Fiber since we also #weave & #felt as well as #spin so I’m making this tour my own. Anyone else participating?
A hand drawn calendar of Tour de Fleece shows flat lines for easy days, squiggle lines for hills, and peaks for mountains to represent the Tour de France but meant for spinning fiber.
July 4, 2025 at 6:53 PM