Defiant craft,
by candlelight.

Arachne was a mortal weaver who made the mistake of being good enough to challenge Athena. Good enough to win, or close enough that the goddess destroyed the work anyway. Depending on which version you read, she was turned into a spider as punishment, or transformed as a mercy so she could keep weaving forever. Either way, she kept weaving. So do we.

Arachne Fiberworks started in the garage of my family home, with one idea: to share the history and stories of fiber arts, and the mythology and spiritualism that come with them. I have spun, woven, knit, and crocheted for a long time, and over years of being both a fiber artist and a practicing Wiccan, I found the two merging.

Now I share what I've learned at that odd intersection. You'll find the fiber arts themselves under The Craft, their use in ritual under The Practice, and the sabbats and their seasonal correspondences under The Wheel. And if you want a more personal view of the work, the Grimoire holds entries on my rituals, the dye sessions, how the business is going, and general musings.

Every colorway starts with a reference. This could be a memory, a time of day, a mineral, or a ritual remembered. The dye process is acid dye first. Botanicals come out for rare drops, and fiber-reactive dyes when there is cellulose in the drop. I work four to six skeins at a time, which is why variation between hanks exists and why it will never fully go away.

Dye sessions happen mostly at night, which is partly schedule and partly preference. I work my own rituals as I dye, holding each colorway's intention and each base's purpose while the color takes. I keep strict notes, so although no two batches are identical, popular colorways do sometimes come back. Others never will. If you see something you want, do not count on it returning.

Bases are sourced from mills I've evaluated for consistency and transparency, mostly Peruvian. Three are in rotation right now: a Superwash Merino/Nylon fingering, a Superwash Blue Faced Leicester/Nylon fingering, and a 100% Superwash Merino worsted. Fiber content and yardage are listed on every product page. If you want more detail on a base, or there's one you'd like to see, write to me at tess@arachnefiberworks.com.

Care is hand-wash, dry flat, and keep finished pieces away from the dryer. The nylon in the sock bases forgives a good deal; the worsted merino wants a lighter touch. The care guide covers the rest.

Whatever you brought with you, you are welcome here. I wish you protection, love, and clarity in all you do.

Blessed Be,

Tess, Arachne Fiberworks