Tolt Yarn and Wool is closed on Mondays and we usually do a lot of behind the scenes work that day, but every once in awhile we get to play hooky and go on a field trip. This past Monday the Toltias (as we lovingly have been named by Tif Fussell) spent the day in Seattle. Our first stop was a lovely lunch at Sitka and Spruce!

I can't say enough wonderful things about Sitka and Spruce. The atmosphere and the service were amazing and the food...  the food...   WOW!  Spectacular! And it just kept coming, one delicious course after another. We left there feeling cared for and our bellies full.

After poking around the shops nearby we got back in the car and headed toward Fremont to visit the lovely Kathy Hattori of Botanical Colors. Kathy graciously welcomed us into her natural dye studio where she was busy at work color developing for a top secret project. Kathy not only teaches and sells her natural dye material but she also works with companies such as Eileen Fisher to develop natural dye colors.

Even though Kathy was busy at work she shared some of her process with us and showed us some of the things she has been working on and she even welcomed us to dip some yarn into her indigo vats. Thank you so much Kathy! We look forward to having Kathy teach again this Summer in Carnation (details coming soon!).

Our adventures in Seattle were not over. Kathy said we had to visit her friend Patricia's studio which was just down the street, and we are so glad we did!  

Patricia Belyea was a graphic designer who left the busy corporate world to follow her passion of quilting. She opened a shop, Okan Arts, in her home where she carries the largest selection of vintage yukata cotton in North America. Walking into her studio was a delight. So many gorgeous rolls of fabric neatly organized in shelves, beautiful quilts and Japanese trinkets on the wall. Patricia offered us tea and cookies as she told us a bit about what she does, how she got started and about her new book that will be coming out in October. We left Patricia's studio feeling inspired and ready to hop on a plane to Japan, a few of us even left with yards of fabric. If you're in the area be sure to contact Patricia for a visit, her shop is open by appointment only.

The best part of Tolt is the people; the people who come to visit us and the people that work here. I am so grateful to spend my days with my fellow Toltias and look forward to our next outing together!