A Chat with Mon Sheep Shop

My name is Cindy, I am an indie yarn dyer. I live in the beautiful Loire valley in France with my husband, our three year old son and our three puppies.

I guess my fiber journey began as a little girl when visiting my grandma.  I usually grabbed one of her Bergère de France magazines and started playing with the little color samples on the side of the pages, spending hours mix and matching them.

Much later when I got my first job I found myself alone in a big city and wasn't really comfortable making aquaintances, for I am quite the introvert kind of girl. I then taught myself how to knit and never stopped ever since.

I worked ten plus years as an interior designer but the lack of recognitions and authenticity in that field was hurting me so much that I decided to leave my job and create my own business. That's how Mon Sheep Shop was born. First I was a retailer but soon I realized it didn't quite fit my expectations, mostly regarding connecting with clients and fellow knitters.

In 2015 I lost my father. His death was premature and very unexpected. This experience made me take a step back and reflect on what I wanted both my personnal and my business life to be.  Pain and grief kept rushing into my heart and soul.    At first, I didn't know how to deal with all this especially since my son was only one and needed me on a constant basis.

Dealing with the pain was difficult and I really needed to find a way to transform it. That's how I started dyeing really. I transformed my emotions and memories into colors and poured them onto bare yarn thus giving life to something new beautiful yet meaningful.

At that point, something clicked in me, my heart, my soul and my job were aligned that's when I fully embraced this path, my business shifted and I became a full time dyer.

I had a few knitting episodes in my youth but nothing that serious I really started in 2014 when I got my first job.
I do crochet from time to time, mostly to make amigurumies for my son.
I learned to spin a few years back and it is for me the best meditation practice ever !
No weaving (for now) just trying not to fall in this other fiber related rabbit hole;-)

My creative process is quite intuitive I would say. I dig deep into my memories and my emotions mostly but I also like to have a lighter approach and play around movies, series, songs...

I don't think I have a specific fiber I prefer to another. Each one has it's specificity it's own charm in a way that's so unique that you can't have a preference you got to love them all !

That's a tough one but I would say « Slumber » because it has a recipe like all my color ways but there is an intuitive part in the achievement of this color I cannot control. And I feel that's when the magic trully happens when you let go and allow the not entirely expected to happen and embrace it.

Oh oh I always have several projects on the go ! I have a crochet frog (pattern by pica pau) for the daughter of a friend, several pairs of socks (but socks do not count right?) and a sweater for me.

I am planning a few events I'll be part of in the upcoming months, mostly in France though. So as to avoid any confusion I won't say anything yet, for I'm still waiting confirmation for two of them.

Places where you can find me :

web site : www.monsheepshop.fr  

Instagram : @monsheepshop

Ravelry : Mon SheepShop. 

Facebook group : MonSheepShop 

You Tube channel: Cindy Mon Sheep Shop

99%of the time I pick the yarn first and then spend hours activly digging up on ravelry ;-)