About Lyrebird Yarns

Lyrebird Yarns is Helen Keenan, a fibre artist based in the beautiful Blue Mountains west of Sydney, NSW, where I live with my two small rescue dogs. I have been spinning since 2013 but have been interested in all things fibre long before that. In 2006 I saw a bump of wool in a second-hand shop for $10. I bought it, not sure how I was going to find a spinning teacher, but knowing I wanted to learn. Then the volunteer YHA attendant at the hostel where I was staying in Pembrokshire, Wales, brought out her traditional spinning wheel and generously gave me a lesson. Fast forward a couple of years and there was a wee peggy wheel at my local market, which I bought. Then I found a local teacher and, as they say the rest is history.

​

My first market stall was at Ironfest in Lithgow four years ago, and since then I have had

regular market stalls, and attend Ironfest, Winterfest at Hawkesbury Showground and FibreFest in Singleton each year to sell yarns, shawl pins and buttons, and teach and

demonstrate spinning. I also run spinning classes in my studio.

 

I love what I do – whether it is spinning a traditional two-ply yarn, teaching others to spin,

dyeing and blending my own colours or creating crazy yarns for fun – and use the best

materials I can find. The fibre community is a well-connected one, and I like to support local independent artists and farmers as much as possible. All my yarns are handspun, although some may incorporate pre-made yarns or other fibres.

​

I use Majacraft and Daedalus spinning wheels to produce my yarns, although I do have a

tricked out traditional wheel for fibre festivals.

 

Please browse my yarns and accessories, like and share. If you have any questions about

the products you see, please contact me. helen@lyrebirdyarns.com