About

We at Daedalus Enterprises are happy to bring you the second Daedalus Fly-In located in the heart of the Kentucky bluegrass plateau. This spinning retreat has been designed and centered around the art of electric hand-spinning. All electric wheels are welcome. We have a great three days of classes and a fluff-filled vendor market open for the weekend. Also don’t forget to check out our private lounge where you can eat lunch, relax or demo one of Daedalus’ fabulous machines. Then stick around for more fun-filled evenings, Wednesday we open with a dinner in the evening, Thursday and Friday night we offer free break-out seminars in the lounge, and Saturday night we have a closing dessert and raffle. Come to the fly-in and see what Daedalus is all about. And a big shout out to our sponsors, Jeri Brock Woodworks, Urban Girl Yarns, and Daedalus Spinning Wheels, thank you for your support.

Sponsored By

Website

Jeri Brock Woodworks

Jeri Brock Woodworks is a woman-owned business, and I am Jeri Brock. Originally from the mitten (Pure Michigan), I now call Texas my home. Other than a brief exile in Florida, I've called Texas home since 1998. I learned knitting and crochet as a youngster, and started woodworking in the late 1990's. My favorite shop tool is my Hegner scroll saw. Once a friend of mine introduced me to spinning with spindles in 2009, I found a way to combine several of my interests into one business.

I make all kinds of spindles and fiber tools, but the thing I'm best known for is the Scrolled Turk spindle, which is my original design concept. Don't settle for copy-cats. The spindle patterns are all hand-drawn and hand cut using a scroll saw. The cutouts not only add beauty to the spindle, they serve to lighten the spindle and improve the spin. Every single spindle is tested by me before it leaves the shop. If it doesn't spin good enough for me, it becomes firewood or a tchotchke. I'm not just a woodworker, I'm also a spinner, and when I’m not spinning on a member of my all cranberry Daedalus flock, you’ll find me spinning on a Turk.

Urban Girl Yarns

Shelia Anderson – Owner and Dyer, Knitter, Crocheter

I dipped my toe into the world of indie dyeing in March 2016 and I have never looked back. I started knitting when I was six years old and I thought there was nothing else that could bring me such joy, until I mixed dye for the first time and stood in the glow of the fumes. Now whenever I see a sweater, shawl, or any knitted/crocheted item I start to visualize different color combinations and possibilities.

I started dyeing fiber in my small kitchen. Then I moved a few pots and a steamer to the backyard. Once winter set in it got really cold going out to the porch to stir the pots. I now have a dye studio in Ashland Virginia and three helpers or Minions, as they like to be called. I have been fortunate to take UrbanGirlYarns to a few of the large fiber festivals such as Stitches and Vogue New York. I’m ready to raise the bar to whatever challenges show up. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

I have not retired yet from my full-time job. This is a running joke as to how many hours can I actually put into one day, but soon, I will be devoting all my time to fiber. I work hard to attempt to bring you the quality and quantity of awesome fiber that you have come to love. I have a small support team that does so much to help me provide you with a great product.

Website

Daedalus Spinning Wheels

Daedalus Spinning Wheels is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Dave and Rebecca Giles. The Lexington, Kentucky-based business was founded in 2018, after the couple began their dyeing business, Spotted Ewe Fibers, and realized that to dye top-quality fibers, Rebecca would need to learn to spin.

Intrigued by the mechanics behind handspinning—notably the nuts and bolts of e-spinning—Dave soon followed suit. He knew his decade-long experience as a drone designer could help him build a lighter, faster, more responsive e-spinner. The Daedalus wheels are the only such wheels to use a carbon fiber chassis, coupled with 3D printed ABS plastic, T6061 aluminum, and ceramic bearings. The first Daedalus e-spinner, the Blackbird, was so successful that the couple knew they were onto something remarkable.

By listening to his customers in the three years since, Dave has continued to hone his ideas into the current lineup of Daedalus models—the lightweight, whisper-quiet, high-performance e-spinners that the spinning community has been clamoring for. Demand became so great that operating Daedalus Spinning Wheels has been the couple’s full-time job since early 2019. Dave and Rebecca still actively engage with their customers online and rely on community feedback for designing and testing the Daedalus lineup of the future.

Our Staff

Becca Giles

I am a Florida native now residing in Lexington, Kentucky. I started knitting, embroidering, and weaving as a child but did not keep up the practice continually. I received my bachelor’s of fine arts from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2000. At SCAD, I took a weaving and dyeing class that opened new doors for me.

I then met David after I returned home to Florida to teach art, 20-plus years ago. We soon relocated from Florida to Kentucky, David’s hometown. In 2015 I received my master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and promptly returned to knitting.

In 2018 we opened Spotted Ewe Fibers, dyeing yarn exclusively. I wanted to dye fiber as well, so learning to spin was my next task. Soon after learning to spin, I decided an electric spinner was right for me. David insisted on building one for me, and the Blackbird was created. I posted a few pictures on social media in the fall of 2018, and Daedalus Spinning Wheels was born. When not dyeing fiber or building wheels, I spend my time with my family and friends, spinning, knitting, and camping.

David Giles

Born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky, my journey into the realm of fiber began in 2018. I originally started dyeing yarn, which led to fiber. To dye fiber effectively I learned to spin, and from there Daedalus Spinning Wheels was created. With a background in engineering and drone creation, my goal was to push the limits of the electric spinning wheel as we know it and to build something different.

Soon I sold my first wheel, a Blackbird, and never looked back.

Evanita Montalvo

I've been a photographer since 2003, a spinner since 2006, and into 3D printing since 2014. I've been working closely with Dave and Becca since testing out the Starling V1 Mini back in January 2019 Since then, I've gotten to build at least one of every wheel Dave has created, and I continue to provide feedback as both a spinner and a maker. In addition to testing the wheels, I now also support Daedalus as Executive Assistant.

Jenn Hendrix

Jenn is a native of Michigan & has lived in the Greenville area of South Carolina with her husband, Will, for 13 years. Jenn started her fiber arts journey nearly 20 years ago and loves to spin, knit, and weave. She is also a novice woodturner and loves spending time in the Smoky Mountains in her MINI. Jenn has 2 grown-up daughters & 3 grandkids. (If you visit our Saturday night Zooms, you may have ‘met’ Jenn & her youngest grandson.)

Carmen Ballman

Carmen started crocheting at the age of 5 and knitting in her early 20’s. She never stopped loving working with yarn. Her long time dream of owning a yarn shop came true and she is currently an owner of Hook and Shuttle with her business partner Jay. Spinning became a big part of Carmen’s fiber journey. Not just using yarn but making yarn was a natural progression. Daedalus makes it possible to make all the types of yarn. In addition, she is currently working on the Master Spinners Certification from Olds College in Canada.

Jay Warner

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, I was introduced to fiber arts by my grandmother when I was very young but it just didn't stick at that time. In my late twenties, I picked up knitting again but became passionate about fiber arts when I was introduced to weaving by happenstance about 10 years ago. From there, I have devoured as much technical knowledge and application on weaving as I can which has led to teaching weaving and spinning for weaving classes. I also weave on commission and have had the pleasure of working with clients from all over the world. Nearly 5 years ago I opened a small yarn store with one of my best friends and bought my first e-spinner from Daedalus, a Blackbird just as they began production. Spinning has become a passion as well and today I spin mainly for use in weaving projects.

Brian Holmen

When not on the stage involved in community theater in the Northern Chicago land suburbs, I spend most of my free time primarily knitting, crocheting, and yes, Spinning! I have enjoyed the art of hand spinning on and off since early 2017, and have become a more intentional spinner when I purchased my first Daedalus (Sparrow) in Feb 2021.

February 28th - March 3rd, 2024