Claudia Birdsall

My name is Claudia Birdsall, and I am the owner of Con Brio Styles, LLC. I am a violinist and teacher, and the name of my business comes from the Italian term used in music that means "with fire" or "with passion."

I started dyeing three years ago when my son wanted to have a booth at his high school craft fair. I was immediately hooked by the colors, the fabrics, and the excitement of watching the results come out of the dye bath. Although my son is no longer involved in the business, my husband and I have continued to dye shirts and socks, and to explore how to use immersion dye in new and subtle ways to create comfortable, beautiful, and affordable garments that are unique and flattering. We have also added screen printing to our repertoire and use printed designs to enhance some of our shirts, including designs specific to weavers, knitters, and anyone who works with fleece.

In addition to shirts and socks, I have started another line of clothing and accessories in collaboration with Susan Bowman, an award-winning fiber artist. This line includes unique, wearable art pieces constructed by us from original patterns. Many of these also include hand-dyed elements. We love exploring new fabrics and shibori techniques in pursuit of making beautiful, one-of-a-kind creations.

We use a number of products from Dharma in our business, including Procion MX dyes in a variety of colors, urea, cotton socks for men and women, bamboo socks, and Feminine Fit t-shirts in several styles.