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New Yarn Up

My new yarn on Etsy is called Bubble Gum. Check it out here!: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11753389

Stirrup Cozies

So, I've started to make stirrup cozies for a woman who works at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. It's quite fun and interesting. She asked the Knit for Choice group I started on Ravelry to do this. One person found a pattern online and I'm using that pattern to make the cozies. I will be sure to post them on here when I'm done. It's a great destash project. I have a lot of acrylic yarn, and it's a very, very quick project so I'll probably make lots of them. I have so much acrylic yarn, it's unbelievable! I've been looking for a quick project to knit because I'm focused on spinning.
Speaking of spinning, I think I'm going to buy a Greensleeves spindle. I need a new spindle because mine is cracking, and sometimes I get the urge to use a spindle. And I need to practice my spindle skills :)
Under the Sea is up now on Etsy, so go check it out: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11727385

And, I got my first Yarn O' the Month customer!!! Yay!!!
All kinds of happy fiber news today!

Under the Sea

I plied with sewing thread for the first time today! I plied a new yarn called Under the Sea, which will be posted on Etsy in a day or so, after it dries. I'm quite excited about plying with thread! If I feel like it tomorrow, I'm going to go to Joann's and buy thread so I have some handy and I don't have to "borrow" from my MIL. I used almost an entire spool of her thread and I feel bad. I'll buy her a new one. The downside to plying with thread it that a spool empties fast. I had to use 2 spools to complete one skein. It's a small skein, but nonetheless, that's a lot of thread. But it's much easier to use thread than having to spin another single and then ply that. I really like the waving effect it gives it too. I always love learning new techniques as a spinner and a knitter. This one I'm definitely doing on a regular basis!

Roving Awesomeness!

So, I just learned the coolest technique! I learned how to turn my rolags from my hand carders into roving!!!! It is so easy and so fun! I dyed a bunch of fiber this week (and should work on more as a matter of fact!) and it is making a beautiful blend at the moment. There is blue, yellow and pink in the yarn and it looks fantastic! Now I need to figure out what to call it. I really love learning new techniques in spinning. I'm still a novice, even though I have done it for a year and a half. I've only had my spinning wheel for 3 and half months, so I still have lots to learn. The new yarn will go on etsy and I will post it here as well when it's done!

Economic Stimulus

I have plans for my economic stimulus money. First, I'm going to by a jumbo flyer for my spinning wheel so I can ply. I can still ply without it, but this will make it easier. Second, I'm buying a new hand spindle. I posted a forum on Ravelry and I think I'm going with a Bosworth. Third, I'm buying more dyes. I've been dying like crazy this week and I wish I had more colors to play with. I did buy more colors that came in yesterday and I have a pretty periwinkle and gorgeous emerald! I also bought some dyes for bamboo and cotton. I need to pick up some soda ash before I dye with those. When reading the containers, I was comforted to know that I'm working with chemicals that are deemed carcinogens in the state of California :) Got to make sure to use a dust mask!

It's off to lunch!

Buried Treasury

My mini's on Buried Treasury!

http://buriedtreasury.blogspot.com/search/label/Knitting

I'm adding the entire link to my blog!

Off Shoulder Tank

is finished! I'm very, very happy with it! There will be a picture coming soon.

I listed a new yarn again today called Orange Push-Up:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11513882

New Yarn

I posted a new yarn today:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=11498482

I also bought this really neat tool that tells me the wraps per inch of my yarns I make, so I can tell customers the approx. gauge of the yarn and suggested needle size. It's very cool and very easy to use. I ordered it on Thursday and it came today! Most of the yarns listed in my shop now has suggested needle size and approx. gauge.
I plan on posting a new yarn tomorrow as well. It's drying as we speak.

I'm almost done with the Off Shoulder Tank and so far it's turning out well! I ordered some hand painted ribbon from Etsy that will go really well with the tank. That's all the fiber news I have for now. Good night.

Get Busy!

So, I've sold/traded 3 yarns in the past week or so and I only have 4 yarns in my Etsy shop at the moment. I mainly advertise my yarns so I need to get busy. I've traded for the first time a couple days ago and it's a lot of fun! I've also been noticing a trend lately. My avatar on my Etsy shop site seems to be selling first. I changed my avatar to Green Apple and I'm hoping that'll sell next. I hope to post some pictures of the dog hair yarn (cheingora) today. I made another skein last night and it's getting easier to spin. I just hope I can find a way to keep myself clean! But, like I said, I hope to offer the service one day. I need to practice on spinning the hair though. I hope to get my business cards today or tomorrow, so I can maybe hit up some dog grooming places to put my business cards out. Well, I better get to work!

Nephew's birthday

Oh, I forgot to show you the pictures of my nephew's sweater! It's quite big on him, but he'll grow into it. And you can tell he's quite sleepy in the pictures. Long day for him.

Dog hair pros and cons

I finally started carding and spinning my dog's fur. It's a little easier than I thought, but there are definitely pros and cons to dog fur than wool.

Pros: Dog hair is easy to clean. Not as dirty as sheep.
It is easy to join. It catches fast and easy
It's free! It's my dog and I don't have to pay for it.
It dries fast.

Cons: It sheds like crazy!
It's a little hard to draft
It's clumpy, not like sheep


I really love spinning it. I can't wait to spin up more. The yarn I'm making is turning out great and I will be posting pictures as soon as it's done. I hope to spin dog hair for a other people soon!

Dog fur

Our dog was clipped today and now I have dog fur!!!! I'm in the process of washing it right now. I really hope it spins up nicely. A while back, I bought some fine hand carders for the dog fur so I can card it, so I'm all prepared to spin Cleo's fur. If it doesn't spin on its own I can blend it with wool. There's a lot more fur that I realized, but that's a good thing. It's not as clumpy as I thought it would be and that's a good thing too. I'm sure it'll spin up nicely. Now, I'm just trying to get it where it doesn't smell like dog.

I'm watching CNN and they are saying the rising price of food is caused by Ethanol production.

RME NOW ACCEPTED!!!!

I NOW accept RME (Revolutionary Money Exchange)!!!! A great alternative to PayPal! Are you a seller? Pay no fees! Yay!!!

Craft Fair

I would like to do a craft fair here. There isn't much opportunity for crafty people like myself to display my work in NW Ohio. There's art fairs, but several of them snub their noses at fiber arts. The closest alternative craft fair around is the Detroit Urban Craft Fair, but I would like something close by and run on alterna-crafters terms. Does anyone use the term alterna anymore, or am I showing I'm not hip anymore??? Anyways, I hope to get some interested people and go from there.

I just purchased the first Barbara Walker knitting pattern book from half.com. I opted to purchase the vintage version instead of the new version because I really like vintage books. There's history there in vintage books and it's fun to have an original copy!

My nephew's first birthday is today and his party's on Sunday, so I get to give him his cardigan that I made. I have to remember my camera so I can take pictures of him wearing it! I'm sure it'll be so cute. And the only time in his life where he can wear a bright yellow cabled cardigan....

Swimming

I have a lot of yarn. I really do. I was now looking for my light box to make my Nobu bag and I kept putting skeins in piles and I realized I need to get rid of a lot of yarn. I'm running out of room. Should I do a destash sale? Should I just use it all and make a bunch of afghans? (I have a LOT of acrylic yarn that I can't really do anything else with) One of these days, I'll have to sort through what I want and what I don't want and maybe do a destash sale. I'm buying more and more fiber, I need to make room for that as well. I'm just looking at this pile, trying to find a manageable solution to this problem of little room. See, I didn't say too much yarn :) Well, in the mean time, I'll just have to look at my stash in disbelief of how much yarn I have and how little room.

Fiber Fiend

So, I just bought a ton of fiber on Etsy, and I don't really need it. I bought some more superwash, I bought some bamboo and some cotton roving. I haven't spun cotton and I'm eager to try. I have so much fiber, it's ridiculous! It'll keep me busy for a while! I finished dying the yarn for my Nobu bag (my kitty) and now all I need to do is find a picture to pixelate and turn into a fair isle pattern. A lot like the Corinne Burns bag I have posted on here, but it'll be my cat. Oh, and I'm offering FREE FIRST CLASS SHIPPING from now until May 2, my birthday, so take advantage!

Don't forget to check out my Storque showcase!

Storque

Hey everyone!

I've got a Storque showcase tomorrow, so be sure to check it out!

I've been working on the Off Shoulder Tank from Vogue Knitting and I just ordered some Noro yarn for an item in the Joy book, which has some awesome patterns! I can't wait!

Cabana Tee

I finished the Cabana Tee in this quarter's KnitScene. At first, I wasn't sure, but as I'm looking at the pictures post on Ravelry and here, I really like it and I could see making it again in different color choices. It turned out really well. I'm quite proud :) I made the key hole a little smaller because when I was knitting it, I realized that it was going to be quite deep, so I altered the pattern. The Tropical Fish color worked really well with the design with the Natural color. A nice little top for summer!

Noro Joy

I heart the new Noro book--Joy. I just purchased it today from Royal Yarns because the patterns look frakin amazing! I cannot wait to buy the yarn and start a project! I still need to finish my Cabana Tee. I started making sock yarn yesterday with the pencil roving I bought on Etsy and dyed. I will take pictures of it soon, because it's so pretty.

Etsy shop promotion is going. I'm sending out yarn promos tomorrow to someone in North Carolina who is attending a craft fair there, so I'm excited to get some exposure to a different audience. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the Detroit Urban Craft Fair application because I really want to be a vendor for that. I went as a patron last year and loved it and now that I sell, I want to be part of that awesomeness! I'll keep you updated.