I have many patterns available and some kits for quick holiday gifts. I also show you a couple of patterns that I didn’t design. They are available on Ravelry and you can buy your yarn from us. Watch this video for some suggestions:
Want the links? Click here for the PDF with links that you can download!!
New podcast just dropped this morning. You can find it here or subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Rather watch? You can find the video here on Vimeo
Today, I thought I would highlight some of my naturally dyed yarn. This yarn is our PolyPay worsted weight yarn. It was grown in Virginia on a partner farm. I had it clean, carded and spun into this wonderful 2 ply.
Each set has four 50 yard mini skeins. Some are gradients and others are just colors that look great together.
I new yellow and green set is in the works. You can find them here.
I love a little bling now and again. This yarn is our Sparkly base. It is Superwash Merino with a touch of Lurex. Lurex it the silver metallic thread that is plied within this yarn. Sparkly is fingering weight. Each skein is 400 yards. It is so versatile. You can add it to a shawl. You can make a top or sweater out of it. You can of course make some super special socks as well.
What I love about Sparkly is that the metallic thread is plied so well. It does not worm it’s way out of the yarn. It stays within the yarn. And did I mention the bling?
You can pick some up here in our shop!!
I LOVE my Alto yarn. It is a commercial yarn. It is 55% superwash BFL wool and 45% bombyx silk. It is highly lustrous and it is has great drape. What is BFL wool? It’s wool from Blue Faced Leicester sheep. It is a long, lustrous wool. You have the luster from the silk and the luster from the silk.
Because it is superwash wool, it is also great for a next-to-the-skin garment. Superwash wools have the fibers stripped of the parts that cause prickliness.
What can you make with this yarn? Well you can make a sweater or top. You can make a wonderful scarf or shawl. You could make a baby layette too, one that’s really special like a christening outfit.
Here are the deets: 260 yards per skein, DK weight yarn, $32 per skein
You can find all the colors here.
What is holding you back from your creativity? Lisa talks about the obstacles to your creativity and how to get past those obstacles. There is, of course, a creative exercise to build up your creative muscle.
You can listen to it here or subscribe on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Rather watch? Click here to see it on Vimeo or You Tube
We are 59 days from Christmas and only 32 days from Hanukkah. And there are stories all over the news programs about the supply chain shortages. The media are sowing anxiety about what gifts and food and other products will be available this week or this month or before the holidays. They are telling us to RUN… don’t walk, don’t wait… RUN to the store. I’m starting to wonder just how much this is media trying to manipulate us, or the large companies trying to manipulate us. Is there a problem? Yes. It’s clearly visible that there are ships stuck in the Pacific waiting to be unloaded. Those ships have caused an oil leak and just the other day, a ship became unbalanced and lost containers and started on fire. So yes, there is a problem.
But, really, I am starting to think that WE are the problem. We have become huge consumers. We buy too many things that are made elsewhere. Many of us are going shopping every day. If not at the mall, then online. And that shopping is driving the huge expectations of our children that there will be a bounty of gifts under the tree.
My family has been questioning the quantity and quality of holiday gifts for several years now. A couple of years ago, pre-pandemic, we decided no “things” as gifts. We gave each other experiences. We went on a Christmas train ride and a play and a trip up to Longwood gardens. It was fantastic to just spend time together making memories. Of course that wasn’t possible last year. And this year it may be a little questionable too.
How about a local holiday? What if you chose to buy only from small businesses? Chose to buy from artisans that are local to us? People who have touched each item, who have lovingly made each and every item in their store? People who have stories about each item, like the names of the animals that made that yarn or dyed that napkin with plants grown on their own farm.
How do you find us? Well you can search for artists near you. You can find an artisan tour weekend in your area. You can ask your local facebook page where you can find local gifts.
The first weekend of December here in Maryland, you have the opportunity to do just that. Our Fiber Art Studio Tour will be on. There will be 4 small farm businesses open. And while we will have lots of yarn and roving for makers, we will also have other artisans sharing our space. So you can find felted items, glass buttons and shawl pins and earrings. You can find tree ornaments that also serve as a donation to the CF community and/or local 4H kids. You can find soaps and dish towels and cloth napkins. You can find some knitted items as well. You can find some kits for items that you can make as a family like felted soaps or dryer balls. We will even be a pick up point if you want to buy lamb for your holiday meals. To keep up to date about what artisans will be at which farm, sign up for our Fiber Art Studio Tour mailing list here.
I wish you a serene holiday season. I wish you beautiful memories of family and friends around your table or on your zoom call. I wish you health and happiness!!
Have you said this statement to yourself? I know that I have. I never thought that being creative is your human nature. It is embedded in our instincts and in our DNA. Only through society have we now lifted up artists to a heroic stature. Listen to this podcast to find out the truth. Do my suggested exercise to train your creative spirit. And as always let me know what you think….
To listen to the episode, subscribe on iTunes, follow on Spotify or click here.
Do you print out your patterns? I have some I have printed and some I have bought. And I needed a way to organize these and keep track of them. I borrowed my system from a customer. She always carries her notebook to shows or to stores so she has all the information about the patterns she wants to make next.
Watch this video to see the system….. Click here to download the dividers for your own pattern notebook
**Disclaimer: I have not received any compensation for this blog. I truly love these apps and use them personally. The opinions are mine alone.
There are 3 yarnie apps on my phone that I simply can not live without. I have to say that these are mostly knitting oriented and so I apologize to my crocheting friends. I simply don’t crochet myself, so I don’t have that frame of reference. I’d love to hear about apps that you use that would be helpful for my readers.
