Okay, I'm going to try and do a real post.....sort of. It's been crazy busy here and I'm running in "warp speed" mode to try and keep up with stuff so I don't get so far behind. Here's a quick and dirty run down!
* I sold my picker and can now order the fine cloth Fancy Kitty carder!!! Yes, I know I already have one but it's medium cloth and doesn't do fine batts with fleece as well as I would like. Can't have to many fiber tools!!
* I got the fiber tools up in the Etsy shop though some are pre-order listings because Eric can only make them so fast but we wanted people to get a look at what was possible and if they want one they can order it and he'll start on it right away.
*The website has been changed around a bit and I've added The Store (handspun yarn, fiber, tool cases, bags, etc) and Wool Combs & Hackles pages where people can pre-order fiber tools for about 10% less than what they are listed on Etsy.
*Finished more bags, cut more fabric, and now have a huge knot in my left shoulder. Still hunting for the heating pad but the bags are coming out well. I've got tons more fabric to cut and a million color combinations in my head.......don't worry, there's plenty of room since there's nothing else up there at the moment.
*I was approved to be a retailer for Greener Shades dye which is a fabulous non-toxic chrome free acid dye...now I just have to come up with enough $ to make the hefty initial order
* I finished my acrylic stash busting afghan
*I finished Katies' split toe socks
*The kids helped clean the house yesterday......it took all day and I had to empty the vacume cannister 3x's...it looked like I sucked up small rodents there was so much fluff in there from carding and combing
*Got 2lbs of absolutely gorgeous Huacaya mahogany colored alpaca fleece washed.....Eric loves this stuff. It's super soft and he loves the natural reddish brown color
*Alex got all A's on his 2 benchmark tests at school....he was very proud of himself ;) He was also 1 of 5 kids in his grade to get 100% on his algebra sol........he said his teacher was so happy he thought she was going to grab him and kiss him.
* Katie got an A on her social studies test and she thinks she got an A+ on her book report/project.......she said her teacher pulled her aside and told her how impressed he was with her artwork (project portion of the report) and that she should go to art school when she gets older. Eric and I already knew this but for her to hear it from her teacher was a major boost for Katie.
*Everyone is sick of snow........we still have some snow in the yard from before Christmas and now it has a inch of ice on top of it. Lovely.
*The whole family is loving some old black and white Alfred Hitchcock movies Eric got super cheap at Walmart. They're almost as good as the 1950's Sherlock Holmes TV shows in black and white.....they're my favorite.
* I haven't heard back from Interweave Crochet yet about my bag and I'm going nuts. I think I will break down on Monday and email Toni just to make sure she got it okay........I hate bugging people.
Okay, I need to take a shower and do some more sewing. I've started getting pre-order listings for Eric's fiber tools up in the etsy shop and a pre-order page on the website with a little discount. You can also get the tools with a 3 month payment plan on the website ...check the
Wool Combs & Hackles page. There are a few tools ready to go and Eric will be making more with pre-order listings taking priority over tools to list in the shops in general. I'm busier than a one armed paper hanger so I better go. More later!
I have not heard a thing from Toni at Interweave Crochet.........I'll probably explode before the magazine comes out. Anybody need a cradle style wool picker? I'm trying to sell one on ebay to fund my next drum carder with the fine cloth. I'm asking $300 plus shipping in the US....email if you're interested. Okay, I really have to go this time!
January 6, 2010
Well, I messaged Toni and figured out all the info she needed for the bags, made the bag, and shipped it today. I'm sure it took me twice as long to make this bag as it normally would.......I'm a wreck. A happy wreck, but still a wreck. Keep your fingers crossed for me...I'm still not sure if the bag will be in the Spring 2010 issue of Interweave Crochet or if it's one of many items that they will pick from for the Noteables page. I guess I should have asked but I hate to pester people.......I know it drives me up the wall. Katie helped me decide on the final fabric combination for the bag to send in. She said this one "pops"! It's much prettier in person and the vintage fabric used for the pockets is gorgeous.......unfortunately, it's also pretty much gone. I think I have enough left for a small pocket on a needle case. This is the downside of using vintage fabric found at estate sales.....there's never enough left to make yourself something. Okay, here's a sneek peak for all 3 of you who read my blog ;) What do ya think?
January 4, 2010
I got this convo through Etsy today. I'm totally still in shock. Interweave Crochet? THE Interweave Crochet??? HOLY COW!!!!! Guess I better get sewing...........
Hello,
My name is Toni and I am the Assistant Editor for Interweave Crochet Magazine. We would be interested in reviewing your project bags for our New and Noteable section. I would need a sample of your bags (you can pick the size etc) mailed to the address below for photography and some information about the hook. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best wishes,
Toni
January 3, 2010
I've created a page on the website for Eric's fiber tools so people can get an idea of what he's making and what the tools will look like. He gave me my own blending hackle this weekend and it's fabulous!!! Check out the page and have a peek at the pictures of the 4 pitch comb and hackle sets and the blending hackle. Remember, these are the first sets he made--basically the experiments---the ones we'll list for sale in the shop will be much nicer. The blending hackle will be the same though. Go on! Have a look and tell me what you think!!!
I made this color blended corriedale combed top using the comb and hackle set to comb out the locks and then transferred the wool to the blending hackle and dized off 2oz of soft squishy fibery goodness.
January 2, 2010
My husband sent this email to my son...........you see what I have to live with ;)
A great fruit cake recipe
You'll need the following: a cup of water, a cup of sugar, four large eggs, two cups of dried fruit, a teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, a cup of brown sugar, lemon juice, nuts, and a bottle of whisky.
Sample the whisky to check for quality.
Take a large bowl. Check the whisky again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again.
Make sure the whisky is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer. Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whisky. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whisky again and go to bed.
Hi Bud, I think this is the only decent recipe for fruit cake I have ever seen.
Dad
December 30, 2009
Custom Made Med. Size Caddy Sax bag............drawing to be held on Jan. 17
See shop announcements for details.
December 23, 2009
I know I said I was going to update with a real post over the weekend. Wishful thinking on my part. We got a little over 2 feet of snow and couldn't get off the mountain until Tuesday. I don't mind shoveling snow but this is ridiculous. Now they're calling for sleet and freezing rain Christmas Eve so I probably won't get off the mountain again until Saturday or Monday. That's alright, the kids are having a ball with the snow!Eric finished my skein winder!!! He even hung it on the wall for me since it's my Christmas present from him this year........I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fiber tool. He's decided not to make them for the shop since they are super time consuming to put together and the shipping would be outrageous. That's fine with me....I got my skein winder;)
Well, Eric has finally gotten a pattern down for the hackle and comb sets that he's satified with. I think we've been through 3 different designs with the previous being modified a little each time. He's working on some now to go in the shop sometime in January. I thought he would never decide (he's picky) on a pattern but now we've got several sets of combs and hackles that we can keep for our use. Yipeee!!! The hackles pictured are his 1st set and an improved 2nd set with a wider area of tines, slightly shorter tines, and recessed clamp area. The 3rd and final set is going to be even nicer!!I spent two days (at least I think it was, it's all a blur now) cleaning out the area of the downstairs where I do fiber........or I guess I should say where the fiber is taking over. I've organized, cleaned up , cleaned out, and made space. It's like having a whole new work space!!
The kids are super excited about Christmas...Katie's almost climbing the walls......and they've jollied up the house and the tree. Now I need to wrap presents which I don't much care for. Geez, I bought them it doesn't seem fair to have to wrap them too. Eric will help I'm sure.......he will want clean underwear next week after all. Okay, that's enough for now.......back to work! Merry Christmas !!! Happy Holidays !!! Happy New Year!!
December 18, 2009
I know I haven't posted for awhile and it's driving me nuts!! Alot has happened and I'm hoping to catch up with a real post this weekend. In the mean time here are the highlights:
*Eric is making gorgeous comb and hackle sets that will be affordable. He has come up with several sizes and designs some of which you won't be able to get anywhere else. We are hoping to start carrying them in the shop sometime in January provided his tools quit dying. We've had to replace 2 large tools so far. Crap! We do have combed top in the shop now---currently Border Leicester and he's working on a batch of cloud soft Cormo.
*I've been playing with Cormo fleece and made myself a luxury batt with silk, cormo, bamboo, sparkle and other goodies. It is fabulous!! I'll be listing some luxury batts in the shop soon.
* The kids are excited about Christmas and not going to school for 2 weeks. I'm not sure which they are happier about.....
* We are expecting as much as 18" of snow between Friday night and Sunday morning and another snow storm around Christmas. I think it's time to hybernate.
* I finished Christmas shopping today and refuse to leave the house to do anymore shopping!
Yes!! Eric is making fiber tools!! I'm so excited I could climb the walls!! The first of each tool that he makes is mine and will be for product testing, this goes without saying. I mean, he does want clean underwear next week, right. Anyway he's made a wall mounted skein winder with a lazy kate of sorts that holds extra bobbins and has a mini fold out table to clamp a ball winder to. The skein winder does 2 yard and one yard skeins and the 5th peg is used as a handle. It's so much easier than that table top winder I have!!! He still has a little sanding and other minor things to do to finish it but you get the idea. I'm not sure if he's going to make more for the etsy shop or if he's just going to take custom orders since there is such a wide variation of bobbin sizes.....mine is made to fit Ashford bobbins so it wouldn't work for say a Schacht or Spinolution bobbins. Anyway, I love it!! My sweetheart (he's the one with the sawdust in his hair......that's so sexy ;)is also working on hackle and comb sets. My hackle is almost done. Mine is bigger than the ones he'll make for the shop unless someone wants to custom order one with 6" tines....he said that was a pain but he'd do it. I can't wait until he makes the comb to go with this. Next he's going to make blending hackles!! Am I a lucky woman or what!! I keep pinching myself thinking I'm dreaming..........he's happy about all this since he's getting to work with wood again but he's not really sure it's going to pay the bills. We'll see.