Have a Safe and Happy Hallowe'en!
October 30, 2013
October 14, 2013
Thanksgiving: Canada vs USA - what's the difference?
Thanksgiving: Canada vs USA - what's the difference?
Thanks to Shoppers Voice for the above information!
October 12, 2013
Selling on Etsy: Tales of Success
Yes! There are tales of success of shops on Etsy!
Read about them - including me! - here at Consider Your Story!
Thanks so much for including my story!
It was such a thrill to be featured in Canadian House & Home!
October 11, 2013
It's I LOVE YARN day! ♥
It's I love yarn day!
What better way to celebrate than to share with you a woman who loves her yarn!
And if anyone knows where I can locate a yarn like that pictured below, please let me know - my sister has run out and would love some more.
I ♥ Yarn!
September 26, 2013
Pet Peeve - Rotten Potatoes
I hate rotten potatoes.
And I hate paying good money for a bag of pototoes that just doesn't last.
I store them in a cool dry place.
I make sure the open part of the bag is "down" just like it tells you to.
And still, they go bad.
UNTIL NOW!!!!!
I saw a few of these packets of silica gel in a box I was about to throw out and I realized that the silica gel keeps moisture at bay.
It keeps things dry.
So I added a couple to the basket of potatoes.
AND IT WORKED!!!!!
No rotten potatoes!!!!!!
Who Deserves a Second Chance?
Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?
Yes!
And today it is Vanna's Choice yarn.
I bought some a year or so ago - and began knitting with the first ball - and came across knots.
The only thing I hate more than running out of bobbin thread in a sewing machine, is knots in a skein of yarn.
Especially a skein I paid full price for!
In my opinion, the machines that make the skeins should know when there are knots and those skeins should be marked as "seconds" and sold as such - at a lower cost and with full disclosure to customers.
Not sold for full price with the nasty knots hidden from view.
And I vowed to never knit with that yarn again.
But Lion Brand wants a second chance - and who am I to deny that!
So I received replacement yarn and now I need to come up with a project for this yarn so that I can knit it up.
And there better not be knots!
Keep an eye on this blog for future updates!
I've got my fingers crossed that this yarn is better than the first impression.
Wish me well!
September 12, 2013
National Sewing Month!
Celebrate National Sewing Month!
I'm working on a sewing project of Hobo Bags!
Here are a few photos of the first one I completed!
August 22, 2013
August 21, 2013
August 20, 2013
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Lise Solvang Designs
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters
Lise Solvang Designs
What is your shop name?
Lise Solvang Designs
What is your blog name?
What inspired you to start this blog?
I want to share how ALL aspects of my life have knitting in it. My whole Life is Knitted Together by My own Hands.
When did you learn to knit?
8 years old
Who taught you to knit?
My Mom
What or who inspires your projects?
Nature……it's Beauty and it's Play and Harmony of Color
What is your favourite thing to knit?
Gowns
Are there yarns/wools you love?
I love the challenge of creating Beauty with any and all kinds of Yarn
Are there yarns/wools you don't like to work with?
No……for the reason stated above.
What would you like to say about your creations?
Play
What other fiber arts do you enjoy?
Crocheting, Weaving, YarnBombing:-)
Is there another fiber art you'd like to learn?
Spinning will be my next endeavor!
August 18, 2013
August 14, 2013
August 13, 2013
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Sarandipity Handmade
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Sarandipity Handmade
What is your blog name?
I first learned to crochet when I was young. My mom taught me. I didn’t do much with it until after my oldest son was born in 2005. I made some hats, scarves a couple baby sweaters and a few toys. It was shortly after that that my husband expressed interest in a fisherman knit type sweater. At the time, I couldn’t see spending over $100 for a sweater and thought I could crochet one just as easily. After 3 failed attempts I decided the only way he was going to get his sweater would be if I learned to knit. That was in late 2009. I’ve been a knitting fiend ever since…and yes, my husband did, finally, get his sweater, thought it wasn’t a true fisherman knit sweater. He still wears it to family get-togethers in the winter holidays, which makes me incredibly happy! Recently I added spinning to my list of fiber hobbies, I love this as much as knitting!
Who taught you to knit?
I pretty much learned to knit from one of those teach yourself to knit book, watching videos on You Tube and a little help when I got super stuck from my friend Rose, who is an awesome fiber artist!
What is your favourite thing to knit?
Are there yarns/wools you don't like to work with?
What is your shop name?
Sarandipity Handmade - SarandipityHandmade.etsy.com – I make handspun yarns, blankets for babies through adults, baby bibs, hats, scarves, mittens, socks and more!
My blog name is Sarandipity (Sarandipity9702.wordpress.com)
What inspired you to start this blog?
I started my first blog years ago when I wanted a place to keep a diary of sorts and share pictures of my kids (and now my yarn & projects). Now I use it mostly for big updates, like visiting the Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck or my trip in June to Colorado to the Estes Park Wool Market, which will be up, hopefully, soon. I also use my blog to post about my food allergies as well as my kids and of course yarn activities.
When did you learn to knit?
I first learned to crochet when I was young. My mom taught me. I didn’t do much with it until after my oldest son was born in 2005. I made some hats, scarves a couple baby sweaters and a few toys. It was shortly after that that my husband expressed interest in a fisherman knit type sweater. At the time, I couldn’t see spending over $100 for a sweater and thought I could crochet one just as easily. After 3 failed attempts I decided the only way he was going to get his sweater would be if I learned to knit. That was in late 2009. I’ve been a knitting fiend ever since…and yes, my husband did, finally, get his sweater, thought it wasn’t a true fisherman knit sweater. He still wears it to family get-togethers in the winter holidays, which makes me incredibly happy! Recently I added spinning to my list of fiber hobbies, I love this as much as knitting! Who taught you to knit?
I pretty much learned to knit from one of those teach yourself to knit book, watching videos on You Tube and a little help when I got super stuck from my friend Rose, who is an awesome fiber artist!
What or who inspires your projects?
I guess it depends on the project as to where I get my inspiration. Sometimes I’ll just see a yarn and know the right project for it. Sometimes I’ll incorporate things from favorite tv shows or what I know about the recipient.
Right now I love to knit socks. I love that they are portable and simple. I mostly make plain vanilla socks with a short row heel and let the yarn colors do all the work to make some colorful, toasty feet!
Are there yarns/wools you love?
I’m very tactile so I love to touch things. I’m in love with 15.5 micron merino wool that I can spin into yarn. It’s so soft and amazing. I want to get some more of this wool to spin and list for sale in my shop. I also think I want to make a scarf or something to wear next to the skin from it for this winter in upstate NY.
Anything scratchy or soy based. What would you like to say about your creations? Everything I make I make with love. I love the craft I do and want other to feel that love in the items I create, be it a simple sewn blanket, pair of baby socks or a huge twin size, crocheted hexagon blanket.
What other fiber arts do you enjoy?
In addition to knitting, I crochet and spin yarn, as well as sew fleece tag baby blankets. Is there another fiber art you'd like to learn? I think the next fiber art I’m going to learn is fiber preparation before spinning. I recently ordered a set of hand carders and some Shetland wool and plan to learn the step by step process of going from fleece to yarn.
July 30, 2013
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Zibeline Knits
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Zibeline Knits
Today, meet Keya of Zibeline Knits!
Zibeline Knits (or www.zibelineknits.com)
What is your blog name?
Zibeline Knits
When did you learn to knit?
around age 9
Who taught you to knit?
My grandmother taught me, but my mother should get a great deal of credit for fixing my mistakes as time went on. (I've been knitting, then, for 32 years.)
What or who inspires your projects?
I really don't know. I think I'm more inspired by a pattern of stitch than an external experience. I tend to look at a stitch pattern and just get a visual of what it should be used to knit in my mind.
What is your favourite thing to knit?
Ahhhh. That would be socks.
Are there yarns/wools you love?
I am absolutely a wool snob. I prefer to knit and to wear merino and pure wool over every other fiber type.
I don't like acrylic or to really work with any yarn that contains acrylic; I'm just not into knitting with plastic. I also have a considerable allergy to angora rabbit, which is completely unfortunate!
What would you like to say about your creations?
My yarn is unique. I dye in small (two or three hanks at a time) batches and no two organic hanks are exactly the same. My yarns are completely organic and hand painted or hand dyed. Nearly all of my yarns are a product of the U.S.--originating in Oregon, plied in Peru--with the exception being the BFL that I import directly from England. Someone once made the comment that, since I have so many hanks to choose from, I must just "cook" them in the microwave. I was deeply put off by that comment! I use non-toxic acid dyes and NO microwave or oven at any point in the process. My yarns are usually dyed and dried outdoors, so there's no issue with animal hair or allergens. There is also no smoking allowed in my dye works or my home, so there's no cigarette smoke aroma, either. 
What other fiber arts do you enjoy?
I do a good bit of spinning when I can, as well as having begun my exploration of the triangle loom. Is there another fiber art you'd like to learn? I would like to someday own and operate a traditional treadle loom, but that's years down the road for me right now.
July 23, 2013
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Babywear by Babs
Teams on Tuesday - Etsyknitters - Babywear by Babs
This week I'm pleased to introduce you to Babs of "Babywear by Babs".
What is your shop name?
Babywear by Babs
When did you learn to knit?
I learned to knit from my Mother about 100 years ago - well maybe only 40 years ago. I still have the buttons from my first project which was a cardigan sweater with a simply cable up the side of each placket. From there I went to knitting for my dolls and gifts for my friends. In fact, I saw a high school friend a few years ago and she told me she still owned the scarf I knit her for Christmas one year!
What is your favourite thing to knit?
My favorite thing to knit are the fisherman knit sweaters. It is so challenging to figure out the combination of cable patterns and make it all work together aesthetically and proportionately. The different cable patterns are all selected by me to arrive at a unified and interesting sweater design. Each one I knit is different. It is so much fun to see the sweater go from my brain, to paper, to the finished knitted sweater.
Are there yarns/wools you love?
Since I knit for babies I really like to knit with blended yarns that have some acrylic in them so they are soft to the touch. I also love to use washable wool. It makes for easy care but still has the warmth of the wool - especially for the fisherman sweaters since wool is the traditional yarn to use on this kind of sweater.
Are there yarns/wools you don't like to work with?
I really do not like to knit with cotton. It doesn't have much elasticity and I don't like the way the finished product feels.
What would you like to say about your creations?
My creations come from my head and my heart. I do much of my designing while falling asleep at night or in the early hours of the morning after I wake up. It helps me calm my mind and is a time of great inspiration for me.
What other fiber arts do you enjoy?
I also: sew, needlepoint, crewel embroidery, quilt, macramé. But mostly I just knit now.
My grandmother and one of my mom's sisters was a weaver. I really wish I was 20 years younger and lived in a big house so I could have a loom and learn how to weave. Well, perhaps in my next life!
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