Etsy Featured Shop - Sheknitigans!

I recently realized that despite being such a knitting fiend that I have never featured a yarn, fiber, or knitting store on my blog. Well, the saying goes that it's better late than never, so here we go!

For this feature, I interviewed Coley from Sheknitigans, an Etsy store featuring some truly beautiful hand-spun yarn. I have been sitting here this week waiting patiently for my own drop spindle and wool to get here so that I can start spinning myself. I find the beautiful yarns in Coley's shop to be inspiring as someone who has just decided to learn to spin!
How did you get your start spinning?
A few years ago while visiting my first fiber festival, in Rhinebeck, NY, I purchased my first drop spindle and rovings. I tried to spin this way to no avail, but still really wanted to spin, I was truly fascinated by it. After retiring the spindle for two years, my parents gave me the best gift ever - an Ashford Traveller. Three hours of assembly later, I tied on my first leader yarn and haven't stopped spinning since!

Can you give a brief description of the spinning process for those who may not know?

Spinning involves the drafting and spinning of fibers in precise (or not so precise) amounts to make different varieties of yarn. It is a combination of hand movements and foot treadling to make all the magic happen.

How long does it take for you to create an average skein?

The average skein takes me approximately three hours to spin, and then there is time involved to set the twist with a wash, whack, and dry. My upstairs neighbors really love the whacking part I'm sure.

Who dyes the yarns that you create?

I love to support other Etsians and buy 95% of my rovings and batts from Etsy Sellers such as Freckle Face Fibers, Poppy Flower Fibers, and Loop!

Do you let them create the colorways or do you design the colors with them?

Typically I let the dyers do what they do best, and I purchase the color blends that I can envision as a finished product. On occasion, I have recommended a colorway and they have been kind enough to oblige me. (Ok, I had a dream about roving. I admit it.)

What is your favorite thing about handspun yarn?
In a world of me-too's, everyone is searching for their own creative touch. Hand-spun yarn is always unique and original, no two skeins are ever exactly alike. Using hand-spun in a generic pattern or your favorite pattern can make a regular project really outstanding.

What is your favorite thing about this yarn?
Forest Fantasy is such a fun yarn out of my typical color range. My favorite thing about this yarn is the sparkles, and how soft the yarn is! You would never expect anything that sparkles like this to be next-to-skin soft, but it is really incredible!

How do you decide on the names for your yarns?
I am always inspired by my surroundings, which typically involve food and Starbucks. My favorite drinks and flavors are always making their way into my colorway names. I also try to incorporate literary devices such as alliteration - its the business marketing major in me ;)

What suggestions might you have for someone that is thinking about trying to learn spinning?

Try to find someone who spins - it might be someone in your knitting group, or in an online forum. They can provide encouragement or an opportunity to try spinning, as well as tips and support. The fiber community has been so amazing and helpful, supportive at every turn. It's incredible how much everyone is wanting to help and see you succeed. I am entirely self taught and people are always amazed to the learn that. Find a wheel and give it a whirl!

Do you do any other fiber arts?

Besides spinning, I knit at every spare moment - at red lights, in restaurants, on the plane. Spinning has given me the ability to make a popular pattern really unique by using my own handspun yarn to make it special.

To learn more about Coley and her yarns, also visit her website - www.sheknitigans.com.

SPRING SALE

While I'm in the mood for Spring, I thought I should spread the joy by offering a sale on all the photographic prints in my Etsy store over the next couple of weeks.

This sale will apply to all 5x7" prints, now $7.50, and 8x10" prints, now $15.00. So, you can pick up a beautiful spring print like "Passionately Purple" (shown below) to adorn your walls for a steal!!

Wassup!

I know you may be wondering where I have been disappearing off to, but I would like to assure you dear readers that you are not forgotten!

I have been enjoying the beauty of South Beach, Miami for the last week. I'm a little browner than I was when I left (except my legs are still pale and could probably be used in lieu of a lighthouse). Of course, while I was out there, I think I discovered the truth behind the South Beach diet. While I did eat well, I probably managed to walk a good 3-4 miles each day. This was aided of course by a rather large slushy alcoholic drink, aptly named "Call-A-Cab". $9 well spent if you ask me. Just to give you an idea of how hard it was to return, take a look at this view from the window of our condo.We were also up to all kinds of things before we left for vacation. In particular, I have to give a shout out to my little rodent friend Yippy. I can't say I've ever had a particular desire to have a rodent for a pet, but this little guy won me over. We were baby-sitting him on behalf of my sister-in-law (who is 9) and it has to be said it was quite entertaining. He was quite the acrobat, enjoying swinging sideways off any surface you could put him on and rattling his cage, literally, by hanging off the bars. I found it quite strange that he never went near his hamster wheel (isn't that what they're supposed to do?) Even stranger is how he manages to fling his little hamster poop about 6-8 inches out of his cage. A talented little guy, no matter how you look at it!

In the meantime, wedding reception is this weekend so I've been finalizing all of that. I can't wait to put up pictures of my centerpieces, I think they look great. Also, I have other new and crafty endeavors in the offing so more info will come soon!!

D is for Dork

So my parents are coming into town to visit on Monday and I find myself thinking "it's a good thing my brother can pick them up because I don't want to miss my kickball game." In case you're wondering, you didn't read that wrong - I play kickball and I'm proud of it! In fact, this is the fourth season that I've been playing kickball with the local division of the World Adult Kickball Association (aptly known as WAKA).

It seems that people think of kickball as something fun they used to do, or something they hated playing for fear of being picked last for the team. Either way, it's a memory of being about 5 years old. For me, I grew up in England and kickball isn't a game that British kids played back then so the concept of taking up the sport at my age was nothing if not wildly amusing.

So, what is adult kickball like you ask? Here's the lowdown.

I'm part of the team "Rhino Stampede" - which is essentially a bunch of people from my work who are truly united in geekhood through our kickball team. We play once a week at a local rec. center with the 15 other teams in our local division. Some of these teams take the game way more seriously than they should, and somewhat scare me with their overzealous nature, armed with banners and guerrilla tactics. We on the other hand are usually armed with matching stripy socks and a Rhino head (not a real one). Each game is 5 innings and there are 11 players fielding each inning, with a minimum of 4 females fielding at all times. Outside of that, standard kickball rules apply...

(Yes, I know you're trying to remember if kickball actually has rules, but I can assure you that it does).

We're about to go into the 3rd week of this season with my team, Rhino Stampede, a stunning 2 and 0, ranked a somewhat amazing 2nd with 17 runs scored in the last two games. This is quite the improvement considering at the start of last season, the kickball pundits were saying other teams must be really bad if we're able to beat them. We eventually ended last season in the final four due to vast improvements in our game and a rather shocking game of rock, paper, scissors (you think I would joke about something like that?!)


So, now you know my dirty little kickball secret, you'll be seeing updates on how the team is doing over the weeks. If you're feeling the need to revisit your childhood, go to kickball.com and see if there's a division near you!

Internet yarn...behold the beauty, but beware!

I recently found an independent source for yarn online, which came about as a result of my recent enjoyment of making socks. I originally ordered from Julia's Yarn on her eBay store, but then discovered that she has stores on Etsy and also her own website, with some incredibly beautiful and very reasonably priced sock yarn. Just a couple of weeks ago, she was having a sale which allowed me to purchase enough yarn to make a dozen pairs of socks for the remarkable price of $36. I've been knitting it up and love how it's looking!

While I recommend this yarn and seller 100% (good customer service, fast shipping, great prices, beautiful yarn etc.) I have been reading that some people believe there is no place for this seller, who falls more into the mass produced/supplies category, in the handcrafted world of Etsy. While I can certainly understand that argument, up until the point when Etsy completely separates the handcrafted items from the supplies (including jewelry supplies, cardstock etc.) widely offered on the site, I don't know if it is fair for a store such as this to be singled-out and flagged for exile. I definitely sympathize with the indie yarn dyers who can't compete with more wholesale prices but I don't know if that's the fault of this seller or those who are in charge of Etsy and must regulate the site accordingly. Whether or not the seller belongs on Etsy, I will be purchasing from her again as I believe she has a good product.
Meanwhile, I was lurking around the forums on Ravelry and have been made aware of what is possibly the strangest tale of yarn woes ever heard. The story involves an indie yarn dyer, Mystical Creation Yarns (MCY), who used to sell on eBay and Etsy and based on the information that I have been reading seems to have faked her own death (at least online). It would seem that MCY started off as an amazing store offering beautiful hand-dyed yarn for great prices. However, as time went on, things went downhill. There are apparently hundreds of people who have purchased yarn from MCY and either never received it, ended up with something not at all like their order, or got a yarn that wasn't dye-set and would bleed. In the last few months, amidst a series of complaints to PayPal for refunds, the BBB and other organizations, some buyers started receiving e-mails from apparent family members related to the owner of MCY claiming that the owner is in hospital with leukemia. There was news of a fire sale for the yarn that was "sitting around" while she is in hospital, even though there were so many orders previously made that were not being fulfilled. As of last week, the owner apparently passed away - even though there are reports of people having seen or spoken with her in the last few days and it's widely believed that she has faked her own death in order to get out of her responsibilities. It's even been reported that she is creating a new online yarn store under a different name.

Fortunately, I never purchased yarn from this online seller but whether or not the death was "faked", I am horrified by the lack of consideration that this yarn seller had for her customers far before the reported illness. For the last couple of years, this person has been taking the money from people who just want to create with something beautiful and has stolen that money and turned it into an ugly fiasco. There are thousands of trustworthy online sellers out there and being ripped off by one can make buyers wary of buying from independent online stores.

My understanding is that at this time, MCY is being investigated by the FBI internet crimes division, who will surely get to the bottom of this. I am waiting with baited breath to hear of some resolution and will of course pass on any information that I gather! In the meantime, if you have been ripped off by this seller, I'm happy to put you in touch with someone from the MCY "support group" that has been forming on Ravelry who can tell you where to file the appropriate complaint forms.

A new obsession!

Since learning to knit, and especially since joining Ravelry, I have heard about knitters who love to knit socks. I'd always wondered a little about this - why the sock obsession? Granted, sock yarns are available in completely wonderful colors, but I don't understand that concept of spending $20+ on yarn to make a pair. Perhaps it's because I'm someone who doesn't wear socks all that much anyway.

At the Super Bowl weekend yarn sale at my local yarn store, Unwind, in Burbank, CA, there was some very pretty sock yarn on sale for $2.50/skein so I thought I'd give it a try. All the other knit projects I've been working on recently have been quite labor intensive, so I decided to go for socks as a smaller, quicker project. I made a super cute pair of socks over the course of the next few days and, as if I needed a new thing to obsess over, I now realize what all the fuss is about! They're cute, comfortable and fun to make.

While I still don't think I could shell out a ton of money on sock yarn, no matter how gorgeous it is, I think that being on the hunt for inexpensive but nice sock yarn may be a new mission for me!

Absence makes the heart grow fonder...

It's just been a crazy beginning of the year. Between editing my wedding photos and planning the reception for our families, I've been pretty tied up and definitely haven't had enough time for crafting! The good news is that pictures are now done, invitations are out, gifts have been arriving and we got our wedding photo book and calendar from shutterfly.com this week. (When I bought my dress at David's Bridal, they were kind enough to give me coupons for both items at shutterfly, so my total cost was $16 for shipping!)

The biggest thing that I have to be concerned with right now are center pieces. I'm not inclined toward, nor do we have the budget for, gigantic floral pieces, plus I'm all about creating something myself. My husband and I both like a theme similar to this one with a sprinkling of flowers at the base. The biggest question right now is where to find them for a reasonable price! I'll keep you updated on my quest.