I'm so excited by how many people are giving the HobbledeCLUB a whirl in April, and by how much I've raised for the Red Cross's relief efforts for Japan. I'm closing the April club's sign up on the 4th, and will send the funds digitally after that. It feels great to be able to do something, even if it's small.
This week, I've been painting rovings in two-of-a-kind batches, fine tuning the Spring Batt line (I may drop down to 4 sets after reconsidering the past popularity of two of the colorways), and am planning a weekend update with a mixture of one-of-a-kind items and colorways with multiple sets/items available.
On the home front, I just packed up Ing's baby clothes. I don't know how she morphed from an itty-colicky-grumpy baby to a happy perpetually dancing toddler so fast. Pass the kleenex, please.
3.31.2011
3.28.2011
lion of a month.
March has been pure chaos, in both good and terrible ways.
The good: I found out that I'm going to meet many of my online spinning friends and customers at MDSW! Esther of Jazzturtle is organizing a spinny gathering to take place in the lobby of the Hilton in Columbia, where many of us are staying. I am so excited to finally meet so many of you in person, and I'm also anxious to take Jazzturtle's Nunofelting workshop.
Also, I've managed to have a great week with the dye-pots, turning out some of the following colorways which are available in my shop:
I feel like I'm really bonding nicely with this new dyeing venture, and the Merino/tencel top is my absolute favorite base in the universe. If if if, some genius of a mill could come up with BFL/tencel, I'd probably explode with happiness.
This weekend's update also included a fresh assortment of one-of-a-kind batts. I'm nearly finished with the one-of-a-kinds, however, since my Spring line will start to take shape this coming week.
The terrible: Earlier this month, we lost hundreds of Ingrid's baby photos when a hard-drive crashed. We attempted data recovery twice, but the memory was heat damaged and I'm still kicking myself for not backing up the images. Fortunately, we had low resolution copies saved in email accounts and facebook, so all is not lost, but it was still heartbreaking (and a wake-up call about data back-up!).
Compared with the destruction that tens of thousands of people in Japan are facing, my loss seems so tiny, and while I'm still feeling really sad about losing so many images, I'm feeling very blessed and over-privileged. I used the money that I would have spent on albums and printing hundreds of pictures to send a donation to the Red Cross's relief efforts in Japan. I wish I could do more with my limited budget, which is why I'm also donating 10% of all orders of the April HobbledeCLUB "Old Lace" to relief efforts. I've already donated from the orders I have received as well as percentages from 3 month subscriptions, and will have the listing available for purchase until 4/4. When my Spring batt line launches, I will also be selecting one of the batt sets to be a fund-raising set, and will use a poll to have my customers help me decide which one.
The good: I found out that I'm going to meet many of my online spinning friends and customers at MDSW! Esther of Jazzturtle is organizing a spinny gathering to take place in the lobby of the Hilton in Columbia, where many of us are staying. I am so excited to finally meet so many of you in person, and I'm also anxious to take Jazzturtle's Nunofelting workshop.
Also, I've managed to have a great week with the dye-pots, turning out some of the following colorways which are available in my shop:
I feel like I'm really bonding nicely with this new dyeing venture, and the Merino/tencel top is my absolute favorite base in the universe. If if if, some genius of a mill could come up with BFL/tencel, I'd probably explode with happiness.
This weekend's update also included a fresh assortment of one-of-a-kind batts. I'm nearly finished with the one-of-a-kinds, however, since my Spring line will start to take shape this coming week.
The terrible: Earlier this month, we lost hundreds of Ingrid's baby photos when a hard-drive crashed. We attempted data recovery twice, but the memory was heat damaged and I'm still kicking myself for not backing up the images. Fortunately, we had low resolution copies saved in email accounts and facebook, so all is not lost, but it was still heartbreaking (and a wake-up call about data back-up!).
Compared with the destruction that tens of thousands of people in Japan are facing, my loss seems so tiny, and while I'm still feeling really sad about losing so many images, I'm feeling very blessed and over-privileged. I used the money that I would have spent on albums and printing hundreds of pictures to send a donation to the Red Cross's relief efforts in Japan. I wish I could do more with my limited budget, which is why I'm also donating 10% of all orders of the April HobbledeCLUB "Old Lace" to relief efforts. I've already donated from the orders I have received as well as percentages from 3 month subscriptions, and will have the listing available for purchase until 4/4. When my Spring batt line launches, I will also be selecting one of the batt sets to be a fund-raising set, and will use a poll to have my customers help me decide which one.
3.16.2011
April HobbledeCLUB :: Old Lace
The April HobbledeCLUB is now available for pre-order. The theme "Old Lace" is one I've been looking forward to doing ever since I started the new HobbledeCLUBs. After months of bolder colors, this batch of luxurious fiber will be more neutral, and I hope it's a colorway that will inspire subscribers to create something sweet and special.
Here's some lacey inspirational photos:
Here's some lacey inspirational photos:
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3.14.2011
dillydally dye
I fiddled around with painting wool tops today after an especially rough daycare drop-off (Ingrid had a substitute teacher). While I was trying to transform from Mama into Worker, I shuffled through a few of my favorite distractions, looking for a little inspiration, and I thought I'd share what's been keeping my dyepots bubbling and carders humming:
I'm a huge Belle & Sebastian fan, and their latest album has been playing nonstop in my iTunes... at least, when I'm not listening to the following audio book. Since my husband has worked and/or volunteered in noncommercial college radio for the past 14 years, I've enjoyed the chance to listen to new albums months before they're released. This album distracted me though, and I've barely paid attention to anything else (other than the new Carolina Chocolate Drops EP) in about half a year, especially since I think the new Iron & Wine and Devotchka albums are bummers. Don't take my word for it, I'm a lousy music critic and have listened to the same 10 albums for the past 15 years.
Thanks to my favorite splurge, a monthly subscription to Audible, I'm finally "reading" again. I went from reading 2-3 books a week in college to ONE book a year since getting pregnant (pregnancy changed my eyesight and having a little one turned my time focus from reading to getting caught up on housework). My Mum recommended Elegance of the Hedgehog after I had polished off a real doozy of an audiobook, and I'm about half-way through and completely hooked.
When I do get my hands on a physical book, it's usually to flip through searching for clever product names. Last week, I browsed my Harlan Ellison collection to find names and inspirations for hand pulled roving. Recently, I've also used themes such as Shakespearean characters, female authors, teas, physics terms, and minor planets.
The painted rovings from this morning's dye session are drying on racks in the studio, and I am so excited for the next shop update, which will most likely happen on Friday.
What's been inspiring you lately?
I'm a huge Belle & Sebastian fan, and their latest album has been playing nonstop in my iTunes... at least, when I'm not listening to the following audio book. Since my husband has worked and/or volunteered in noncommercial college radio for the past 14 years, I've enjoyed the chance to listen to new albums months before they're released. This album distracted me though, and I've barely paid attention to anything else (other than the new Carolina Chocolate Drops EP) in about half a year, especially since I think the new Iron & Wine and Devotchka albums are bummers. Don't take my word for it, I'm a lousy music critic and have listened to the same 10 albums for the past 15 years.
Thanks to my favorite splurge, a monthly subscription to Audible, I'm finally "reading" again. I went from reading 2-3 books a week in college to ONE book a year since getting pregnant (pregnancy changed my eyesight and having a little one turned my time focus from reading to getting caught up on housework). My Mum recommended Elegance of the Hedgehog after I had polished off a real doozy of an audiobook, and I'm about half-way through and completely hooked.
When I do get my hands on a physical book, it's usually to flip through searching for clever product names. Last week, I browsed my Harlan Ellison collection to find names and inspirations for hand pulled roving. Recently, I've also used themes such as Shakespearean characters, female authors, teas, physics terms, and minor planets.
The painted rovings from this morning's dye session are drying on racks in the studio, and I am so excited for the next shop update, which will most likely happen on Friday.
What's been inspiring you lately?
3.13.2011
calling off
I've unfortunately had to "phone in" sick this weekend after a nasty sinus infection knocked me out. I'm half-way through my antibiotics and will be back to dyeing, carding, and listing soon, but in the meanwhile, I'm just trying to chase this fever away and remain aware enough to be a good Mum. If you're a parent and have ever been ill with a toddler in tow---- ooohh, my hat is off to you! I'm feeling lucky that my little one is such a well-behaved sweetheart through this whole ordeal.
When this all blows over, I should have a lovely update filled with hand-painted braids and some new batt sets. I'm guesstimating that Wednesday or Friday night will be when the update takes place, and I'll keep everyone posted.
When this all blows over, I should have a lovely update filled with hand-painted braids and some new batt sets. I'm guesstimating that Wednesday or Friday night will be when the update takes place, and I'll keep everyone posted.
3.09.2011
battblast
Holysmokes, the batts from my shop update last night flew the coop! Half are packaged, and the other half are destined to be tucked into mailers this morning. There are still a few sets left, as well as a pretty selection of hand-pulled rovings. Here's my favorites:
Today, I'm polishing off the March HobbledeCLUBs, shipping orders, and ordering dyes. It's time to start ordering my favorite colors by the pound.
Also in the works: repeatable batt colorways! My Spring line of 6 repeatable batt colorways will debut mid-late March, and I'm planning on carding gobs of each colorway in advance so that they ship immediately. Around the same time, I'll be transitioning Gemmy batts from "made-to-order" to "in-stock." They're still a hot seller, over a year after I first began carding them. I estimate that I've carded over 1000 individual Gemmies!
This weekend, weather and toddler permitting, I'll be adding new hand-painted braids to the shop using the following bases: BFL/silk, Merino/tencel, and Merino/bamboo. Until then, happy spinning/felting/knitting, everyone!
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| Cherry Soda batts |
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| Cliffs of Dover roving |
Today, I'm polishing off the March HobbledeCLUBs, shipping orders, and ordering dyes. It's time to start ordering my favorite colors by the pound.
Also in the works: repeatable batt colorways! My Spring line of 6 repeatable batt colorways will debut mid-late March, and I'm planning on carding gobs of each colorway in advance so that they ship immediately. Around the same time, I'll be transitioning Gemmy batts from "made-to-order" to "in-stock." They're still a hot seller, over a year after I first began carding them. I estimate that I've carded over 1000 individual Gemmies!
This weekend, weather and toddler permitting, I'll be adding new hand-painted braids to the shop using the following bases: BFL/silk, Merino/tencel, and Merino/bamboo. Until then, happy spinning/felting/knitting, everyone!
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