Etsy

Quite some time ago a woman that I've known for many years via an email group recommended that I check out Etsy to sell hats that I had been knitting at the time. I kind of 'poo - poo'ed' that idea in favor of the WALLYWORLD of the online universe, EBAY. Since that time I've been screwed on Ebay, not once, but twice, and they (Ebay) were absolutely NO HELP WHATSOEVER in resolving the issues leaving me about $100 short on funds and with invisible merchandise.

Finally, about a month ago I started lurking around Etsy and found myself to be totally amazed! I had thought it would be quite expensive - the opposite is quite true. Reasonable prices on virtually everything and I think what has impressed me most at this point is that these sellers keep their shipping charges to bare minimums! That's impressive! ... well at least to old, pitiful, ex-ebayer!!, me, it is. 8-/ I've found the most gorgeous fibers to feed my addiction and new spinning habit. Seems that most of the sellers are quite young, but what a fabulous bunch of people! They amaze me with their vision & creativity. I have a few sellers that are particular favorites and have found that I have to 'stalk' their Etsy shops to get a tiny morsel of their crafty creations. Two women in particular, both in their mid-twenties. Marvelous offerings in their shops... dammit, I'm addicted!

Blace & I opened our very own Etsy shop last evening. Hopefully we'll make a bit of $$ for us to have fun with. We both enjoy crafting things in our own particular mediums, so it's a joint effort. Kinda cool, too.

~L

Lax w/blog - busy otherwise!

First let me say that this is my tame blog. I have another where I rant and rave when I need to and that particular blog is private...

So, I've been spinning, and dyeing and going through many pounds of mill-end roving purchased from The Sheep Shed Studio... what gorgeous stuff! Hard to believe it's considered as ends! And as for dyeing - DAMN! Did I get some vibrant colors this time around. WOW! Bright pinks, yellows, oranges, deep blues, greens, reds and more! All roving in solids this time and I used acid dyes for all of it. Tomorrow I'll separate a bunch of white roving and try for pastels. Hmmm...

I listed our first batch of stuff for sale on Etsy this evening. Took all day to take and edit photos, re-skein yarn, figure out packaging and domestic postal rates. I still need to investigate international shipping. Should be easy for small packages containing only yarn and fiber, but the tools will be another matter. Odd shaped boxes, a bit weighty. We'll have it all in place soon.

A little while ago I received a message via Etsy from a woman that runs yarny-goodness.com asking me if I'd like to join the site as a vendor. Very nice to be considered - I'm flattered. I'll be contacting her to get an outline of how things work before I even consider committing. It does sound quite interesting and she and her husband are putting a lot of work into it.

My hubby has been quite occupied as well. He cut PVC for use in making niddy noddies (look it up), and tried to make hackles (look that up, too! ;))with pine... I KNEW that the wood would split when he tried to put the entire line of nails in but, as usual, I kept my opinion to myself because it would have done no good to try to convince him. So, he's back to using red oak, which is considerably more expensive. We'll just have to reconsider our price on the hackles. He's also intent on building a Saxony Wheel now! Of course, the drum carder comes first and that is so very close to being ready. As soon as he has it assembled and we see that it will work we'll then make the phone call to order the carding cloth. That stuff is so expensive - it would be a horrible waste if we were to buy it before being certain that his drum carder design is going to be fully functional. Of course, I really have no doubt - he does figure everything out with time! That's my man for ya. ;)

Looks like a dental trip (multiple trips) is in my very near future. I have an incisor going bad and the pain is starting to get really irritating. Funny - I've had toothaches before but always a molar. This one is quite different - more aggravating - so I'll be going dental sooner than later.

The shawl is dragging along. I've had so damn much going on that I barely have time to get to it. I started working it this morning but had to nap for a bit. The Hep C has been dragging me down recently as well. When my body tells me to nap, I absolutely have to nap! When I got up I had to re-skein 6 hanks of yarn and then took over 100 photos of the stuff we listed on Etsy and then spent several hours doing photo editing. Time just flew by and before I knew it 7:30 had dropped on me and we hadn't even had dinner!

Time to lock these blasted dogs up. They're raising total hell and it's almost 1am! Hubby is already sleeping, so no audio book for me tonight. Have to get out the 'little book light' and read myself to sleep.

Night all ...

Eve

A bit of fine tuning last evening and before he went to work this morning and Eve works! And works well! I've spun about 3oz of roving so far. I need to get my drafting worked out and then the newly spun yarn will be (hopefully) uniform! I'm adding a bit of extra twist so I can ply it back on itself when I have the entire colorway completed.

I just cannot relate just how thrilled I am with this very special spinning wheel made for me by my hubby! :)

The Shawl

I have the shawl pattern written up to row 82! The textures are showing well with the blended yarn that I'm using; my test knitters have shared photos of their WIP's and they're all quite beautiful. I think that ultimately, heathered wools will be the best choice for this shawl, although one knitter is using Lavold's silky wool in the mahogany colorway and it's absolutely stunning! Another knitter is using Lamb's Pride superwash in a brilliant sapphire blue and I have to say that I love that one as well. It kind of reminds me of the river on a bright day.

... still working on tiny details

We still need to fine tune the crank & treadle components. The wheel spins, but not easily, so a bit more work and she should be good to spin!

I've christened the wheel, "Eve". Yes, because its my first wheel, no, not because I'm religious (I'm a realist), and she is also named for my fav fiction character from J.D. Robb books, Eve Dallas. ;)

Name that Wheel!

My handmade beauty is almost complete. We just need a couple of springs to attach the treadle to the wheel and she'll be good to go. She sits here before me and it occurs to me that I must name her. This wheel will always hold the most special place in my heart since my very creative and thoughtful husband made it for me. :)

More pictures of the wheel

DH has made a lot of progress on the spinning wheel. Adding a few photos.

The Prototype -

My darling husband is building me 2 spinning apparatus'. An electric spinner and an actual wheel with treadle. Often times this man still continues to amaze me even after all of our years together!