novamade

novakkah 2011 :: day three

 
Well, isn't this exciting?  No, we didn't wear the party hats all day; but, you know, "birthday whoop at Maryland Sheep and Wool!"  Very exciting. 

 
It's no secret, I enjoy a good fiber festival.  And while I prefer Rhinebeck To Maryland, I still had a good time.

There was lots to see (like friends).

 
Lots to do (like catch up with friends).

 
Lots to buy.  A whole lots to buy, actually.  But I found that I didn't really need nor did I want a lot.  It was fun just to  look.  So my purchases were modest.

 
My main goal was to purchase some fiber, an orfice hook (not as dirty as it sounds), some US 6 knitting needles and the soap was spontaneous puchase, some of which is for other friends.  I like the Little Barn folks (vendor that I bought the fiber from).  Good fiber, fair prices.

Since I got so much fiber (which let's be honest, I really DO NOT need), I figured I could share some of it.

 
Today's gift is fiber.  No, not the plain undyed stuff (well, if that's how you want it, sure, it's all yours); but 8 ounces (that was EIGHT, in case you missed it) of wool roving (you choose: bfl or merino, superwash or not), custom dyed by me for you (or whoever you want, I guess).  You can tell me how you want me to dye it (colors, saturation, whatever) and you can name the colorway (my only requirement is that you pick an American author that I haven't already honored with a colorway, see items listed and sold in my shoppe).  If you are not a spinner, I will even spin the wool for you (see, now everyone can play along!).  Now that, my friends, is how you give a gift (we are working on thoughtful gift-giving practices with Little Sir right now..."we know you like it; but, will your friend like it, that's the real question...."  I put a lot of thought into this gift for today, so I am labeling it as "thoughtful".

If you would like to receive this bit of fluff (or yarn), please tell me the best (or most thoughtful) gift (birthday or otherwise) you have given someone in the last year, and why you think it's so special.

 I will take comments for this post, and all Novakkah posts, until 11:59 EST (or2359, should you prefer that), Thursday, May 12th.  Please leave your responses on the appropriate post.  One entry per post/person.  I will show you what I have to gift each day and let you know what you need to tell me to try to get it.  Giftees will be selected on the 13th and gifts sent out shortly thereafter.

See you tomorrow!

pardon the interruption

 

Catching up now (but I don't think I have any more excuses to do this "ketchup"-after blog-silence-thing for the rest of the summer).  I wanted to let you know that packages are good and mailed.  Winners should be receiving them shortly. 

We got back from our annual family trip to California on last Friday(additional pictures here if you are interested).  It was fun, a great week of rest and relaxtion (if you don't count visits to first aid centers at theme parks and chasing an adventurous toddler around the beach).

 

I spent most of the holiday (on Monday) dyeing wool and then spent the rest of this week waiting for it to dry, no easy task when you are in the midst of a heatwave and it's so humid it might as well be raining.  There will be a shop update on Sunday  night, in case you were wondering.

 
I have been knitting, and quilting like a crazy person--or schizophrenically, which well, depending who you ask, same thing.  In any case, I have a serious case of multiple craft disorder, but that's nothing new.

  

And to top it all off, my family has become an outdoorsy hiking family, much to my chagrin (as most of you know, I detest the whole business of sweating--needs must). 

This whole "we are outdoorsy thing took me completely by surprise, so I can neither explain it, nor can I offer any advice on how your family can become outdoorsy.  I am given to believe that this outdoorsy-ness is something that just happens.

Next time, I might actually talk about some knitting.

it's my party and i'll gift if i want to

So yesterday was my third blog birthday (I know I am a day late, I think no one is surpised by this).  It's been a fun three years*, thanks for reading!

To celebrate my blog birthday (or, anniversary, if you'd really rather) I thought it would be a good idea to open a shop.  I did mention that I had a lot of dye, right?  But you are likely see all sorts of crazy things in my shop...sort of like my blog, I suppose.

 

Clearly, this falls under the heading of "things that seemed like a good idea at the time." You guys know that I work full time, so this is definitely a side-venture sort of thing.  I enjoy dyeing wool, spinning it and making various and sundry things with fiber, so this gives me another outlet.  Yay!  I know, the irony of my opening a shop after a series of posts on economy does not escape me either.

In any case, I wanted to let Bertha and Kat know that they will be receiving some "blog birthday" gifts from me.  I really enjoyed finding out what readers most enjoy about my blog, thanks guys!  I will be in touch later today to find out your addresses and to discuss color selection for the handspun with Bertha.  Seriously, no spinners reading last week?!

Since I like celebrating a birthday heartily (I do celebrate for 8 days, afterall) and I still have a third gift to give, I figured that I would still like to gift a reader out there with some fiber, because that's pretty much what I have in my shop right now.  So let's try this again.  I have fiber...free...for a reader, anyone interested?  If you don't spin, I will offer the option of getting handspun instead...see how accomodating I am?

Just leave a comment on THIS post telling me what your fall project list looks like and what your favorite project on that list is.  I am honestly curious.  I have a pretty big list (I know, shocking, right?).  I will share mine if you share yours.  Please leave your comment (let's give you guys more time this time around) by next Monday, September 7th by noon (12:00 pm) EST.  That's a week!  I will randomly select a commenter to receive a braid of roving (colorway your choice) from my shop OR a hank of my handspun (colorway my choice, but something appropriately autumnal).  Sound good?

* And how serendipitous is this: this is my 200th post!

i dye.

So you remember how I said there would be no dyeing studio in the vicinity of my residence anytime soon...or ever.  I think I was well-intentioned when throwing that out there for the masses; but, the fact of the matter is this: when you have a little over two pounds of fiber to dye, and you have a full-time job, children and a husband all hoping for dinner that does not involve a box or microwave...you are probably going to dye that wool at home when everyone else is asleep (and then spend an eternity cleaning your kitchen.  Sigh.). 

And well, it just worked out better that way...because really, I can't think of anything else I would rather be doing at 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning--though I am starting to think that sleeping would be a good alternative too; but, there you are. 

I like it, there was a good bit of trialing.  A got a lot of dye (I know, this is not shocking to anyone) to try out before settling on something suitable for me.  I wear a lot of neutral colors, my wardrobe is not very exciting, I usually punch up my color options with accessories.  As I write this I am wearing various shades of khaki, which really, is a little less than inspiring.  But as you may remember, I have a fondness for purple (which, if we are being honest here, is kind of a lively version of black, really--color theorists back off!  I am thinking fashion-wise here!  Trust me, after all the dyeing I have done recently, I know a thing or two about the color wheel).  So that's what I went with...purples...greys  and the white of my canvas...I like that effect; I know it's not for everyone though. 

All this fiber needs to be spun up (though I could make a statement by simply wearing it draped on my person, stylish, no?).  I need to find a suitable sweater pattern so that my spinning can be informed--which will be new for me--spinning for a project, that is--usually, I just spin and what I get is what I get; but, in my defense, I think many people spin that way.  So sweater patterns, thoughts?  I mean, there is over 2 pounds of wool here, I won't need it all.  I am leaning towards a cardigan, but I could be persuaded to knit a pullover too.  It's going to be multi-colored, so let's not forget that

dye it. spin it. celebrate.

I celebrated my birthday this week.  I was tempted to get myself a new wheel for my birthday; but, there isn't really much wrong with the old one except a few things that I find bothersome (oh, Lendrums, why must you rely on rubberbands to function?)...I might still get a new wheel at some point, but for now I will stick with the one I have--reliance on rubberbands and all.  I was considering the wheel because I have been doing a crazy amount of spinning lately. 

So yes, my birthday (was good, I got lots of crafty books and a pocket video camera, because who doesn't love a camera that fits into one's pocket?).  There were others celebrating anniversaries of living this week as well.  I remain convinced that May is *the* month to be born as some pretty incredible women I know celebrate their birthdays this month (Risa and Rangsiwan celebrate the same day as I do!).  A very good friend of mine from college celebrates the day before I do.  Let's call her Kathy, mostly because that is her name.  Anyways, for Christmas last year, Kathy gave me a kilo of New Zealand Perrendale wool (that is like two pounds).  It was gorgeous undyed fiber screaming for dye.  And a local friend has a dyeing studio in her basement.

So I dyed it.  All of it.

I was pretty pleased.  There was one 4 ounce bit that came out with some unfortunate tinting, but I will make it work.

When Kathy came to town for a visit recently, I told her that I was giving her some of the fiber she gave me for Chistmas for her birthday--but dyed and spun (some would call that gauche, I call it industrious), she loved the dyed wool.  So truly, it's the gift that keeps on giving (family, take note).

I hope she likes the handspun yarn.  I told her I would try to spin it at worsted weight--that's what she asked for (which is a little bit of a challenge for me at the moment...everything I spin wants to be sport or dk).  I think it was pretty; but, obviously, I am a wee bit biased.  Oh look, novamade yarn (literally!) in Spring Dream.

Some of the other wool I dyed has a high degree of fabulosity as well.  Novamade dyed perrendale in Autumn Day (ohai, I like to name things with seasons!).

 

I love dyeing wool and spinning it up.  I did promise K that we would not have a dyeing studio in or near our house though.  Apparently, the dyeing studio was the craft line he was just not willing to cross.  Considering all of the crafty equipment that is taking up space in our house right now, I sort of don't blame him.

At Maryland Sheep and Wool, I bought almost 3 pounds of undyed superwash merino (I also met up with friends and readers, hi!).  I am not even going to bother putting up a picture of the fiber...undyed white wool, ooh.  It's a good thing my friend, NueroKnitter lives around the corner and told me that I could use her studio anytime!