New Supplies

I’ve been adding supplies to my etsy shop for several reasons:

*  When I couldn’t find a supply I needed from other etsy shops, I located & ordered what I needed…..which left me with a bolt of extra.

*  I’m able to list things from my “stash” here at Stitchknit…..which is helping me get way more organized!

*  And, the underlying, real reason is…..   It gives me an excuse to search out fabrics and yarn in local estate sales, thrift shops and antique malls.  I love looking through collections of other crafters supplies and now I’ve got pages to fill with fabulous ‘finds’!

So, watch for more supplies like these!

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Fabric & Yarn Everywhere!

I’ve been working more hours and seemingly, getting less done.  Seems to be a theme for me.  I do love to be busy, but I also love to take my time and ‘play with fiber’ as I call my studio time.

Here’s a few pictures of some of the things that have been keeping me busy lately…………

Not sure what these are going to end up being…so far, just an experiment in Small…

Adding vintage trim as quickly as I can get it washed, measured & photographed

Adding vintage patterns to my supply section. Love watching for these!

Sample bound buttonhole, prior to adding them to a current project. Needed to remind myself how to do these! It’s been ages!

 

And, a special order for several outfits for a couple American Girl Dolls! Soon to be adding these to the shop too.

More than enough to keep me busy!

 

 

Weighing Handmade & Supplies Here at Stitchknit

I started my little Etsy venture 2 years ago, with what I now know was NO information and a passion for knitting, crocheting & sewing.  I was having so much fun, I never thought of quitting, although the first year was an exercise in patience.  The learning curve felt like I was back in school!

Some of this hasn’t changed!  If there is time, I can learn something new each day.  The catch is……….making the time for creating new items, keeping up with the local shop here, and still having time to learn about how to get the word out about the Etsy shop.   This ‘catch’ is how the supply section was formed!  It takes weeks to make some handmade items in my shop, which I love, but I could see the shop wasn’t going to grow unless I cloned myself, or had a new idea!  Clearing out the studio here, AND adding to the shop…..now, that seemed like a perfect idea.

Here’s a couple of the newer additions to the shop….   Vogue patterns!  I’ve started to research the system (need a new word, I don’t think there is a real system for these) used to date sewing patterns.  I learned so much and have just scratched the surface here!  So fun learning about something you’re truly interested in!

                                Both of these are older Vogue designs. The one with the bar code is dated 1994, the other I can’t find a date on it anywhere.  Thinking 1980′s perhaps?  Both patterns have some wear on the envelopes, but the instruction sheets are factory folded and the pieces are uncut.  I listed these this week, in my supply section here. 

Bottom line……    I am loving both the ‘making’ and the hunt for supplies!  The things like patterns, fabric and yarn let me add to my shop while I’m busy working on a new knitted piece.

Working on getting stacks of vintage fabrics and yards of vintage trims laundered, photographed and ready to list in the shop!  Even if I add one item a day, it will be months before I get to the end of possibilities here!

 

What I’ve Been Up To

Catching up.  That pretty much sums February up for me here at Stitchknit.  Since I had no voice in January, couldn’t answer the phone or meet with clients……….. this month has been a challenge to get the TO DO list from January caught up, while taking care of February.

I’m starting to make some progress.  If I didn’t have to do normal ‘life stuff’, I’d get caught up lots sooner!

We also had our foster kiddo here this past holiday weekend, which meant lots…………..lots & lots………….of cooking.  I forget how much one teen age boy can eat!  Fun, but not much work got done.

I have managed to get some pictures taken of new items, things I worked on in January.  Here’s a couple new items from the shop:

I found this lovely bolt of 100% cotton & fell in love with the design.  I can’t decide if it reminds me more of a Native design, or if it depicts quilt blocks.

This is truly navy blue, but to me it always looks black on my computer.  Very chunky, warm and cozy, this cowl would work for either men or women.  A great basic!

Back to work here….. A full production board here in the studio!  And, so far, nothing gets done unless I’m actually IN the studio & working!

 

Whose Voice Did I Get?

Well, I can talk now.  But, I didn’t get my own voice back after my month long bout with laryngitis.  (wow, was it quiet around here)

I have enough of a voice I can even answer the phone!  Letting all the calls go to voice mail was getting tedious.  Being able to just answer, seems like a small thing, but wow, has it made life easier.  Maybe I’ll get used to this new voice of mine………….maybe my own voice will return???  Either way will be better than mute!

Since I can use the phone, and talk to clients………the calendar is filling up again.  I’ve got some fun projects to do, both sewing and knitting.  Classes to teach and new items to create.  What could be better?

I’ve been adding to my Etsy shop, since there was no talking required!  This is one of the stash buster yarns I listed recently……the sock yarn from Red heart, that has aloe infused into the yarn.  Great to knit with, and it works up into terrific socks too!  Since I can only wear 1 pair of socks at a time, and I have a FULL drawer of hand knit socks already…………I am thinning the sock yarn stash.

See this new listing here, in my supply section.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                              This is one of the many items I worked on during January, a very chunky basket weave design which will likely end up being a cowl.  I’m hoping I can finish this off with just a seam, making it appropriate for either men or women.  It’s a rich dark navy, and worked up to be pretty soft.  The stack of items is going to keep me busy for awhile!  There is everything from a white cotton shrug to purple felted flowers and a couple cones of new yarn to play with too.

If all goes well this week, I’m going to start participating with a new team on Etsy.  The SNS for those in the know.  For the rest of us, it’s the Saturday Night Sale.   Starts Saturday evening and runs through 6AM Sunday.  My first task will be to figure out the times, as it is EST and I’m in the pacific standard time zone.  I guess it would help if I could remember when Saturday is too!  After having no appointments for a month, I’m out of practice keeping a schedule!  I’ve decided the Special at Stitchknit will be free shipping anywhere in the US.  More info to come, as I figure out what I’m doing!    Keep up on Twitter or Facebook, or here on the blog.

Best get to work, I’ll try to get some of these new things in the shop before Saturday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Noise!

I have been voiceless since the first week of January………..so when I discovered I could make some noise this week, it was cause for a minor celebration!   Noise does not translate into a speaking voice however.  And, I can’t just open my mouth and make noise on command.  Sometimes I still get nothing!  And, other times I sound like the calls from seals at the beach!  So, answering the phone is not on my list of skills yet.  (Thanks to Melinda and Rachell for helping with the phone chores!)

Since I’m just sitting quietly here…………I have been making headway on my knitting & sewing projects that were getting a bit backed up.

This is truly a white shawl, but I can’t get it to show up as white.  I’ve got a couple ends to weave in, and the picture problem to solve, then this should be listed in the shop.  The yarn is 100% silk…………the shawl is an Adult Small………..and it turned out to be a pretty bit of crocheting!

 

 

 

 

One of the new yarns in the shop, see them all here in my supply section.  I have the same corn fiber yarn in a solid seafoam green and a deep charcoal gray.

I’m slowly adding vintage lace trims too…  Emphasis on slowly!

 

 

 

Since I’m just this week, starting to feel more like myself…….everything I do is done slowly.  And, in between doing most everything, I need to find a sit down job………….which is why I’m getting lots of knitting time in! 

 

Listings and the Unfortunate Baby Hat

I’ve been busy knitting and crocheting since I “lost” my voice.  I can’t answer the phone……..and I didn’t want to have clients here when I couldn’t communicate, so knitting it was!  I played with yarn and then some more yarn!

 

Here’s 3 new little scarves for the toddler set.  Bright colors, great textures and the perfect size for those tiny fashionistas!  I have them listed here in my kids & baby section.

 

 

Here is what is supposed to be a baby hat.  It is so big it would fit OVER a football helmet.  Easily.  I was so in love with the way the stitch pattern turned a right angle, I had to finish it.  But, it is coming out.  Soon.

The area where the needle still is…….is the back seam of the hat.  Which makes the bottom portion the neckband area of the hat.  The picture with the pattern looked SO cute.  This??  A long ways from cute!

 

A few of my other projects are not quite at the picture stage.

-A lovely pale blue & creme baby blanket, done on the diagonal….just waiting for a crocheted border.

-A lavender, pink, yellow baby blanket…..not quite big enough yet to finish off

-Off white silk crocheted Goddess Shawl.  Ends to weave in and a picture to figure out.  I should learn not to create things out of white, as I’m at a loss when it comes to how to get a decent picture.

 

 

 

Nothing Better than New Yarn

Well, maybe getting my voice back would be better!  Still can’t talk, but wow………have I been knitting.  (and crocheting)    Will get pictures of the latest creations this week, but for today…..it’s just yarn.

All of these are listed, with more to come soon!  See the full descriptions and additional  pictures here in my supply section.  Time to get those knitting needles fired up!

 

Progress

I have been so busy with the Etsy shop and the local shop it hasn’t felt like I was making progress at all.  Too busy isn’t good, I get more than a little scattered…………..the studio begins to look like a tornado blew through it…………and I’m pretty sure that isn’t the best way to be the most creative.

This week is different.  I’ve completed the last custom order due before Christmas ………..pick up scheduled for Friday.  I’ve cleaned the studio and surprise, surprise…………..I found the missing bobbins to the Pfaff machine I use as the first ‘back up’ machine.  I’ve started working on the stack of fabrics I had pulled sometime before Thanksgiving and made 2 pieces which were listed yesterday and this AM.

This cowl is so interesting.  Lots of texture, as each of the different colors in this have their own weave.  Great fabric!  I added it to the shop this morning, you can see the full description & additional pictures here. 

Good thing I’m getting the TO DO list down to a manageable number, as we just got an email re: a foster kiddo needing a weeks worth of respite starting on the 27th.  I should be good to go!   The room needs a once over, since we have taken months off  and haven’t had a full time young man since July.  Sent the word out to a few friends, asking for help in jazzing up the room.  Our last kiddo was pretty hard on things………..with most everything just going to the dump.  I like to have lots of options of things to do, since I don’t have much info and haven’t a clue as to what this new gentleman likes to do……….or can do.  The weather isn’t going to be great for going to the park, which is one of my favorite ideas……..  So, I’ll get busy  making my list of activities that could keep us all busy for a week!

 

 

 

Work in Progress Wednesdays

Making progress. The new squares are pinned on top of the sock I’m copying for a client.

Was going to include the picture of the Santa motif that goes on the top band of this sock…………but the computer & I are not compatible tonight it seems.  I’m much handier with a crochet hook or a pair of knitting needles!

Hoping to have this project complete & ready to ship this weekend……or at least by Monday.

Back to work!