Episode 33

Discombobulated Shownotes:

The kickstarter is running until December 11, 2012, which is my 36th birthday. 
I'll be updating my etsy store on Tuesday, December 6th at 10:00am CST.

Kittin in the Mitten enabling:
Awesome fiber was from Jenna. and the awesome yarn was from Emily.

I can't find the specific video I used for the swirly scarf.  I will link it when I do because I feel it is better than the others!

Podcasts I mentioned: Whatcha Swatchin, Hollywood Knitter, Dragonfly Soars (didn't mention but should have!), Knitting Blooms, Happy Camper Fibers, Hippie Penguin.    Whew.  That's a lot.  Let me know if I forgot someone.  I love podcasts. :)

I can't remember what else I talked about...  Please let me know if there is anything else that I said I'd link and I haven't!
 

Kickstarter Project

Sorry I've been kind of quiet as of late. It seems like time has started moving faster. I know that sounds cliche, but it is true--I never feel like I have enough time any more. There are less hours in the day now or something.

I've been working on a little project, which combined with keeping up with Spartickes Dyes and trying to get ready for another (hopefully more successful) craft fair, I hardly have time to breathe. I'm very excited about the project, though, so here goes: About a month ago, I looked into taking Spartickes Dyes to The Middle Tennessee Fiber Festival in Dickson, TN, which is at the end of May in Dickson, TN. This is the first fiber festival that I ever attended. I have fantastic memories of walking into one of the barns and seeing "my people."

 The thought of being able to sell at any fiber festival, let alone this one is uber exciting to me. The rental fee is quite reasonable, so I told Josh (handsome husband) that I would like to vend there. He is so supportive. But then he asked me how I was going to be able to buy enough yarn up front in order to stock a booth. (Why does he have to be so logical?)

 I'm confident that I would be successful selling my wares. (Does that sound pompous? I don't mean for it to sound too boastful, but I really like my yarn and bags.) However, much of the profit from my current sales goes back into buying more product to sell, and I have a hard enough time keeping the etsy shop stocked, let alone stocking a whole booth.

So, Josh and I talked about how we could make it happen, and we came up with the idea of doing a Kickstarter project. Kickstarter is website that connects people with creative ideas to people who would like to back those ideas monetarily. In return, the people who pledge money get various rewards if the project is fully funded by the end date. If the project is not funded, nobody pays anything, and the people who pledge do not receive anything.

My original idea of getting funding to go to my first fiber festival was initially denied by Kickstarter. They said that I needed to fund a project with a specified ending rather than an ongoing project. They said an example of an ending project would be developing a new clothing line. I don't quite understand why a new line of clothing IS a project and going to a fiber festival IS NOT, but who am I to argue?!

 I was planning on introducing two new series of yarns anyway, so I tweaked my project idea, and here it is: Kickstarter Project

 

I'm so excited to start my first yarn/bag club!! I was so excited that I decided I needed to do two--I couldn't pick which one I like best. Winnie the Pooh has so many fun colors and Firefly has so many cool and quirky things to reference!!

The Kickstarter's end date is on my 36th birthday, December 11, 2012.   I would be honored if you would consider helping to back this project. I promise not to disappoint!

Happy November!

No video podcast this week. No etsy update this week. I'm trying to get as much done for MY VERY FIRST CRAFT FAIR ever on Saturday. I do have a cool finished object to show y'all. I'll talk more about it next week when I podcast. It is called The Hand Warming Cup Cozy by Nicole Woltman, and I am in love.

Here is the Ravelry link for the free pattern download. Won't these be perfect for sitting on the football field?!

Episode 32 "It's My Knitti-Birthi-Versary"

Episode 31 "Wine in a Coffee Cup"

Episode 30 "Pinktober"

Lessons I'm Learning:
My Halloween Socks-Faux Heel Flap by Liat Gat in The Lock, Shock, and Barrel colorway, dyed by ME.

Slightly Twisted Baby Hat by Lara Neel

Scarf with no Name by Samantha Edgerly for my Mother in Law in the Sue Ickes colorway, dyed by ME.


Lemonade Stand:

My Yarn and Bag Shop
 I'm trying to raise money for the Nashville chapter of Susan G Koman.  10% of the sale (or at least $1) of Pinktober items will go to raise money for cancer research. 

My Cozy Shop

Kickin' Cancer to the Curb

I haven't had a chance to do a proper video podcast, but I have an important promotion running in my shop right now that I wanted y'all to know about.

October is breast cancer awareness month, otherwise known as pinktober.  I have dyed up six very special colorways in honor of pinktober.  They are available on 3 different bases-80/20 superwash merino, 80/10/10 (cashmere blend), and the sparkly liberace base.  10% of the sale price of these skeins will be donated to my Nashville Susan G Koman chapter. 

I also have some pink project bags and notions bags that I've been sewing up for this occasion. 

I don't know if you remember last year when I knit purple ribbon socks for my mother in law.  My mother in law is a breast cancer and lung cancer (purple) survivor, and this cause is near and dear to my family.  I named a colorway after her-Sue Ickes because she is one of the strongest women I know.

Please visit my etsy shop Spartickes Dyes and help me show my mother in law how important she is to me!  If you'd rather just donate, you can donate using the the "donate" button on this site and tell me it is for Susan G Koman.


Thank you!

Talk to y'all soon on a podcast hopefully!

Works In Progress Wednesday

I'm super late to the party. It is 11:48pm, so technically, this CAN be a Wednesday post!! Tami hosts Works in Progress Wednesdays. Stop by her blog and take a look at some wonderful knitting projects. I want to cast on EVERYTHING!!

I'm just going to post two pictures today. I'm working on my Tina's Skirt that I showed y'all last week, but since the pattern repeats the length of the skirt, it is hard to tell there is much progress, so I'll wait until I have a "wow" moment to show! My Halloween socks are coming along quite nicely! I've decided to switch patterns-Liat has a new faux short row heel pattern and a knit-a-long going on through her blog, so I'm participating with that-as well as the other two KALS I mentioned last week: Just One More Row and Knitabulls podcasts.

I started a new project too. One of my friends asked me to make a baby hat for a baby shower she will be attending. The due date isn't until February, but I was itching to cast it on! Slightly Twisted Baby Hat by Lara Neel has a unique cuff. It is has a twisted garter edge before you do the ribbing. Knit 5 rows of garter (or is that 2 and a half??) then twist every 4 stitches around the 5 rows as you are knitting a stockinette row. I'm not explaining it very well, but you can check out the tutorial here. (click to download the pdf--the audio of Math4Knitters is an oldie but goodie as well!) It is kind of fun, now that I understand what I was doing!

Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to read your comments. :)

Episode 29

Lessons I'm Learning/WIPs

My Halloween Socks- Faux Heel Flap by liatmgat.  I dyed the yarn, which I called Lock, Shock, and Barrel.  I have not put it up for sale (yet?) but if you would like some, just let me know--I'd love to dye some up for you!
*Just One More Row podcast
*Knitabulls podcast
*Traveling Sock Knitter podcast
*Knitfreedom Ravelry group
My Tina Skirt by Tina Marrin.  Yarn is Plymouth Yarn's Baby Bunny

Final Exam/FOs
random little scarves and hats for my new etsy shop: www.spartickesdrinks.etsy.com, George Sock Monkey pattern by Alejandra Quiroz

Lemonade Stand/stuff from my shop!
Lock, Shock, and Barrel spinning fiber from The Nightmare Before Christmas Series, 100% superwash merino
Sally spinning fiber from The Nightmare Before Christmas Series, 100% superwash merino
Chicken small project bag
*KnittinWolfe from Wolfe Farms Podcast

Journal Entries/All about Me
Zeah killed me with Moss Rock Socks by Debbie O'Neill with Artist's Palette Yarns Smoothie Sock

New Friends/Podcasts of Interest
As We Knit by Rebecca Jones
and Just Another Bay Area Knitting Podcast (Jabak) by TopHat

WIPs Wednesdays-Talk like a Pirate Day

It has been a long time since I've participated, but I love admiring all of the beautiful projects, so here's my contribution to Works in Progress Wednesdays. If you want to join in, just post your link to Tami's website.  Or, if you just want to put a picture in my comments--that'd be fun too!

Here goes:
My Halloween Socks:  Plain Toe Up, Two at a Time Socks on Magic Loop-pattern from Liat.  Yarn is called Lock, Shock, and Barrell Stripes by Spartickes Dyes.(that's me!!) It is a double dipper KAL from Diane of the Knitabulls Podcast and Brittany & Dana.of the Just One More Row Podcast.
.

Halloween Stripes

I'm also working on my Tina's Skirt for the The Lemknitcrochet Podcast.  She has a FATT (finish all the things) KALCAL going on right now.  I started this skirt August 4, 2011.  It is from Plymouth Yarn's Baby Bunny, color 204.

Mari's Tina's Skirt

My Favorite Scarf Ever is also from the FATT KALCAL.  I started it June 15, 2011.  It is made from Socks that Rock, but I don't remember the colorway.

My Scarf that Rocks

  And finally, what should actually be first is last for some odd reason.  I'm doing Sock Sniper, which started September 1, 2012.  I love the pattern and the yarn.  I'm not sure why they are taking me so long to finish!!  The pattern is Struttin in Searsucker and the yarn is Sapphire Bullets of Pure Love, also by Spartickes Dyes. They are toe up with a short row heel.  This pattern offers Toe Up or Top Down as well as Gussett or Short Row Heels.  How cool is that?!

Sniper Socks

Thanks for stopping by!  I'll do a proper podcast on Friday-sorry I missed this past week.  I'd say I was working on my Sniper Socks, but then they'd be done by now if that were true!!

Episode 28 (not 27) Rock Band

This episode is a little bit different! I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!  Check out Another Crafty Girl to see the amazing Elmo colorway that I giveaway this episode-as well as her beautiful Portal colorways!

Please visit my shop: Spartickes Dyes and my Ravelry Group: Exchange Student in Fiberland!

Episode 27 The Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Shownotes:
Lessons I'm Learning/Works in Progress
KnitFreedom Fair Isle Knitting e-book.  I'm making the bag into a basket!
The Sock Sniper socks are made out of my own hand-dyed 100% merino, which is not available for purchase, but I do have other hand-dyed yarn available at SpartickesDyes.  The pattern is called Struttin in Seersucker by SarahBess.  It is a great pattern that is available in toe up or cuff down and heel flap or short row, which is super cool!  SarahBess is the coordinator of Sock Sniper, which is a knitting competition to raise money for Doctors without Borders.

Final Exam/Finished Object
Spring Buds Fingerless Mitts by Robin Currier.  It is also made with my own hand-dyed yarn, which is not available for purchase--I know, mean, right?

Contest
Make sure you enter to win a beautiful skein of yarn from AnotherCraftyGirl.  She has such amazing yarn.  I love it all so much!

Souvenirs/Enabling
Tickle by Tempted is 100% merino in her Sly Grrl base.  I can't wait to use it!!!
Pirates of the Carrot Penis by Etherial Fibers.  Friend her on plurk so you can get her update previews!!

Lemonade Stand/Spartickes Dyes
Today, I showed off some project bags and a cool zippered notions bag from Spartickes Dyes.  I'm happy to do custom orders (bags and yarn), so just let me know! 



I hope I didn't miss anything.  I left the paper version of my shownotes upstairs, and I can't be wasting time by running up to get them.  I've got socks to knit!  If I did, just contact me, and I'll fill you in on the details!

Thanks for watching!!

Episode 26 "That's Not Really Purple Hair"

Lessons I'm Learning/WIPS:

Spring Bud Fingerless Mitts by Robin Currier
Favorite Scarf Ever by Lisa Bruce

Final Exam/FO: 

Brioche samples by liatmgat

Giveaway!! 

Go to the Ravelry Group for a chance to win some of the most awesome yarn ever. Please tell us about your favorite commercial or ad!

Lemonade Stand/My Shop: 

Chewie in the Liberace Base from the Star Wars Series

Sparkly Pink Ladies from the Grease Series

Journal Entries/All About Me: 

Please help me promote my Etsy shop by following my facebook page!

Episode 25

Episode 24: A Big Announcement and A Big Giveaway

Lessons I'm Learning/WIPS Spring Bud Fingerless Mitts by Robin Currier One Row Lace Scarf by turvid  
Final Exams/FOs Monkey Business Toe Up Socks Plan Vanilla Self Striping Socks  
Journal Entries/Announcements Spartickes Dyes is opening on Etsy 8/4/12 at noon CST. Susan Pandorff is giving a mini collection of FOUR patterns. Visit Ravelry to enter!

Episode 23

Lessons I'm Learning/WIPS Tour de Sock Stardust by Adrienne Fong with KnitPicks Stroll Glimmer on size 2 Final Exam/Finished Objects Monkey Project Bag Monkey Business and Candy Coffee Koolaid dyed by Me Souvenirs/Stash Enhancement Lollipop Yarns Waterfall from Allison1031 Twisted Fiber Art Juliet from Amanda922 Socks that Rock Schwarzwald and a Sunflower Notions Bag from Mim58 Another Crafty Girl Miss Piggy from GabrielaKOS and various mini skeins of Desert Vista Dyeworks My New Friends I alluded to two amazing podcasters that I met at SSK: Hollywood Knitter and Whatcha Swatchin Here is a link to my favorite sock heel: Fleegle Heel

Season 2, Episode 1

The opening minute or so of this video is all messed up. I was going to re-record it, but it cracked me up every time I watched it. So, I decided to keep it. I hope you enjoy! (If it is too distracting or annoying, just fast forward about 45 seconds. Fair Isle Knitting, LiatmGat from KnitFreedom.com and Philosopher's Wool--watch the whole video, not just the first 3 minutes like I did the first time... Tour de Sock is a speed sock knitting competition throughout the summer. For the Garter Tab Cast On, I used Liat's provisional cast on. Then I watched LoopYarn for the garter tab cast on. I can't think of what else I talked about. Let me know if you want links to anything else...