Just a Quick Minute!

Had a few moments to update you on how the Adult Sweater is going. Not quite so scary anymore, I actually have 3 more planned for over the summer, another for me, but with 3/4 length sleeves, and in a moss green, or maybe purple, not sure yet. Another one for me, but with a zipper middle, I'm just going to add 10 stitches in the middle, and steek it. A third one for my hubbster, probably in orange, he looks soooo good in orange. This one will have long sleeves, and minimal waist shaping.
Actually, as I'm writing this, I'm realizing that this patter is way more versatile than I thought, I can really just do whatever I want to it. Top down, raglan style sweaters are easy!
Any ways, here are some pic of the progress in the last 3 or 4 weeks. Just have a little of the bottom border left, then just sew up the arms, and into the bath it goes!

 In this picture, I started the seed stitch border with US sz 4s, and realized the fabric would not be able to stretch across my hips, so I ripped back, and kept going in stockinette for about 3 more in. Then I started the seed stitch border, but still with the US sz 8 needles.

 I love the way the neckline came out. It is a great shape, sturdy, and hits in just the right spot.

 And the waist shaping, oh mama! This make me look like the hour glass I wish I was! I love how it nip in at just the right spot.

Hope you enjoy!
Saylor

Experiment: Failed!

So, I tried the whole " Relax! It'll happen if it wants to" approach to my shop, and, dudes, it does not work.
I couldn't relax, I couldn't chill out. Every time I turned around, I was thinking about it, and how many opportunities I was missing.
I also made no sales at all. Not one. Which is really not that many fewer than three, but still less.
So, I've decided to take my old  stark raving crazy cat lady approach again, and just keep on trucking. Well, talking, really. Ok, actually typing. But you get the idea.
To keep you entertained, because I understand that the mental workings of my imaginary media campaign is really not that interesting to you all, not to mention not all that understandable, here are some beautiful Pictures of Stuff!

Brand new hat - A beautiful and breezy tam.

Another hat- a summer blue beret, in a breezy lace pattern.

New yarn - Colorway: Twilight Sparkle, from my MLPFIM collection

Fun purples and blues, with just a dash of pink!

As always, everything pictured is for sale at My Etsy Shop!

Gourmet Chocolate Stitch Markers, for needles up to sz US13

Back in Black

I haven't really been focusing lately on pushing my brand so hard. I bought some ads on etsy last month, and just let them do their own thing. I wanted to see where I should be focusing my attention, and limited time, and what venues would be most productive for me. I actually sold three items within a week of purchasing the ads, and not pushing my brand on FB or Twitter. This month, I'm going to focus on using my blog here to its fullest extent, and push my FB and Twitter presence hard. We'll see what the results are. Maybe I  just had a really good week for sales, maybe there's something to this etsy ad thing, or maybe it was just coincidence. We'll see.
Saylor

The Black Death

I hate being sick. With a Passion.
It is, by far, the worst feeling in the world. Give me heartache, give me oppression, give me torture. Ok, maybe not torture. I would rather feel almost anything else in the world, than sick. It's not just the icky feeling, it's that I can't make it stop! It is completely out of my control, even with self medication. There is nothing I can do to help myself. Yes, I can try to knock myself out with non-branded green nighttime cough syrup. But sometimes, even that is not enough. I feel so terrible, that I can't even sleep! I hate that achy, snotty, throbby feeling. It makes me want to kill something. Maybe myself, maybe a bird, maybe my boss. Something.
In better, less violent news,
I sold another hat on Etsy! This time it's a little less exciting, because it was for my sister in law. (But still really, really exciting. Just not Realyl Really Really exciting. You get the difference, right?)
I have a confession to make, I feel slightly really guilty charging her for it, even though I needed to cover the shipping, but at the same time, I'm thrilled that I have another paying customer! I even really slightly regret telling her I would make others for her for free.
I'm not sure if this is just because I have such a warped sense of "family" values, or if it's something other sellers experience. Like, a feeling that what I've made isn't nessecarily worth what others are paying for it. Like, making it already fulfilled something for me, and selling it is just gravy on top. Maybe that's not a good simile, because I LOVE Gravy, a lot. Yeah, for me, it's the potatoes I could give up. So, making the hat is like the gravy, and selling it is like the potatoes. 'Cause, man cannot live on gravy alone, right?
Ok, I am now making no sense, even to myself.
Here's some pix. enjoy!

Blue, Purple and Gold Stitch markers, with Silver

Gold, Purple, Pink and White Stitch Markers, With Gold

Gourmet Chocolate Stitch Markers, Yummy!

Hope you enjoy!

Oh Wows! First Sale!

I think the title tells all, but I must reiterate...


I HAD MY FIRST ETSY SALE!!!
I SOLD A HAT!
TO A LADY IN TEXAS!!!
I'M SO EXCITED!!
 Ok, now I'm done. It looks like marking the hats down a little really helped. Hopefully this will help get my shop and brand out there a little more.
I have to say, this is a pretty big milestone for me, this is the first time I've ever had an item I've made with my own hands be wanted by someone else. There is a definite sense of validation here, that I'm not crazy and no one else thinks like me.
Its.... nice.

Balls of hand spun dyed in Cactus cooler, and Spring Salad

More two ply hand spun, dyed in Carnival, mini skein

Colorway- Flutter Shy, next in the MLPFIM series

Hand spun Alpaca, First batt I ever bought. 

Any whoo, Pictures!
As you peruse these pix, please remember that all my hand spun is spindle spun, so consistency is hard to achieve, at least at my level. 

 Any ways, Enjoy1

CLEARANCE SALE!!

Because of the slow pace of interest in my shop, I've decided to mark things down a little. These price adjustments are temporary, so if you see something you like, GET IT NOW!
This is to make way for some new inventory I will be putting up in the next few weeks, some more yarn and yarn tools, some hand spun , and a few new accessories. Look forward to it.
Meanwhile, here are some pretty hat pix- all these are for sale at my Store!         

Brown and Cream Striped Women's Beret

Adorable Gourmet Chocolate Stitch Markers

Fun Blue and Brown Mushroom Ruffle Cap

Funky Geometric Cut Stitch Markers with Silver

Classic Marbled Stitch Markers with Gold

Still Alive, I Promise!

Ever watched "The Biggest Loser"? Ever wanted to try it?
Well, W. and I are. Trying it, that is. The Biggest Loser competition between the two of us.
Which means... I'm tired, sore, and hungry. And still being a reasonably nice person.
How is that, you may ask?
Knitting. Glorious, simple, lovely, complex, fun, distracting, focusing knitting. Specifically , this:

 This is the Bombshell, from Big Girl Knits by, Jillian Moreno and Amy R. Singer.
I bought this book about year ago, but haven't had the courage to make anything from it.

This is my first attempt at an Adult Sweater.

My biggest concern about starting the Adult Sweater is yardage. I've done several baby sweaters, all which take one or two skeins of yarn, max. Not a huge investment for something that might not turn out right.
But an Adult Sweater?
That's at least five skeins right there, depending on which yarn used. Sometimes, for us BG's, it can take ten, twelve, fifteen skeins! At $5 per skein, that is a serious investment. 

 With this one, I was lucky. The yarn I decided on, Caron Simply Soft, has a good amount of yardage on each skein, so I only needed four. You can see my maths on the page right there. I know, your not supposed to write on the page, my inner middle school librarian is yelling at me too. At least I used pencil, okay?

  Plus, it was on sale for 2.50 each. Not bad at all!  Seeing the yarn in the color I wanted, on sale, with enough that I cold make this sweater, AND enough for a headband/ something cute to wear with it, I decided to take the plunge.
 Knitting an Adult Sweater is not as daunting as I thought it would be.
But then, I picked a easy pattern, top down, raglan short sleeves, simple shaping.
 I may have ruined my self as far as ease of knitting goes, I doubt I'll ever find pattern as simple and charming as this one.
BTW- these pic were taken 2 or 3 days after I started th Adult Sweater, and I'm already almost at the armpits. Quick, it is also. I mean, along with easy and charming.

UnHappy Thoughts

So, I haven't been posting much lately, and I have a very good reason for this. I'm not deathly ill, or have a terrible family tragedy, nothing so heartbreaking as that. I have, however had a slightly unpleasant situation involing work scheduling, and have been having some difficulties with my husbands depressive moods. Nothing terrible, but enough that I have had a really hard time being positive, and I've had to stuggle the last two weeks to say something nice. And my mother always told me, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. So, instead of bringing my irritable mood here, I've opted to just not bring myself here.

Well, now that some things have resolved themselves, and I'm feeling much more bright and shiny, I would love to show you some of that bouncing baby blue fiber I mentioned earlier. And by earlier, I mean two weeks ago.

 This is it. I can't remember where I bought it, but I got it at Madrona. It was a batt, but I stripped it before I even got to the car. It's so soft, and just buttery smooth.

 It spins up super nice, too. I'm so used to drafting woolen style, just letting all the fuzzy bits hand out, that this super soft stuff is too easy to draft. I keep pulling too hard, and am ending up with a super fine, almost lace weight single. I know I'll have to at least two ply this, I might even three ply it.

It's going to be a hat for William, because he threw his beautiful grey basket weave one in the washer, and now it is a baby hat. I have never felted anything before, on purpose, or accident. Now I know how easy its is. Maybe I'll be making some felted slippers this year, for Hanukkah. They can go with the felted soaps I was thinking of doing with my leftover dyed Lopez special locks.  We'll see. If I do the soaps, I'll step by step it, here.

So glad to be back, and with unequivocally happy thoughts.

Will totally make that again!

Warning- Picture heavy post here. Feel free to skim over the text, and just oogle the loverly pictures.

First up, Dinner!

 
This is a Roasted Veggie Pie with a Quinoa Crust.  Actually, three of them, because I made too much of the quinoa, and cut up too many veggies. At least I have lunch for the next 3 days!
I couldn't find a recipe for a quinoa crust that wasn't for quinoa flour, so I made one up.
This one used four cups of cooked quinoa, which is
2c dry. I mixed the quinoa with one egg, after letting it cool to room temperature. I pressed the cooled
mixture into each of three well greased pans,

 firmly across the bottom and up the sides. The one recipe I found that was kinda what I wanted, here, said to blind bake it at 350* for 15 minutes.

 I did that, and the crust came out kinda soggy, so next time I think I'll bake it for 25 min, and maybe at 375*.
Then I sliced up 2 green bell peppers, 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 sweet onion, using my brand new food processor! And cut into 1- 1/2 inch pieces about a pound of baby asparagus.
I beat 2 more eggs, and mixed them with about a cup of

water. I layered the veggies into the baked and cooled crusts, and poured a third of the egg mixture onto each one. I baked all three at 400* for 25 minutes, but they came out not quite done. Next time, I think I'll bake them for 35 or 40 minutes, so the veggies are nice and tender. But I will totally make that again!


 Next up, Fiber!

This is the Lopez Special, from Island Fibers.
I had washed it one once, and it was still pretty smelly. So I gave another go with the soap, and it turned out much better the second time around. Then I died it. I was originally going for a pink to purple variegated, but I didn't put enough die in the bath, and not all the fiber got it. That's ok, I'll just over dye it! This time I added some peachy color, and just a splash of green, after flipping the mass of wet fiber over so the bottom and middle could get saturated. This time, it came out perfectly! I let it dry for a few days, and then I started processing it. Now, I don't have a lot of experience, or a lot of tool, pretty much just my two hands, and my spindle. So this was a bit of a challenge. This fiber wasn't all in nice lock formation, like the Cormo, or SBL. It was all kinds of higgeldy piggeldy. But I am, if nothing, stubborn. So to work I went, pulling and fluffing and drafting and sorting and occasionally pushing my cat out of the way. Yes, that is my demon spawn cat, Chaotie. It's short for Chaotic Evil.  And, eventually, I ended up with something resembling sliver, kind of. And a big bag of squiggly odd and ends, that I'm not sure what to do with. But I'm sure I figure something out, the colors came out too pretty to ignore. Maybe felted soaps for Hanukkah presents? 

Good idea, Saylor!
This is it for now, I'll sow you some beautiful blue baby something (wish the animal this stuff came from started with a "b", that would have been too good!) tomorrow, and see how this rainbow-bright stuff spins up.



P.S.- I will totally dye this color again, if I can.

Broken Camera, Uh-Oh!

Last night, I was getting ready to shoot some pix of some beautiful fiber I got at Madrona, and how nicely it was spinning up. I turned it on, and it said the battery was running low, and would turn off. OK, sure, new battery time. So hunt, hunt, hunt for batteries, find some, put in camera. Now it will run, right? Wrong. I take one picture, and it shuts down. No warning, no blinking red battery light, nothing. Just dead. Hmmm. OK, try different batteries. Same thing. Six different sets of batteries later, I'm thinking my camera is actually broken, and I'm going to have to take it back, and get a new one. Not something I really want to hassle with, mainly because I've lost my receipt. I know, I'm dumb, always keep major purchase receipts in a safe place. Thanks, Mom.
So i take it in this afternoon, back to RadioShack, where i got about 6 weeks ago. I explain everything to the guy, including how i don't have my receipt, had it for more than 30days, don't want to return it, just exchange it, can you do anything for me? All in one breath. He just looks at me, and says, "Where do you get your batteries?" Uhm, the Dollar Store? He pops open a pack of the ultra nice, expensive batteries, pops them in, and begins taking pictures. Many pictures, and the camera doesn't shut down. It works just fine and dandy, actually. I, of course, gasp and exclaim, oh! Why is it working for you? Do batteries really make that much of a difference?
Aparently they really do make that much of a difference. The nice guy let me keep the batteries he put in my camera, and gave me the rest of the 4pack, to boot. I offered to buy them, but he wouldn't hear of it, saying they would cost me $4.99, while they only cost him $.21. Super nice peeps at RadioShack.
I went back later, and bought two more 18 packs. I am now a firm believer in expensive batteries.

In other news, I put another hat up on SaylorRaye Creates. This is one of my very favorites, I almost didn't want to put it for sale! It's a really nice, classic design beige beret, not from a pattern, just my own pattern in my head. Take a look , and say if you like it!

First Knit Night Ever!

Tonight I went to my first Knit Night. I have never been to a gathering of knitters where I actually sat and knit with them. I have only been to stores to buy yarn, and to fairs and festivals to buy fiber.
I have to say it was really nice.


And I'd have to be lying.


It was AWESOME!




I finally could talk about wool, and knitting, and spinning, and say Kitchener, and splice, and they all (except the super newbie, who was still learning to purl) KNEW WHAT I WAS SAYING!
And they cared, or at least had some interest. 
I brought the 12 stitch blanket, which is a slight variation of Frankie Brown's Ten Stitch Blanket, except instead of 10 stitch rows, I use 12, and am using stockinette, not garter. Other than that I am using the pattern exactly! Right.
I also brought some of the Cormo Special and my Ashford drop spindle, and worked on that for a while.
When I first walked in , I didn't think I was in quite the right spot, I didn't see any one knitting or spinning. But then I spotted someone in the corner, and I saw a ball of yarn in front, and knew I must be in the right location. That person ended up being David, the super newbie. I ended up not spinning or knitting that much, but helping him with the whole purl thing. Which was totally cool. It made me realize that I am not really a beginner anymore, and am what would be classified as an "Intermediate" knitter, which is totally weird, because I still feel like a beginner.
But, all in all, it was super fun. And I am planning on going back next week, which will hopefully have better open-mike-nighters. Dude, whoever you are, stop trying to sound like Eddie Vedder.

PS- I got to hold a 2month baby boy, named Nathan. To a non-mom, yet, this was like getting free candy. The. Best. Thing. Ever. 

Washing Fleece

So... More yummy fleece pictures.

 This is the Scottish Blackface, in the bag, all washed up and and pulled out into kinda-sliver.
And the Lopez Special at the bottom. I pulled some locks off, and drafted them out, and had my friend Trin hold on to the lock while I spun my Ashford drop spindle.  It was surprisingly soft and easy to spin. I'm not sure whats in it, but its really super gorgeous.
I'm really loving all the fleeces I got from Island Fibers, they are all cleaning really easily, and spinning just beautifully. I have to say, for my first non-processed fiber purchase, I'm really happy with the results. I never thought cleaning fleece could be so easy. I do have to credit my extensive About.com research, and the Yarn Harlot post on cleaning for my success, I think.
Although I took alot of inspiration from her method, I do mine a little different.
This is how I wash fleece.
Gather-
 A big wide pan- like one of the tubs bus boys use to clear table, got mine at the Dollar Tree
Some dish soap, I use whatever is cheap, I think Sun, again from the Dollar Tree
And your Microwave. Well you probably won't need to gather that, since it's kinda heavy.
Then We Wash!

• Separate the fleece into locks, or if its pretty mangled, just pull it into strips. 
• Fill the tub with as hot of water as you can stand to stick your hand into, and squirt a good 1/8th cup of soap into it. 
• Push the fleece strips into it, keeping them separate, submerging them until totally soaked. 
• Let sit for 20 min, until water is super gross. 
• Pour water off, and run more in, bouncing it off the tub, so it doesn't felt the fleece. Don't add any more soap.
• Microwave for 5 min, then let cool for 15min, and microwave for 5 min again. 
• Let cool, and drain again, just holding the fleece in the tub. 

• Rinse with hot water again, maybe two-three times, until the water runs clear, and no soap foam comes up when the water runs in. 

I hang my fleece strips from a pants hanger, so they don't slip off, and set my little space heater on low pointed at it. It usually dries in about an hour or two.
Sometimes, if the fleece is really crunchy, and doesn't draft out easy, I just spritz a little Suave leave-in conditioner on it, while it dries, and that softens it up a lot. 
And that's what I use, at least for now. I will probably change it up, and try something different next time, but this worked well this go around.
Any suggestions would be awesome.
How do you clean your wool?

Yummm....

Fiber! Not the kind you eat, but the kind you spin! Or felt, I guess, but that just seems like a waste. If your wondering why the enthusiasm for fiber, look no further that Madrona Fiber Arts, right here in Tacoma! I know, no four hour round trip this time, how nice. (I went to a fiber fest in September out in Monroe, the lady at the Fair said it wasn't that far away. Right.)
Because I am a phenomenal idiot, I did not bring my camera with me to the the festival. I did bring home a delicious selection of fiber yummies. Let me show you.
First up, the Cormo Special- from Island Fibers
Unwashed, and lovably greasy.
Washed, and divided into strips. Took 4 rinses, and a stint in the microwave, to get the water to run clear.
And, finally, pulled into a kinda-sliver and spun on my new-ish support spindle, from SpindleMeRightRound.
Have to say, for my first foray into washing and prepping my own fibers, this one turned out really great. Although I was a little rough on it, none of the fleece felted, and almost all the dirt rinsed out. Still a lot of VM in it (vegetable matter), but that just picks out as I go.
Also got some Lopez Special, a random mix of stuff, and some Scottish Blackface, we'll see how those clean up tonight.

Got a ton more stuff, but that's enough sharing for today. We'll have more adventures in fiberland tommorrow.

P.S. Totally wanted to stay the whole day, just so I could sneak around and maybe see the Yarn Harlot, but William was hungry, so we had to go feed him.

Overhaul! New year, New ... stuff.

I've decided this year will be my year to succeed, and part of that success is going to be to as active as possible in my on-line community. I voraciously read several blogs, surf Etsy all the time, and am a general web-head. However, I have never one commented on any post, item, or other comment, ever. Seriously, Ever. I just lurk around on my forums, reading everything, and never contributing. That is changing, today. I'm tired of being shy, of being self depreciating, and of being self judgmental. Why can't I save all those for other people? ;p
As you all can see, I have overhauled the blog, changing the name to more accurately reflect my on-line presence. It's also a shameless plug for my Etsy store, which is of the same name. I will be linking these two, and will be very active on both.

So, enough with the navel gazing, onto the Craft-sanity!

I have been obsessed with polymer clay lately. You can really do anything with it, jewelry, figures, and my favorite, knitting jewlery.
That's right, Stitch Markers! All kinds, colors, designs. All kinds! I've even made chocolate ones! Stitch markers that look like chocolates, Love It! (of course, all of these are available at  SaylorRaye Creates.

I've also been coming up with new color ways to dye, but haven't gotten a chance to, haven't had the kitchen space lately.
I'm working on my My Little Pony series, have RainbowDash done (see right), and next will be my ShutterFly colorway, all pinks and greens. I am so loving coming up with my own colors, it's so much fun. And easy, so Easy! just vinegar and food dye. That's all.  I don't know why more people aren't doing this, it's so much fun to be able to (hypothetically) control the color of your yarn! Maybe that's why crafting appeals to me so much, I have complete control over my end product. Hmmm... Not that anyone would think that I need control. No.... I'm definitely not what you would call a control freak. Hah!