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.