New Stock at DM!

So now that the madness that is Christmas is over, and I have some time to do what I like (yeah right - as if any teacher REALLY has time to do that...) I've been able to spend some time getting some of the many started-but-not-yet-finished projects tamed and ready for the shop. I've also been surfing net for some new patterns, and came up trumps with this wavy, zig-zag hat-and-scarf set:




It's actually a recycled ruana that I made earlier in the year that didn't quite turn out right - which seems to be my theme for the new year. That's right, I'm finally biting the bullet and ripping out all those projects that didn't quite work, chalking up the initial effort to experience, and letting the yarn find a new use.

Thanks to some Christmas gifts, some old projects waiting to be recycled, and my insatiable yarn fetish, there should be even more stock coming soon...

And I think that another thing I should do is post more - has it REALLY been over a month since I've last posted?? Sheesh! How time flies when you're marking... :(

Etsy in the NY Times!

Etsy has a profile in the New York Times magazine.

It looks at the Etsy phenomenon, and highlights some products like:

Maybe you’re interested in a “random music generator” called the Orb of Sound ($80), built by an Australian tinkerer calling himself RareBeasts. Or a whistle made out of a tin can and bottle caps ($12), by loranscruggs, near Seattle. Or the “hand-painted antique ceramic doll-head planters” sold under the name Clayflower22 by a retired schoolteacher near Las Cruces, N.M. Or the “Kaleidoscope Pearberry Soapsicle” ($5), made by a woman in Daytona Beach, Fla., who calls her shop Simply Soaps. Or a porcelain bowl with an image of a skull on it, from a Chicago couple who call themselves Circa Ceramics. Or an original painting from an artist in Athens, Ga., who goes by the moniker the Black Apple.

Handmade 2.0 by Rob Walker

SALE at DM!

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SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE
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Did I mention DM! is having a SALE? Come on in and shop around - I"m sure you'll find something you fancy!

You know you've been busy when...

1. Your automatic login has expired!
2. You have new yarn YOU HAVEN'T EVEN TAKEN OUT OF THE PACKAGE! (what was i thinking - and it's a gorgeous teal silk/alpaca blend, too!)
3. You seem to have repetitive strain injury in your thumb. Yes, my thumb. How it happened, I'll never know...

Unfortunately, this seems to be the busiest time of year all round - for school, for shoppers and shoppees... And with baby gifts to make on top of Christmas presents and new woolly wonders, I feel like I haven't got time to turn around. So, I do apologise that what seems to be suffering the most is the blogging.

And my thought processes... I need some suggestions. I got this gorgeous yarn the other day, and I want to make a little something for ME with it, but I haven't a clue. Could you check it out on flickr, and think of what it should be? (suggestions on a postcard to.... Wait - just leave a comment!)

Ahh, Saturdays...

I'm sure that once I get around to actually having kids, 'Saturday' will take on a whole new meaning, but for now, I'm looking forward to another pajama-fest that involves - well, pajamas... - and a whole lotta yarn.

Last Saturday I managed to knock off a few Christmas presents, and with those added to goodies purchased from TagsOnBags, JennGee and CorinnaMaggyDesignsetc, my Christmas shopping is well and truly underway.

But despite promises to hubby that I wouldn't make anything else for the shop until something sold, this just seemed to crochet itself from the leftover yarn of a scarf for a deserving cousin... And once I'd finished it, I couldn't very well NOT list it, could I?? :) (BTW, the scarf in the photo is also available - the Alpaca Hairpin Lace one...) What's a girl to do??

So I guess I'll just have to see what tomorrow's creativity brings...

A little wine, a lot of yarn, and great conversation...

I've done something this morning I've not done fore a long time - I slept in! The cat wasn't best pleased with me, but this morning I managed to sleep until 10 am, mostly because I had such a lovely evening last night...


My friend (and erstwhile model) Bex invited me, her mum and sister and some other mates round for a yarn-lovers evening, which ended up with some impromptu lessons on Tunisian Crochet bookmarks, and a few new Moose Marks! of my own creation. But the best thing was the company, the chat about (amongst other things) moving house, hair and podcasting, and the lovely fire which Bex' hubby V started for us... A perfect Friday evening! If you've not indulged in this sort of evening before, I highly recommend it!

Don't ya hate it when...

... you spend all day on a project, only to have it turn out badly?

I spent many potential marking hours on Saturday working on something for ME - a wrap/ruana/cardi that I was planning on wearing to a function on Sunday. I had this lovely aqua and brown alpaca blend yarn, I had the pattern all worked out in my head, I had started it on Thursday, and it was do-able to get it done for Sunday morning.

And I did. I finished it Saturday evening, and I even made some toggle things so I could fasten it in a multitudinous variety of ways. It had been a bit short, but I lengthened it through a generous use of a wide border, and I even wove all my ends in.

Only to put it on on Sunday morning and realise that the whole thing looked like crap.

So, now I'm faced with a dilemma - try to flog it off to someone else, or just break down and rip it all out and try again? I think the general design principle isn't bad, it's just flawed in the execution - it ended up being wider than I anticipated, and shorter, where the proportions should have been the other way round. And, although I hate to admit it, as much as I love the whole drapey/ruana look, I really think it's not for me... Too short and wide myself, I think...

So, ~~sigh~~ I think it's back to the drawing board and some more planning. The 'thing' will probably live in my closet for a while until I have the heart to rip out two solid days worth of work, but at least I'll have 11 balls of yarn to play with... :p