A new addition to my crafting equipment family….

Awhile back, I mentioned my desire to own a spinning wheel, inspired by the HUGE box of fiber I bought to play with (the intention to just dye and sell, but then you know how that goes!!!).  So, I did a heap of research on Ravelry and Google, and decided that a folding Lendrum DT would provide a portable wheel that I wouldn’t grow out of.

This spring has been a little slow sales wise, mostly due to me not being able to dye as many yarns as usual, so the full price for a new wheel was a bit out of reach, considering that I would soon need extras such as spindles.  So…..I wrote this little plea for the Used Equipment forum on Ravelry:

I know it is a shot in the dark here, since most people LOVE theirs and wouldn’t consider parting with it….but a girl on a budget has to try!

So if you’d like a loving home for your poor neglected Lendrum who is all folded up and pouting under your bed with the dust bunnies, please let me know. I promise to take her to the library, Mommy & Me at the park, camping, and on vacations, not to mention a prime spot in the living room for watching her favorite tv shows. I promise to keep her well oiled and cleaned. She will be my one and only wheel. I will love her and pet her and call her “George”. (Ok, maybe a different name, but you get the idea and the Bugs Bunny reference!)

I’d really prefer the complete package (and would really really really love the walnut one, hahahaha …I’ll just keep dreaming there…), but will consider just the wheel for the right price.

I’ll now be stalking my Rav mail!!”

Well not three days later, a kind lady came on and said she would like to sell me hers, plus bag, an extra Kate, and 7 spindles…a great deal for me!  She bought it to take to spinning guild, but has since moved away, and prefers her stay at home wheel.  And the kicker?  She was coming to my town to visit over the weekend.  Well, that part didn’t quite happen, as the Easter weekend snow storm hit, as well as illnesses in both families, but the wheel is still coming here via FedEx, and eventually I will get to meet a real live Raveler!!

 So brace yourselves, as soon as the wheel comes, you will be inundated with photos of her (her name is Lizzie Beth, although I may also call her George!), and of my first (likely sad) attempts at making yarn.  I did learn to spin a bit as a child, my mom had sheep and a wheel and everything, but the wheel was not a very good one, so neither of us got far into spinning.  I plan to remedy that pretty quickly!

 Also, once I show myself that my hand dyed rovings are suitable for spinning, I’ll be posting some of those for sale.  I just hate to sell something that I haven’t tested out.  How else am I supposed to be able to use my own fiber guilt free!?!

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My chuckle for the morning!

This link came up on one of my yahoo group digests this morning, and it’s a hoot.  If you think machine knitting is fast and easy, watch these!  (Warning, some mild British swearing.)  She is trying a technique that creates a terry cloth type material.

http://susyranner.blogspot.com/2008/03/pile-knitting-on-knitmaster-321.html

 Now granted, not all techniques on the machine are so fussy, but any new one I learn starts like this….me and the manual, and most of the afternoon, and still haven’t made anything useable.  Can we say ‘frog frog frog’?

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Featured!

A fellow Iowan,  AreYouAnArtist started a blog recently, and has featured my “Love Lies Bleeding” hand dyed yarn.  You can read the blog entry here.  She features a different color every post, and I think it is a great way to showcase some Etsy items.  If you look beyond some of the earlier color themes, you will also see some great tips about drawing.  She is taking a break right now from the tips, but plans to bring them back.

 Thanks, AreYouAnArtist for the feature! Here are some of her amazing drawings:

White Bengal, Copyright AreYouAnArtist

Poison Dart Frog copyright AreYouAnArtist

 

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Fiber Friday, March 14

Here’s what is new this week in hand dyed yarns and rovings at ThePaintedTiger!

Cheerful (I made more after it sold out the other day!)
Cheerful SW Sock Yarn

Olive What She’s Having (lace)
Olive What She's Having

Lilac & Citron Roving
Lilac & Citron Roving

That 70’s Stove (In Roving, Sock, & Aran)
That 70's Stove Roving
That 70's Stove - SW Merino Sock Yarn
That 70's Stove - Aran Bulky Yarn

Lime, Cantaloupe, Flamingo, Lemon, and Asparagus Sock Yarns in Semi-solid and Nearly Solids.
Lime, Cantaloupe, Flamingo, Lemon, and Asparagus Sock Yarns

I’ll be listing these throughout the week, and adding links to this post as I do.  All of these will be in my main store, ThePaintedTiger.com, and duplicates of the sock and lace yarns will also be available in my Etsy shop, ThePaintedTiger.etsy.com.

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A Cheerful Treasury

Fellow Etsian, HarmonyVanlue, created this blue and yellow treasury , and there is my perky Cheerful Hand Dyed Sock Yarn right there in the top right corner!  I found out later that it did indeed make it to the front page, and I sold the yarn.  (I’m making more today!)

Cheerful treasury

Otherwise, I’ve been toiling away at dyeing up the special signature yarn for Yarny-Goodness.  It is called “A Slice of Heaven and Earth”.  Once I have a few wound and zip up a sample tube so you can see what it will look like, I’ll get some pics up here.  It is truly one of a kind art yarn.

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Great news all around!

Friday was a great day for ThePaintedTiger.  I made my first sale on ThePaintedTiger.com I’ve been open there for about a month, and in fact had just received my March bill (where I had a small fit of ‘can I really swing this going it alone thing’?), when a few minutes later the sale came in.  Whew!

  On Etsy, I enjoyed some exposure (the good kind!!) on the front page:

Etsy Front Page, March 7

That is Autumn Aspens in the bottom row, which has been featured before.  Apparently tones of gold and brown and orange are trendy right now.  Doesn’t explain why the two skeins of it (one on Etsy, and one on ThePaintedTiger.com)  just sit around though.  Maybe the colors aren’t trendy with knitters?  Who knows.

 Anyway, I received 18 shop hearts yesterday, and 7 hearts on that specific hand dyed yarn.  I’ll take what I can get!  I did also sell two yarns, Pine & Burgundy SW Sock, and I Like Coffee, I Like Tea Lace to a new customer.

Oh, and to top it off, I sold a scarf this morning.  It is a nice feeling to have money to transfer in my PayPal account!

 Thanks for letting me brag a little bit, it is such a rare occurance to have so many good events happen on the same day!

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Fiber Friday, March 7

Here is what is dry enough to photograph today!  Hope you enjoy!  I dyed a bunch of rovings too, and will post them soon.

 Blue Bells & Crocus Sock

Blue Bells and Crocus – Hand Dyed Superwash Merino & Nylon Sock Yarn

Blue Bells and Crocus - Hand Dyed Yarn - Single Ply Wool

Blue Bells and Crocus – Hand Dyed Yarn – Single Ply Wool

Chestnut - Hand Dyed Yarn - Superwash Merino Worsted

Chestnut – Hand Dyed Yarn – Superwash Merino Worsted

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My first hand dyed roving!


My first hand dyed roving!

Originally uploaded by ThePaintedTiger

Yup, I stuck my hand in a whole huge can O’worms this time….yarn just wasn’t enough, I had to dye roving, too. Next I suppose I’ll have to buy a wheel and spin it. Hubby will be so pleased for me to have another hobby that requires expensive equipment…*grin*.

I have my eye on that Louet Hatbox spinning wheel. It is so cute, and the wheel is protected when closed (a must for our home if I want to leave the wheel out). I imagine myself spinning at the park while the children play, and all the moms will be fascinated by the wheel and the spinning. Or I can start selling my yarn at craft shows and attract customers with the spinning (hubby is pushing for me to do Art in the Park, but the Iowa Sheel & Wool Festival is the same weekend…. we’ll see what wins!)  I know, I know, these fantasies won’t play out, but it is nice for a girl to dream.

Anyway, I’ll post this bit of fluff in the shop tomorrow, along with this week’s yarns and rovings, tune in there, or stop by the blog again for Fiber Friday!

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Babies and Wizards

It is always gratifying when you have a repeat customer.  At least to me, it makes me feel like I am doing something right.  One such customer had purchased a scarf over Christmas, and returned when she needed a gift for an expectant friend.  Here is what I created for her…. a little hat with two pairs of booties/mitts, and a personalized baby blanket.  So sweet!

Baby Hat & Booties Set
Personalized Baby Blanket

I also knit this Harry Potter Gryffindor style scarf.  This is my BIG size, at about 7″ x 80″.  Click here if you’d like your own custom knit striped scarf  … I have 3 sizes available, and am open to special orders.  You choose your own colors.

BIG Wizard Style Scarf

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Fiber Friday, February 29

Ooo la la…..yarn pictures!!

Pine & Burgundy Hand Dyed Bulky Peruvian Wool Yarn

Pine and Burgundy Bulky Weight Wool Hand Dyed Yarn

The Blue & the Grey - Superwash Merino Wool & Nylon Sock Yarn

The Blue & the Grey – Hand Dyed Superwash Merino & Nylon Sock Knitting Yarn

Pine & Burgundy - Hand Dyed Superwash Merino Wool & Nylon Sock Yarn

Pine & Burgundy – Superwash Merino & Nylon Hand Dyed Fingering Yarn

Cheerful - 100% Merino Wool Fingering Yarn

100% Merino Wool Sock Yarn – Hand dyed in Cheerful

Cheerful - Hand dyed Merino Lace Yarn

100% Merino Lace Yarn – Hand Dyed in Cheerful

Rainbow Oops! - Worsted Peruvian Wool Yarn

Rainbow Worsted Hand Dyed Yarn 

These are all available on my web site, ThePaintedTiger Hand Dyed Yarn .   Thanks for stopping by!!

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