Holding our breath

If it seems like a long time since we've had something new, I would agree. We have so many good things in Limbo, but since everything hinges on everything else, I can't show anything until I can show everything. However, I can give you some things to look forward to.

We have completed 4 Shawls over the last few weeks, but because I am in the process of choosing a new higher-tech digital camera, I’m waiting to show them off until I can get really nice pictures of them. I think we’ve settled on the Pentax X70, now we just have to save a little more money and we’ll be good to go.

With in the week we will have our first website up for the business. CJ has been working very hard on it this past week and has it looking quite professional. He’s such a lifesaver. It will start out as just a portfolio site, but we want it to keep getting better. Eventually, I want to have a shopping cart, ability to schedule demos and classes, and a wholesale area. It will take a little time, but I would like it to be full capacity by the end of the year. I’ll keep everyone up dated.

It looks like we might have found a source for Kentucky wool. We have 25lbs of fleece that we will be working up this weekend to see how it goes, but our small test batch did fine and is spinning quite lovely. It’s Cheviot wool, traditionally from Scotland and originally used for the tweed trade. It naturally has “bumps,” or slub, in it that makes it an interesting yarn and creates the recognizable “tweed” look. It wears well, is warm, and not overly scratchy, but it does have a “body” that I enjoy; diffidently an old world feel. We’ll see how it weaves and knits next week. I’m hoping to introduce it as our high-end line of weaving made of naturally dyed, hand-spun, Kentucky grown yarn.

Here’s hoping things keep moving forward.

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So much to say

So the fair has come and gone and, although we didn't make enough for me to buy that farm I've always wanted, we did meet some great people, make some contacts, and had a good time. It's certainly not the end of the world and we have a whole lot to do in the next few weeks and months.

We did have the good luck to have a happy addition of our third loom to the family. Its a little 24" 4 harness with treadles, but the best thing about it is that it folds up small enough to be put in the trunk (boot, for my other-land friends) of a car. That means that when we set up I can spin while my husband weaves. As if having a third loom wasn't exciting enough.

So? What are we going to be up to? Well, Thursday we are meeting with a representative from "Kentucky Proud." For those of you not from Kentucky, its a state organized guild that helps crafters, farmers, and products made in the state. Its a very very good thing to get into so think about us this Thursday morning and hope for a good "fiber day."

Next, we have an application on the way for The Southern Highlands Craft Guild. Another HUGE guild that has a whole lot to offer its members. Being in ether one of these groups is an honor, but we're going for the gold and hoping for both.

Sometime in September is a fair at near by Shaker Town. Although we wont have to be there (I would like to be) one of our fiber partners will be and our goods will be offered at their booth. We'll be making rugs and baby blankets, I'm sure, for that. *grunt*

Then...yes, there's more, I have two more classes scheduled, one in October and the other in November. A large project to finish for a good friend, if I could only find that perfect material. And I'm designing a knitted cardigan while perfecting my cotton spinning and card-weaving skills. Whew! That's just the things I know about.

One more thing to add. Last night we finally bought the domain name and will have the website going by the start of next week. No only can you see everything made; there will be a way to purchase goods and order for wholesale, info on individual classes and loom repair, and ways to schedule or where to attend demos. Very exciting stuff.

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Busy, busy, busy

Ten more days till the festival and we are plugging along. The classes are over with, for now, and I have one more pattern that Flaggy Meadows wants me to do. I shouldn't be hard since it is a hat that will go with the Scarflet I did for them last month. The hard work is done, I just need to knit it.

I finished the pattern for The Woolery. They really liked it, which is good since I used a completely different style then the Victorian Scarflet and was quite unconventional. I don't know if people know what to think about it, yet. Selling patterns is only one step. To be successful it takes people buying them and the company coming back to you wanting more. CJ wants me to do a book, but I'm hoping that I can sell every pattern I make and never have the chance to do so.

I'll be making a shawl this week from recycled sari silk and black bamboo. I normally can picture what things are going to turn out like in my head, but this one is a shot in the dark. I think it is fulfilling my need to do something a little crazy, just like the Woolery pattern was. At times things become a little too conservative and earthy and I need a little shiny hot pink mixed with black to wake me up. Let's hope it attracts some brave person out there as I'm still on the quest to make my bread and butter from this.


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