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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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Yesterday we were finally able to get out to the Woolery to do a little shopping for equipment. We have been so very busy doing weaving for Flaggy Meadow that we have had little time to sleep and eat let-alone shop. In addition to a new reed for the rigid heddle and a tensioned lazy kate, I was able to get that skein winder that I had been wanting. Beautiful, well built, and soooo useful; now I don't remember what I did with out it!. So far I've only used it to wind balls (which I still do the old fashion way) and I'm assuming that the time saved using it has also saved my hands because they didn't hurt half as much as before. So if I was asked "was it worth it" I would say a resounding, "yes!"
Now we have to worry about the Woodland Art Fair coming up. We have so much to make since our inventory is low. Now we have added the Surino line to it all that list has gotten much longer. Good news is that as I look at it, I come to my senses and it slowly is getting to a reasonable size.
Yesterday, I developed the first of our receiving blanket line. Its a minty green made with the Surino and, oh, so light and soft, and that's not to mention the absolute cute simplicity of the blanket. I have planning for striped and plaid in pink, green, and blue. So adorable.
This weekend CJ and I were invited to set up our booth in front of a LYS "Magpie Yarn" during the Woodland Art Fair. This is a great chance to get our woven goods some much needed public eye and finally make our business more retail than freelance than we have been. I think we'll make a good team, I love Magpie's taste in yarn; everything is such high-quality and obviously shows that it's all hand picked. The fair is the 15th and 16th of Aug giving us plenty of time to make lots of goodies. We will have a good mix of summer and winter wears and a little something for everyone's budget so no one is "left out in the cold."
Because of this lucky windfall we have had to start shopping for set-up items. Now I have been wanting a dress form forever (mainly to make dresses that fit the first time as I have a "real woman" sizing) but recently I've wanted more of a display. Nothing will show the fold of material like seeing it on something. I stoped by a local antique store yesterday and luck me found something better then I thought I wanted. Thighs, waist, bust, shoulders, and a head. All this covered in a lovely white material and I have just what I wanted; she's that shape we all hate twhich makes everything look good. She'll be making her self known later this weekend when I start adding pictures.
One more exciting addition to the Silver Wheel Yarn Equipment list is a 32" Rigid Heddle Loom. I've been looking to get one for a while but haven't gotten around to that spurring motivation I need for a big buy. Well, it came yesterday with a good price and now its on its way. I already have a bunch of projects that will be perfect for the "gentile touch" of a rigid heddle. Its also perfect to actually set up and festivals. I can't wait!
