just popping in....

Trying hard to get everything shipped out including last of clubs and Unicorn and wholesale going out today.(well when I say, I mean Jo, lol, and I am dyeing like a crazy woman.
xxx

What's occurin....its friday, its update day, I am in the knitter and general frivolities

Right, so first, got my copy of the knitter this morning, if you have one, turn to page 88 - 89, there is me, Karen, Judy and Anna. Do you like the back of my new design? Can't tell you anything more about it for a while, its a secret, lol.

Its update day, there is humongous amounts of lace weight today, and well, lots of reds, purples, chestnuts and allsorts, really nice warm vibrant colours, lol.

There is alot going on here, business wise and personally, its a bit mind blowing, some hard some wonderful, I can't really say much more than that for now, lets just put it this way, I am growing considerably, in a really good way, and I am feeling very creative, so I know I am moving in the right direction, I wish I could tell you all the stories, but thats for the future, sometimes feel like really I could write a novel of my life sometimes, lol.

So happy knitting/spinning/felting over the weekend, and big smiles, and remember to seize the moment.

xxxxxx

Felting trials and tribulations

So, the weekend was mixed with VAT returns, but hey, I nearly finished it a week early, and I did it all on my own with no help, so I am just a little bit chuffed today, also I did some felting with the wooden shoe lasts, and well lets just say I am still learning!

I searched the internet for 3d felting, and well, there isn't loads of info, so if anyone can suggest a site or info without using needles, I would be grateful, although I may have to get some needles I think.

So I tried all sorts of things to make the stuff felt, and developed what I like to call the 'bog brush method', (I didn't actually use a bog brush) I used a washing up brush, but 'bog brush method' makes me laugh, so I am keeping that name. And well, it was all looking rather good, I mean the fabric was really quite felted, or at least I thought it was, so I let them dry, and this is what they looked like.....

Then I cut them of the lasts, and well, they weren't quite as felted as I thought, lol, so I thought, oh, I wonder what would happen if I put them in the machine, and this is why polystyrene shoe lasts exist, obviously I can't put the wooden ones in the machine, as they would completely destroy it, lol.

It was a mistake to put them in without any shrinkage restriction......

Now they are suitable for a 5 year old, and lets be honest the shape is rather odd, lol.
So that was felting learning curve number one. and I learned ALOT, and I am sure the second attempt will be better, its blimin good fun though.

So this week is sorting out the unicorn club, and dyeing my 65 kilo's of wholesale, which kind of shocked me, lol, never realised I had quite so much!

:-)
xx

Good old fridays

So, well, the update is kind of well on its way, alot of its on there, there isn't loads today, but its a nice update, I have some self striping to steam, some bags to put on, and some scrumptious 4 ply to unravel; that stuff is lovely, but when its kettle dyed it kind of looses the plot.

I kind of went mad with black this week, not a colour I am used to using to much, but I couldn't help it, along with blues and greens, Anyone know what those colours mean if you are drawn to them????? Some weeks I am good at producing a good range, and sometimes I get stuck on certain colours, lol, oh well, I like them, I might knit one up on the sock machine, especially this one:

There should be in theory a blue row every few rows, I think it should look cool!, Anyway, we'll see.

I decided it was time to knit the vegetarian some socks, seeing as he helps me out so much, so I have cast on some lovely yarn I got for my birthday from my gorgeous freind Karen.

    When I was in London, I got a bit knackered in the afternoons, and just felt like sleeping, thats not really like me at all, as you can guess I am always a little hyper, which suits me well, then earlier, I just was so tired I thought, just a little nap, so I had one, and then I woke up and I was a bit perplexed about the tiredness, and also my circulation is dreadful at the mo, my blood just sinks to my feet, which is bizarre, and I had a migraine yesterday. Then, I realised that actually it might be eating only vege food that might be doing it. I do get aneamic really really quickly if I am not careful, and I normally compensate by eating meat a few times a week, but here living with a vegetarian I don't eat any, then I kind of ran through a mental list and realised that although I do eat green veg, its not much, I don't eat that much food at all with iron in, so I am off to the post office, and I shall be having a rare steak for dinner tonight, probably with stir fried greens, and dried apricots for pudd, lol.

 Oh by the way, the olive oil skin cleansing thing, its the best thing I ever did, my skin is consistently much much better, hardly any spots at all, and it looks alot healthier, and its so blimin cheap........

Have a lush weekend, I will be cleaning sewing and knitting to my hearts content, and eating lots of meat of course....

xxxxx

My birthday in the big smoke

So it was my birthday on Monday, and I took a little trip to London for some fun :-) I did lots of shopping, ate a tonne of cakes, and generally had a super duper time, I really enjoyed getting away for a few days :-).

Actually I did manage some sewing on Sat afternoon after a mamouth clean, but it took ages to dust off my machines and set them up, but I have started and the table is laid out in the lounge, so I hope to finish the dress this week. Of course because I started sewing, I decided to look for fabric in London in soho, I saw some nice fabrics in soho and Liberties, but nothing that really blew my mind, anyone got any good links to online fabric stores??? I really want to make my own dresses now, lol.

So to go with my new look I decided I needed amazing boots, and of course I managed to find some on London amazingly in the Doc Martin shop:

These have to be my fav boots I ever bought!!!!

Although I didn't find much fabric I liked, I did find a huge basket of shoe lasts, and well, I HAD to get some for making felted slippers, I couldn't resist, now, I just have to figure out how to make them, lol

These are I think; my find of the year, totally love them, and the pointy ones WILL become some kind of jester slipper...........
x

Madness I tell you!!

Hehe, its mad today, but in a super duper way, right if you are part of the unicorn club, we already had the first update of yarn at 9.30 this morning, its all gone, so the next one is at 4.30pm, its in the new arrivals section and also has its own category in the yarn section.

Secondly there is a new arrivals page finally!! And I am still updating as usual, I did start at 6.30 this morning lol, so I hope it will all go on by about 4ish..... fingers crossed, lol.

I think my absolute favourite this week is this, I have never ever done such a wonderful colour, its gorgeous.

Happy shopping, oh and just a few photos. lol

All ship shape and sorted and shop update info and unicorn club info!

So, Elly asked me the other day, is Jo organising you yet? And I laughed and laughed! In  a word, yes, is the answer, and I can not tell you the relief that makes me feel, although I can be quite obsessive, I am not naturally organised, so it takes huge amounts of my energy to run a business doing all the things which have to be organised, which is actually about 60% of running a business this size.

The dyeing actually pales into insignificance alot of the time, which makes me sad because its what I LOVE to do best, and design and come up with new ideas, lol. Also lots of you guys in my clubs know that you kind of get them roughly around the right time, but accasionally it all goes 'tits up' and they are late, I hate this, I would love to set a date and then aim for that. In dyeing terms its easy, not in packing, labelling and sorting terms it isn't though, so when Jo aggreed to take over all the club stuff and organise it, data base it, I had to contain my excitment, because it means:

1. you get your clubs on time,

2. I can have a life starting saturday, I am having the day off to do cleaning and then SEWING, god, I am so exited, I am going to make a dress for my birthday  yiiiiiipppppeeeee!!!!

Now also I have to tell you that lots of customers have been asking for  a new arrivals section on the shop and well, I figured out a way of doing it, so I shall change that every week, all the things that are updated that week will go in there, and then come out the following week etc etc. There will be a category on the front page for it.

Secondly the unicorn club starts tomorrow. You will be emialed information about it, but there are a couple of opportunities to buy the yarn, one at 9.30 and then at 4.30, if you are not in the ravelry group, please join, its easier for us to coordinate everything and make sure everyone gets all the information, email me if you are not sure what you are meant to do or if you want to join.

Right head down and dyeing to do, yay!!

xxx

Annie Modesitt is coming to teach at the Fyberspates HQ

OK, I have some megga exciting news today

Annie Modesitt is coming to Shropshire on the 5th and the 6th of September to the Chapel to teach some classes

Wavy Lace Scarf
9/5/2009 10:00 AM

New Directions in Knitting With Color
9/5/2009 2:00 PM

Combination Knitting
9/6/2009 10:00 AM

Double Knitting
9/6/2009 2:00 PM

I
think we have to fine comb the details of prices etc, but its going to
be a fantastic couple of days, if you would like to have more details
please pm me with your email and I shall send you the details when they
are finalised :-) please use Fyberspates.walesATbtinternetDOTcom

How exciting is this huh??????

xxxxxx

Yippppeeee

OK, Jo started work today, and already I know I made the most wonderful decision, I have done so many extra things already!! Shop update will be finished today with all the trillions of things I have been meaning to add for ages and ages, so I feel very chilled!!!

I also made some raspberry scones this morning, inspired by the AMAZING ones I had at Woolfish, and popped some bread in the bread machine, this is definitely a pace of life which is worth paying for, lol!!

So my weekend was lovely, and I am not even tired today, I shall tell you all about it tomorrow, but now I need to get back to the update.
x
xxx

Priorities

OK, Am updating  the shop till 2pm then the rest will be done on Monday when I come back from k1. I had to pack orders instead this morning, no point in putting more stuff on there if people don't get their wool!! Lol.

So, I hope you all have a great weekend, I am looking forward to seeing lots of you over the weekend.

happy knitting

xxxxx

New Employee!

OK, yesterday was a mad day, a really really nice mad day, and I had a wonderful meeting with a nice lady called Jo, who is coming to work for me and help me out! How exciting is that? It means clubs will be on time, and also means I can add the extra clubs I have been wanting to run for ages, like a sparkle one...anyone interested?

It also means I can do more dyeing! I have been turning wholesale orders down left right and center in the past few months because I can't keep up and give shops the proper service they deserve, so I think now I can open all that up again. Jo Starts Monday, boy I can't wait to have some help, lol :-).

There is also some really exciting designs going on with my yarns at the moment, which you will see in various magazines throughout this year, with some rather shockingly amazing designers, sometimes, I have to pinch myself and count my lucky stars.

So I am dyeing like a crazy woman to get all the yarn dyed for the weekend and for tomorrows update, and I have plenty already for both which is great, so we should be in for a treat this weekend.

It feels like spring here, its gorgeous, I nevernoticed the seasons in Cardiff like I do here, its wonderful.

Ohh!! By the way, I wanted to just put the feelers out, how many of you readers of this blog live in the Cotswolds, or near to them, at least to possibly come to a Fyberspates roadshow in the summer at a shop there, its near Broadway....Just wanted to know........

Happy knitting cherubs
xxxx

Exciting couple of days

OK, so yesterday I had a wonderful chat with an editor of a certain magazine, and I would love to tell you about it, I can't yet, but suffice to say there are some really nice exciting things happening in the Autumn fingers crossed. Then also I have rather an exciting meeting today, which I am hoping I can tell you about tomorrow, its been a really nice few days, and even though my work load has reached ridiculousness, I don't feel at all stressed and I am so excited about the weekend with K1  on Saturday, and then a little visit to Woolfish in St Abbs on Sunday :-)

xx

Spring is springing at K1 THIS WEEKEND.

Ok, that is a rubbish title, lol,  kind of, unless I can wind some sort of new beginnings theme into this. Anyway, I am just drinking tea and thinking of today's long marathon stretch of work. I have come to the conclusion that I need to employ some help, I am giving in to being proud control freak and  just have to admit it that I need someone a few mornings a week or a couple of afternoons a week, preferably someone who loves wool, lol. So I shall advertise, and see if anyone would like to come and work for me on a casual basis, I can't do it all any more, even working 7 days a week aint cutting the mustard, lol, and actually I am behind with lots of things so I need to do it Asap, I suppose really thats a really exciting thing isn't it, lol!!!!

So whats occuring this weekend?? Well I am going up to Scotland to spend the day with K1 yarns in Edinburgh on Saturday for a little fyberspates roadshow, am really looking forward to it, I will be bringing lots of treats, so if you are coming, let me know, and if you want me to bring something in particular, let me know too. :-)
xxxx