After much internal debate I have started to blog again but on a different platform. You can find me at http://herie7.wordpress.com/ which will showcase fiber creations, business explorations and general happenings in the day of a fiber addict.
Cherie
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Blogging isn't my thing
When I first started my home based business (Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures) my research stated that I needed a blog and to not make it a personal diary. Well I embarked on the journey of selling my wares and started to write about my business ventures and exploration of fibers. As time progresses I find myself blogging less but definately selling more and networking a lot more.
I have a decent online presence on Etsy and a small one on Ebay. My following is much stronger locally in the Denver metro area and 2 local shops carry my wares. This is my second year of having merchandise at the Colorado Renaissance Festival too. I created a Facebook fan page which as of today has 56 followers. Then I discovered Twitter and blogging just seemed to stop for me :(! I love networking on Twitter and have over 100 followers. I regularly communicate with fiber artists in the UK and throughout the US.
My business is still going strong and I seem to make new connections weekly either online or in town. I have cleaned my first Lincoln wool fleece and have managed to predominately felt the alpaca fleece while cleaning it. Not sure what went wrong but hope to save most of it for the custom yarn order I am doing. Yes, I was approached in the spring to create a mohair/alpaca yarn blend for a local goat owner. It has been educational and time consuming at the same time but my hand carders are getting used.
Next year I really do want to invest in a drum carder but for now the hand cards are what is in use. This is year 2 of my participation in Tour de Fleece and I have also agreed to be in a Ravellinic team for this year's olympic celebrations. Sorry to not blog as much but you can always touch base with me on Twitter (@nashc7). Before I leave here are some photos of the latest projects.
 |
| Norwegian Wool hand spun |
 |
| White Mohair Silk Scarf |
 |
| Alpaca merino hand spun |
 |
| BFK knit cowl |
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Fleece cleaning time
Picked up the mohair locks on Saturday and paid for the alpaca fleece to blend with it. My fleece cleaning skills are not as strong as they used to be. As alpaca doesn't have lanolin one doesn't need hot water to clean the fleece. I mistakenly let the water get to hot and agitated a batch. It is not a very pretty white felted mess - ugh! My second batch was warm water which hasn't felted but is not as white as I would like it. I'm thinking of switching to cleaning the Shetland fleeces in order to get my cleaning temperature right. Luckily I have a lot of mohair and can do an 80/20 blend of alpaca for the commissioned yarn. Hoping to start blending the fibers with my new dog combs - need to research this technique more. I don't want to make them into rolags but more of a top fiber. We shall see how it goes.
The dog hair hat is progressing. I discovered last week it was too short so have extended the length of the hat. Found another pattern design for the bib edge of the hat which I will start on tonight too. It is a very fluffy hat with the dog fibers puffing out to give it a furry look. The buyer likes it very much and that is the important thing.
My Shetland fleeces arrived and they are so beautiful. Both came from sheep at Pinon Wood ranch in Southern Colorado. As each weighs only around 2 lbs I am going to process them at home versus sending them to the mill. I will reserve the mill for alpaca and wensleydale fleeces as they will be larger.
On the sales front I sold a ruffle scarf to a buyer in Sao Paulo, Brazil this month. It is always exciting to have international sales! I also received positive feedback on the trio of blended roving that was purchased on EBay. April sales all came from EBay my other venues have been non existent. I am still making lots of yarn though and keeping busy. I N-plied my alpaca/milk roving and it turned out rather well for my first venture using that technique. Just spun up some dyed "virgin wool" roving that I purchased from Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins. It spun up easily with a texture that reminded me of felting fiber but smoother. The colors were purple and burnt yellow which blended well - it will be plied later this week.
 |
| Alpaca Fleece |
 |
| Mohair Fleece |
The dog hair hat is progressing. I discovered last week it was too short so have extended the length of the hat. Found another pattern design for the bib edge of the hat which I will start on tonight too. It is a very fluffy hat with the dog fibers puffing out to give it a furry look. The buyer likes it very much and that is the important thing.
 |
| Gray Shetland |
 |
| Black Shetland |
On the sales front I sold a ruffle scarf to a buyer in Sao Paulo, Brazil this month. It is always exciting to have international sales! I also received positive feedback on the trio of blended roving that was purchased on EBay. April sales all came from EBay my other venues have been non existent. I am still making lots of yarn though and keeping busy. I N-plied my alpaca/milk roving and it turned out rather well for my first venture using that technique. Just spun up some dyed "virgin wool" roving that I purchased from Shuttles, Spindles & Skeins. It spun up easily with a texture that reminded me of felting fiber but smoother. The colors were purple and burnt yellow which blended well - it will be plied later this week.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Sunshine can chase away the blues
It was warm and sunny in Denver and the alpacas/llamas were all sunbathing in between halter training sessions. My spirits were definitely lifted today and hopefully will remain so throughout the coming weeks.
Side note the new orchid (shade loving plant) is still alive and well and opening up to bloom any day now! The air plant is also alive and thriving in its new home.
 |
| Wool Alpaca Scarf |
On the project side I have finished the second woven scarf and it has received encouraging feedback. All of the dog hair has been spun into a single and will be plied tomorrow. I have both woven scarves washed and drying along with the plied white Wensleydale yarn. The bag of yarns destined for the shop Wild Yarns have new labels and invoice ready to go. I think I shall be concentrating on the second knit scarf and spinning up a couple of skeins of alpaca/milk protein yarn (must diminish the stash).
Cheryl at Recycled Lamb was very encouraging today and shared that March thru July tend to be slow sales months as many of our customers are working in the gardens. It seems that these two hobbies tend to go together which I can agree with as it describes me. Although it is only March in Colorado and much to early to be planting in gardens. We have had several days/weeks in the 60s and 70s which is not normal and I'm sure a huge snowstorm will hit us before the end of May.
A weaving class or two is definitely in my future as it is not as intuitive to me as knitting. Need to learn how to make my edges appear even and how to better carry yarn along the edge in a multi color scarf. Ranch life definitely has a far better purpose in life than corporate America. After all if you don't show up to work on a ranch it could mean injury or hunger for the animals on the property.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
New Weaving Loom and Page Design
 |
| 1st woven scarf |
First of all I decided to brighten up the page. How do you like the new template? Spring is in the air and green just seems to speak to me this month. March is also the beginning of learning to weave! Yes, I finally broke down and bought a Cricket tabletop loom. It is wide enough to make scarves and let me play with color combinations. My first scarf is finished and the I have a second design on the loom featuring some hand spun alpaca yarn from Sophie Mae. I have lots to learn like how to use a pick up stick but am starting out slow. See pictures to the right.
 |
| new scarf w/hand spun yarn |
On the knitting needles is a second scarf from the book Arctic Lace. I have finished the 1st one using the yarn purchased at Fancy Tiger and it turned out beautiful. A friend asked if there was a matching hat and I had to let her down gently. Lace yarn does not make for sturdy hats especially not this one. It didn't even want to make a textured pattern well which probably has something to do with it being a one ply yarn.
On the selling front I sold two items at Ancient Treasures Yarn Shop this month and had a wholesale order for the black alpaca/merino wool rovings from Recycled Lamb. I did spin up an ounce of the roving before offering it for sale and it was a joy to spin. February was also a slow month for hand spun yarn at Wild Yarns but I am confident things will pick up.
Still working on my fiber blends for fleeces to be sent to the mill this spring. Definitely leaning to adding tussah silk to the Wensleydale. The Shetland fleeces may be color blended together or if the staple length matches the alpaca fleece I may blend it with it. My fiber stash has grown but it is still manageable. I need to be more dedicated to spinning up the alpaca/milk rovings into 3 to 4 oz yarns as I have several pounds left of this and it is not in Ziploc bags.
The weather has been very sunny in Denver and thoughts of fitness have entered the mind. I am actually looking into buying a bicycle but the Cruiser style. It will be nice to be out an about a bit more as most of my activities have me in enclosed buildings. I am also starting to have dreams of living and working on a ranch again. The idea of owning a few Shetland or BFL sheep along with a couple of alpacas just sounds nice. Of course I am still a city girl with a mortgage to pay so alas this will be a dream for a bit longer.
I hope your March is treating you well and your adventures with fiber, yarn and needles is an enjoyable one. Until next time - have a great week.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Why is it so hard to Blog?
I just checked into Blogger and have realized nearly a month has passed since my last post. Sorry! I have become a Twitter convert and primarily use that medium to stay in touch with followers (which total around 75). I have placed items on EBay, Bonanza, Krrb (local online site) and still have yarn at the Wild Yarns shop. This weekend I'm reviewing my advertising mediums - signed up for Google AdWords and will be advertising with Ennea Collective again.
The artisan boutique has come and gone and was overall not successful financially for me. Met some great artisans but was the only one without sales on Saturday :(! I submitted my state sales taxes from the Friday sales but have a question into the City about its tax structure and license fees. They still haven't called me back. The overall business taxes are done and I need to submit sales tax to both the State and perhaps the City - maybe next weekend.
Outside of the 3 skeins of yarn sold at the artisan boutique February was a bust. On the positive I have new fiber arriving as that is what I do when I am blue. I received some lovely white and tan BFL roving to spin along with a red dyed BFL braid of fiber. There is one bag of clean Malamute dog hair clean and ready to be spun and another bag that needs to be cleaned. Ordered some more fiber but as of today it hadn't shipped. Must start spinning before the pile of rovings grows any bigger. It is almost shearing season too and I have decide on how many alpaca and sheep wool fleeces to purchase along with the mill cost.
On the wheel is some dark brown alpaca top from Ancient Treasures Alpaca Ranch. On the needles is a lace scarf in dark green tones with hints of brown similar to this cranberry scarf below.
Still trying to find a home for this hand spun and hand knit Wensleydale scarf. It is very odd as I so loved this yarn (which has sold) and think it is such a nice and warm item. Oh well you can only create and give others the opportunity to see the beauty in the design. I know it will eventually find a home.
Today I start back volunteering at our local public library which will aid in bringing back some balance to my life. Spinning hasn't been in the forefront of life as I am really taken with creating the lace scarf. Still love my wheel and making yarn but I am going with what moves me which happens to be knitting at the moment. I will try to write at least twice a month but for my frequent updates you can follow me on Twitter @nashc7 or Facebook "Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures". Until next time I hope all are safe (especially given the tornadoes in the U.S.) and you have a great weekend.
The artisan boutique has come and gone and was overall not successful financially for me. Met some great artisans but was the only one without sales on Saturday :(! I submitted my state sales taxes from the Friday sales but have a question into the City about its tax structure and license fees. They still haven't called me back. The overall business taxes are done and I need to submit sales tax to both the State and perhaps the City - maybe next weekend.
Outside of the 3 skeins of yarn sold at the artisan boutique February was a bust. On the positive I have new fiber arriving as that is what I do when I am blue. I received some lovely white and tan BFL roving to spin along with a red dyed BFL braid of fiber. There is one bag of clean Malamute dog hair clean and ready to be spun and another bag that needs to be cleaned. Ordered some more fiber but as of today it hadn't shipped. Must start spinning before the pile of rovings grows any bigger. It is almost shearing season too and I have decide on how many alpaca and sheep wool fleeces to purchase along with the mill cost.
On the wheel is some dark brown alpaca top from Ancient Treasures Alpaca Ranch. On the needles is a lace scarf in dark green tones with hints of brown similar to this cranberry scarf below.
Still trying to find a home for this hand spun and hand knit Wensleydale scarf. It is very odd as I so loved this yarn (which has sold) and think it is such a nice and warm item. Oh well you can only create and give others the opportunity to see the beauty in the design. I know it will eventually find a home.Today I start back volunteering at our local public library which will aid in bringing back some balance to my life. Spinning hasn't been in the forefront of life as I am really taken with creating the lace scarf. Still love my wheel and making yarn but I am going with what moves me which happens to be knitting at the moment. I will try to write at least twice a month but for my frequent updates you can follow me on Twitter @nashc7 or Facebook "Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures". Until next time I hope all are safe (especially given the tornadoes in the U.S.) and you have a great weekend.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Sorry for the delay
I can't believe almost a whole month has passed since my last entry. January was definately a busy month for me. We ended the month with eight sales plus income from handspun yarn sold in December by Wild Yarns. I shipped handspun yarn to the UK which was well received and shipped some Shetland handspun within Colorado that received rave reviews. It was definately a confidence building month that flew by very quickly.
The Valentine's day artisan fair is at the end of this week. Yes, I did splurge on buying several skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Creation yarn to make items for the fair. I even bought a couple of acrylic based ruffle scarf yarns to boost my inventory.
The Valentine's day artisan fair is at the end of this week. Yes, I did splurge on buying several skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Creation yarn to make items for the fair. I even bought a couple of acrylic based ruffle scarf yarns to boost my inventory.
Prepping for the craft fair has given me thoughts on where I want my business to grow and develop. Truth is I enjoy and am passionate about making yarn and less so on finished products. The finished items I enjoy the most are my lace scarves and shawls. 2011 was an exploration of simple knits and a variety of easy projects. Looking back I can honestly say they did not fuel my passion for the craft. Now my Estonian lace scarf was definately an accomplishment as it was an intricate pattern made from my handspun laceweight yarn. I will always treasure that piece and it has gone to a good home.
2012 I am focusing on spinning yarn in 3oz batches and making more lacey scarves. I will perhaps make a few fingerless gloves but they patterns will be more intricate. From a business model perspective this will probably not yield a large volume of sales but what is sold will be of a higher value and profit. Afterall if you are going to start a small business plus work full time it has to be doing something you enjoy! Twitter is so my preferred method of social media and you can keep up to date on my activities @nashc7! Until next time - wishing you and yours a joyous 2012!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
2012 Is Going Well
January is turning into the best sales month Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures has ever had. We are up to five sales with fiber being sold on Etsy, EBay and Ancient Treasures Yarn Shop. I will be shipping yarn to the UK next week - so exciting! Still adjusting to EBay payment policies but at least it is not a surprise. My second sale on the site was from an auction winner. Did you know that when you win an auction you have up to 4 days to actually pay for your merchandise? I am in holding pattern to ship the order until actual payment has been sent to me. Not too worried as the buyer recently purchased the fiber on the right.I learned some new marketing skills this week by posting the yarn shop on Yelp and starting the process to be listed on Google Places. Why is it that these ventures are never as easy as they seem? Still like Twitter as my favorite means of communicating over FB and yes even the blog.
The lilac slippers are finished and I am 90% finished with the wool slippers with alpaca edging. The new camera was used today to take updated product photos and I even used my new tripod case. Check out the Etsy shop tomorrow for updated product photos.
Tomorrow I meet with the organizer of the craft fair and have dedicated items for the group photos to give to her. Looking forward to going to the National Western Stock Show next weekend at the Denver Coliseum to meet the yak ranchers and sheep ranchers. There might be some new fiber in my future. The year is looking very bright and I am in my second month of being in a profit standpoint. Hopefully this trend continues - off to knit and spin!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 coming to a close but what a ride
I am still amazed at who much I have learned this past year related to selling my merchandise. In talking with a friend this week I realized that my business has allowed me to use that private college degree earned so long ago!
I feel so blessed to have met some many fellow fiber artists, retailers and ranchers this year. My hand spun yarn continues to find good homes through Wild Yarns, my rovings are doing well at the Recycled Lamb shop, the Renaissance Festival will always hold a special place in my memory and we can't forget the online mediums. Just when I was going to give up on eBay I sold a set of fiber, Etsy views drastically dropped in December but I am told this in normal and I just discovered a new online medium "Bonanza" this week.
In talking to my online accounting software vendor "Outright" last week, it really hit home on how much I have learned and grown with my business in 2011. Still have so much to learn - isn't that the case with all business ventures! The one thought provoking question from the session was "Do you sell on Etsy to build locally or sell locally to build Etsy?" I would love to truly have an online presence backed with a few local outlets. In reality in 2011, I have done much better locally than online though. It is my first full year in business and what has happened this year is not predicative to what the next 5 years will be. After all my products have reached Thailand, UK and several states in the U.S. including Hawaii. I haven't broken into South America, Canada or Russia yet but 2012 is upon us and those regions could be in the future!
I have done some spinning during my break and will have one child's hat finished today. I promise to post pictures soon - you can always check out my twitter account (@nashc7) for update info on the shop and me! Yes I am on Twitter and I really like it. My followers continue to grow especially from the UK. Technology definitely has its advantages in making the world seem not so large and allowing those of us with similar passions to connect. Networking events have been fun and educational - it is always nice to interact with others who share your passion. Face to face connections can not be beat though but when that isn't possible I head to the Internet.
I want to close 2011 with thanks to all of my customers, Twitter/Facebook followers, retailers and vendors for being a part of my life and helping to fuel my passion for natural fibers! My 2012 bless each of you with joy, peace and a sense of fulfillment!
I feel so blessed to have met some many fellow fiber artists, retailers and ranchers this year. My hand spun yarn continues to find good homes through Wild Yarns, my rovings are doing well at the Recycled Lamb shop, the Renaissance Festival will always hold a special place in my memory and we can't forget the online mediums. Just when I was going to give up on eBay I sold a set of fiber, Etsy views drastically dropped in December but I am told this in normal and I just discovered a new online medium "Bonanza" this week.
In talking to my online accounting software vendor "Outright" last week, it really hit home on how much I have learned and grown with my business in 2011. Still have so much to learn - isn't that the case with all business ventures! The one thought provoking question from the session was "Do you sell on Etsy to build locally or sell locally to build Etsy?" I would love to truly have an online presence backed with a few local outlets. In reality in 2011, I have done much better locally than online though. It is my first full year in business and what has happened this year is not predicative to what the next 5 years will be. After all my products have reached Thailand, UK and several states in the U.S. including Hawaii. I haven't broken into South America, Canada or Russia yet but 2012 is upon us and those regions could be in the future!
I have done some spinning during my break and will have one child's hat finished today. I promise to post pictures soon - you can always check out my twitter account (@nashc7) for update info on the shop and me! Yes I am on Twitter and I really like it. My followers continue to grow especially from the UK. Technology definitely has its advantages in making the world seem not so large and allowing those of us with similar passions to connect. Networking events have been fun and educational - it is always nice to interact with others who share your passion. Face to face connections can not be beat though but when that isn't possible I head to the Internet.
I want to close 2011 with thanks to all of my customers, Twitter/Facebook followers, retailers and vendors for being a part of my life and helping to fuel my passion for natural fibers! My 2012 bless each of you with joy, peace and a sense of fulfillment!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
2011 is almost gone
It is quickly approaching the holiday season and I am excited to be off from the day job starting on Tuesday until the new year. Lots of projects will be completed like the son's Christmas present (I HOPE) and the spinning of yarn. Today I am embarking on one of my 2012 goals which is to move the hand spun yarn from Etsy to the Wild Yarn store to sell. I am letting the listings expire on the site especially the one with low views/favorites and moving them to a local venue. I will be measuring scarves at the ranch and probably pulling 2 or more to list on Etsy. Can't have all of new merchandise in one location especially since I am pulling the yarn items from the Etsy site.
I have such a busy day today but can't complain as I was a bum on Saturday. Reversal of a normal weekend for me but the college kid came home yesterday so the routine was a bit out of focus. We finished Christmas shopping for the family and bought food for the kiddo to eat during his month's stay at home. I did miss not having him home for Thanksgiving but I am sure we will settle back into a routine fairly quickly. The cats are enjoying having him back home too.
I promised coworkers that I would bake banana bread for their holiday gift and I actually got up in time this morning to put the ingredients into the bread machine. The smell of bread is wafting through the house this morning. Of course I totally believe in multi-tasking (what female doesn't) so while the bread is baking I updated the yarn labels for the product going to Wild Yarns. I have checked the Etsy store (very sad - low views) and am writing this week's blog - HA!
My day is looking very full today. I am heading out soon to the ranch for a few hours of spinning, knitting and selling. Supposed to network with other crafters around 2 p.m. and have a holiday party this evening. I would like to drop off the yarn at my LYS today but it might be on Tuesday. The goal is not to stress - that is what the day job is for. My Shetland wool baby hat is finished and I am progressing on the kid's alpaca hat which should also be finished today. Liking kids hats as they don't take too much time but we all know that I get bored with repetitive projects so we shall see. I really need to make more fingerless gloves over the holidays too!
Still would like to make sticky buns but not sure if time will allow for this as the dough has to rise for about an hour or so. Perhaps sticky buns will be on to do list for Friday so I can bring them to my sisters on Christmas. Well I am off to finish prep for the visit at the ranch and I probably won't touch base till after Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all!
I have such a busy day today but can't complain as I was a bum on Saturday. Reversal of a normal weekend for me but the college kid came home yesterday so the routine was a bit out of focus. We finished Christmas shopping for the family and bought food for the kiddo to eat during his month's stay at home. I did miss not having him home for Thanksgiving but I am sure we will settle back into a routine fairly quickly. The cats are enjoying having him back home too.
I promised coworkers that I would bake banana bread for their holiday gift and I actually got up in time this morning to put the ingredients into the bread machine. The smell of bread is wafting through the house this morning. Of course I totally believe in multi-tasking (what female doesn't) so while the bread is baking I updated the yarn labels for the product going to Wild Yarns. I have checked the Etsy store (very sad - low views) and am writing this week's blog - HA!
My day is looking very full today. I am heading out soon to the ranch for a few hours of spinning, knitting and selling. Supposed to network with other crafters around 2 p.m. and have a holiday party this evening. I would like to drop off the yarn at my LYS today but it might be on Tuesday. The goal is not to stress - that is what the day job is for. My Shetland wool baby hat is finished and I am progressing on the kid's alpaca hat which should also be finished today. Liking kids hats as they don't take too much time but we all know that I get bored with repetitive projects so we shall see. I really need to make more fingerless gloves over the holidays too!
Still would like to make sticky buns but not sure if time will allow for this as the dough has to rise for about an hour or so. Perhaps sticky buns will be on to do list for Friday so I can bring them to my sisters on Christmas. Well I am off to finish prep for the visit at the ranch and I probably won't touch base till after Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Why natural fibers?
Before I even started this journey to sell my handmade items I was working with natural fibers. When I taught myself to knit several years ago it was with forest green Red Heart yarn which I never quite made anything out of. I think this was eventually donated to one of senior centers here in Denver. I discovered the shop Showers of Flowers which had a huge showroom of all kinds of yarn. Pillows, shawls and sweaters were made using non natural fiber yarns in a variety of weights and colors. At that time I wasn't even aware of natural fibers but more concerned with cost/yardage for projects.
Then I went to the Estes Park Wool Market and I purchased a spinning and a CVM wool fleece. My next step was attending the Western Stock Show were I met the alpaca ranchers and my dear friends at Ancient Treasures Alpaca Ranch in Arvada, CO. I have participated in shearing day for several years now and have skirted fleeces the past 2 seasons. It has and continues to be a great learning experience for me and gazing at the alpacas in their pastures is just so peaceful.
So why is it that I focus on natural fibers you ask? For me it is a means to support ranchers and small markets throughout the U.S. and world. My journey into spinning natural fibers has introduced me to several sheep ranchers and alpaca/llama ranchers within the western U.S. face to face. When I took up spinning cotton I gained such an appreciation of our ancestors and a better understanding of the cotton gins importance. There are so many fibers (animals and plants) to explore and spin. The groups on Ravelry who spin various fleeces per month have been a huge source of information for me and fan base for my work.
For me the niche of natural fibers places me amongst a caring group of people who love animals and enjoy working with their hands. They are forthcoming with advice, understanding of trials and tribulations and confidence builders on new journeys with fiber. In our societal "Green Environment" focus working with these fibers fits just right in while helping to maintain bloodlines/crops for future generations to explore.
What are your favorite types of yarn to work with? Do you lean towards a specific brand or manufacturer?
Then I went to the Estes Park Wool Market and I purchased a spinning and a CVM wool fleece. My next step was attending the Western Stock Show were I met the alpaca ranchers and my dear friends at Ancient Treasures Alpaca Ranch in Arvada, CO. I have participated in shearing day for several years now and have skirted fleeces the past 2 seasons. It has and continues to be a great learning experience for me and gazing at the alpacas in their pastures is just so peaceful.
So why is it that I focus on natural fibers you ask? For me it is a means to support ranchers and small markets throughout the U.S. and world. My journey into spinning natural fibers has introduced me to several sheep ranchers and alpaca/llama ranchers within the western U.S. face to face. When I took up spinning cotton I gained such an appreciation of our ancestors and a better understanding of the cotton gins importance. There are so many fibers (animals and plants) to explore and spin. The groups on Ravelry who spin various fleeces per month have been a huge source of information for me and fan base for my work.
For me the niche of natural fibers places me amongst a caring group of people who love animals and enjoy working with their hands. They are forthcoming with advice, understanding of trials and tribulations and confidence builders on new journeys with fiber. In our societal "Green Environment" focus working with these fibers fits just right in while helping to maintain bloodlines/crops for future generations to explore.
What are your favorite types of yarn to work with? Do you lean towards a specific brand or manufacturer?
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Where has the time gone to?
I feel as if I haven't written in ages but know that isn't true. Thanksgiving was more calm than I expected but my time off from the full time job went by way too quickly. The yarn shop at the ranch has brought in a couple of sales and I got to use the "Square" last weekend for another sale. I really do like that tool.
Last Sunday I networked with some Denver based craft owners. It was co sponsored by Krrb and hosted by Idea Chic which creates handmade stationary items. I picked up some gift tags for my sale order giveaways which are very nice. It was nice to discuss production techniques with other artisans and learn I am not alone in the lack of desire to produce mass quantities of the same item. I met a funny and nice lady named Megan who specializes in jewelry with crystals/beads. We as a group are going to try to grow the Krrb site for Denver to gain more exposure for our products.
What else has been going on? Well I have made 5 headbands thus far and am now moving onto the ruffle scarves. My order of Rowan Kidsilk Creation yarn arrived and I completed the lime green one in a few hours. It is very soft and pretty.
I am trying out a new pattern with some dyed cotton yarn which will be my son's Christmas gift. Although I should probably start to work on his soon as he comes home mid-December and I don't want him to see it. My purple Flounce yarn which is a special order was a very bad batch of yarn as the dye job had spots of blue and they knotted two fragments together to obtain the correct yardage. I was very happy that my LYS allowed me to swap the bad for a different skein which is also a high priority project.
On the spinning front I decided to back to my roots of thin yarn and am creating a lace weight Shetland skein (just needs to be plied). I also spun up the black/white top from the Sheep Shed Studio which is probably more Sports weight but decent yardage. I think the gray top is next on the list to spin as I have several ounces of it left. Of course there are pounds of alpaca/milk roving to spin up too. I made a skein of alpaca/bamboo yarn from the cria fleece batch - so much vegetable matter in it. I have my work cut out for me in picking the veggies from the skein prior to selling it. It is a pretty tan color and was easy to spin but you know how I am about veggie matter - this was actually more than the tussah silk roving.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday really had no effect on my sales or shops :(! My views totally tanked during the weekend and I have found myself checking the Etsy and EBay sites several times a day without much happy news. I am going to try to limit myself to twice a day only for viewing Etsy. It's not as if my checking the site will encourage sales - I wish. Still trying to tweet a few times a day which is kinda fun. So many interesting chatter on Twitter.
I will probably stop listing on EBay soon as there is virtually no traffic there. As I haven't sold any hand spun yarn on Etsy I am thinking of shifting that product to the Wild Yarn store in Denver. I'll keep ATAR's mill spun and the rovings on Etsy but unless things change I am not sure if it is worth having the merchandise age on that site. My knitted items do well on Etsy but I'm thinking yarn is something people need to touch. We shall see what happens in December.
Last Sunday I networked with some Denver based craft owners. It was co sponsored by Krrb and hosted by Idea Chic which creates handmade stationary items. I picked up some gift tags for my sale order giveaways which are very nice. It was nice to discuss production techniques with other artisans and learn I am not alone in the lack of desire to produce mass quantities of the same item. I met a funny and nice lady named Megan who specializes in jewelry with crystals/beads. We as a group are going to try to grow the Krrb site for Denver to gain more exposure for our products.
What else has been going on? Well I have made 5 headbands thus far and am now moving onto the ruffle scarves. My order of Rowan Kidsilk Creation yarn arrived and I completed the lime green one in a few hours. It is very soft and pretty.
I am trying out a new pattern with some dyed cotton yarn which will be my son's Christmas gift. Although I should probably start to work on his soon as he comes home mid-December and I don't want him to see it. My purple Flounce yarn which is a special order was a very bad batch of yarn as the dye job had spots of blue and they knotted two fragments together to obtain the correct yardage. I was very happy that my LYS allowed me to swap the bad for a different skein which is also a high priority project.
On the spinning front I decided to back to my roots of thin yarn and am creating a lace weight Shetland skein (just needs to be plied). I also spun up the black/white top from the Sheep Shed Studio which is probably more Sports weight but decent yardage. I think the gray top is next on the list to spin as I have several ounces of it left. Of course there are pounds of alpaca/milk roving to spin up too. I made a skein of alpaca/bamboo yarn from the cria fleece batch - so much vegetable matter in it. I have my work cut out for me in picking the veggies from the skein prior to selling it. It is a pretty tan color and was easy to spin but you know how I am about veggie matter - this was actually more than the tussah silk roving.
Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday really had no effect on my sales or shops :(! My views totally tanked during the weekend and I have found myself checking the Etsy and EBay sites several times a day without much happy news. I am going to try to limit myself to twice a day only for viewing Etsy. It's not as if my checking the site will encourage sales - I wish. Still trying to tweet a few times a day which is kinda fun. So many interesting chatter on Twitter.
I will probably stop listing on EBay soon as there is virtually no traffic there. As I haven't sold any hand spun yarn on Etsy I am thinking of shifting that product to the Wild Yarn store in Denver. I'll keep ATAR's mill spun and the rovings on Etsy but unless things change I am not sure if it is worth having the merchandise age on that site. My knitted items do well on Etsy but I'm thinking yarn is something people need to touch. We shall see what happens in December.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Another sale this month
November is definitely turning into a profitable month for me. I received my 3rd online sales order today plus my local yarn shop Wild Yarns sold a skein of my hand spun yarn this month. Sales definitely keep the creative juices flowing and boost ones confidence.
It was a fairly crappy week for me but I stayed focus on finishing the headbands and actually spin up 3 different fibers this week. Yesterday didn't see any sales for me at the ranch but word is getting out in the neighborhood so hopefully December will see sales for many of us. I do love seeing the baby alpacas and llamas on the ranch every week. We have been lucky to have nice weather (no snow) but sometimes windy thus far. I definitely use my time wisely while there. Be it taking product photos, completing projects or cataloging merchandise.
I just discovered there is a yarn for ruffle scarfs made out of Mohair and Wool for sale which is similar to the Flounce yarn. Need to find a local source for purchasing and listing in the shop. The purple Flounce scarf I made for my sister she loves and actually wore for her birthday outings. We both love purple!
I have ordered some unique gift tags that I want to include with sales so I am hoping they arrive by Tuesday so I can include a couple in today's sale. The skeins have been sorted as to which ones need yarn labels and which ones I need to wash/finish/measure. Still need to research patterns for fingerless mittens with a flap cover. I am thinking of making them with the Llama/Soy Silk yarn or Merino wool red. Need to find patterns and send them to my friend for final approval though. Well I am off to clean yarn and post items on Etsy/EBay!
It was a fairly crappy week for me but I stayed focus on finishing the headbands and actually spin up 3 different fibers this week. Yesterday didn't see any sales for me at the ranch but word is getting out in the neighborhood so hopefully December will see sales for many of us. I do love seeing the baby alpacas and llamas on the ranch every week. We have been lucky to have nice weather (no snow) but sometimes windy thus far. I definitely use my time wisely while there. Be it taking product photos, completing projects or cataloging merchandise.
 |
| CVM Headband |
 |
| BFL Shades of Brown |
Working on more yarn to sell locally at Wild Yarns - thinking the BFL in shades of Brown, Alpaca/Milk protein and Shetland Gray yarn. I left the alpaca and CVM headbands at the shop on the ranch and will be listing the purple wool one on Etsy today.
I just discovered there is a yarn for ruffle scarfs made out of Mohair and Wool for sale which is similar to the Flounce yarn. Need to find a local source for purchasing and listing in the shop. The purple Flounce scarf I made for my sister she loves and actually wore for her birthday outings. We both love purple!
I have ordered some unique gift tags that I want to include with sales so I am hoping they arrive by Tuesday so I can include a couple in today's sale. The skeins have been sorted as to which ones need yarn labels and which ones I need to wash/finish/measure. Still need to research patterns for fingerless mittens with a flap cover. I am thinking of making them with the Llama/Soy Silk yarn or Merino wool red. Need to find patterns and send them to my friend for final approval though. Well I am off to clean yarn and post items on Etsy/EBay!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Busy Saturday
Eventhough I am not feeling 100% it has been a productive day. I went to the store at the ranch to work my shift and we had our first sale using the "square" tool. Very cool to take a credit card, capture a photo of the purchase items and email a receipt to the customer.
The lilac scarf is finished and being cleaned/blocked. I actually listed it in the shop at Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures and it was posted on FB and Twitter today. I think I am starting to get the hang of this multi media advertising process.
The head band made from CVM wool is coming along and I like the heart design of the pattern. Headbands are the perfect projects for my handspun yarns.
After taking product photos, I posted a couple of yarns on the Ebay site and within Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures on Etsy tonight too.
I did enjoy watching the male llamas and alpacas this afternoon. They are such peaceful creatures. We had good conversations with customers and have some ideas on what to stock the shop with to draw in the young customers (kids).
Definately will be creating small woven bags and headbands for the Renaissance Festival the summer of 2012. Tomorrow I will be relaxing and hanging out with friends before another busy week in the office.
The lilac scarf is finished and being cleaned/blocked. I actually listed it in the shop at Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures and it was posted on FB and Twitter today. I think I am starting to get the hang of this multi media advertising process.
After taking product photos, I posted a couple of yarns on the Ebay site and within Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures on Etsy tonight too.
I did enjoy watching the male llamas and alpacas this afternoon. They are such peaceful creatures. We had good conversations with customers and have some ideas on what to stock the shop with to draw in the young customers (kids).
Definately will be creating small woven bags and headbands for the Renaissance Festival the summer of 2012. Tomorrow I will be relaxing and hanging out with friends before another busy week in the office.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Newspaper article
One of my favorite alpaca ranches was written up in one of our local newspapers. Ancient Treasures Alpaca Ranch article - most of my alpaca fleeces come from the ranch and I am now selling hand spun yarn and knitted items at their shop. Cheryl introduced me to the world of alpacas and I have participated in shearing day there over the past few years. They have several new babies (crias) and a couple of llamas on the property too.
We have had our first sales of November. Hand knit wool beret and Wool headband were sold at Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures on Etsy. This weekend we set up the shop at the ranch and had a few visitors looking to see what we carry and inquire on hours to come back and shop later. I do believe that they may have sold an alpaca this weekend too.
My goal was to measure and label my hand spun yarns this weekend which I have accomplished. I realized that I actually made a bulky weight yarn which was the merino/silk blend in shades of blue, white and red. My second batch is looking to be more of DK/sports weight yarn. It is nice to know that I can spin thickly if I don't concentrate very much on going thin.
We have had our first sales of November. Hand knit wool beret and Wool headband were sold at Herie7 Natural Fiber Treasures on Etsy. This weekend we set up the shop at the ranch and had a few visitors looking to see what we carry and inquire on hours to come back and shop later. I do believe that they may have sold an alpaca this weekend too.
My goal was to measure and label my hand spun yarns this weekend which I have accomplished. I realized that I actually made a bulky weight yarn which was the merino/silk blend in shades of blue, white and red. My second batch is looking to be more of DK/sports weight yarn. It is nice to know that I can spin thickly if I don't concentrate very much on going thin.
ZigZag design on headband made from dyed wool yarn
New design for a headband. Motivated to create more using the stash of small yardage yarns. Should I have a button closure or just bind it together?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Starting to sell on Ebay
So tonight I took the plunge and listed items on EBay. They are running a special which allows one to list up to 500 items auction style a month without an insertion fee. They charge a 9% fee but I must admit it was quite easy to list items on their site since I had the pictures. You can find items under "Herie7" as I am trying to keep things consistent from one outlet to another.
The green ruffled scarf has been finished - yeah! I am going to sell it in the store on the ranch. Need to block the alpaca neck warmer and redo the wooden buttons. I put them on the wrong side of the neck warmer and didn't notice until a friend was modeling it for me. I do have really supportive friends who provide encouragement and occasionally modeling photos for me. Still need to find a male to model the hats so I can post them on sites.
The merino silk roving is 3/4 spun simply because it is on the thin side. It looks beautiful and I will post pictures soon. Off to bed and relaxation.
The green ruffled scarf has been finished - yeah! I am going to sell it in the store on the ranch. Need to block the alpaca neck warmer and redo the wooden buttons. I put them on the wrong side of the neck warmer and didn't notice until a friend was modeling it for me. I do have really supportive friends who provide encouragement and occasionally modeling photos for me. Still need to find a male to model the hats so I can post them on sites.
The merino silk roving is 3/4 spun simply because it is on the thin side. It looks beautiful and I will post pictures soon. Off to bed and relaxation.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Banana bread and knitting
Yesterday was dedicated to making banana bread in the bread machine - the house smelled so wonderful. Today doing a little yarn shopping and getting together with the girls to knit and drink (coffee/wine). Overall a relaxing day.
The scarf made from lilac aran wool is coming along as you can see from the photo. I'm trying to keep myself to 2 knitting projects so that I finish them. Off to go shopping - enjoy your Sunday
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)