Giveaway Results: Ambah Pattern

I am so happy to be giving away a free pattern from the lovely Ambah of your choice! We had only 2 comments on the post... So, you have 50/50 odds! I ran the random number generator and here are the results!

Congratulations, Roxy64 on ravelry! You have won a pattern of your choice from Ambah designs!

Be sure to enter for a free pattern from CowTownKnits, drawing will be held next week! Good luck everyone!!!

Indie Designer Gift Along 2013 Series: My Planning

I told you guys in my Interview with Ambah, that I would post a blog post with my projects I plan on doing for the Indie Designer Gift Along on Ravelry.

First of all, I have already finished one item for this! I made some baby mitts for my 1st cousin, Miracle's new baby girl. We were at my uncles house and I was knitting some socks, and my cousin was having her baby any day, at this time she was 4 days overdue. So, she wanted me to knit her something for her new baby. Since she was so overdue and told me to knit her something, I was kind of in panic! But, no longer! I found out that the pattern- Sock Yarn Newborn Mittens by CorrineKnits was apart of the Giftalong! I made some out of the sock yarn I had left over from the first sock of the pair I was knitting when I was at the family reunion.

So instead of doing the icords for the ties, I decided to use some ribbons on the mitts. Now, they have been done since November 11, and I finally sent it on Wednesday, December 4, 2013. She got it the next day since she is only a few towns away from me. I know she got them, but she still has not told me she has gotten them, but I am not holding it against her, she probably hasn't had time to get onto facebook and tell me, since she does have a newborn baby to hog all her time! :P

Since the GAL started, I have been such a bad girl! I have bought many patterns, and since I talk a bunch on all the threads instead of knitting, I have won a pattern or two... And one of my rav friends sent me on because I was supportive of her, so I have many patterns I can use for this, but I haven't started most of them! I have started one pair of socks, and some mitts. Both of these I need to get done since they are for Christmas presents! The Mitts I need to send in the mail before Christmas is even here, and so those need to get done soon! I did finish the first mitt, here is a photo!

I also have lots of other projects planned! Here are they, beware, they are a lot! 

I want to make both the necklaces from Ambah: Pirra Necklace and the Petarli Necklace. I have not chose the yarn. But, I do have lots of yarn I can use for it! I want to make the Pirra Necklace for my sister for Christmas... I haven't done it yet, mainly because I am horrible at Icords, so this will be great practice! 

I also have the patterns Jennifer Boot Cuffs, and Boot Candy Boot Toppers. I am getting some yarn to review (it is a secret!!!) for the Boot Candy. And I am totally sure that I have some yarn I can use for the Jennifer Boot Cuffs since it is just Worsted weight.

I won some patterns too!!! I won the pattern: Buttoned Cable Cowl, and Klid a Child's Cardigan. I don't know if I will get around to knitting these, especially the Klid, since it is a bigger project and I only have 3 more weeks! AH!!!

I bought some sock patterns from Maureen Foulds. I bought Nemesis Socks, and Wrought Iron Socks. She also gifted me her newest pattern apart of the Giftalong, And Then There Were None. I had originally bought the Nemesis Sock pattern and the Wrought Iron Socks because my teacher ordered some yarn from Knitpicks in order for me to knit her some socks! And guess what, I have already started the first pair! I am using Knitpicks Stroll Fingering weight in the Basalt Heather colorway. Here is my first photo I took of both cuffs done. I am doing them on seperate needles. I am using my 9" HiyaHiya US 1 needles, and I love them so much!!!

And I took a photo of my socks but it has very bad lighting and it is all fuzzy, but here it is anyways... It shows how far I am, but not the patterning very well...

My teacher bought yarn enough for two pairs. She bought 2 balls of each, Basalt Heather (which is above) and she bought some Sprinkle Heather. I think I might use Maureen's new pattern, And Then There Were None. I love the color, and the pattern will be lovely! I am majorly in love with cables, and so this pattern is full of them, and my teacher is such a nature lady! I think they will be perfect for her!

I really like the yarn, and for only $4 a ball ($8 for a pair of socks- Who can beat that!?) it is very good quality! I did rewind the yarn into a center pull ball since it is easier for me to realize how much I have left over. And there were some tangling inside the skein, but not so much. I did have to throw away a little cause I am not a very good un-tangler... But if you are good at that, it would have been much better!

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I think this wraps up all my patterns I own that could qualify for the Gift Along, so maybe if I post it here, maybe I will get more productive and finish a lot of these projects! I only have 3 more weeks left! I need to hurry!

Giveaway Results: Maureen Foulds Pattern

I ran the random number generator and it picked number 6, so tweetee on ravelry, you have earned a pattern! Thank you everybody who entered! It was a very fun time on my first giveaway! Don't forget to enter for the pattern by Ambah! :D

Indie Designer Gift Along 2013 Series: Interview of Ambah

Here is another interview from a lovely designer apart of the Giftalong 2013 on Ravelry. This time, I interviewed Ambahobrien of Ambah. And of course we will have a lovely giveaway for one of her lovely patterns! 

I have found Ambah in one of the threads of the Indie Designer Gift Along 2013 group on ravelry. It was her lovely Pertali necklace. 

I have stumbled upon this necklace before while searching ravelry patterns. But, I never came to want to buy it... When the giftalong started, I had seen it, and I really wanted to buy it, but didn't have any money on my card... When I got money to spend for Black Friday shopping (Thanks Mom!) I found a coupon code for her store! I bought this necklace and the Pirra Necklace pattern. 

I bought both the patterns! I love the pattern layout so much! Unfortunately, because of copyrights, I cannot post a photo of the layout, but believe me, it is so easy to read, and user-friendly. 

I am so happy that I bought these patterns, and I don't know why I hadn't bought it at first when I wanted to buy it. 

I plan to make some Pirra Necklaces for Christmas presents, but, since it is already the first week of December, almost the second, my time is running out! I need to start making them! As far as other Christmas present knitting is going, that will have to be in a different post.

I have also found out that her patterns are quick to knit up and relatively beginner-friendly. 

Sorry for writing so much about my thoughts on her, and to bore you. But don't leave now! We now have an interview of Ambah herself!

How did you want to start knitting?

I had dabbled with knitting as a child, not getting further than garter stitch cast on and off by my mother, with its mysterious ability to grow wider, narrower and holier as I knit. Moving on 30 years and it was my friend opening a LYS with amazing yarn that inspired me. I bought some beautiful yarn, thinking I would craft it in some way- I dabble in crochet and making in general. I stared at it a lot but knitting it didn't really cross my mind! Then she suggested the wonderful baktus scarf pattern that was all it took, I was hooked. My son taught me to cast on and off (and purl) the internet and my friend have filled in my gaps since and now I am unable to put down the needles!

When did you first start designing, and what made you want to design knitting patterns of your own?

I have always been an artist and maker, so designing comes naturally to me. With knitting, it makes sense to adapt patterns to suit my needs. I released my first pattern earlier this year. I had a design idea and decided to make it into a pattern. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive reaction to it, which encourages me to make more. :)

This year, on Ravelry, there is an Indie Designer Gift Along, what did you hope to accomplish originally by joining as a designers? And how is it different than you have hoped it would turn out?

The gift a long seemed like an exciting opportunity to connect with other designers and hopefully reach out to a wider audience for my designs. I have certainly achieved this and so much more through the GAL. It really has been an exciting event to be involved with, I was one of the pinning team, I am a co-moderator in the Mitts and Arms thread and will soon cast on another designers pattern to join in as a participant and I have fount it to be such a positive experience for all involved. It has been such a positive collaboration between designers, knitters, yarnies and ultimately the recipents!

Did you think that there were going to be so many participants and designers joining in the Gift along?

I suspected this would be big :)

Do you think this should be an Annual thing we do an Ravelry every year?

I do, I think this is quite wonderful.

What are some new designers you have found interesting of unique in the GAL?

I am co-moderating with Annie Watts from Wattsolak Designs and watching the FO's of her wonderful mitts has been so exciting, her patterns are clever and fun. I have developed a designer crush there. Its tricky to pick just a few names, I am enjoying the exposure to other designers and find myself constantly ahh-ing over patterns. So many clever folks.

Where do you get your inspiration for your designs?

Everywhere. Sometimes an idea just pops into my head, other times I am thinking about a need eg: a particular shape, colour scarf or a sweater that would be just right. Sometimes it is the yarn itself that gives rise to an idea. Than a design or idea leads on to another and I can only knit so fast...

What is your favorite thing to knit?

Everything! I like variety.

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Last week, Ambah has came out with a new design! And it's free! It is a lovely bangle knit bracelet pattern! I can see these being so addictive! The pattern is called Easy Knitted Bangle. It is a free download on ravelry. Just click on the link for the pattern and you can download it right then and there! 

Some of her other designs include shawls, cowls, and mitts, which can all be found in her Ravelry Store. 

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As stated in the very beginning of this post, Ambah would love to giveaway a free pattern to one of you, my lovely readers! 

How To Enter:

Just leave a comment on this post saying which of her patterns you would love to win. Please include a way to get the pattern, ie. ravelry username, or an email. 

The contest will run from today, December 3, 2013, to next Wednesday, December 11, 2013

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And don't forget to post in the Maureen Foulds giveaway post by 12:00 p.m. PST December 5. 

Indie Designer Gift Along 2013 Series: Maureen Foulds Interview with Giveaway!

First is first, we have a great giveaway for my viewers! Maureen is going to give a free copy of (winner gets to choose) of her own designs! May I just say, that I own 3, and I keep finding cute patterns! I want them all, they are so well written! You can tell she spends so much time on her patterns! At the end of this blog post, there will be a way to enter! Please put a way she can contact you, preferably ravelry ID.

Here are all the questions I asked her, and her responses! All answers are so thorough!

Maureen has a new sock pattern, and I am so happy that she gifted it to me, I was going to buy it that night! Here is a photo of her new sock pattern!

Pattern Page: And Then There Were None

What made you want to start designing knitwear?
It was a combination of several things, actually. I’m always pushing myself to learn new skills. So once I got comfortable with all sorts of knitting techniques, the natural step was starting to create my own designs.

I had this skein of stunning Handmaiden Casbah sock yarn and wanted to find the perfect sock pattern to showcase the yarn. I had some Barbara Walker “Treasury of Knitting” stitch dictionaries and found the perfect cables. So I turned it into a sock pattern (Trellis and Coin socks).

I also thought designing would help motivate me to reduce my ridiculous sock stash. It hasn’t - I keep discovering new indie dyers.

Where do you get your inspiration for your patterns?
Inspiration can come from anywhere: a photo, a word, a color, a mood. You just have to keep an open mind.

Sometimes I start with one of the many wonderful stitch dictionaries that are out there. I flip through them and take note of what catches my eye. This can change based on mood and season. Then I try to imagine what item that stitch would suit (socks, mitts, hat, shawl).

Sometimes I start with a ‘theme’ like nature, lace, or Spring. Then I start looking through the stitch dictionaries for something that embodies that theme and start playing with it.

Recently I was asked by an indie dyer to design some fingerless mitts for her upcoming yarn club based on Tolkien. She gave me the theme and color, so I started with Google image searches and Wikipedia to learn all I could. Then I started sketching ideas and finding ways to bring those ideas to life.

Sometimes it’s the yarn itself that suggests something, either the color or shine, or whether it is better suited to cables, lace or geometric shapes.

What do you hope to accomplish with the Indie Designer Gift-along?
I initially joined in with the hope of gaining exposure across a wider audience. As an indie designer it’s hard to build up a following and get your name out there.

But I’ve gained so much more than I ever expected. I’ve found new designers to follow and been inspired by their patterns and talent. I’ve had so much fun interacting with people in the different KAL threads and seeing their color choices.

And from a business perspective, I’ve learned so much by working and talking with the other designers behind the scenes to make the GAL happen. The whole experience has helped me define where I want to be over the next year or two.

How did you start knitting?
My local library was offering a free 6 week “learn to knit” class, geared mostly at teens. As a new mom with an 18 month old, I was desperate to get out of the house for an hour or so each week for some me time. I didn’t think I’d enjoy knitting, but the class was free and 5 minutes away from home. We learned to make a baby hat, knit flat and then seamed up.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Who are some new interesting designers you have found during the Giftalong?
There are so many - I know I’ll miss someone! Ambah, Alex Tinsley, Georgie Hallam, Rose City Knits, Ravenknits, Bonnie Sennot. The list keeps growing!

So, now I know everybody is waiting for!

How to enter the giveaway:
Go to Maureen Foulds Ravelry Store (here) and tell me what your favorite pattern of hers is, the one you would want to win in the giveaway. One post per person. The giveaway will be until December 5th, so enter fast!

September (Already?)

I can't believe it is already September! Ahh! Where did the summer go??? I just started school again, on September 3. I love all my classes! I love school anyways, but nice teachers, and cool subjects help a ton! I love math so much, and I am now in Geometry! It is very fun! We haven't done much, we just took lots of notes so far, but let's face it, we can't do much without knowing the "rules" of math... I am now a Sophomore in High School. It is so nice not to be a Freshman anymore... I am not the center of attention this year! Much better!

Anyways, this blog post can't be all school, can it? So in my Ravelry Group, a friend of mine is wanting to build one of the wheels I made, oh and Sharon from my knitting circle, if you are reading this! She asked me what mods I made or would make for the wheel... So, without further ado...

Mods:

1. Move the wheel higher (the wheel on mine rubs on the piece of wood that is for the base. It is very annoying to keep going slower so that the wheel doesn't ruin the whole thing)
2. Used a smaller bit (the bits used for this pattern is very uncommon ones, and they don't come in the basic tool kits, so we didn't have any... So we just used one size smaller and just wiggled them around so that the piece fit in just right)
3. Used a nail instead of a shaker peg (we originally put on a shaker peg, and I glued it, and waited all night for the glue to dry, but the first time I used the wheel, within 15 minutes, the shaker peg fell off, so we just put in a skrew thing-y and called it good, so now I don't have any problem with it...) 

I am sorry I don't know what it is called, but here is a photo of the skrew I used, hopefully you understand what it is, because I sure don't! Oh should I tell you now, this is my very first woodworking project I have ever done, and it was for sure a learning curve! It was very nice to get to spend quality time with my Step-Dad, though!

Etsy Shop is Live! (Finally!)

I am pleased to announce that my etsy shop is live! Right now I don't have much added, but I will be adding more in the next week or so! I will be sure to post when I get an update up! :D My etsy shop is here.

Other than my etsy shop opening, I have been so busy knitting! I have finished my socks that I was working on for a month or so! They fit perfectly! I have already started on some new ones, but they are for mom's Christmas present, so I have to finish them in the next 2 weeks! Ahhh!

Tour de Fleece - and PRIZE!!!

So, I haven't posted here for a little bit, I have no good excuse other than spinning for Tour de Fleece! I finished 1 yarn.

This is the "Spring-Like" colorway of Daybreak Dyeworks! It was spun on "Kandy" my cupcake spindle from Spinatude!

So, in the Dodec and Porter Wheel group, I got a prize! A $25 giftcard to any etsy shop! What!? So, you want to know what I got, don't you! :P

My very first pair of sock blockers! I am SO excited you have NO idea! I have always wanted some sock blockers, but never had money to get them! 

Onto knitting, I know this is a spinning blog, but I know many of my readers knit, too! So here is my newest FO, my baby socks for my friends new grandson!

I really like how they turned out and there will be a new lucky baby to have some socks!

Dudey The Dodec!

So, my friend Sarah that I met on Ravelry is around the same age as me. She told me about a spinning wheel that you could make for very low cost, it is called the Dodec! When I saw it, it was genius! I just HAD to make one! :D I told my step dad about it, and two weeks later we bought all the supplies! We started Saturday, July 6, 2013, and finished Tuesday, July 9, 2013. It was a pretty easy wheel to build! I even started my first yarn on it last night! I finished later that night! When I woke up this morning, I went to go spin on it. I was just spinning on it right before this post, and the peg popped off! Oh no! So, no more spinning on it for a while until my step dad gets home! Anywho, here is a picture of my wheel that I took yesterday!

Tour de Fleece: Planning

Okay, okay, I know, I know... I am very late on this... I have been in the group. In fact, I have already joined all my teams! What's that? You want to know, oh alright! You win!

This year, is my first time doing the tour! I am so excited!

So, since it is my first year, I have joined the Rookies. I have also decided to join a couple   lot more. I have joined Team Spin Your Stash, Team Must Stash Podcast, Team House Cup, Team Spindlers, Team Wooly Wonka, Team Daybreak Dyeworks, Team Lantern Rouge, Team Greenwood Fireworks, and Team I Have No Idea What I Am Doing.

That is a lot, do you think that is too much?

I have some more awesome news! So now that Tour de Fleece is coming up, my step dad and I have some plans. We are going to build me a spinning wheel! It is going to be smallish! I am a short gal, so it has to be my size so that when I sit down, I can still reach it... We are going to build it out of wood and a bike tire as the wheel! I am so excited about this!

Spinning Upate: New Spindle!

So sorry for such a late post! This weekend has been so hectic! But, I just wanted a quick post to show you what I bought myself! You guessed it, a SPINDLE! I am so happy about this!

It is a spindle that I got from Spinatude on etsy! It was $25 plus $5 shipping! Very affordable for such a good quality!

 Photo gnacked from Spinatude on etsy!

I really like this spindle! I was very hesitant to get it, because some of her feedback said that they were wobbly... Mine is a little wobbly in the beginning, but it is very doable! I really love it! If you have a chance to get one of her spindles, I totally recommend it! They are all one-of-a-kind spindles! Very cute!

Etsy: Spinatude

Spinning Update: Better Late Than Never

To be honest with you guys, Friday has been a very busy day for me! First of all, it was my last day of school. I met up with my grandma, who was just passing through my town on her way to Seattle. We ended up waiting for her for 4 hours! So, we went out to dinner, instead of lunch. I got home around 6, and just fell on the couch and turned on some Harry Potter, and started spinning. Oh spinning, this is what you are here for! Without further ado, here is my week!

I have been spinning up my Daybreak Dyeworks Merino braid I got, well one of the 3 I got from her. It is in the "Spring-like" colorway!

I had to order some more of her fiber! So, here is everything I got, well not everything. I have some samples to spin up for you guys to look at, too!

Let's start with the Team Braid for TdF!

Next is the "Whisper" colorway. I will spin this up and knit my mom something out of it. She loves purple!

And my favorite for last! I did a custom order for this one. I love how it turned out!

Look she named it after me!

Lastly, she added a total surprise! Okay, here is the story, she had spun this up from some fiber she dyed with the end of her dye. It turned out to be different shades of pink. Well, I commented on it, I guess multiple times. So, she decided that I needed some more yarn, or something. She sent it to me with my parcel!

I also have another team braid. I got two. I did not get a decent picture of that one. I do have two, though. The other one, is must brighter. The pink is way more neon and the browns are much darker! But, I have to say, I do love how this one is much more muted!

Sorry, that I posted this late this week. Happy Fibering! You can find me on ravelry at Punkin97

Blue Barn Fiber: Milk Fiber Base

Happy Friday! I have some great news! I will be trying to blog every Friday! So, come back every Friday for a new review! Some weeks, though, I might not be able to do a review. I am still working out things with some more shops. It does take time for the shops to dye the fiber, package it, and mail it to me. Oh the mailing! That is horrible! Have you ever bought something that you needed in a few days, and it seems like it takes forever to get the purchase? This is exactly how I feel with this! I was barely able to spin this sample up for you guys! I got it on Tuesday, and had to take pictures of all the fibers I got from the Holly, and then I started spinning the fiber that night... I skipped Wednesday because I was too busy working on my sock yarn blanket... I am up to 8 squares in 5 days! So anyways, I was busy spinning this fiber all last night, that is why the photo is so bad. The photo is more blue, when in real life, it is way more dark purple. Anyways, let's get onto the blog post!

It is so amazing to have a chance to work with someone who is so close to me! She has her own farm in Hayden, Idaho like 40 miles from Sandpoint, Idaho (where I live). She is practically my neighbor! It is such a pleasure to work with someone so close to me! Holly has given me the chance to review some of her Milk Fiber. I personally have not spun any of this Milk Fiber before, so it was so fun trying something new to me! 

As always, I made sure to get a special interview of Holly herself!

What is your favorite thing about the milk fiber that you sell in your shop?
My favorite thing about our milk fiber is how soft and silky it is. It has a lot of the same qualities as viscose bamboo and cultivated silk, but it’s much more affordable than silk. An extra bonus is that it takes dye better than any other fiber I’ve worked with -- it sucks the color up and turns out vibrant and gorgeous. Ok, one more bonus! It’s considered a “green” product, which is very important to me because my husband and I are environmental enthusiasts. There’s no formaldehyde in it (unlike some wool, which is actually cleaned and whitened with this dangerous chemical) and it doesn’t harm the environment. Another cool thing about it is that it’s naturally anti-bacterial, so it’s a very clean fiber.

Have you spun up any of the milk fiber? If so, how did you do it?
I try to spin my own fiber whenever I get something new in (the exceptions to this is the more expensive fibers like yak and qiviut) because it lets me describe how it spins to our customers. I use my Ashford Traditional wheel for all of my spinning needs. My favorite way to use milk fiber is by mixing it with other fiber like merino or bamboo for a hint of silkiness and a ton of softness. It’s one of my favorite types of fiber to spin.

How soft would you say the Milk Fiber is?
Extremely soft.

What would you recommend to make with your handspun from the milk fiber?
You can really make anything from milk fiber, but clothes would probably be best since it’s so soft and it would be wasted on something like a rug. Underwear, pajamas, shirts, undergarments would all be perfect because it absorbs moisture really well and keeps skin clean and dry.

What is your favorite colorway you have dyed in this fiber?
My “Sleeping Beauty” roving. It’s 100% milk fiber and is dyed teal, dark blue and purple. It’s one of my favorite color combinations.

What type of dye do you use for your products?
It depends on the product and what colors I’m going for. We usually either use all natural herbs and spices or Greener Shades acid dyes, which I swear by! Greener Shades is really special because it’s a relatively eco-friendly dye and it reacts differently with firestar than any other dye I’ve tried (I don’t need to use acid to set the dye on firestar with this particular brand of dye).

How many people besides you are working in your shop?
My husband and I run the business alone right now. Dying fiber is really an art form (as is spinning), so I wouldn’t want to just hire a random person to do it. Each thing we sell is like a little painting!

Do you raise any of the animals that you use for your shop?
Not currently, but we are in the process of looking into adopting some angora rabbits. Our dream is to buy a farm out here and have our own fiber animals including some tibetan yaks, alpacas, sheep, goats, and maybe even a camel or two.

Where do you buy your fiber from?
Several different places! We purchase a lot of our sheep wool and alpaca fiber directly from local farmers as well as friends we meet online all over the country. A lot of farmers just don’t have time to clean and process their wool, so we take it off their hands, do all the hard work, and resell it. We also resell fiber and yarn from Ashland Bay and can offer anything that they have as well.

How do you get your inspiration for your colorways?
A lot of it just comes to me from the colors I use in my own paintings. When I feel low on inspiration, I look at different photos of nature and grab colors from different scenes around the world. Nature is very colorful and has a knack for finding the perfect combinations! 2 great examples: Japanese maple trees and tide pools.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your shop or fiber?
We work very hard to not only do business in an eco-friendly way, but to also only buy products that are obtained in animal-friendly ways. We would rather you go through us than purchase fiber from a competitor, so if you see a slightly lower price from someone else, let us know and we can do our best to match their price! This might not be possible 100% of the time but we’re definitely flexible whenever possible.

Before:

After:

My Review:
Since I got 2 different colors of milk fiber, I decided to ply them together. When I first got the fiber, I was in love! It was oh so soft! I started spinning right away! I thought it was going to be hard to spin, since it was a long staple length (5 inches) and I was right! It was much harder than I thought it would be! I have never imagined it to be so hard! I think what my problem was, that I was drafting too close together... After a little while, the spinning got easier. I am very proud of how my yarn came out! Very cool!  I don't know the weight of this sample, but I know it is somewhere around 1 oz. This fiber is incredibly soft! This fiber took me way longer to spin than most fibers I have ever spun before. I think the main reason for this is because I have never spun a long staple like this before... But, I will get better at it with time! I ended up not being able to spin all the fiber for this blog post, but you can see my finished yarn above! I ended up getting 17 yards 2-ply and I really do like how shiny the fiber is. The colors are more like the first photo, not as blue in the second photo.

Thank you, Holly, for the chance to review you Milk Fiber! It has been a pleasure spinning up something different than what I am used to!

If you have a chance, you should stop by Holly's store (information below) and browse. Be aware, you may have several things in your cart, like I do!

You can contact Holly:
Ravelry:  Nimily
Etsy: Blue Barn Fiber
Website: Blue Barn Fiber
Facebook: Blue Barn Fiber

Daybreak Dyeworks: Heinz 57 Base

Dawn, from Daybreak Dyeworks has sent me a 1 oz sample of her 57 Heinz Base top with my purchase! It was a lovely lime green! I have to be honest, right when I opened my package, I might have squeed a lot! I got it right out of the braid, got my spindle (which luckly didn't have anything on it) and started spinning right away! I split the top into halves and spun it that way! Dawn is a very good friend of mine, so I am pleased to be doing my first review on her studio! I will be doing her other bases too!

When I saw this top, I got it right out and spun it right up! It was my fastest spinning project! I started and finished 1 oz of her top in 1.5 hours! So happy to get something new in the mail! This sample was an extra in my package! It was just a little sample! I will be posting pictures in the next few days, when I have time, but while you wait, here is an interview of Dawn!

1. How did you pick the Heinz 57 breed to use for your shop?
I came across Heinz 57 breed not soon after I first began dyeing. I was looking for something inexpensive to sort of "practice" with. I was a little leery at first because I'd never heard of this breed before, it's not even in the Fleec and Fiber Sourcebook! But I figured the worse that would happen is that the finished yarn would get knit into some felted coasters or something. Surprisingly, the finished yarn wasn't rough at all! Now, don't get me wrong, it's not merino, but I think it would do great as a hat or outwear.

2. How do you get inspired for new colorways?
Inspiration comes from anywhere! Sometimes a photo I've come across, sometimes a memory, sometimes a phrase... But if I'm in a rut, or just want to experiment with combinations, I'll visit Design Seeds, which is almost like dyeing from a given prompt. And you can't count out those happy mistakes!

3. What is your favorite colorway you have made for the Heinz 57 top that you had in your shop?
So far, my favorite colorway I've made (that has made it to the shop) is "Dainty" which was spun from Heinz 57. Its quite variegated, but all the color variations came from one color breaking into its other counterparts.

4. What do you think is the best item to be made from the handspun yarn from the Heinz 57 top you carry in your shop?
I think this breed of fiber would be great for winter hats and durable outerwear pieces. It has a lovely, rustic look about it would probably look great in fair isle also.

5. How soft would you rate this yarn?
On a scale of 1-5, probably a 3. I'd say it's a step down from Corriedale. It does soften a bit after you soak it though, and a good tip is to add a bit of hair conditioner in the water you soak your finished skein in.

6. Have you spun up some of the Heinz 57 from your shop?
Oh course! Quite a few of the skeins from my shop are spun from Heinz 57, and this is my favorite skein (to date) spun from this fiber.

7. What type of dye do you use?
I mostly use dye solutions made from food coloring, but I also use natural dyes, it's a much more time-consuming process though. I like to use food coloring for the brighter, more saturated colors, and natural dye solutions for more neutral tones.

8. How many people do you have working for you in your shop?
Technically, it's just me, but my husband is in charge of the shipping and receiving, and I like to think of my oldest daughter as my general manager and personal assistant, lol! I began using food coloring to dye because I was most comfortable using that around my kids, who are ALWAYS around and helping. Even though I do most of the leg work, it's fun that we can all be a part of things in some capacity!
Besides all the wonderful things she has told us about her shop, I have some other things to add!

Dawn is a very nice and kind lady, she puts all her time into dyeing for her shop. It is such a pleasure to be doing my first review with her! She is so nice and kind to everybody in all the forums on ravelry! I got my purchase really fast! It may have been the fastest package I have ever gotten! She is absolutely amazing! Her tops and rovings are very special and 1-of-a-kind! She is going to be doing a custom order for me soon, so if you are not interested in any of her colorways, you can just convo her on etsy and tell her what you want! She is a very nice and kind lady to work with! She has made this experience very fun to do! I totally recommend her! If you don't spin, no need to worry! She has hand-spun yarns all ready to be shipped to you!

Thank you, Dawn, for the picture of the fiber. I was too eager to get it spun last night! You are awesome!

Before:

Colorway: Green Smoothie

 After:

2-ply

29 yards 

9 WPI (Worsted Weight)

My Review:
I spun the Heinz 57 sample in a 2-ply. I was not trying to get a certain weight, so I just spun as it came out. It  turned out to be a 9 WPI (wraps per inch). I got 29 yards out of this in a 2-ply. Dawn later contacted me to tell me that she only sent me a half oz instead of a whole oz. So, I will be able to play with more of this fiber! When I get it, I will be trying to get a thinner weight instead of a thicker yarn, which I got here. I honestly have no idea what I will be making from this sample, but it will be knitted for sure! The Heinz 57 yarn is in between corriedale and merino for the softness. I don't think it should be near skin-contact. It would be lovely as a beret styled hat. I think I might have to get more of this fiber in this color so that I can spin some up for a beret! This fiber was a pleasure to work with. It was a very different fiber than what I am used to, though. It was great to try something new. Dawn sells this fiber for cheap! Totally recommend her! You would think that this fiber would cost much more than I would think it would be.

If you are able to get your hands on this fiber, I would totally recommend it! It is one of my favorite fibers to spin now that I have tried it! 

A special thanks to Dawn for working with me on this fiber! 

If you want to find more about Dawn:
Ravelry: dlyn1124
Etsy: Daybreak Dyeworks

Welcome!

First of all, thank you or visiting my blog. I hope you like it. I will be having spinning reviews up soon! I do not have a schedule at the moment, but when I get more developed, I most likely will have some sort of schedule to posting!

As I am still developing this blog, please be patient with me. I still have to get some samples to spin up in order to do this.

I am on ravelry as Punkin97. I love meeting new people, so friend me, or send me a message! I am very active on ravelry. I am on daily!

Thank you for your company, see you soon!