OnTheRound

Navajo Plying

2012-02-13T08:55:00.002-07:00

NavajoBlog, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Lately I've been experimenting with Navajo Plying, or chain plying handspun yarn. I work with hand painted roving a lot and I really like the way that the method retains the color changes in the wool.

When I am trying a new technique, I prefer to wing it initially, and then research the technique. The yarn above is my first attempt.

I've since done quite a bit of research on the subject and have learned a thing or two.

Overall, my first attempt turned out quite well. I used a one hand method and it became clear to me that I need to use my left hand to hold the twist so I don' t get little tangles as I work a new loop (see middle photo). I also was treadling very quickly and had my bobbin on fast intake resulting in a frantic spin...clearly I need to slow it down next time.

This morning I found this great video by Sarah Anderson on youtube. I really think that this video is THE video you should watch if you are interested in learning to N-ply yourself. She explains quite a lot in a very methodical, logical way all while showing the technique, slowly and clearly.

I'm going to do a few more play skeins with little bits of singles I have laying around before taking it to the shop. My plan is to N-ply the Finn wool I recently hand painted and offer it up in the shop next week.

Stay Tuned!

Handspun Yarn Update

2012-02-01T08:56:00.002-07:00

UpdatePromo2012, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Good morning!

Today I am editing photos for my next shop update. At the rate that I am currently waddling, it's looking like I'll be listing new yarn on Thursday, Feb 2nd. Be sure to come by the shop and see all the beautiful blues and greens I have in store for this week!

Scarlet Fever

2012-01-25T07:38:00.002-07:00

ScarletFever1, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and it has made it very apparent that I am missing a certain color in my shop...RED!

I love red, it just doesn't seem to be a color that I work with a lot. It's probably because it is VERY difficult to work with! I find the color to be very inconsistent with the particular dye I use, plus (until now) I've been unable to find just the right shade, and don't even get me started on photographing it!

This weekend I decided to put all those problems aside and instead focus on finding a solution to my red shortage. I carded, I over-dyed, I plied, and I played and was able to make 8 different red skeins.

The result, Scarlet Fever!

I'll be listing the red beauties in my Shop starting tonight and finishing tomorrow. So be sure to stop by and check them out.

Also, a reminder that you can use the coupon code WELCOMEBACK for 10% off any handspun yarn in my shop from now until Sunday!

WIP: V is for Villeray

2012-01-24T06:37:00.002-07:00

Villeray1, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

I've recently cast on Villeray, by by Ariane Caron-Lacoste, of Falling Stitches. This is a great beginner lace project and seems to be working out for my late night TV knitting. The pattern is fairly easy to memorize so I don't have to look down too much, and where it's a scarf there is no difficult shaping!

I am knitting it in some beautiful green Egyptian Cotton yarn that has been kicking around my stash for years. I bought it originally to knit a onsie while I was pregnant with my first. The impracticality of that project became quickly evident and I ripped it out probably 20 rows in. I'm glad I kept the yarn around though, because it is working out very nicely for this pattern.

I've still got a LONG way to go on it...hopefully I can persevere!

Black & White Amaretto Cake

2012-01-23T08:41:00.002-07:00

Black & White Amaretto Cake, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Almond White Cake:

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Butter
2 Eggs
2 tea Almond Extract
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 3/4 tea Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add milk. Stir in remaining dry ingredients. Add sour cream and mix until smooth.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Chocolate Amaretto Frosting:

1 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate
3/4 Cup Amaretto Liqueur
1 Cup Butter

Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Add amaretto while stirring constantly. Slowly melt in tabs of butter while continuing to stir. Allow the mixture to cool, stirring occasionally until mixture is the consistency of frosting.

Be sure your cake is completely cooled before frosting or the butter will melt.

Finish frosted cake with almond slivers.

ENJOY!

34 Weeks

2012-01-21T12:42:00.001-07:00

34Weeks, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

It's the Little Things...

2012-01-17T18:03:00.004-07:00

SaroyanProgress (1), originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

This weekend I did a considerable amount of organizing in my knitting life. I went through all of my knitting needles and rubber banded all my sets, I dug out all my projects that needed finishing and sewed in all my loose ends, I updated my Ravelry project list, and began organizing my stash and ripping out unworthy projects.

One such project that got ripped out was this terrible triangle "shawl" that I knit years ago using some yarn that my Aunt gave me for Christmas. I knew the yarn was fabulous when I received it, but this was before Ravelry and it was only 2 skeins, and well...I just didn't really know what to do with it, but i knew I wanted to knit it.

As I pulled out each stitch I thought back on my old knitting days. Back when there was no Ravelry, in fact, you could barely find any patterns online. My Nana who had taught me to knit originally had long since passed away, and I had a particularly negative experience with the owner of one of the LYS' in town so I kept my distance. I became a process knitter. I didn't really care what I knit, as long as I was knitting, I was happy. I knit lots of mittens, since that's something that my Nana originally taught me, miles of garter stitch scarves, and hats over and over again. If I actually finished something I would give it away or donate it, the finished product never really meant that much to me. Mostly, I just played. I would knit and rip knit and rip. What was the point of the finished project, I just wanted to be knitting. That was all I knew, and that's what kind of knitter I was.

Fast forward to this weekend. As I ripped out my project I quickly recognized this yarn as Malabrigo Merino Worsted~ 2 skeins worth! I couldn't really be mad at myself for using such beautiful yarn so poorly, only because at least I had the good sense to keep this mess of a project, and at least I never cut the yarn or did anything particularly cleaver with it that would have made it difficult to rip out! So here I was with two skeins of perfect merino wool yarn in beautiful variegated blues and greens, and a serious need to start knitting (I have 3 gift knits that are due to go out ASAP). So I did what most knitters do nowadays, and I turned to Ravelry. I started my search by looking up Malabrigo Yarn and then I began searching through the 73,432 projects using this yarn. I didn't look for long before finding the Saroyan Shawl pattern, which has been in my favorites for quite a long time. It was perfect, and free! Within an hour I had found 2 skeins of beautiful yarn, the perfect pattern for just the amount of yarn that I had, and was casting on with a set of size 10 needles from my perfectly organized needle stash, all while barely getting up from my rocking chair! I get goose bumps just thinking about it. Sheer knitting perfection.

I'm not sure when exactly this knitting evolution took place for me, but I'm happy it did. It's not 2 even days later and I'm almost done with my Saroyan Shawl and still just tickled pink by the whole experience. It really is the little things....

Welcome Back Sale!

2012-01-09T07:30:00.003-07:00

WelcomeBackSale, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

I am SO happy to be back to spinning full time and am finally feeling like I'm back into my groove. So with that, it only seems right to have a Welcome Back Sale!

Now offering 10% off all handspun yarn at www.ontheround.etsy.com (offer excludes custom orders, reserved items, and wholesale). Use discount code: welcomeback when you check out!

Discount code expires January 29th, 2012

Happy Saturday

2012-01-07T07:33:00.002-07:00

SaturdayShetland (4), originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Today I will be plying more Shetland to be listed in the shop at the beginning of next week. I have 6 semi-solid colorways available as well as natural brown.

I LOVE Shetland. It is save to say it is my favorite wool to work with. It is soft and durable, takes dye beautifully and is incredible to knit with. If you have never worked with Shetland, I cannot encourage you enough to give it a try!

Happy Saturday!

Featured Yarn: Murmur

2012-01-05T07:17:00.002-07:00

Murmur (3), originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Good morning friends!

I listed some new yarn in my shop yesterday. This is a corespun beauty called Murmur that I spun quite a while ago. Murmur has actually been out in the world on a book tour. More details on that to come, but you should know she is a famous skein of yarn.

I'm not much of a pink girl, but this Murmur is definitely up my ally! It is full of soft and deep pinks~ and LOTS of gold, my personal favorite!

I envision this skein becoming a sassy EZ Snail Hat or a cowl- like this cowl I knit for my sister using a similar corespun bulky weight (with fiber from Lacey, of Moonrover). It's bulky weight would make it a fun fast knit that you could be wearing in no time!

That's all for now folks, time to dye up some beautiful Finn wool for spinning this weekend...and of course more Shetland spinning!

Have a beautiful day!

r

January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T20:31:00.002-07:00

Cresent Beach 1/1/12, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

This is going to be a great year.

The Spin-a-Thon Continues

2011-12-31T09:09:00.001-07:00

nyeshetland1, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

It feels like I've been held up in my studio for hours...O wait I have! I got up before 7 a.m. and I've been in here every since. I've completed all the singles of my BFL spin mentioned here. I'm going to leave the plying for this evening when I am tired and vegging out.

Now I've moved on to carding up my Shetland that I just received in the mail this week. My hubby found it for me on Craigslist from a Maine woman. The wool was from a flock of her own sheep that she never used. It's clearly been in storage for a while so I am fluffing it up on my carder into 1 oz bumps. It's really lovely wool and I can't wait to get spinning it! Some of it will appear in my shop and some I am going to keep for myself and knit a sweater for my husband. I know I have claimed to knit him a sweater before (see post) but this time I really intend to do it, and with this wool that seems more manageable.

I would also like to mention that while I card I am listening to A Playful Day: Holiday Special with Subway Knits. It is a totally enjoyable listen in the spirit of my New Years weekend fiber adventure.

Now back to work!

Spinning in the New Year!

2011-12-30T11:27:00.001-07:00

New Years Spin, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Hello!

It's been such a long time since I blogged last, I'm really not sure where to begin! Thankfully ringing in the New Year is always a great place to start....so instead of catching up, let's just take off running!

I intend on ringing in the New Year with a marathon of spinning. Since I won't be working at the restaurant like I normally would, and I'm almost 8 months pregnant so I won't be drinking like I normally would~ the next best thing (probably better really) would be to spin!

As you can see, I've already gotten started! My first round of spinning is hand painted BFL roving in some of my favorite colors. I'm spinning 4oz singles and than plying for to make a worsted weight yarn. I haven't figured out the yardage yet. There will be 5 skeins in this colorway.

So far I have plied 1 skein, have 2 singles on the bobbin, and 2 more braids left to spin!

How will you ring in the New Year?

Shop Update Sneak Peak

2011-09-14T12:34:00.001-06:00

Etsy Update 9/14/2011, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Etsy Update September 14, 2011 at 8 pm est. See you there!

Shop Talk 9/10/11

2011-09-10T11:33:00.002-06:00

sweaterlotteaser, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Hi All!

Just wanted to take a minute for some shop talk. I'm working on a big new product line for ontheround and I'm super excited about it. Five skeins of handspun yarn for sweater knitting in the same dye lot! I still have some work to do before I'm ready to make handspun sweater lots available to the public, but I just wanted to give you a little teaser of things to come.

In other news, I am putting all custom orders and wholesale orders on hold for a little bit. I really need to build up inventory for the upcoming holiday season. If you have any questions about this please feel free to convo me via etsy or emai racheljonesknits@yahoo.com.

Also, I have about 10+ yarns that are waiting to be labeled that should show up in the shop sometime in the next couple of days. Be sure to stop by and see what's new and pretty.

Thanks all for today's shop talk announcement, now back to work!

Be well, be positive.

rAchel

From Fleece to Sweater, Part 1

2011-09-07T13:05:00.002-06:00

9/5/11, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

This labor day weekend I decided that I would start a new project. I am going to knit a sweater from raw fleece to a finished sweater for my husband. I knit my lova a hat about 4 years ago and it is certainly time that he receives something else handmade by me. I've also had a giant bag of natural brown Merino X Romney fleece kicking around for longer than I'd like to admit. So after a little inspiration from Fibershed, I think it's clear what needs to happen.

Ideally I'd like to have this project finished by Christmas, since it will obviously be sweater weather and it seems like a realistic time frame. With that said, I'm really only about half way done picking through all the fleece I will need, and only about 1/8 of the way done with the washing. That's part of the beauty of this project though, isn't it a labor of love after all?

So stay tuned for more progress and check out my flickr page for work in progress photos. For now, I've got picking to do.

Be well, be positive,

rAchel

Hurricane Sunday

2011-08-28T10:51:00.001-06:00

Hurricane3, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Happy Hurricane Sunday! I am so excited to spend the day all snug in the house with my family. My work decided not to open tonight so I plan to spend most of my day in my cozy spinning/knitting corner. I have an amazing new project I am working on for the shop that will keep me busy today- more details on that soon. Also, I'm knitting a Citron shawl with some stash yarn which I will work on when I need a spinning break. AND junk food~ lots of junk food.

I hope you enjoy your Sunday, and if you are in the path of Irene, stay safe!

June 11, 2011

2011-06-26T17:19:00.002-06:00

June 11, 2011, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

After 5 glorious years, my lova and I officially tied the knot. <3

If you are living in love, you are living in heaven. No matter where you are, may heaven hold you. May you always live in love. ~Kate Braestrup

Moving Update, Part Deux

2011-03-09T17:48:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since my last post....so much. We are no longer closing tomorrow. At about 12:30 this afternoon I got an email from our attorney saying we had a major issue. The house we *are* buying was moved away from the road a handful of years ago and in doing so it seems an error was made. According to town ordinances the house was moved too close to the edge of the property and in discovering this the bank will not give us a loan until the issue is resolved. Resolution means buying 6 feet of land from the owner behind us. 6 feet of space and air is preventing us from closing on our house tomorrow. I'm not sure what is going to happen. We will have to spend the entire day tomorrow scurrying around meeting after meeting trying to figure this thing out. I don't know what is going to happen.

I do know that no matter what happens we will be fine. We will be happy, we will be healthy, and we will all still have each other....we just might not be home owners...yet.

Cross your fingers and send me some positive vibes please. I'm a little stressed out.

Moving Update

2011-03-09T07:20:00.001-07:00

Stash..., originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

Things are MOVING right along here at OTR headquarters...

Tomorrow is the closing date for our house and everything seems to be in order. I've been over to the new house a couple times this week and am feeling very at home there. I was able to paint my daughters room and the bathroom, and I'm hoping to do the master bedroom today. I'm saving the downstairs for once we are moved in and I can get a really good feel of the *look* I want to achieve.

I've moved A LOT of times over the last ten years, but no move has ever been quite like this. I cannot begin to describe the feelings of happiness rushing through my veins. This move is such a big step for my family, for my business, and for myself. This move is about accomplishment. I am proud. I am excited. I am happy.

...Stay tuned for pictures of our new house!

It's Offical...

2011-03-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

I'm on Vacation! Well sort of....

Have a great day!

r

On The Needles: Greenfield Cardigan

2011-02-28T09:20:00.000-07:00

For my birthday my Lova got me a copy of New England Knits and I knew pretty much right away that I wanted to knit the Greenfield Cardigan. I love all things top down and have a special soft spot for the garter stitch (it's all I knew for years as a kid!). I chose Corntastic by Kollage as my yarn since I wanted something that could be worn all seasons and had great drape.

Here is my progress after knitting ALL day yesterday. I'm almost done with all the ragland increases! I'm absolutely loving the softness and weight of this yarn~ it was totally worth the splurge, plus the color is elegant! I'm probably going to spend most of today working on it some more!

To see all the details and follow along with my progress, check out my Ravelry project page.

Happy knitting!

r

Fiber Binge: Sosae Caetano

2011-02-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends and happy Monday!

This week I had the pleasure on binging on some super yummy fiber from the lovely Sosae Caetano. Sosae hosted a Rain forest Spin-a-Long in her Ravelry Group

(photo by Sosae Caetano)

This is all the fiber she dyed for the SAL!

This was the BFL/Silk roving that Sos sent me. The colors are stunning and so So SO silky soft! I've been thinking and planning on this yarn for a couple of weeks now. I decided to separate the brown from the green in the roving. I carded the brown together into rolags and spun it into a thin worsted single. Then I knit the single right off the bobbin into 5-5" i-cord bits. Then I took the green roving and carded it into rolags while adding mohair, camel down, and BL lamb locks dyed by Hands+Notions. Then I pulled the rolags into roving and core spun them on a DK weight 100% wool yarn. While spinning I added in my knitted bits, auto wrapped hand dyed silk ribbon, as well as merino and BL Locks (also by Hands+Notions) and Mohair.

Here is the finished yarn!

I am really pleased with the outcome of this yarn! It is so soft and silky, but with great weight from the core. I'm not sure what I will knit with it yet...probably something simple to really show off the great add ins. If you have any suggestions for this yarn, I'd love to hear them!

Be well, be positive & feast on fiber!

r

FO - Long Hooded Cardigan

2011-02-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hello! Hello!

Since starting my sabbatical at the beginning of the month, I have had the pleasure of much more knitting time. I have been/am trying to tackle all those projects that I've promised people over the last year. First on my to-do list was this Top Down, Long Hooded Cardigan by Knitting Pure & Simple.

This sweater was a trade that I worked out with my friend Julie, who is the fabulous Owner and Designer for Silversmyth, a custom sterling silver design company. I'm not ready to show you what I traded for...but be patient...I will show you in good time!

So, I am happy to present to you, this FO - Long Hooded Cardigan for Julie.

This is Julie modeling her new knit goodie. I am so pleased to announce that she loves it- I am assuming photo credit goes to her hubby. : )

For more photos of this sweater and all the glorious details, please check out my Ravelry page.

Happy knitting!

r

February Sale

2011-02-15T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

This is a friendly reminder that all handspun yarn at OnTheRound is 15% off! Also, I will be closing up shop for several months at the end of February and whatever yarn is left, I fully intend on using myself! So, get it while the getting it good!

(pssssst! You can still use the discount code FEB15 for an additional 15% off)

<3 r

A Weekend of Love

2011-02-14T07:36:00.002-07:00

This past weekend my sister got married! I'm still so tired from all the fun and traveling so I am going to let the photos do all the talking...

Happy Valentines Day!

Wedding Fever

2011-02-09T15:18:00.002-07:00

BridalBouquet, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

My sisters wedding is this weekend! This entire week has been about putting the finishing touches on the big event.

These are the bridal party bouquets that my sister-in-law and I made. The flowers are all shaved wood chips made by AccentsandPetals. We fashioned the flowers on foam cones that we wrapped in black raffia and added some other natural touches.

This photo was taken in the process of making~ the finished product is even more fabulous!

Fiber Binge: SpringTreeRoad

2011-02-07T20:20:00.006-07:00

Hi All!

I have to confess, I've been on a fiber binge. In the past I have been very good at squirreling my money away but, since I've been on sabbatical, I have been unable to control myself! I have been scooping up fiber from all over the inter web. I won't get into the whole who and what yet, instead I will reveal my new stash as I work on it. If you are interested in following along there will be constant updates on Flickr.

This weekend I had the pleasure of spinning some BFL/Silk roving that was hand dyed by the lovely Mya of SpringTreeRoad.

Image Courtesy of SpringTreeRoad.

This fiber was a real treat to spin! The color was rich and the transitions were flawless! I pulled the roving apart in 4 equal section and spun worsted/woolen without pre-drafting and then plied. The finished yarn is approximately 280 yards and averages worsted weight.

Me thinks I will knit this, Sprouting Cloche from Brave New Knits, which my love got me for my Birthday! But, not until I finish the sweater I am currently working on...more on that later.

Be well, be positive & rest.

r

Snow day

2011-02-02T19:36:00.001-07:00

Snow day, originally uploaded by ontheroundfiberart.

A beautiful snowy day in Hope. I got a lot of cleaning done, played with Miss TT and had a lovely visit with my sister-in-law. I love an excuse to stay inside all day!

OTR Sabbatical & Sale

2011-01-31T18:21:00.002-07:00

Hello friends!

I haven't been around much lately and for that I am sorry. There is A LOT of great stuff going on in my life right now that is really pulling me away from blogging, and other creative endeavors. Some highlights of current events: My sister is getting married this month, I am currently in the process of buying a house, my lova and I are getting married this spring, and I'm trying to expand OTR. PHEW, just typing all of that is tiring.

So with that, I have decided to take a bit of a sabbatical from my etsy shop. It was a hard decision but with another move looming near, it seems like the right thing to do. Last year when we moved I tried to keep up and it caused me a lot of stress and disappointment. I still feel like I never fully recovered from that move and the thought of another PLUS trying to keep the shop open and growing makes me feel panicky.

(In order to spell sabbatical correctly I had to Google it, I found this Wikipedia article to be quite interesting on the subject. )

Having made this decision, I immediately feel the weight lifted from my shoulders. As the word sabbatical implies I will still be working away as I move and do other things, I will just be taking the pressure off by not selling for the time being. I would like to take this time "off" by blogging more, playing more, knitting more, and dyeing more with more fibers. I also plan to improve my brand, put together a website, and expand on this shop.

I look forward to sharing my sabbatical with you, and coming back with more and better handspun yarn, hand dyed yarn, and fiber for sale. This is a time for reflection, a time for growth, and a time for celebration. Isn't it exciting?

SO, OnTheRound will remain open through the month of February and after that will be going on vaction mode. I can't say at this moment when it will re-open, but it will re-open again and it will be a great big fibery party when it does! Also, I would like to offer you all 15% off your purchase by using the coupon code FEB15.

That is all for now friends.

Be well, be positive, be creative, and rest.

<3

r

Handspun and the Holidays...

2010-12-07T11:12:00.005-07:00

Hello Friends!

The Holiday season is officially upon us. I still can't believe it really....it felt like it was just Halloween...no wait Thanksgiving...wooooooosh! <-- That's the sound of time flying by!

Last week & this week have been/are all about craft shows! Last weekend I was at the Creatorium in Rockland, Maine. It was the first year, and it was amazing! Check out photos of that show, here.

This weekend I will be at Picnic, Portland Maine's Indie Craft Fair! I love Love LOVE this show and I think it's going to be a very fun weekend. If you are going to be in the Portland area, I'd love it if you would come see me at booth #28! And while you are there, you can check out my Handspun Pom Pom Ornaments!

Since I'm going to be gone this weekend, we decided to get our Christmas tree last Sunday. We trekked out to our favorite path in the woods and found the perfect Charlie Brown tree for our little home. Taylor is three this year and more excited for Christmas than ever before. She had a blast putting the tree up with dad, decorating, and putting up the star. She has been constantly re-arranging the ornaments ever since! I'm especially excited about about our new star, which was handmade by Kate of Orange Iron Fabrications.

So that's what's happening here. Lots of making, lots of decorating, and lots of time with family! I hope you are all enjoying the start of this holiday season as much as I am!

Be well, be positive &.....

Handmade Halloween

2010-10-09T09:03:00.002-06:00

Good morning!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am all about hand knit Halloween costumes. I mean really, how cute was that little guy in his pile of leaves costume?!

Last year, my little cutie was a Lion. Here is her hand knit lion costume~ made by moi!

She is STILL in love with this costume!

This year T decided that she wants to be a caterpillar and I am really excited about her choice. I all ready have some great ideas! Tomorrow we will take a trip to the yarn store to get the supplies.

What are you or your little ones going to be for Halloween this year?

Be well, be positive.

rAchel

Fiber Friday

2010-10-08T07:41:00.003-06:00

My name is rAchel, and I'm a fiber-a-holic. I am addicted to looking at fiber and fiber related items on Flickr. It's an awesome addiction.

Today to help me get into the blogging mode again I'd like to participate in Fiber Friday and share some of my favorite fiberific beauties!

This is a seriously impressive piece of felt! As someone who made felt for several years I can really appreciate the fine craftsmanship that went into this beautiful piece of art. I know, I know, now you REALLY want it, well it's on sale here. This shop is TOTALLY worth your time.

This beautiful handspun was made by the lovely Natalie of Cloud Lover Yarn & Fiber I just love the rich colors and beautiful sheen!

I am ALWAYS looking for beautiful hand knits made with handspun yarn! While doing a "handspun" "Knit" "Knitting" search the other day I came across this gorgeous little number by Maya of Springtree Road.

In that same search I found this beautiful shawl hand knit using handspun by Dani of Pumpkinhaus. love Love LOVE.

And I'll wrap up this fiber Friday with this cute little guy! I'm all about hand knit Halloween costumes and this one is a real stunner!

To see more of what fibery goodness I love, check out my favorites on Flickr!

I hope you enjoyed my picks!

be well, be positive & happy Friday!

rAchel

2010-09-08T10:20:00.002-06:00

Hello Friends!

Here in Hope, Maine it is officially fall. The apple orchards have opened for the season, the air is getting crisp, and the nights are getting shorter. Change is in the air...and I love it!

We have had the most amazing summer filled with beautiful weather, great outings with friends and family, and plenty of days at the beach! We had a blast, but I'm ready for it to be over.

I am ready to wear all the sweaters I've been knitting. I am ready for my house to be clean because I am actually home long enough to clean it. I am ready for the restaurant to slow down so that I don't have to be there *almost* every night. And most importantly I am ready for people to pull out there knitting and start thinking about wool again!

WOOL~ KNITTING ~ CROCHETING ~ WEAVING ~ are you thinking about it yet? Let me know when you are....

until then, be well & be positive.

rAchel

Blackberry Honey Pie

2010-08-10T13:33:00.003-06:00

Hi Friends!

Sorry it's been so long since my last post~ I've been busy enjoying every single second of this beautiful Maine summer!

For example, on Sunday my family and I went Blackberry picking and came home with a huge bowl full of juicy berries. Feeling inspired, I got home and immediately baked a Blackberry Honey Pie.

Here's the recipe:

Blackberry Honey Pie

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

* pastry for double-crust pie
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup of honey
* 1/4 cup of flour
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 5 cups blackberries
* 3 Tbs butter

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Press one crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, vanilla, honey, flour and cinnamon. Gently stir in blackberries. Pour mixture into the pie crust and add tabs of butter on top. Cover with the top crust, and seal the edges. Cut a few holes in the top to vent steam.
3. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven on top of a cookie sheet, until the crust is golden brown.

NOTE: This is a VERY juicy pie! I recommend storing cooled pie in the fridge.

yum Yum YUM!

If you try this recipe, be sure to let me know!

be well, be positive ~ eat pie!

xoxo

r

The Man Behind OTR

2010-06-29T06:35:00.010-06:00

Good Morning~

Today I'd like to introduce you to Evan...he's the man.

You may know Evan as my lova, since that is how I mostly refer to him here and on twitter.

Evan has a major passion for fishing and he is an INCREDIBLE fisherman. We call him the fish slayer. That nickname isn't totally accurate though since he is more of a catch and release kind of guy. Evan cares very deeply for all creatures and doesn't like to cause harm. <3

Evan also shares his passion for fishing with little Taylor B., our 3 year old.

Did I mention Evan is an amazing father? Well he is. Also, he bakes the most delicious bread, takes out the trash, scrubs the toilet, and puts air in my tires.

Evan and I have so much fun together every single day, and we have since the very first day we met.

This is us the first summer we started dating...we look like babies!

Evan is my very best friend and my partner in every way. And as for OTR, OnTheRound would not even exists if it wasn't for Evan's support and encouragement. He pushed me to be brave enough to start my own business. He puts up with fiber EVERYWHERE, my constant shop talk, and most importantly he puts up with my intensity- and yes my friends, I can be INTENSE.

So here's to Evan, he is the man.

be well, be positive.

rAchel

Daydream Believer Batt Series

2010-06-23T07:06:00.004-06:00

You may have noticed a lot of chatter about washing fleece and dyeing wool from me in the last month. Well now it is officially time for me to reveal the fruits of my labor!

I am proud to introduce....

Day dream believer batts are a squishable, huggable, loveable blend of farm fresh fibers. These fibers have all been bought as raw fleece and hand washed, dyed, and carded by moi. It has been a long slow and beautiful process full of whimsical daydreams.

Daydream believer batts are filled with Merino, Cormo, Corriedale, Border Leicester, Clun Forrest, and Rambouillet fleeces. There may also be Mohair, Sparkle, Handspun bits, Coopworth, Targee, Lincoln Locks, &/or BFL.

This batts are excellent for spinning functional handspun or novelty art yarn. And lets not forget about felting! These batts are all 100% feltable wool!

Here are a couple of goodies that I have spun up using Daydream Believer Batts...

Be sure to check out my Daydream Believer Batts available now at OnTheRound!

Be well & Be positive

rAchel

Having Fun in the Sun

2010-06-22T19:57:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, TT, Bessie and I spent the ENTIRE day outside in the sun and had we LOTS of fun!

Sometimes, let's be honest, most of the time, it is very hard for me to pull myself away from work and really enjoy myself. But yesterday was just one of those perfect days where I was just having too much fun to be thinking about work.

Us girls spent from 9:30 to 3 up to camp swimming, digging in the dirt, sun bathing, snacking, and knitting, well I was the only one knitting. Then, I loaded up the canoe (ALL by MYSELF!) and we headed home for an early dinner. Then we met up with another family and took the kiddos fishing, well ok, I was knitting.

Every single bit of the day was a total BLAST! I look forward to more of these perfect days ahead in this short, but sweet summer season.

If you are interested in doing more things outside with your family, I highly recommend checking out my sisters Blog: The Maine Family Outside, Tips and Tools for Outdoors-Minded Families.

And now, I need to get back to work!

Be well, be positive & HAVE SOME FUN!

rAchel

And The Winner Is....

2010-06-15T06:08:00.004-06:00

I am happy to announce the winner of OnTheRound's first ever blog giveaway!

Drum roll please....the winner is commment #5.....Yay- Allyson of The Sweatshop Of Love!

I would like to say Thank You every one of you who left such sweet comments. It seems like we all have crazy, busy, fun, productive summers coming our way! Also, thank you for Random.org for choosing the winner.

'Tis The Season... For Fresh Tomatoes

2010-06-13T08:06:00.014-06:00

On Saturday, I scoped out a the Searmont Farmers Market off of Rt. 131 after getting a call from my lova who drove past it on his way to Bangor. He saw a booth with local goat cheese and new that I would want to get some- I LOVE goat cheese. So I loaded Bessie up and off we went for a lovely little drive to the small, but plentiful market.

I immediately found my goat cheese at Second Wind Farm. I had a great chat with the owner Suzanne and got to taste all of her flavors including pesto, garlic and herb de provence. I had to make the herb de provence mine, it was creamy and just a little tart with a perfect blend of herbs. I pretty much had to hold myself back from eating the whole container on the spot!

My next stop was at Green Arrow Farms. My brother has been best friends with owner Dee Boehmer's son for forever and it was great to chat about tomatoes and life. Dee and her husband grow Hydroponic tomatoes that are the redest red you will ever see- they are gorgeous, juicy, and sweet! She had some yummy roasted tomatoes out for the sampling and after tasting them I knew that I wanted to make some of my own. So, I purchased 3 lbs of paste tomatoes and Dee told me her recipe.

Paste Tomatoes from Green Arrow Farm

With that, I headed back home with nothing but roasted tomatoes and herb de provence goat cheese on my mind.

Back at the house I gathered my materials and got right to making. Here is the recipe and instructions for Dee's Roasted Tomatoes:

You will need:

Paste Tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Salt
Sugar
Oregano or Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
Pastry Brush
Cookie Sheets
Knife
Cutting Board

Directions:

Slice your tomatoes into about 1/4" slices and lay them out on your cookie sheet. It's okay if they overlap a little but don't over crowd. Next, brush olive oil all over the tomatoes in a nice thin, even coat. Be sure to use a good quality EVOO for this- it will make a difference! Now sprinkle your seasonings over all the tomatoes- the amount is up to you, just make sure every tomato has some of everything. Finally, drizzle another layer of EVVO over everything. Place cookie sheets in your oven at 200 degrees and bake them for about 5 hours.

Easy right? Mmm, and I can't tell you how good my house smelled while the tomatoes were baking! Once your tomatoes are cooled you can store them in a jar filled with more olive oil (this will keep them from molding). They should last up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator or you can portion them out into bags and freeze them.

Just before heading into work I made myself the most delicious snack with my goat cheese, wasa crisps and roasting tomatoes. YUM! Later this week I plan on making a penne pasta with farm fresh spinach, roasted tomatoes, and goat cheese- if there is any left!

I highly recommend this recipe- it is easy to make and the results are amazing! If you try it, drop me a line and let me know what you think!

Be well, be positive and GO to the farmers market!

rAchel

Give It Away....

2010-06-08T06:26:00.006-06:00

Hello~

Since my move I've been feeling a bit out of sorts: summer is officially here so I am working more nights at the restaurant, my house is certainly crazy and everything is being moved around every day, and we have a new doggy that is keeping me busy and rocking any shred of a routine that I may have left.

(Follow my re-arranging & settling in progress here)

So, to help me get my creative mojo back, I've decided to bring back some of my all time favorite colorways in both yarn and roving. This way I have a big project to focus on that will help me get those creative juices flowing again- no matter what kind of chaos is happening in my life! So far, it's working.

In honor of this fun and inspiring project- I'd like to give something back, or away as the case may be!

or

The winner of this OTR Giveaway can choose between 5 oz of hand painted merino wool roving OR 160 yards of handspun merino wool yarn!

Here's how to win, leave me a comment below telling me about your summer plans- creative, or otherwise! Also, while you're at it, some sharing love would be great too: link it, tweet it, post it, whatever you like! Please just make sure you leave me your email address so I know how to reach you in case you win. The winner will be chosen in one week on Tuesday, June 15th, 2010.

Also, be sure to check in with OTR's etsy shop all summer long to see some of these classic colorways!

How about getting in the give-a-way mood with some Red Hot Chili Pepper's

Be well, be positive!

rAchel

Maine Fiber Frolic

2010-06-05T13:34:00.015-06:00

Today we took a family trip to the Windsor Fair Grounds for the 10th Annual Fiber Frolic! The weather was terrible, but we had a blast anyway.

There were lots of beautiful animals to see and friendly fiber folks to chat up!

TT and Evan did a lot of wandering while I searched through the fleece tent. They are always so patient with me when I'm having a fiber attack.

Oh the fleece tent... I pretty much lost my mind for an hour as I went through ALL the fleeces for sale! Merino, Alpaca, Corriedale, Lincoln, Coopworth, Romney, Border Leicester, and on and on and on, black, brown, white, gray... in a word, heaven.

Finally, I settled on some heather gray Lincoln locks and some super crimpy Corriedale.

Yay! I'm super excited about this last round of farm fresh fleece! I will be washing and dyeing all this week and hopefully will start my turbo carding session by next weekend!

Happy Saturday!

b.e.w.e.l.l.BE.p.o.s.i.t.i.v.e

Summer Lovin'

2010-06-04T21:59:00.009-06:00

Things have been very busy around here in the last couple of weeks- I've got a lot of things brewing right now but I'm not quite ready to spill the beans! I will tell you this...there is a giveaway in the works so be sure to check back next week...

I hope you are all healthy and happy!

be well. be positive

rAchel

A Week In Review

2010-05-17T06:09:00.002-06:00

It has been a busy Busy BUSY week! I haven't had a lot of time to blog lately so I'm going to smoosh it all into one lovely post.

In Apartment News:

Evan and I have gotten to spend a lot of time sitting around the giant island in our kitchen enjoying delish micro brews offered downstairs at Hope General Store. We haven't even begun to scratch the surface of tasting all the amazing beers- I think there is over 100. Also, since our dinning room is so big I was able to put all three leaf's in my antique kitchen table making it huge and super fun to sit at during dinner. As soon as I get a new table cloth and some place setting's I'll take a picture for you.

In Doggy News:

The newest member of our family, Bessie, it adjusting extremely well. She fits right into this family and we are all so happy she is here. She loves catching flies, taking walks and shredding her toys! She is also a super huge cuddle love and is ALWAYS hungry- I understand that's a hound thing. Evan has started doing some off leash training with her this weekend and I'm going to work with a professional trainer some time next week so I can learn how to be a good doggie parent.

In OTR News:

I've been very busy washing and dyeing fleeces. I'm trying to get all my wool prepped up for a giant carding session. On top of being full of positive energy, this round of batts will also be full of fresh fleeces purchased directly from the farm- or farms as the case may be. I seem to be working with a lot of rich earthy and soft ephemeral colors and for fibers I have merino, rambouillet, border leicester, cormo, mohair, merino x romney, and clun forest on the way. I am also working on a new product that I hope to have available by the end of the week!

And that's what I did last week!

I hope you are all happy and healthy~

be.well.be.positive.

r.A.c.h.e.l

Settling In & Shaking It Up

2010-05-04T06:37:00.006-06:00

Saturday has come and gone and we are now in our NEW apartment!

For more pictures of our new living space, check out my Flickr page!

This new space is too good to be true. We felt at home here just about immediately- and our things are flying out of there boxes! In fact, I'm just about all unpacked except for my studio and a few boxes full of random things that I'm not even sure we need.

The hard part now is re-setting our life with new routines. I'm a serious creature of habit and I always feel a little lost with out my routines. Fortunately, we are also in a change of seasons and that some how makes it all easier. The sun is shining, the windows are open and we can play outside!

Speaking of new routines. Last night I was able to get the ball rolling on some OTR work. It's been a long week without fiber and I'm really anxious to get my momentum up again. My Moving Sale is now over and I've put my shop on vacation mode. I plan to re-open on May 6th (instead of the 9th). That seems to be the best day for me in conjunction with my restaurant schedule.

I have a whole pile of new yarn that I still need to weigh, measure, and photograph. Today's plan is to figure out my new photography set up. Once I know what that is going to look like I can change the look of my shop to coordinate. Also, I'll have dye pots simmering all day so that I will have more Roving & Sock Yarn to list on Thursday!

So, as always, never a dull moment. If you follow me on Twitter or on Facebook be sure to check in- I'll be posting some behind the scenes and sneak peaks!

Be well, be positive!

rAchel

Another Day Closer to Saturday

2010-04-27T06:31:00.006-06:00

Hello Friends.

This is moving week. Saturday is the big day. My house is a total mess and no longer warm and comfortable. I have a million things to spin/dye/soak/photograph/weigh/measure and I need to work at the restaurant all week. Needless to say, I'm overwhelmed.

But, we've all moved. We all know this feeling. So instead, here are some pictures to look at.

Yesterday I had to make more thank you cards to send with all my sold sale yarns.

This is my Cotton/Angora blend yarn that I'm using for my Corona Camisole.

Since spending time in our crazy house isn't that great right now, we decided to spend our pre-dinner family time at the beach looking for treasures and enjoying the beautiful weather!

So that's what I've been up to.

be well, be positive!

rAchel

Mission Accomplished!

2010-04-23T07:10:00.005-06:00

Every few months, I sit down with my Lova, Evan and come up with goals for OTR. I've been setting goals for myself as long as I can remember- a habit that was forced upon me by my mother.

I used to hate having to come up with goals. Now that I'm an adult I find myself loving this practice- especially when I accomplish them.

One of my goals for this quarter was to reach 800 sales.

Well, by day 4 into my Moving Sale I hit my goal! 800 sales have come and gone and I'm still smiling about it. Obviously I'm really happy about hitting 800 sales, but more than that, I just LOVE accomplishing a goal. It gives me great satisfaction and keeps me endlessly motivated.

For me, the trick with goals is making sure that you will have to put a significant effort into achieving them, while still making them attainable. You don't want to set yourself up for failure- you want to succeed! And when you do, nothing can match that feeling! It builds confidence and makes you feel in control.

Today I encourage you to set a goal for yourself. Personal, professional, financial- whatever you like. Push yourself to achieve something that you want to accomplish. Write it down. Post it on the fridge or your bathroom mirror. And more importantly, accomplish it. Trust me, you'll love the feeling.

Be well, be positive- set goals.

rAchel

Through My Eyes

2010-04-21T06:19:00.005-06:00

I was told something yesterday that made me sad.

Today I remind myself that I am so lucky to get to do what I do- no matter what anyone thinks about it.

I work hard every day, I make beautiful things, and I get to spend almost every waking minute with my beautiful, rambunctious, spirited, and smart baby girl.

Not everyone can look at my life and see how wonderful it is and sometimes that hurts me.

Those people are looking at my life through their eyes, but through my eyes, I have it all.

Moving Sale

2010-04-19T07:09:00.003-06:00

Yes...OTR is on the Move...Again.

Yes...this is the 4th time we've moved in 2 years.

Yes...we are super excited about it!

To celebrate another move OnTheRound is having a 20% off Sale!

That's 20% off all Handspun Yarn, Hand Dyed Sock Yarn (new!), Hand Painted Roving, & Hand Carded Fun Filled Fiber Batts! All prices have been adjusted (custom orders are excluded from this sale).

This sale will continue until May 8th. I will not be listing any new yarns until after we have moved.

There will be a giant shop update with lots of new fiber and yarn on May 9th so be sure to mark your calenders!

Please help me spread the word!

Be well, be positive~

rAchel

Night Life

2010-04-08T08:52:00.010-06:00

I'm really excited to see that Etsy is now featuring sellers who have jobs in addition to selling on Etsy. I've always really enjoyed the Quit Your Day Job series- it's SO inspiring to see these sellers who have achieved such success, but that's just not me. However, stories like Working Overtime: Christy Rose of KBShimmer
-I can relate to...well, sort of.

As I have mentioned before, I have a job outside of OnTheRound. By day I am a stay at home fiberiesta...and by night I stir up martini's and pour beer. My two jobs give me the balance that I need to keep my life running smoothly. Allow me to explain...

I started waitressing the summer after my first year of college, and that was possibly the best decision I made in my early adult life. Not only was I able to support myself through college but having the job itself greatly improved my college experience. Working 5 or 6 nights a week kept me out of trouble, gave me the discipline I needed to stay on top of my school work, and allowed me to meet tons of amazing people.

Eventually I moved on to bartending and continued to do that while starting my career as a fiber artist. I even continued to bartend throughout my pregnancy, but had to stop at about 7 months- for obvious reasons.

Once my daughter was about 16 monthes old I started bartending again and have been waitressing or bartending ever since.

Several times I've had customer's say to me, "You have a college degree, and you bartend?" My response, "I sure do! On top of staying at home with my 2 year old and owning/operating a small business." BAM!

For all the reason's waitressing was good for me in college, bartending is good for me now, plus the two jobs really work well together! I live in a community that relies on summer tourism; when the restaurant is busy, OTR is slower, and when the restaurant is slow, OTR is BUSY! Also, I'm able to maximize my profit in the least amount of time, allowing me to spin spin spin up a storm!

The best part about bartending for me is that I don't have to stress about money! I find it's far easier to be creative and stay focused on improving and growing my business when my livelihood is not depending on the financial support.

Will I bartend forever? Heaven's no! But for now it's the best thing for OTR, my family, and most importantly, ME!

Martini anyone?

Be well, be positive.
rAchel

How To: Prep A Batt

2010-04-07T10:51:00.009-06:00

Love the look of batts but don't have the slightest idea how to work with them? Allow me to show you how to prep a fibery fun batt for spinning!

This is how your batt will arrive.

First you want to open up your batt and lay it out flat.

Then you want to gently pull your batt into strip's. Leave the end of the strip connected to the whole and alternate ends so that you end up with a zig-zag.

Next you are going to draft out your batt into one long piece- like roving. When you are drafting out the wool you are going to want keep your hands about 6 inches apart. It will require some strength- but be sure to keep control so you don't just rip the wool apart.

It's best to draft out the wool several times to get it the thickness you want rather than try and draft it out very thin all at once. When your batt is drafted to your desired thickness, roll it up into a ball.

Now you are ready to spin!

This yarn will be available for purchase after this Fridy's Shop Update! Please check out the batts that are already available at ontheround!

New Routine

2010-03-28T12:46:00.010-06:00

Hello Friends- Happy Sunday!

It seems as though I've sunk into a new routine...

I bartend on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday nights so I tend to get more OTR work done on Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday. So naturally, it makes sense that I am listing my new yarns & fiber on these days. From now on you can count on shop updates on Tuesday and Friday afternoon/evenings.

Here is a little sneak peak of *some* of the goodies I will be posting on Monday, March 29th, 2010.

Now that's something to look forward to.

Be well, be positive + Happy Sunday.

rAchel

Just Can't Get Enough...

2010-03-23T09:38:00.006-06:00

Just Can't Get Enough...Virtue Natural.

I should start by saying, I am not a product girl. The only product I have ever consistently used in my entire life is Coco butter. With that said, in the last couple of years my lack of product has begun to show- in my face.

After having my child, my once perfect skin took a nose dive. For the last couple of years I've been trying out A LOT of over the counter face washes and NONE of them have made my face any better. In fact, most made the problem worse. I know, I know, a lot products claim it's going to get worse before it gets better, but I'm not going to keep using something that is making my face red and burn!

Of course I had found a lot of skin care products on etsy. Being a handmade girl I was obviously looking. I don't know though, I felt weird buying skincare prooducts from someone I didn't know or trust, my face had already been through too much.

Then, I met Sosae- the mastermind behind Virtue Natural. Roll out the red carpet and bring out the products!

I'd like to introduce, Radiant Complexion Mask, Radiant Complexion Scrub, and Radiant Complexion Serum!

Hello soft, smooth, and glowing skin!

Seriously, I can't say enough about these three products, and frankly every product available at Virtue Natural (trust me, I own them all). Not only does Virtue Natural use ALL NATURAL ingredients that are mostly ORGANIC- but they are affordable AND handmade! win Win WIN!

I just can't get enough Virtue Natural.
Check it: Virtue Natural's blog for new products, behind the scenes, super sweet knits and more!

Be well, be positive.

rAchel

In The Process

2010-03-22T13:17:00.005-06:00

Today I am in the process of dyeing merino wool.

With the help of Nemo, of course.

Yarn Porn

2010-03-18T17:36:00.002-06:00

I have my computer back and I don't have to work at the bar tonight. That mean's I'm finally updating my shop! Please do stop by soon and check out my new yarn and fiber.

I'm really just writing this blog to show off my new yarn porn though. Enjoy!

be well, be positive.

rAchel

Sitting In Limbo

2010-03-16T06:03:00.006-06:00

Still no computer today. I have my old computer to play around on, but I can't get any real work done. So, I kind of feel like I'm in limbo. If you find yourself in limbo, I highly recommend this song. It's an enjoyable way to pass the time.

Sitting in Limbo, by Jimmy Cliff.

Be well, be positive- even in limbo.

rAchel

Fiddley Fiber Art Bits Swap!

2010-03-13T06:36:00.011-07:00

Last night, my package for the Fiddley Fiber Art Bits Swap came in the mail! Dani from the fame Pumpkinhaus sent me possibly the greatest package I have EVER received.

I just wanted to share the goodness with you.

My mind is spinning! Thank you SO much Dani! I can't wait to get making- this yarn it is going to be craftastic!

For more information on the Fiddley Fiber Art Bits Swap, click here.

Form more information on Pumpkinhaus, click here.

Be sure to check back soon to see my finished yarn!

Be well, be positive.

rAchel

Hello Kitty.

2010-03-12T05:23:00.008-07:00

Meet the newest member of the OnTheRound Team! This is my Fancy Kitty Kitten Drum carder (available for sale here). This beautiful carder was handmade using 100% North American red oak hardwood and she is a beauty!

I've had my carder for a couple of weeks now and every batt I make is just as fun as the first! Before I got my carder I was hand carding rolags- a tedious task for someone to loves to blend. Before it would take me an entire days work to card and spin- now I can card and spin up to 5 skeins in a day!

Now thanks to my Fancy Kitty I can crank (pun intended) out lots of fun batts filled with fabulous fibers and good intentions.

Currently I'm working with merino, rambouillet, border leicester & cormo locks, super wash blue faced laicester, a few Maine wools, a little bamboo, and a lot of mylar for sparkle. Plus, I've got new fibers coming in ever day!

And with that, i will leave you with a little sneak peak of a couple of treats that I made last night. These Positive Vibrations Batts willl be available in my shop later today.

To see what Positive Vibrations Batts are already available, click here.

I'm off to card!

Be well, be positive.
rAchel

Do you plan to do great work today?

2010-03-11T05:33:00.005-07:00

It's 7:30 a.m. I just guzzled my first cupa coffee and have a hot bowl of oatmeal on my lap. The day has only just begun and yet I feel like I'm going to do great work today.

Why?

I've been doing A LOT of research this week through various blogs and business websites. I'm trying to motivate myself for the slower months creeping up around the bend. My goal, to make this slow time, my busiest season yet.

This morning I thought I would share with you a video that I just watched from one of my favorite Business blogs, Box of Crayons; Do Great Work Blog. This short video left me feeling inspired and empowered- an amazing way to start the day.

The Alchemy of Great Work - by Michael Bungay Stanier

Why not leave me a comment and tell me one of your goals.

Be well, be positive.
rAchel

Handspun Hat Pattern

2010-02-22T17:49:00.005-07:00

This is a great basic pattern for a handspun knit cap. It works great with hand painted yarn or as a template for stitch or color work. Need yarn? Check out my shop!

Materials
1 Skein, 3 oz , 110-120 yards Handspun Yarn
9-10 WPI
Pair of Size 9 Straight Knitting Needles
Pair of Size 10 Straight Knitting Needles
Tapestry Needle

Gauge
16 Sts x 25 Rows = 4” x 4”

Size S(M, L)
Measurements 18-20”(20-22”, 22-24”)

Directions
Using the smaller needles, co 70 sts. Work in rib pattern, *K1p1* Repeat, for both WS and RS for 6 rows. Switch to larger needles, RS, and purl one row even. For sizes M and L only *knit 7 sts, M1*, repeat- 80 Sts. Continue working in Stst for 5(5 ½, 6)”.

Begin dec row on RS. Work as follows, *K5(6,6) sts, K2Tog* repeat to end of row-60(70,70) Sts remain. Purl the next row.

Second dec row. Work as follows, *K4(5,5) sts, K2Tog* repeat to end of row. Purl the next row-50(60,60) Sts remain. Purl the next row.

Continue working in dec pattern, knitting one stitch less between each dec until 20 sts remain- all sizes. Purl one row after each dec row.

RS, *K2Tog* around, 10 sts remain- all sizes. Measure off approximately 24” of yarn and break off. Knit each stitch as normal, but after slipping the stitch onto the left needle pull the yarn through the stitch.

Repeat until all the stitches are off the needle. Pull the remaining yarn taught causing the stitches for form a circle.

Finally, using the remaining yarn and a tapestry needle sew, WS out, the two sides of your hat together and weave in loose ends.

I'd love to see your hat! Email pictures of your finished project to racheljonesknits@yahoo.com or add them to OnTheRound's Flickr Group.

What Have You Become: Rose Petal

2010-02-16T09:00:00.004-07:00

Rose Petal Merino Wool

Now Tea Rose Hat hand knit by my friend Sosae and available for purchase in her Etsy Shop, sosaecaetano

Want to share your ontheround yarn creations? Email your photos to racheljonesknits@yahoo.com

Ravelypmpics Pre Game Video Journal!

2010-02-12T11:50:00.002-07:00

Follow my Ravelympic progress through my video journal!

Not Sure what happened the the end of the video...I was basically just signing off and telling you to subscribe to my youtube page so that you can catch all my video journals!

You can also follow my progress on Twitter, Ravelry, & Facebook

Sock it to me

2010-01-27T13:41:00.002-07:00

I am a changed woman. Something has come over me. I am not only addicted to knitting socks (which I previously hated), but I am knitting them on size 3 needles (size 5 WAS as low as I would go) and knitting them on 2 circulars (I swear by dpn’s). All of this drastic change- and I’m loving it.

It all started after I joined in on KnittyDirtyGirl’s handspun sock knit-a-long. She is one of those crazy knitters full of sock love- particularly of the handspun variety. She is so fun and kooky it’s hard not to want to join in on anything she is doing! So I jumped on board and knit my socks in just a few days (once I finally got the yarn spun)!

You can read about that experience here and Raveler’s can see the project here or join in the KAL here.

Since I completed the KAL socks, I’ve worn them too many times to count and washed and dried them just as many (yay superwash!). I particularly like wearing this pair when I’m around the house, which is often. On top of that, I’ve been listening to the complete Knit Pick’s Podcast with Kelley Petkun, an avid sock knitter. Listening to her ramblings about the wonder of socks has really turned me on to all the sock possibilities.

And then there is the method. Both Kelley and Rachel-Marie knit their socks on two circular needles. I can remember the first time I saw someone doing this. I was doing jury duty and a woman was there knitting socks on two circulars. I thought she was insane. I don’t remember what I was knitting but I am almost certain it was in the round on dpn’s as that is my favorite method of knitting. Or should I say, was.
After wearing my KAL socks in sneakers I realized why people use such small yarn and needles for socks- my feet were a little cramped, ok a lot cramped. Confession, this is the reason why I prefer to wear my socks around the house. Also, when using dpn’s you often get lines up your knitting where your needles change, at least I do. I hate that.

So, with those two factors in mind and endless inspiration for Rachel-Marie and Kelly, I bravely cast on my current pair of socks using 2-24” no.3 circular needles. They are coming along swimmingly! I am in love! It was a little tricky at first, since I went into it without actually learning how it is done, but quickly got the gist (I assure you, it’s not rocket science). And honestly, no. 3’s seem barely any different than 5’s as far as speed goes. I started my socks late last night, and by lunch time I had finished turning my first heel.
I should also note that with my KAL socks I used the Lifestyle sock pattern by Charisa Martin Cairn. I however decided that I would rather knit them from cuff to toe and this decision proved to be a bad one. For this pair I am happily knitting toe up. ..Lesson learned.

In other news…

I decided on the pattern for my February sweater for the Sweater A Month Challenge. I am going to knit a Peplum Cardigan by Lion Brand Yarn. Also, I’ve decided to knit it with Lion Brand’s Vanna’s Choice yarn- which is acrylic *DUM DUM DUUUUUUUM*. More on that to come.

Until next time, be well & be positive.

Happy Etsianniversary To Me!

2010-01-12T07:03:00.008-07:00

Today is my two year anniversary selling on etsy! I am just so unbelievably happy that I get to make things that I so passionately love, and people actually want to buy them!

Click here to read what I wrote after my one year Etsianniversary.

In the past year:

I’ve reached over 600 sales- thanks to some very loyal and AMAZING customers. Selling yarn, I’ve really come to LOVE being a part of people’s creative process!

I said (or am still saying goodbye) to my old friends the felt bangles. I started selling bangles on the site as a way to get my foot in the door and make some start up money. And within a year, felt bangles did just that for me. This business was literally built on felt bangles! So thank you felt bangles, you did good!

I've reached ALMOST 1,000 followers on Twitter! If you haven't yet, join me in my daily musings about life, motherhood, making, spinning, selling, & knitting!

I got my first negative feedback. A cosmic joke played on me and my customer. Her yarn was mysteriously lost in the mail, not returned to me, and then to top it off, the customers email was lost in a sea of notifications and updates. As soon as I realized what happened I quickly fixed the situation in a way that left that my customer very happy with her experience. We since can’t get the negative feedback changed. Honestly, it doesn’t even bother me. It’s not a perfect system, and I can take negative criticism…at last. You can’t have up without a little down, right?

I was able to retire my antique starter spinning wheel when I purchased an Ashford Kiwi! Now looking back, I have NO idea how I managed to make anything with that old clunker wheel. But like the bangles, it got me started, and I am grateful.

I burned through almost 180 lbs of merino– that’s more than my weight in wool! I had a lot of fun working on my dyeing techniques this year. I started the year out doing large dye lots of semi solid colors, and finished with small limited edition runs of semi-solids, hand painted self striping, and kettle cooked. You can look forward to seeing a lot more amazing color ways this year as I plan to push my skills even further! I’m working on a new photo album on my Facebook Fan Page – become a fan and check out my Year of Yarn!

I did my first craft show- and second, and third, and fourth! This year I discovered how much I LOVE doing craft shows! It’s really fun to get to see people see/touch/feel/smell your wares and to get to talk to other crafters face to face. I look forward to doing more shows in the coming year!

I created a look/feel/attitude in my shop that I am really please with- and excited by! I spent a lot of time this year reading the Etsy Blog and Forums. There is an unbelievable amount of helpful information in both about owning and operating a successful business. But, just because I’m happy now, doesn’t mean things can’t get better! I plan to continue to research and make changes to better my customers experience, my visibility, and my organization.

What’s next?

Now that I have my yarn line in a good place, I intend to offer more knits made with handspun and bring back hand dyed roving. I also plan to keep designing knitting patterns. Specifically- simple, classic knits made with handspun yarn.

Right now you can download my Handspun Baby Doll Tunic for free and if you’re on Ravelry, why not join in my Handspun Baby Doll Tunic KAL generously hosted by Rawfish.

And of course, in the coming year you can expect everything I do to be filled with positive energy and love!

Be well, be positive!

Sweater’s, Sock’s, & Olympics, OH MY!

2010-01-06T09:40:00.003-07:00

Yay! I finished my first Sweater! ….I finished it days ago but my internet has been on the fritz- but that’s another story and in the spirit of keeping this positive I won’t go there.

Anyway, YAY!

This is a baby doll tunic that I knit using some of my very own handspun. It was about 720 yards of merino wool , about 11 wpi. I knit it raglan style, top down, on size 10 circulars. I must say, it came out exactly how I envisioned it!

I knit this sweater intuitively. I’ve decided that’s what I’m going to call my knitting style, intuitive knitting. I tend to “wing it”- I get a design in my mind, but I never put it down on paper or work out the details mathematically or otherwise. I trust my gut and problem solve as issues arise.

Originally, I think I identified my style as free form knitting, but that doesn’t seem fitting. Although I’m not following a pattern, there is really nothing free form about it. I know what I want it to be in the end, the trick is just getting there!

To me, intuitive knitting is: having a very clear idea of what you want to accomplish, a good understanding of the material(s) that you are using, and a broad spectrum of skills needed, i.e. increasing and decreasing techniques. It’s also important to TRUST the process. For me, that’s what knitting is all about- the process. Sure getting something amazing in the end is awesome, but it’s the journey that I really enjoy.

…In other knitting news…
I am also participating in Knittydirtygirl ‘s Handspun Sock KAL that she is hosting in Rawfish ‘s Ravely group.
I purchased some gorgeous hand dyed superwash merino from SpinnersHeart and spun it into about 300+ yards of worsted weight yarn.

After I finished my sweater I began knitting my socks on size 5 dpns (I’m not really into the super small needle/yarn thing) using Charisa Martin Cairn’s Lifestyle Sock Pattern, which is totally up my alley!

Of course I had to be different though and I knit it cuff down rather than toe up. This of course totally came back to bite me in the butt when I ran out of yarn as I approached the toe of the second sock.

I’m still thinking through how I am going to deal with this. I’m either going to rip out the feet of both socks and shorten the cuff (which I really don’t want to do, because I love the length), or I am going to purchase some more superwash in a solid color for the toes (probably what I’ll do).

And lastly, I’m going to participate in the Ravelympics…because I’m INSANE! I’ve joined KnitFemme’s Handspun Knitters Team and I’ve been busily going through my stash and picking out patterns for the big event. More on that soon!

Be well, and be positive!

A Deranged Assignment

2009-12-30T21:15:00.002-07:00

Dear, sweet, Allyson from Sweat Shop of Love decided to knit a sweater for every month- 12 sweaters in a year. Good for her! Then she invited others to join her, I read about it in her blog. I began dreaming about it at night.

I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing and wonderful to knit 12 sweaters? A couple of days later I caught her tweet asking who was going to participate- someone responded saying she had never even knit a sweater before and she was going to join in! At that point I started thinking; I should knit a sweater every month for a year.

Yes, I can knit a sweater every month. There are SO many patterns in books, magazines, pdf files, and on loose pieces of paper floating around my house. Here’s a thought, why not actually knit them? It all feels so Julie Powell. I love it.

So, I’m going to knit a sweater every month for a year- 12 sweaters.

My strategy will be to have no strategy. Well that's not true, I'm going to (try) stay loose though. I'm trying not to plan too much ahead because I don't know what lies ahead. I'm going to take it one day at a time.

I think I'm going to make that my mantra for the year. Stay loose.

So stay tuned. It’s going to be a craftastic year!

Happy (the) Holidays (are over)!

2009-12-27T12:02:00.013-07:00

It's been a truly amazing month- but I'm so glad the Holidays are over! I hope you all had a wonderful time with friends and family- we did! Here's a look at the past month in photos. Enjoy...

This was our first Christmas with our very own tree! We cut it down ourselves from a lot of tree's my dad planted many years ago. It's actaully just the top of a very large tree.

our two year old, Taylor, was obviously very excited about having a tree in our home.

I got a lot of knitting done! I was able to knit over 10 things for Christmas gifts! This is a capelet that I designed and knit for my sister.

These are pictures from the Picnic Holiday Show I did. My friend Davey made me brunch, was nice enough to take pics for me, and hosted an after party! It was a very successful and fun weekend!

After going through most of November with very little merino- I did A LOT of dying in December! I've become really addicted to hand painting and kettle cooking.

We had a really fun cookie party last weekend.

On Christmas eve we had the most delicious prime rib- cooked by moi!

Santa Came!

Extreme bed head!

On Christmas day my family came over and we opened presents- lots of presents!

What's left for the last few days of the month? Well, lots of cleaning that's for sure!

Be well. Be positive.

What's In A Name?

2009-11-24T05:37:00.004-07:00

There has been a lot of tweets on Twitter about names. It's been interesting to see how people chose their titles and how they feel about them. All this chatter has been making me think about my chosen alias.

I go by ontheround- obviously.

It's interesting because I consider ontheround to be an actual part of my identity. I am ontheround. If someone were to yell out, "Hey ontheround!" I would respond.

I like my name to be written like this: rAchel.jones and I like On The Round to be written like this: ontheround. Spell check and I are always fighting about that.

rAchel.jones was always my "brand name" in college, but when I started my Etsy shop I wanted something more subtle. I spent a lot of time brainstorming and thinking about a name that I could grow with. I wanted it to be something that represented my beliefs about life/ lifestyle and my love for fiber, with the possibility of creating an attitude/way of life for my customers/followers/friends.

So while brainstorming, I was doodling circles (like I always do) and writing words that popped into my head. When trying to write In The Round (like as in, knitting in the round), I accidentally wrote ontheround (just like that) and immediately I knew that was the name for me.

It's perfect for several reasons, I will go into some detail.

Literally:

I LOVE to knit In The Round. My nana taught me to knit when I was about 7 and somewhere along the way someone gave me a book called "Sunny's Mitten's". It was that book that taught me to knit using 4 needles in the round and that was pretty much all I did up until my first year of college. I couldn't figure out why my stitches looked so different when I used straight needles. In college when I got serious about knitting I realized that I was missed an important detail- the purl stitch. Still, everything just seems easier to me, in the round.

Also, in terms of spinning- hello, the wheel goes aRound and aRound. I think you get that.

Philosophically:

After coming out of a very dark time in college I developed this philosophy about "the full circle". I became very interested in "the process" and follow through, circles, cycles, individual parts making the whole, and so on. These ideas filled my mind, art, and attitude. It was these thoughts, belief's, and ideas, that strongly contributed in making me the person that I am today.

So that's pretty much why I'm ontheround.

Positive Vibrations

2009-11-23T06:42:00.011-07:00

Anyone who follows me on Twitter or Facebook knows that I had a very busy weekend. Well, if you consider sitting and spinning busy. I cleaned, prepped, dyed, and spun 4 skeins of yarn from start to finish, and have about 6 more in various stages of the process.

I'm really excited about this series, for several reasons. First, I'm using wool that I purchased from Els Farm in Union, ME. It is Friesian wool which has a nice crimp, about a 4" staple, takes dye beautifully, and produces and excellent woolen yarn!

Second, I am hand painting almost all the the skeins in this series and playing with color combination's and saturation. It's been a really fun process for me because I'm using the dyes in a much different way than I usually do. And I'm loving it!

Both those reason's bring me to the third reason why I am so excited about this series; This yarn is a true product of Maine! Maine Sheep, Maine Dye, Hand Spun by a Mainer, in Maine! How cool is that?! Not to mention that the wool came directly from the sheep, to me, and then to you! That's only one degree of separation from you to the sheep! How many purchase's can you make where that is the case... I'm guessing not too many.

Even if you're not from Maine, by purchasing this yarn you are helping to support our local economy! Yay! Now that's something to feel good about... I always fill my yarn with positive energy, but this series is really bursting with positive vibrations!

Here are some working pictures:

Here are some pictures of the wool in various stages of the process:

Also going on this week I am beginning my Handmade Christmas! This will be the first year that my family is celebrating the holidays in our home. I'll be sharing the fun with you all month long!

Be well & be positive!

Some Miscellaneous Thoughts

2009-09-09T06:11:00.005-06:00

I have several thoughts to share with you today.

Today i was thinking about why I love working from home. I got out of bed, hung some wool to dry that had been soaking all night, made Taylor breakfast, made coffee, put on a dye pot, had some breakfast myself, cleaned a little, now I"m messing around on the internet, and then I'm going to spin for an hour or so while T plays. My entire day will be like that. Work some, play some, work some, eat some, work some, clean some, work some, go to bed. That's my kind of day.

ALso, I'm super excited to say that some of my Swiss Chard hand spun yarn has been nominated on Etsy Voter: Which Handspun Yarn Makes You Feel Crafty? Not only am I so honored to be up there with so many super fabby spinners- but it's also super cool to have such a big spotlight on spinning!

Check out what some handspun that makes me feel crafty!

I suppose I have some other things to say, but they will have to wait for another day- my daughter has decided enough is enough.

Happy 9-9-09!

An Absolutely Perfect Evening

2009-08-18T07:29:00.010-06:00

Yesterday was another steamy hot day in Mid Coast Maine and my daughter and I were stranded at our apartment all day after Evan took our one and only car to work. We were stranded in our attic apartment with poor insulation and skylights that the sun beats down on all day cooking us like bugs under a magnifying glass. It was brutal.

So when Evan got home, we decided to pack up dinner and have a picnic at the beach! I sent Evan and Taylor out and about while I quickly made a stir-fry and then we headed out to Lucia Beach.
It was absolutely perfect there. The temperature was still warm, but with an amazingly cooling sea breeze, the tide was low giving us lots of beach to play on, it was practically deserted, and the water was perfectly chilly!

After a swimming, playing, and building a sand castle, we headed up to the grassy knoll for some delicious stir-fry.

By the time we headed home, we had all forgotten how hot and miserable the day had been. It was an absolutely perfect evening.

Cheers!

My Beloved Saturday Morning & Harvest Series

2009-08-13T07:36:00.007-06:00

Harvest Season is officially upon us! And although that means summer is coming to an end, I am usually too distracted eating all the delicious fare to even notice!

My two year old usually spends Friday night with my mother at our camp, and my partner usually works side jobs that require him to get up and out of the house VERY early. This leaves little ol’me all alone at home on Saturday mornings. It is an understatement to say that I LOVE Saturday mornings! I consider this time to be very precious…

On Saturday mornings, all by myself, I wake up around 8:30 (bliss!), I get a posh café au lait from the uber hip coffee shop across the street, and then I slowly mosey on up to the farmers market. When I started this tradition, I used to go through to all the booths and try and find the best of everything, no matter how many different stops it took. But then I quickly came to realize that there is only one stop that I needed to make, and that is at After The Fall Farm.

I cannot sing enough praise about this farm. The young couple that run it are absolutely the coolest and friendliest people; they are small, local, sustainable, and pesticide free; and best of all, everything they grow is, without a doubt in my mind, the best I’ve ever tasted! They are the first thing that I think about on my beloved Saturday morning!

I buy whatever they have available- that I know my family will eat and will last through the week. It’s never the same and it’s always exciting to choose. And somehow, no matter what I get, it always comes to $20. I’m not sure if I have a knack for pricing out my veggies or if my favorite farmers just know that I have a $20 budget…

This week, I bought eggs, new potatoes (red and white), swiss chard, green leaf lettuce, an assortment of green/burgundy/white beans, and cucumber.

That brings me to my Harvest Series. All week I have been posting hand spun, hand dyed yarn that has been inspired by this seasons Harvest. Spending Saturday Mornings at the farmers market and eating such delicious food has seeped into my love of dying and fiber art. So I will continue to offer delicious fresh harvest fare in the form of yarney goodness throughout the summer and into the fall. I can only hope to bring a little bit of my love of Saturday’s and After the Fall Farm to you!

Cheers!

Heirloom Long Cowl Free Knitting Pattern

2009-07-30T13:32:00.005-06:00

I love this pattern! It is fun and quick to knit and the results are amazing!

This cowl is soft and light-perfect for all seasons! Plus it is versatile, you can wear it across your shoulders, folded over as a neck warmer, or worn loosely around your neck.

It is worked in a combination of ribbing and garter stitch giving it a great drape and interesting texture.

Heirloom Long Cowl Knitting Pattern

Size
xs(s, m, l, xl)

Measurements
36(38, 40, 42, 44)

Materials
260 yards sport weight hand spun yarn
22" Size 9 Circular Needle
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle

Stitch Patterns
Rib Pattern: *K1P1* Around
Garter Stitch Pattern: P1 Row, K1 Row, P1 Row, K1 Row, P1 Row

Directions
Co 130(138, 146, 152, 160)sts. Place marker and join to knit in the round, use caution not to twist the stitches. Work in rib pattern for 5 rows. Knit one row even. Work garter stitch pattern. Knit one row even. Work in rib pattern for 5 rows. Knit one row even. Work garter stitch pattern. Knit one row even. Work in rib pattern for 5 rows. Knit one row even. Work garter stitch pattern. Knit one row even. Work in rib pattern for 5 rows. Bind off. Sew in loose ends. Block garment. Enjoy!

Trend Spotting: Vests

2009-07-13T10:39:00.005-06:00

Summer is officially here-which means it's time to start thinking ahead to fall. I know what I'll be offering for my fall knit fashions in my etsy shop, OnTheRound , but I'm not quite ready to reveal them yet.

So instead, I thought I would offer up some thoughts on one trend that I know it going to be heating up when the weather starts cooling down...

Vests

I'm loving this vest from ileaiye Seems like a great look for those Indian Summer days that we're all so familiar with in Maine!

Nothing says fall like Argyle and this vintage vest available from Starlet Vintage is no exception! At $18 this vest is not only a steal, but a classic piece that would be great by itself in the fall and layered in the winter!

This organic cotton wrap by ednaandwilhemina is perfect for the Eco Fashioniesta in all of us! Good for the environment, good for your wallet, and good for your back to school look!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this trend! Please leave your comments below and be sure to check out the shops featured in this blog!

Hand Dyed, Hand Spun, Hand Knit by rAchel.jones

2009-07-02T08:13:00.005-06:00

I'm am so pleased to reveal my new Hand Dyed, Hand Spun, Hand Knit Sweater!
Drum roll please...

This sweater is extra special not only because it is my own design, but it's the first big project that I have knit with my own hand spun yarn! I don't mean to toot my own horn...but beep beep!

Here are the specs:

8- 100/120 yard skeins of aran weight, self striping, hand spun merino wool
Hand Dyed in Spring Green Colorway, more available at www.ontheround.etsy.com
worked in the round using Size 10 circular needles (16"/24")
Garter Stitch detailing in the yoke and at the base and on the sleeves.
Size Woman's Large
Boatneck
1/2 length wide sleeves

I plan on working the pattern out, but I think there are a couple of changes that I will make. I would like the sleeves to be slightly wider and the body slightly thinner, also I think I will make it a touch longer. Stay tuned, I will post the pattern in my blog when it's done! Thanks for looking!

I took your picture

2009-07-01T07:45:00.003-06:00

I saw myself in you.

Sweater In Progress

2009-06-29T12:28:00.005-06:00

Lately I've been trying to focus on knitting. I really need some new knits and patterns for my shop- but I also want to be able to show how AMAZING my yarn knits up!

Right now I am knitting a sweater using my Spring Green Merino Wool in an aran weight. I've had this sweater stored away in my mind for almost a month now and really needed something fun and colorful to cheer me up. It has been raining for three weeks here in Mid Coast Maine and this Spring green is definitely uplifting!

I am knitting free form from my imagination in the round using size 10 circular needles. This size needle works great with this weight yarn- it's knitting up quick and giving my sweater a nice drape.

I love color, but hate doing color work and my naturally variegated yarn is the perfect solution! It knits up in a self-striping pattern in different tones of green.

I am almost done with my sweater! All I have left to do is the lower half of the body and a border in a garter stitch. I'm going to have to take a little break though because I still have two more skeins that I have to spin and I'm out of yarn! Next time I'm going to finish spinning before I start knitting! Patients young grasshopper!

If you like this yarn and want to knit your own free form-whatever in my lovely hand spun check out my etsy store!

I hope the sun is shining where ever you are!

My First Craft Show

2009-06-08T18:25:00.010-06:00

This past weekend I attended my very first craft show! I had a booth at the Old Port Festival in Portland, Maine. It turned out to be a really beautiful sunny day and there were TONS of people! All in all it was a really great first experience!

How it went/what worked

My friend Lia was gracious enough to help me with set up which was awesome! Set up all together went super well, mostly because I had my booth set up in my living room aweek prior to the show (it's nice to have my living room back now!). Also, I had done all my inventory and tagging before the show and I'm so happy I did. At no point did I feel rushed, panicked, or unprepared.

Once the show got started I wasn't really sure what to do with myself-I had hurry up and wait syndrome. At that point I was really eager to have some one come in my booth and buy something. Thankfully, I brought my spinning wheel a long so instead of just hovering and fearing the worst, I sat down and did some spinning. Turns out bringing my wheel was a great idea! Not only did it keep me unbelievably calm and comfortable the entire time- it was a huge hit with the crowd! I really feel like it brought a lot of people into my booth who might not have come in otherwise. And the kids really loved it which was really fun! I forget how foreign a concept spinning wool is to most people considering how every day it is to my life. It was really interesting to see peoples reactions to seeing someone spinning. I will most definitely bring my wheel with me again!

I did have to make a quick re-arrange to my booth after about twenty minutes of foot traffic. I was noticing that people were looking into my tent from outside and not going in. So I re-arranged and put my bangles in the front entrance to lure people in. That turned out to be a very good decision and soon the sales came rolling in!

What I will do differently

For the next craft show I do (not sure where that will be yet), I will surely be tweeking some things. This time I brought one 6 foot table. Next time I will ALSO bring my 4 foot table to put all the jewelry on and leave the fun fibery supplies on the other table. I think that will also help draw people into my booth and help create a flow. I also need to find a better way to display my knits and have more knitty goods, knit in my yarn. Not sure on the solution for display yet, please comment with suggestions. And lastly I will bring more skeins of "art yarn" because the couple that I had got a lot of attention and sold quickly!

And Finally

I was accidently super smart and invited all my friends who came to see me at the festival to meet me back at my booth at five, so that we could get a drink. This eneded up being super smart because break down became fast and easy with five friends to help! We were seated and drinking at the Sebeago Brewing Co. by 5:30! There I enjoyed a most amazing burger and some delicious Lake Trout Stout! YUM! After I filled my belly and quenched my thirst I made the long haul home and unloaded.

All in all it was a great day, and a great experience! I can't wait to do it again!

Felt Bead Tutorial

2009-06-03T19:31:00.014-06:00

During this past winter Ive had the privilege to work with Cara Romano
making the beads for her beautiful jewelry line. In the past few months I've become rather good at making felt beads, so I thought I would share my process with you.

To begin you will need
 A large bowl or tub filled hot water and approximately 1 teaspoon of gentle dish soap.
 A small container filled with soap.
 A towel
 Wool Roving
 A scale (optional)

Getting started:

With one hand hold the roving loosely and with your other hand pluck small clumps off wool off of the roving. Be sure to keep all the wool laying in the same direction.

Wrap the plucked wool neatly around your finger. Forming a small tube,

Holding both ends of the wool tube, pull the wool gently into a long strip.

Roll the wool up into a tight and even ball.

The better your ball is now, the easier your ball will felt up!

Hold the ball of wool in your hand and submerge completely in the hot soapy water. Hold it in the water long enough for it to be completely saturated in water.

Remove the wool from the water (do not wring out any excess water) and begin VERY gently rolling the wool between your palms. The goal is to felt the outer layer of the ball first so that it will have a nice even surface.

Once you have felted the outer layer of the wool you will be able to apply pressure without causing the ball to fall apart.

Submerge the wool in the hot water again and squeeze a few times. Remove ball from the water and dab a very small amount of dish soap in your hand. Now begin rolling the ball around in your palm again, but this time add more and more pressure until the ball is the desired density and is eve.

When you are done felting all of your balls, soak them in a bowl full of cold water and agitate. This will get all of the excess soap out of the balls. Allow balls to air dry.

Thanks for checking out my tutorial- I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Extreme Shop Makeover: Ontheround Edition

2009-01-28T08:32:00.011-07:00

As I was standing there making hundreds of bangles this morning staring out the window in deep thought, it occurred to me...I've had a major shop makeover in the last month (this thought isn't as random as it seems, I was reading etsy's blog shop makeover series)!

So I thought we'd all take a look at that today and I'd offer up some tips on how I improved my etsy shop.

First and foremost, PHOTOGRAPHS!

My photos have come a long way! Here's a look at some photos past:

This is one of the first items I ever posted on etsy. I don't think this shot was a total failure, but I had beginners luck on my side. I used a big piece of white heavy paper as my back drop. The problem with this photo is the intense shadow. I took this in the living room of my old apartment that was "cursed" with heavenly amounts of sunset all day every day. Great for basking in the sun and knitting, not so good for shop images.

Here you can see my beginners luck wore off quickly! I used a large drawing pad to keep up with the white background and make it easier to move around the house depending where the light was best. Apparently this wasn't that place! This shot is WAY to dark and really distorts the color of the bangles, placement is pretty boring, and I should have cropped the spiral of the notebook out. Duh.

Well, at least I found a photo editor! For this photo I used the same notebook backdrop as above, but I used it in a better light source. I also used picnik.com to brighten and sharpen the images. And that's not all I used picnik for! I thought that I could make my items seem more interesting if I added a frame and my web address. Looking back I'm able to see that how silly that idea was. Obviously people knew where the website was, they were there after all! In addition, the frame only took away from the item not make it better. And most importantly, a better way to make this items more interesting would have been to change the way I photographed it "stuff" to the picture. Picnik is still a very useful tool however, it is how I made my banner.

So that brings us to now. This is how I photograph the main image on my bangles currently. I switched the background to something a little softer. I discovered that plain white is just that, plain. I also discovered the best time and place for taking pictures and I stick to it. Finally, I changed the way I arranged the bangles and the angle that I took the photo. I realized that the most important part of my main image is to show the color and the craftsman ship of the item. I still use the neatly stacked arrangement in my photographs, I just don't think it's the best main image.

Here are some tips on how you can create your own look:

*Use the same backdrop for every picture. I use a large piece of wallpaper that is is easy to roll up and put away when I'm not taking pictures. Make sure it is large enough so that you can prop half of it up an create a backdrop and a base. Be sure that the colors and pattern are not a distraction and go with the look that you are trying to create.

*Coordinate the banner and avatar to further the look that you are trying to create in your shop. Originally I used the same backdrop for my banner as in my photographs, but that was too matchy matchy. Instead I switch it to a photograph that had the same color scheme and used Picnik to crop the image and add text.

*And finally, don't give up! Every week I try and improve the images of an item in my shop and every week I learn something new.

Ode to Blue and Green

2009-01-16T13:20:00.001-07:00

Looking at my growing pile of dyed wool I've realized that I really only like blues and greens. Sure I do reds and purples and yellows because I have to, but I really only like blues and greens...and blues over greens if I really need to choose. I think it's because I'm an Aquarius.

A Year In Review

2009-01-14T07:44:00.014-07:00

Well my etsy anniversary has come and gone (it was the 12th) very quietly...actually that day broke a really great sales streak and I haven't had one since! Oh the irony.

I thought I might take a moment and reflect a little on the past year.

I learned about etsy through my good friend Jan who is the lovely lady behind SojournQuilts. We were at an open studio at the time, she was selling at the event and I worked for the studio putting on the show. I knew she sold of etsy before but we had never had an opportunity to really discuss it at length until then.

After that weekend I was really excited to have an outlet for my creativity in a way that might support my habit. I of course was timid though and needed a lot of pushing from my partner, Evan. In my mind I needed to have everything perfect... shop name, profile information, items, all the details needed to be worked out before I could get started. The funny part is that when I finally sat down and started, I really did think that I had all the kinks worked out and things were perfect!

I got my first sale within the first two weeks of selling. I was elated! Actually, I had to call Jan immediately to tell her, I remember spinning in circles in my computer chair. I was also really nervous. When I started packing the piece (immediately even though it was 8 o'clock in the evening) I started freaking out because I was scared that the woman who bought the bracelet was going to decide she hates it after seeing it. The woman ended up returning the bracelet...it wasn't because she thought I was terrible though, it was because it didn't fit. I think that was the best start to my selling on etsy! I quickly realized that it's not the end of the world if someone buys something and it turns out not to be what they wanted. I didn't get over the nervousness of selling for at least 6 months though.

And then there is waiting for feedback! After my first few sales I was obsessively checking my etsy page every five minutes waiting for feedback. I was (and still am a little) deathly afraid of negative feedback. It's been a year and I haven't gotten any yet, but I just can't let my guard down! This was my first feedback "These thin bangles are so fun! Each time I wear them, I am asked what they are made of and where I bought them. These have turned out to be a real hit! Thank you! I will be back!" It was from my mom! What a wonky set of bangles!

In the beginning, I found it harder to make the time to make things. I think a lot of it had to do with the anxiety I was experiencing when posting items. I also had a new baby and was nursing every five minutes. Now that I'm not nursing anymore I'm amazed at all the extra time that has appeared in my day! Also, when we decided to sell off all of our belongings and move to Montana I needed to get rid of things that I had been hording and make money for the trip. That really took the edge off of my fears, plus with all the posting the sales really started to roll in.

Then we came home from Montana and I felt a little crazy and a lotta lost so I really started poring myself into making. This was also right around when the Christmas sales started rolling in. Finally I was posting regularly, getting custom orders and repeat business and lots of sales. Also, all the time that I was putting in my shop really made things come together like my policies and figuring out how to photography my items in a way that would make them interesting.

I still have a lot to learn, but going into my second year I can't help but feel really confident. I no longer feel anxious when I get a sale or waiting for feedback because I know that my items are cool and made well. Finally, I'm taking the time to experiment and try new things confidently because I know that if it doesn't work out, I've still got a lot of good ideas!

Speaking of making....I better get to it!

Adventures in Spinning Part 1

2009-01-11T08:57:00.004-07:00

I've mentioned before that I got an antique spinning wheel for Christmas. Now, I knew that it was a spinning wheel, but that was about it. That was roughly three weeks ago.

In that time I learned that I didn't have a bobbin or a flyer, found one antique flyer with bobbin on ebay, bought it (shipped in from London), made a new driving band, repaired the bobbin that came in from London (with sculpie and gorilla glue), made two new leather bearing (sacrificing one of my fathers old belts), figured out that the yarn doesn't actually go around the wheel that is just what makes the flyer go, and a lot of other little details in between that I won't bore you with.

This morning, I put it all together (with a lot of help from my mother's boyfriend, Roland) and sat down for a spin. Although it was far from beautiful homespun yarn, it certainly was homespun yarn. And I did all of this before even getting to the chapter on spinning in The Joy of Spinning.

I don't know, I'm feeling pretty bad ass right now.

Amazingly Good Lunch

2009-01-10T10:27:00.002-07:00

Chicken Salad Salad

Chicken Salad:
2 Cups of roasted chicken (leftovers or otherwise), diced
1/3 Cup red onion, diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 T Honey Dijon mustard
Mayo or Miracle Whip to taste (I hate the stuff so I go really light and it's still yummy)

Salad:
Handful of baby spinach
Scoop of Chicken Salad (above)
Handful of sunflower seeds
Handful of dried cranberries (raisin’s would be good too if that's what you have!)
Half of a pear cut into small cubes

Optional:
Hardboiled egg slices
Bacon

Vegetarian Option:
Replace chicken with potato or egg

Enjoy! (I know I did!)

The Perfect Skirt...almost.

2009-01-09T12:27:00.005-07:00

Lately I've really been itching for some skirts.

I love wearing skirts in the winter especially ones where you can conceal your ugly long johns! When we moved to Montana I pretty much sold off all of my clothes and that included my couple of skirts (well, that's not entirely true, I do have two but I got them right after I had my baby and was considerably larger).

I've had my eye on some really cute amazing handmade skirts on etsy, but I'm trying to be cheap right now. Fear not sewers on etsy, I can only hold off for so long.

I suspect I have a job interview coming soon (more on that when more is known) and I really only have jeans and "comfy pants". I just don't want to spend a lot of money and really need instant gratification. To me, that combination of wants and needs always warrants a trip to Reny's. For those of you who do not live in Maine, Reny's is a store that sells seconds and items in surplus that other major brand names are trying to get rid of. It's pretty great for anyone who loves a bargain!

So anyway, long story short, I found this really great skirt ( I don't know the brand because they cut out the tags) that is black and long and loose! Just what I've been envisioning (I'm wearing all black and gray lately because it hides the extra holiday pounds...duh)!! It’s perfect...almost. I'm a long lady of 5 feet 10 inches and I ALWAYS have a problem with the length of long skirts...and this skirt was no exception. However, being the cleaver lady I am, I figured buy it and figure out the details later...I mean whose going to walk away from just what they've been looking for with a $9.99 price tag...No one!
Like I said, me being the cleaver girl I am, I got my skirt home and almost immediately had a solution! One of my favorite things about my comfy pants is the nice wide stretchy band, enter too small hand-me-down black shirt from my sister and a pair of scissors... I cut the shirt just under the bust and sewed it to the waist of my skirt and ta da...instant extension and comfy waist! Damn it feels good to be a crafter (sing to tune of "Damn it feels good to be a gangsta, by geto boys)! Like I said, PERFECT.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T14:43:00.003-07:00

Well, it's been a while...

Since my last post I've made my way back to Maine, my home sweet home! I'm really glad to be back and have no future plans of leaving...ever! My family and I had a lovely holiday season, but I'm really glad it's over and I'm so ready to get back to business!

I've recently purchased a 30 pound bump of merino wool and have been walking around with a fiber boner ever since! When I started ontheround my goal was to earn enough money to be able to buy a bump and do my own dying. I would have earned the money a lot sooner had I not spent it on awesome etsy finds and a two month "vacation" to Montana, but whose counting anyway? The point is I did it and I've been busying myself dying wool (using Maine's own professional Cushing Acid Dyes) and making bangles. I also have big plans for expanding my felt jewlery line to necklaces and earrings! I also hope to miraculously come up with a few more hours in the day to do more wall hangings...

As for knitting, I'm currently a little burned out from all the last minute Christmas gift knitting, but I'll be getting back to it shortly. You can look forward to knitting patterns and definitly some funky new designs! Holy cow! I almost forgot...my loving partner Evan got me a spinning wheel for Christmas! I'm waiting (not so patiently) for a new bobbin from ebay so I can get to spinning. So, it's probably safe to say that I will be offering some homespun, hand dyed merino at some point...

Needless to say it is going to be a busy and exciting year and I couldn't be happier!

Putting yourself out there.

2008-09-27T15:50:00.004-06:00

The hardest part about being an artist for me is putting myself out there on display. Well, not me so much I guess, but what I've made.

Today I wrote my first knitting pattern. For longer than I can remember I've wanted to design my own knitting patterns, and someday in the future have my own book. This pattern definitly won't be in my book, but I'm on my way.

Any publishers out there looking for an inexperience sculptural knitter? No? Okay, just thought I would try.

Knitting the shirt was easy. Writing the pattern was a challenge, but I think I did a good job. Sending the pattern to an ontheround customer who is going to try it out for me was scary as hell! I'm still sweating from the experience and all I had to do was upload the doc into an email and hit send. I feel like every one of my flaws is on display. I'm probably going to continue sweating until she finishes the peice and responds. Until then I'm going to have nightmares of incorrect measurments, too big arm holes, and spelling errors (I didn't have my mom edit this one, she doesn't understand knitting pattern lingo).

I much prefer making things and happily storing away in the closet for ever. That's not scary at all. If only I could make a living being a closet artist.

The need to make

2008-09-26T15:34:00.002-06:00

I don't make things because I want to make, I make things because I need to make.

I recently moved across the country from Maine to Montana. I left my supplies and inventory for my online shop, www.ontheround.etsy.com, with my sister (and then ended up with my mother) to be mailed to me once my family and I found a place to live. So we found a place to live, and a week went by. And then another week went by...and I still hadn't received my things (I blame the universe, but my mother says ups is just slow).

I left a job in Maine that required me to make things as fast as I could all day, four days a week. Then in my spare time I made more things, either for my online business or for myself or maybe even someone I love. Basically my life involved mother duties, gf duties, daughter/sister duties, cleaning, a couple minutes of personal grooming, and making things. That’s it.

And then I left and three weeks past without making anything. The first week was travel, the second week was finding a place to live and exploring, and the third week was spent like this:

Pacing,
ranting,
compulsively checking various business, social, and email sites online,
protesting in a Martha Stewart living futon box,
protesting in the bath tub,
protesting in various national parks in the vicinity of Butte, MT,
begging,
crying,
praying,
hoping,
wishing,
dreaming.

I basically lost my mind for at least 48 hours. I couldn't make anything. I didn't have anything to make. I even reached the ultra low, low of going to Joanne fabric to purchase some acrylic yarn for a dress and some leg warmers (what???!?!?! so random). And there may have been some purchases that haven't shown up yet (another cruel and unusual joke from the universe).

From this experience, I've learned that I need to make things. Some how making things gives me order and control in a world where there is none. Making things makes me feel like I belong, and without it I'm a strange outsider. Making things makes me feel like I have a place in this world. I love making things. God help us all if I have to go another three weeks in my life not making things.
peace.