The Sucky, the Bad, the Sad...

Just found out tonight that Jasons' boss is 'closing' the business and the guys are out of jobs as of June 30th.

Apparently his boss didn't want to meet the demands of the air freight company to get better, more reliable trucks for the drivers, so instead let the contract get sold off to the other contract company. The owner of that outfit is giving interviews to Jason and his coworkers next week. The good part is he is offering insurance, savings/retirement plans, and generally better benefits. The downside is that they will more than likely take a pay cut. That is something we can't afford to do, unless we sell our home, which would probably not sell for what we owe + closing costs anyhow. Also, he would still have his 45 mile commute. I am hoping he finds a job much closer to home.

I will probably let the etsy shop fade out as I won't be able to justify restocking when we might not even be able to stay in our home. I'm going to try not to stress about this, Jason will do enough of that on his own. I need to just be here for him.. and try to keep our spending to a minimum. Hopfully it won't come to me having to destash my knitting/spinning suplies to pay bills. God, how selfish of me!

:(

Etsy Treasury!

What is an etsy Treasury??

The Treasury is a member-curated gallery of short-lived lists of 12 hand-picked items each (plus four alternates). It functions as a high-demand (and pretty!) promotional tool that many devoted Etsians fight to get.

One of my handdyed Falkland Top braids (Mango!) was handpicked to be apart of an etsy Treasury. First time, and such a pretty treasury! Thanks fluff4ewe for including me :)

Treasury West - Fluff N Stuff!

Etsy Shop Update

This is my biggest update... Lots of pretty hand dyed Falkland Top. This fiber is so soft and fluffy! I dyed up a braid in pretty purples, lavenders and pinks for me.. I can't wait to get to it!

This wool is soft enough to wear next to you skin, and will also felt great too! Falkland is very similar to Merino, with a staple length of 2.75-4.5 inches (70-90mm), and is a fiber count 56s (26 micron).

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade jeanius80.etsy.com

Some Updates!

I have actually updated my etsy shop! <---click that link! I added six 4 ounce braids of Falkland top for spinning. 3 each in two different colorways: "Sweettart"

"Jawbreaker"

I really love how cheery these are! Each braid weighed out just over 4 ounces prior to dyeing (from 4.10-4.20 ounces) And Falkland is so soft and bouncy! Micron count is about 26 (almost as soft as merino).

Also (I know this is a late posting!) I went to the Madrona Fiber Arts in Tacoma last month and scored some gorgeous stuff.. A huge honkin' 8 ounce bump of superwash merino in "Wish You Were Here" from Crown Mountain Farm


a braid of handdyed Rambouillet from Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs (on etsy)


and a 8 ounce skein of natural silver alpaca!

I am thinking of spinning the rambouillet to match the gauge of the alpaca and knitting a vest for me with them..

Sale on etsy!

I just reduced the prices! I am hoping to sell these stragglers off in order to get some new stuff dyed up (socks WHOOT!)! Come and get it ... I truly don't need more stash! lol

Etsy Buy Handmade jeanius80

just a few more left!

I have just one more skein of sock yarn left! It's very pretty, the "Watermelon" colorway. I also have four skeins of DK, two each in "Stormy Lake" and "Dried Lavender". This stuff is so luscious! The merino gives it a halo, the alpaca and silk leaves a lovely drape and shine. It''s so soft, that, though it is handwash, I am tempted to make a pair of luxurious socks from the "Plum" colorway I dyed for myself (which I plan on knitting into lovely cuffs/gauntlets/wrist warmers).

not happy

I love dyeing, and I love when people buy what I have dyed. (not because they bought it, but because that means they love it too, and then I get to see what other people do with my yarns)

I am sad though, because my DH doesn't understand. He doesn't get why I dye, but he's happy when I sell (he says that way I am least making money with yarn, instead of spending -sigh) However, he doesn't understand the need to buy more yarn to dye/sell. So, regardless of my previous post... I don't think I will be buying more blanks/base yarn to dye and sell.

So what is available in my etsy shop is it. I won't "officially" shut my shop down (as I hope one day to be able to dye and sell again...)

shop here

gonna sell yarn

i have an etsy shop. I'll be selling yarn there still, but i think from now on, I'll be selling it direct through my blog, since i all ready have a 'merchant' paypal account. more research to come before i completely jump in this one. I'll be relisting my current yarns as soon as i get around to reskeining them (hopefully that will help them sell better). keep checking!

bad for bloggin'

i'm just sayin'.

I love ravelry, and KH.

why are they baaaad? cause i spend my time updating my stash, my projects, and keeping up with swaps (for fun and for destashing), and then there are the forums and pattern browsing. *sigh*

it makes it awfully hard to update the blog as far as knitting goes. but here are a couple of recent Fo's:

the curly purly soaker. Plan on making lot's of these :) already started #2

dd in her halloween costume. she was a piglet (not the Piglet) I knit a 2x2 short cuff, then plain hat. I added craft felt ears, stitched into place. very cute. very warm, and she wore it all night! and she was cute sayin' "thank ewe", and "welcome" when she got candy. :)

I am on the look out for a nice simple coat pattern. I have about 2600 yds of a nice light mint DK weight yarn. I want a sort of feminine 'pea' coat. minus the long length, and not too fitted, as i'd like to wear more than a t-shirt under it. also, i don't want to felt or full a jacket. just a nice tight gauge.

and i have 4 skeins of louet riverstone chunky. i think i'd like a top, but i don't know if i have enough yarn to make one to fit ME. it may end up as another soaker, and some handdyed to sell in my etsy shop. I already dyed one skein for a soaker. It will be #3, the colorway name is 'Perfect Peri". I will take pictures tomorrow, as it's still drying ;)
I am hoping to actually sell stuff, but apparently i am crappy at self promotion, or sumpin'. I want to start a stole, with beads. problem? i need to sell at least one more yarn and then i can buy beads. *sigh*

etsy update!

I've dyed up 4 yarns today.... as soon as they are all dry, I'll take photos and list them.

Thanks Robyn for buying my first yarn!

**********ETA :

shop is updated! 4 yarns, in 3 different colorways, 2 different yarn bases, all smooshy soft!

see me on etsy!

i finally did it! i opened up an etsy store. There are a bunch of indie dyers all over the internet though, so i don't know how well it will do, or if it will even be sustainable. I might end up just selling directly through the blog. I'll just have to wait and see.

you can see my shop here: absolute jeanius

right now, my pretty 'Embers' is up. Time to check the stash for more dyeable yarns...

yarn?

i love yarn. i really love dying yarn. i have been thinking about selling handdyed yarn on etsy.com. but, i have been wondering where to buy yarn to dye and sell. should i get a business license so i can buy yarn wholesale? or just buy yarn from online places like knitpicks, wool2dye4, ebay, catnipyarns....?? any handdyed sellers want to offer advice? i think i want to start small, and etsy would be the best way, of course i have hopes of becoming a good store with a big following and making lots of money on what i love doing! (duh, why sell it if i don't want to make money?? i can dye yarn for myself and not worry about you, but i do. i need to dye yarn and you need to buy yarn. it's destiny =D )
any how, now i am off to finishing dying my lambs pride worsted. its going to be used for my felted clogs. noro for the tops, l.p. for the cuff and soles. yummmmmmm

my yarn stash

okay, so that isn't really my stash. i wish! its hand dyed yarn from knit-n-purl zen. her name is roxanne, and her yarns are beautiful. check her out!
here is a quick list, and sometime this week i am going to pull it all out and take a photo. i promise.
6 skiens of lionbrand microspun, black, 168 yrds each
3 skiens of lionbrand magic strips, jelly bean, 330 yrds each
2 skiens of sensations (joanns) rainbow bloucle, blue verigated, and pink verigated, 853 yrds each
4 hanks of malabrigo worsted merino, 4 colorways, 215 yrd each (3 are going to a yarn swapee)
4 balls of suri-merino, 2 fern heather, 2 donagal green, 109 yrds each
10 balls of jojoland wool fingering, all teal/green, 220 yrds each
10 balls of jojoland cashmere merino fingering, a verigated color, 220 yrds each
3+ skiens of red heart soft baby, fizzy print, 430 yrds each
1 skien of red heart super saver, white, 364 yrds
1 skien of red heart, burgandy, not sure on yards
2 skiens of caron simply soft, autumn red, 165 yrds each
2 skiens of bernat sweet stripes, melon. 404 yrds each
and one random ball of acrylic, looks kinda like lionbrand homespun, a white stranded with a varigated corals. probably 150+ yrds