Nine.

Nine years ago, I jumped into the blogging world with this post. What followed has been an amazing journey of making new friends, learning new things and expanding my horizons to include a new craft-based business, better photography and being very picky about what kind of yarn and fiber I buy.

I wouldn’t have traded a second of it for anything.

Brickless

Brickless

What I’d like to do is celebrate the past nine years with a giveaway – leave a comment and I’ll draw a winner from them early next week for either a skein of my handspun yarn or $25 off a shop purchase. Tell your friends because if I get enough comments, I’ll make that two (or more) winners!

ETA: Okay, we’ve hit 50 comments, there will be two prizes! Winners will choose between a skein of my handspun yarn or $25 off of a shop purchase!

Brickless

Brickless

What’s in the photos, you ask? This is my newly-off-the-needles Brickless shawl!

Brickless

Brickless

I’ve wanted one for a while, I love the way it drapes! The pattern calls for worsted weight but I used DK and a slightly smaller needle

Brickless

Brickless

I love it.

Details can be found on my Ravelry Project Page

Don’t forget to comment to be entered into the drawing – I’ll be closing the comments on Sunday night (Feb. 23) then drawing for a winner (or winners) on Monday!

ETA: Comments are closed! I’ll be drawing a winner today and posting tomorrow – thank you all for playing! :o)



We have a winner!

Since we had less than 40 entries in the contest, I printed out the comments section, cut out each comment and put them in a basket:

R reached in and picked a winner

Jazzy took great interest in the proceedings

Our winner! Tammie, check your inbox, I’ll be looking for your shipping address so I can send out your yarny prize!

Thanks so much to everyone who entered and checked out The Cupcake Fiber Co!



Did I tell you… (and a contest!)

…about my friend Joan’s awesome fiber company? I haven’t? Geez, I really need to blog more.

Photo totally stolen from the Etsy listing – I can’t find the one I took!

You can see by the above photo why it is called The Cupcake Fiber Company. Each box of lovely fluffy goodness contains six 1oz batts that are packaged in such a way to resemble a box of cupcakes. How awesome is that?! Awesome. I know.

Joan sent me a box of this lovely fiber (oh dear, a very long time ago) before the shop even opened and I was blown away by the packaging and the idea behind it.  (I guess this is a good spot to put in my disclaimer: I didn’t purchase this box, it was sent to me for review – I purchased four other ones, though!) If you want two skeins of three-ply sock yarn, you spin three one ounce batts onto three bobbins and then ply them together. If you want one big skein, you spin two one ounce batts onto three bobbins and ply them together (which is what I did). All the measuring is done for you – so awesome. I’d like to mention that Joan’s preparation is flawless, no lumps or bumps to ruin your spinning. Those little balls of fluff are heavenly!

I spun my three bobbins with 2oz on each (usually I’d insert a photo here with a bobbin of singles but I cannot find one for the life of me – I know I took one but it’s disappeared) and once that was finished, I commenced the plying:

Cupcake Fiber Company

I was finally able to use my fancy 3-way Will Taylor kate the way it was intended! I usually ply from a center pull ball so I use the uprights to keep the ball of singles from getting all tangled.  After plying, I had a lovely bobbin of 3-ply:

Cupcake Fiber Company

After a bath and a thwack I had beautiful yarn:

Cupcake Pics

Beautiful yarn that I am going to give to one lucky winner! If you’d like to win this 375ish yard skein of sport-ish weight handspun, go over to The Cupcake Fiber Company and favorite an item in their shop on Etsy, then come back here and tell me which item you favorited and you’ll be entered! Tell your friends and have them mention you and you’ll get another entry! If you decide that you just have to have some Cupcake Fiber of your very own, Joan has a 12% off discount code: TOUR12 for you to enter during checkout!

Contest will close tonight, Wednesday at 11pm EASTERN!  Winner will be chosen and posted Friday! Good luck!

ETA: Comments are now closed – thanks for playing! Winner will be posted on Friday, good luck!