etsy's up and running

so the shop is up and running. the above pics are just a couple of what I have placed on the site to sell.
while I am excited about the shop, I am also afraid as anyone would be upon opening somthing like this. fear and poor self esteem are strong emotions that pound upon me quite frequently. I know that this is satan attempting to make me cower and turn away from what I want to accomplish.
he will not win, as I am creating more projects that will make their way onto my shop. most of the people who have seen it sing high praises. there was one person today that felt the need to give me a math lesson. she probably meant "well" but her comments came across as more of a teacher pointing her finger at me telling me I was wrong. as far as I knew there were no knitting police and I could create what I wanted. it is interesting that she felt she needed to take the time to write that comment.
on a more positive note, I did buy space on the knitting showcase for two of my items. all of items that are up are for cold winter weather. and there will be more added soon. I have one cowel that I am working on right now with more to follow.
I have already started spinning more wool and some angora to ply with some alpaca. angora is kinda difficult to spin as it is slippery and soft. but boy does it turn out really nice after it is spun.
come see my shop at http://www.bikergirl512.etsy.com/ and tell me what you think. just as long as there is no math involved.

from the etsy shop

garden green drapey cowel

forest green moebuis cowel on etsy

what got me in trouble

now open!

Its open for business. what you ask? my etsy shop of course. I finally did it. after thinking it about it way too much, one night I just decided to jump of the bridge jump into the water and open the shop. I have been "working all day" on my shop. it was all day because my computer is so slow, but I plan on working tomorrow where I can get wifi. thank goodness for all of the wifi waves around my head!
I also linked facebook with etsy, so now the world knows that I am crazy and willing to take a chance.

Michigan Fiber Fest

The Michigan Fiber Fest. The place for all fiber enthusiasts from Michigan and beyond. The colmonation of a years work placed on tables, racks and containers for the molesting and fondling fingers of feber people.
I went down yesterday to the fairgrounds to help my friend set up her table. She was already done and waiting for her alpacas to come from home. the barn was stifling and hot and we stood talking with sweat beading on our foreheads.
MY children were with me and although walking around a fiber fest was not what they wanted to do, nor is it fun for them, they were still well behaved. I was surrounded by people who shared my love not only for the animals that bear the fleece but for the final product that makes us so happy. The colors and textures were amazing both for the eyes and for the fingers. you see fiber people dont mind if you fondle the yarn, savoring its beauty.
Today I will return to walk the barns looking at all of the wonderful colors both in yarn and roving. I purchased what should have been my limit yesterday, but will probably buy roving today. the multitude of fiber is calling to me....I must listen to the calling.

IMG_1507

IMG_1507
Originally uploaded by yarnhound1

My friend sharon, has alpaca at her house. I have no idea how many, but enough to create a small herd. In fact one of them just had a baby alpaca. Did you know that the gestation for an alpaca is a year? ouch!
Anyway, she just got her product back from the processor and this is one of the colors. we found out the other day that she has 6 colors ranging from taupe, blue (which I am spinning now), rose, olive, burgundy and brown. the roving is 70% suri alpaca and 30% merino. It is quite a bit softer than straight wool, of course.The fiber length is similar, but the wool has a better "hold" together when spun.
this too, will become something beautiful from the creatiive ideas of my brain.

IMG_1506

IMG_1506
Originally uploaded by yarnhound1

I recently learned how to spin. It is a comforting passion. Not unlike knitting and crocheting, spinning is slightly more relaxing. there is no pattern to follow, it is the rhythm of the wheel, guided by my foot, the drafting of the roving through my hands onto the bobbin. It is the prefect fiber project to do when my brain has had enough, when the day has been just too much, the wheel offers a moneteny that is soothing.
the blue roving pictured above I bought from my friend Suzie. Her shop is in saugatuck township. She has 2 california red sheep at her home. The blue fiber is from a romney sheep and it has slight blue/green colorations along with sparklies threaded through for extra umf. I spun quite nicely with good texture, some softness and makes a tight thread. what this will be, I have no idea. It will, however, become somthing beautiful.

dolphins throw

IMG_1527
Originally uploaded by yarnhound1

MIami Dolphins throw that is about half way done. crocheted in a single crochet/skip pattern.

blanket number one!

well my money making adventure is now underway. I have finished the headbands (not the blue one but thats for another person) and am now working on the first of 2 throws and 4 twin blankets. call me crazy, stupid or just plain nuts, this is what I am doing. I started the first throw and thought I measured quite well, and followed the pattern, but it turns out that a narrow and long throw will not work. so. I started it over again. this is the Story of My Knitting Life. I do it with just about every project I start. Its not that I like doing this or like starting over because it makes me feel like a Knitting Failure. I know that I am not, but if I want my projects to turn out well and feel comfy selling them, then this is what I must do. I should not take me that long to finish the first one. It needs to be done my november. ya I can do that.
On another note, I spent time in saugatuck yesterday helping Uzo with her tent. I didnt really Help her. I was the demostrator. and sometimes I opened my mouth too much. thats not abnormal! (for anyone who knows me at all) my foavorite comment was "ooohhh look what she's doing" and "thats how they did it in the old days" and then there were the looks and stares It was great fun and was able to meet a few dogs, a couple of interesting peeps and ate a good hotdog. and of course I got to spin for 3 hours!!!
Thanks suzie for letting me play yesterday!