Russell Yarn

A Tisket A Tasket...

There's a Russell in my laundry basket!

Seriously, I thought only cats slept in laundry baskets?!?  But after Mickey discovered how comfy it was, he curled up and went to sleep...only to be squeezed out later when his brother came to investigate this new and soft Russell perch.  What can I say, Russells are weird!

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I'M KNITTING!!!  Yes, I cast on last night for the Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts.  I'm using Zara Merino in the most lovely burnt orange-red and the beauty of a super-easy stockinette sweater knit in the round is that I can work on it without looking at it!  I can knit knit knit in endless circles while reading, watching a movie, or catching up on blogs!  Right now it just looks like, well, a ring of orange so you'll have to wait until it looks a little more like something interesting before I post pics. 

And finally, there's a new Julip Bag in town:

(These colors are pretty washed out, it's an icky rainy day here with poor light /end photographer disclaimer)

This is the Susan Bag, named after the grand prize winner (who also happens to own Hide and Sheep in Mt. Morris, MI) of the Golden Ticket Jubilee contest back in August. 

This is a more luxe Julip Bag…the exteriors are raw silk or dupioni silk and faux linen (which was sturdier than the real linen!), the base is interfaced allowing the bag to stand on its own. The interior is a bright heavy-weight print carefully chosen to provide a cheerful contrast to the more subdued exterior and includes a pocket for notions, the matching drawstring can be used as a handle. The Susan can be carried as an ooh-la-la knitting bag or a purse!

The first of these bags will be available in the shop tomorrow, I’ll post over on the Rav group and via Twitter and Facebook when they’re up!

More Lists...

I tell you what, lists RULE my life these days!

Obligatory Julip Bags news: Etsy has asked me to host another Virtual Lab, "Bigger Than a Breadbox: Photography for Medium to Large Objects" on Wednesday, September 30th, at 8pm EST, as part of their "Prep Your Shop for the Holiday Rush" series.  Yay!  And I'm now waiting to hear if I was accepted into the Detroit Urban Craft Fair...keep your fingers crossed!

Knitting: as I've decided that all the family that is getting gifts this year is getting handknit socks, I had JP help me pick out sock yarn from the stash in "Mom," "Dad," and "JP" colorways.  Yes, he still picks out his own sock yarn.  And straight from that yarn snob's mouth: "I can only have Koigu."  WELL LA-DI-DA!

Spinning news: not me (HA!), but because I do still get inquiries here and there, yes I did sell my Ashford Traditional wheel.  Amanda's super-fab squeeze Matt bought it for her for Christmas, and being that he is a great boyfriend (and that she's impossible to keep a secret from), she's already spinning happily away on it.

Russell news: Jerry seems to have recovered completely from his pinched nerve.  After much stress (as he kept tweaking and re-tweaking it because he's a hyper little bastard) I have decided that the next time this happens to EITHER of them, massive doses of tranquilizers for both the Russell and for me are in order.  

Knitting from Victoria's Secret

To this day, I still remember the newspaper drive we did at my high school, junior year, and the Victoria's Secret catalog that someone tossed out with their recycled newsprint.  Not because all the guys simultaneously took 5 to ogle, not because OMG THONGS!, but because it was the first time I realized that VS also makes CLOTHES.  Sexy, sassy, and (for the most part) passable-in-public fabulous CLOTHES.  And I remember that day, saying that if I ever made enough money to do so, I would buy a large chunk of my wardrobe from Victoria's Secret.  (This was before I met the chef and gained 60+ pounds, but I digress.)

So we got the new Victoria's Secret catalog in the mail today, and after JP had perused the second half, he handed it over and I discovered KNITWEAR in VS...and oh...what lovely knitwear it was!

Not that I would ever REALLY saunter around the house in this, and of course it's all machine-knit in acrylic blends, but oh...

Love this style, and since knitting Audrey I discovered it IS possible to knit an entire sweater in 2x2 rib and not die, so I'm sure I could figure this stitch pattern out.  It looks straight out of Knitting Lingerie Style!

Ignoring the boucle yarn, I love this design.  Love the length.  Love the under-cami.  Love the color.  LOVE IT!

I am a total sucker for both square necks and corset-style details.

And what finally did me in...

Ignoring the obvious (and ugly) side seam, I have met my Winter 2009 sweater.  Oh yes, she will be mine.  As in, I will knit this, relying on the (half-ass) picture as a guide, not that I will purchase this for $49 when I have enough yarn stored under the bed to give it a go. 

Julip Bags: there will be a new design in the shop this weekend.  I feel like a veritable fountain of new designs these days.

And finally, as I was blithely knitting away on my Twilight sock tonight, I overheard on some E! show that Jennifer Aniston told Chelsea Handler (WHAT?  The Russells watch that crap!) that the secret to her body is vodka.  Obviously, I need to start drinking more.

Quit Your Day Job, Craft Fairs, and A New Blog!

It has been suggested to me, on more than one occasion, that I should throw my hat into the ring to be interviewed for Etsy's "Quit Your Day Job" series.  Being that I did indeed quit my (evil) day job, and that I really look forward to the weekly updates as a source of inspiration, I searched the Etsy forums to find out how I go about nominating myself for being clinically insane an indiepreneur.

I stumbled across a thread that, quite frankly, made me extremely sad (no, I'm not going to link to it).  Some people (although happily not the majority in the thread) quite bluntly feel that the QYDJ series is a flat-out fraud, that the interviewees must all be supported by their spouses, lying about other sources of income, and are in general a deceptive marketing ploy on Etsy's part.  I tell myself that it's probably a LOT of sour grapes there, but DAMN I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting to read that. 

Quitting the (evil) day job was the scariest, headiest, most stomach-dropping-out thing I've ever done, especially since I CRAVE security more than I crave pasta or cookie dough ice cream.  There have been times when I've laid in bed and cried because I genuinely thought I'd made the stupidest move of my life (in Metro Detroit, during a recession) and that I was going to have to own up to everyone that it just didn't work out.  But there have also been (more) times when I've worked my tail off for hours on end, until my back is screaming, until my eyes are blurry, and I still have a big ol' grin on my face because this is truly the greatest thing I've ever done.  I don't even mind not being able to buy a book every week at Borders, or yarn, or sushi, because I genuinely BELIEVE this is worth it. 

So I submitted my name to get in line for a QYDJ story.  It'll be interesting to see if they a) pick me and b) like what I have to say.  Because anyone who says that this is easy or 100% fun is a LIARRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

More in the line of Julip Bags...I've made it my mission over the past couple of days to research craft fairs and submit applications to those that are currently open.  The ever-fabulous Marj has kindly offered to tutor me in the ways of the craft fair, so hopefully you might recognize me at an event some time soon!

One more Julip Bags item...Annie and I have started a new blog called The Boss Knits, it's a collaboration wherein we share support, stories, experiences, and hopefully some excellent crazy-craft-show-patron stories.  Check it out or bookmark it, and if you'd like to guest blog (requirement: that you be the Boss of your own money-making crafty empire) just let one of us know!  I'm already leaning on one other person, but because I believe in free will (like Stephenie Meyer!) I won't put any pressure on her here. 

Knitting: I have two body repeats left on the Springtime Bandit shawl.  For some reason the repeats just aren't "clicking" in my mind like lace normally does, so I find myself having to pay very close attention to the pattern.  And the Mama Llama cashmere, while gorgeous and soft and utterly decadent, is also uber-delicate and actually pulled apart on me during a lace row.  Yet I laugh in the face of disaster and refuse to put in a lifeline...check back this time tomorrow for the schadenfreude!

Banzai!

Believe it or not, for someone with a pretty huge yarn stash and a decent-sized fiber stash, I actually don't have much of a fabric stash.  Primarily because there are always new and gorgeous fabrics coming out, and I like to make those available to Julip Bags customers.  It also keeps my inventory fresh when there's a higher turnover of designs.  I've been chipping away at my existing inventory so I'll have room for the new fabrics coming out in the fall, and last night decided that I'm going totally scorched earth on what I have now. 

Meaning that I'm taking the fabric, cutting out of it whatever bag/s I can, and whipping those up.  So if there's a bag in a fabric you really like in the shop after today, you may want to go ahead and order it.  With the exception of certain favorites (like the Sushi for Knitters prints, or those that I have in bulk) these will not be seen in the shop again. 

Also, there's still a few days left in August to win one last Golden Ticket, AND any purchases made before midnight on Monday, August 31st will also be eligible for the grand prize...a Julip Bag named after you!

Knitting: last night I put on the iPod while JP was watching Hell's Kitchen, flipped it on shuffle, and proceeded to crank out almost half a sock:

"Twilight Socks" = basic sock pattern with the Paca Peds yarn.  I was a little concerned about how fuzzy alpaca blend yarn might be, but this is knitting up very nicely.  I especially like the mini skein they include for red contrasting heels and toes. 

Sonya has created a Detroit Area Knitters Facebook group as the companion to the Yahoo group...be sure to join to keep in the loop for meetups!

Lemonade

You know what they always say, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade!  Or more appropriately in this case, when you spend all day working on a new bag design and your prototype does not look ANYTHING like you were going for but can still be salvaged...pretend that's what you were going for all along!  (This happens more than I like to admit, but hey, it's part of the creative process.)

It's actually quite a bit bigger than it appears in this pic, so I've included this one for scale:

That's my EBTK sock bag and my regular Gabrielle Lace Keeper stuck in there, and there's room for more!  That's also my birth control pills Knit Kit tucked into the back pocket.  The big pocket in the front can fit a pattern!  And no, this bag isn't remotely close to what I was working on today, but I like my lemon and it means I have another bag to drag my knitting around in!  I personally love bags (like the Hannahs) that are perfect for sticking smaller bags into...for greater multi-project-portability!

Knitting: my Springtime Bandit has progressed incrementally since my last post:

Spinning stuff for sale: the handcards have sold, and the wheel is, for all intents and purposes, sold.

Sales: if you've ever wished that I made box bags, then you need to go visit RoseKnits...Annie is having a huge sale, 25% off all merchandise, ending this Friday the 28th!

Happy Monday all!

I KNIT SOMETHING!!! (Part I)

Brace yourselves folks, there is Actual Knitting Content ahead! 

Finished socks for my mom, which only took me forever and a day, and...

new lace!!!

I have been desperately looking for a sweet little pattern to do justice to the Mama Llama Cashmere I got from Woolgirl.  Melanie over on Ravelry started a KAL for Springtime Bandit within the RoseKnits group, and I fell in love!   The perfect size shawlette for the exact amount of yarn I have...score!!!  I've only completed the first chart, but I'm hoping to knock out some of the body tonight and over my extended weekend. 

That pic is also my nod to Knitterbunny's "So Innocently" blog post, which chronicles the partying (yes, partying) of her Julip Bags...all I can say is the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.  Seriously, go check it out, it's pretty funny (especially if you were at the first Knitterpalooza and are familiar with "Detroit Area Knitters' Homebrew" and what it can do).  What do my own personal Julip Bags drink?  Crystal Light Fruit Punch and vodka...only half the caloric guilt of a regular cocktail, whoo-hoo!!!

Now since it's that time of year, allow me to get my annual Woodward Dream Cruise bitch off my chest: DEAR PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN THEIR LAWN CHAIRS AT 13 MILE AND WOODWARD AT 2PM WEDNESDAY: THE DREAM CRUISE IS NOT UNTIL SATURDAY.  I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN WATCHING PEOPLE COMMUTE IN THEIR NON-CLASSIC CARS.  PLEASE TRY TO WATCH WHERE YOU WALK AS YOU WANDER BLITHELY INTO TRAFFIC CROSS THE STREET THIS YEAR!  THANK YOU. 

After my venting I'll leave you with a more tranquil picture...my roses are going bananas this year, although I'm pretty sure I'll have to replace three next year...oh well!

A Good Weekend...

Well, I'm kinda pooped, so I'll make this more of a summing-up!

Saturday: I wasn't feeling very well and had a million things on my to-do list, so I only popped into Knit Michigan for a moment.  I missed the Ravelry meetup (boo!) and couldn't find any of my DAK peeps amongst the crowd (sob!) but stopped in at the HYAW booth and found that Bridget had already sold eleven of the fifteen EBTK Sock Bags I'd given her (yay!).  I'm having thoughts about being a vendor myself next year...what do you guys think?

Sunday: I found out that my interview on L&V's Inside the Indie Studio was published today and my website hits went off the chart (yay!).  I finished twelve new Gabrielle Lace Bags for the shops (yay! yay!).  And then I found out that my collaboration with a major yarn company has been given the all-clear full-speed-ahead ok (OMG *$#!&%)*$!!!!!!).  I can't post any identifying details about it until things are all settled and out for for everyone to see, but basically I've been tapped to create an exclusive bag in partnership with an awesome yarn company for kits.  My dream of kicking the day job to the curb draws ever closer!!!

On My Back Again, Naturally...

I seem to have a knack for getting hurt or getting sick the day before I'm supposed to return to work after a vacation.  I swear, it's not some subconscious way of trying to squeeze out a couple of extra days off, but I'm willing to bet my boss is getting somewhat suspicious.

Yesterday, JP and I helped his family move his grandmother's furniture (she passed away just before Christmas) out of her apartment.  Good news: that job is done; we have some lovely new furniture; and I even managed to NOT throw my back out during all the pushing and lifting and hauling.  Yay!  Bad news: after I got home and was relaxing on the bed, the Russells heard a leaf blow by or something and went berserk.  I naturally bounced out of bed to throw anvils or horseshoes or whatever was at hand, and threw out my back.

Badly. 

Figures, huh?  I finally got my sacroiliac popped back into place around 2pm today (yes, I've done this so many times that I can actually pop it back into place myself after a few painkillers), but my house-cleaning and re-organizing plans have been put on the back burner.  Sigh.

How about some good stuff?

While at my parents' over Christmas, I stumbled upon Ophelia Miller while investigating Artfire for my mom (btw, verdict on Artfire is that it's good, I like it, but it's still pretty buggy).  I fell in love with this item:

I LOVE wristlets, I love forcing myself to streamline and fit everything into a wristlet instead of a purse, but I never have time to make them for myself.  Plus, as I told a completely sympathetic Marj a while back...having Julip Bags is kinda like working in a chocolate factory.  People ask me all the time how I can stand to sell my bags instead of keeping them all.  Well, just like working in a chocolate factory...you get inured to them after a while.  Plus, it's such a treat to have something lovely in fabric I adore that someone ELSE made for me!  She has an Etsy shop too, and I highly recommend a look-see.

Knitting: I have (slowly) been working on this for Lily:

It's Presto Chango by Valerie Wallis, and it may be (so far) my new favorite baby sweater pattern.  The front is a removable (button-on) panel that can be interchanged with others, knit in different colors, patterns, etc.  Definitely check out of some the creative panels Rav users have come up with in the gallery.  This is a great stash-buster pattern too. 

Finally...there's some new and exciting stuff coming down the road for Julip Bags.  The first involves found-item sparklies like these:

The second involves something I've wanted to do for a very long time...collaboration with another artist in the fiber world.  It's something that's just at the talking stage now, but I really hope it comes to fruition...and if it does, trust me, you'll hear about it here!

It's 2009 Already?!?!?

Today as I was catching up on all my blog reading, I enjoyed reviewing all the wonderful things that seemed to coincide with the new year for my blog-friends...such as new arrivals, whether they be two-legged or four...incredible goals for peeps who can definitely achieve them...big moves and even a new/old lover for a certain someone who will kill me dead if I post a link to her blog here, so I guess I'd better not.

I'm optimistic for 2009 for a lot of reasons, primarily for that age-old "it can only get better from here!" cliche.  There's a lot of stuff I don't post on my blog, first off because I know you all don't read this blog for Downer of the Week news, but also because I'm a very private person and don't like sharing a lot of really personal stuff with the world-wide-web. 

That said, I do have some hopes/dreams/resolutions for 2009:

1. Eat well.
2. Live well.
3. Destress.

I don't think I'm going to make it much more specific or put too much more pressure on myself than that, y'know? 

I do have some very specific plans, though:

Oh yes Lily will be a fiber artist, oh yes. 

Can't you just see how she's trying to work that wheel, even though it's taller than she is?  Someone to bequeath my wheels, fiber and yarn to someday, yes?

And when it comes to Julip Bags...I'm thinking that I may wrangle my niece Gabby into being a Julip apprentice.  After all, the one bummer (hah!) about being CFBC is that there's no one to pass the family business on to (if they're willing, that is, and those are pretty long odds to pin your hopes on), but I think it's ten times better when someone actually appears INTERESTED in your microenterprise, as opposed to being born into it.  No pressure, Gab!

Speaking of Julip Bags, I think I have more hopes/dreams/resolutions for it than I do for myself personally.  There are two new limited edition lines coming out within the next month, two new bag designs, and hopefully things will keep growing!