Making mittens

Whoever said "the more you have to do, the more you get done" was absolutely right. I've been knitting this winter. Two projects done and February isn't over. The more nutty and stressful things get at work, the more I need my knitting. Here are two pair of fingerless mitts made for friends at work. Both are talented shooters who need hands free (and warm) for taking pictures.thanks to lydia for modeling.

these are for leslie, my rock 'n' roll superstar. i made these with my own hand-dyed worsted blend of lanbswool and mohair (brown sheep lamb's pride). the pattern is vancouver fog, at jen balfour's blog.

 

these are for liz, they're a crazy-bright teal worsted wool (brown sheep naturespun), pattern loosely based on the pair above, but with a less crazy cable pattern.

 here she is at work for the strib, modeling her new mitts.

No coast!

What a swell weekend. Old friends, new friends, super sales and lovely company. The candles sold like gangbusters and the yarn was also pretty popular. So happy that i was invited back for a third year. This show is pretty spectacular. Love the unique vendors. Here are a few shots from the show.

Candles, etc

my motive to sell you a votive

A colorful display at no-coast 2011

hand dyed yarn and soy candles probably seem like an odd combination for a craft booth. sometimes i think it would make more sense to do one or the other in a bigger way, but i really like making both. the candles are pretty easy to crank out and they appeal to a wider audience than the yarn. pretty much everyone stops to sniff a candle or two, but not everybody is tuned into the fiber world (strange, right?) so i like having a little something for everyone.

i have been spending so much time working on and talking up the yarn that i worry the poor little soy candles will feel left out. so let me tell you, these are some groovy candles. the soy wax is eco-friendly, they have cotton wicks that burn cleanly and the soy wax burns for a long, long time.

this year i have a bunch of new scents and a few more options for gift giving (or a cheap holiday something to treat yourself)

darling dinner party images by jennifer simonson

as usual, i'm offering votives in 10 scents (including some lovely fall/winter notes of pine, orange, currant and spice) for make-your-own gift boxes for $8
i will also have pre-made gift boxes in a variety of scents, also $8
and NEW for this year, sweet 4-ounce covered candle tins, perfect for gifts! these are a test run to gauge interest and they're just $5 each. supply is very limited.

not too smelly

 fyi, as the proprietor, i have decided that since i don't like a candle that hits you over the head or makes your eyes water when you walk in a room that i am going to use a lighter touch with the fragrance oil than those mall candle shops, just so you know.

nocoast 2010

i can't wait to see you at nocoast on friday and saturday!

Closing in on show time

Here's a glimpse of what's been happening behind the scenes at My Friend London's world headquarters.

I have a new favorite blank yarn. It is a buttery soft merino, silk and cashmere blend.

Can you see the softness?

Here's a new candle scent. Almond! Lydia says it smells like cake. Pretty much like almond extract.

The middle three skeins are the delightful blend mentioned above. The outer four skeins are brown sheep lambs pride worsted. The pink-orange is a knockout, if i do say so myself.

Hey, this rainbow is missing its green.... Fear not, it will be there at show time. I am thinking about selling this as a set.

less than a month

my third no-coast is just around the corner. and i am so psyched to be right in the middle of the action. my booth is pretty much between the two main entrances to the midtown global market building. chances are good that nobody will miss me this year. my booth was in a bad, bad spot last time and i felt a little left out. not this time, baby. i've got a good spot, awesome new yarns, a bunch of new candle scents and some really cool candles in those groovy round tins. photos forthcoming!

time to dye

so excited to tell you all that i'm busy dyeing and spinning for no-coast, the best indie craft show in the twin cities. it's just around the corner, on december 7-8 at midtown global market. i have so many new base yarns this year -- this is good stuff, including yarns from louet, nashua, austermann, naturally and brown sheep. check out this batch of yarn i dyed yesterday (above). i love how the color changes every few stitches. i can't wait to knit something up with it for the show. it will make a fantastic winter cap or cozy mittens.

getting yarn to absorb color in a perfect particular way is nearly impossible. there are so many variables at play. it just makes sense to have an open mind to whatever is going to happen. but sometimes it just doesn't look all that great. here's a skein i didn't really love straight out of the dyepot.

i liked all the colors, but not all that undyed white yarn sprinkled between the colors. i gave the whole thing a dunk in a bath of gold and here's how it came out.

overall, i think the added yellow tone gave it more depth. this is a pure merino (no itching) with a nice sheen and soft as a kitten. 

so beautiful

isn't it amazing to see something in a new light? or through the eyes of someone else? yesterday i had a big hand-painted skein  with me when i came into work (i always like to show it off to my gracious co-workers) and my pal leslie asked if she could photograph it. she has a true artistic ability and the technical skills to know how to make my yarn just sizzle. this shot just takes my breath away. and happily, this yarn is sold and on the way to someone who will make something amazing with it. i might want to make a similar one for myself.... it goes nicely with my pants!