I am so excited-
They sell MW designs not available on the MW site, so go and SHOP!
Dream Weaver also sells the most exciting kits, yarns and accessories......... sigh.
Plus Ann and Natalie are the nicest people to deal with.
Monday, March 31, 2008
MW now available on DreamWeaver!
They sell MW designs not available on the MW site, so go and SHOP!
Dream Weaver also sells the most exciting kits, yarns and accessories......... sigh.
Plus Ann and Natalie are the nicest people to deal with.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Why Angela Rarely Spins Anymore~
When I moved 3,000 miles away from Angela, we made a painful decision to split up our partnership (NOT our friendship) and I brought MW with me to WA.
This decision was not just about yarns and business, this was because she is committed to something WAY more important.
Angela's boy Jay is autistic and she works so hard to provide him with the best therapy and education she can, which is a LOT of work!
On top of that, she is the President of Autism York, LINK and does their website.
Here is a radio interview she did about Autism, listen and learn! It's really good.
Follow Angela's knitting and daily craziness at her blog.
I am in awe of her.
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This decision was not just about yarns and business, this was because she is committed to something WAY more important.
Angela's boy Jay is autistic and she works so hard to provide him with the best therapy and education she can, which is a LOT of work!
On top of that, she is the President of Autism York, LINK and does their website.
Here is a radio interview she did about Autism, listen and learn! It's really good.
Follow Angela's knitting and daily craziness at her blog.
I am in awe of her.
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Jump Sheep!
Material Whirled is proud to feature yarns by Therese of Jump Sheep!
Therese is the founder of Charkhas for Africa (now on MW!) and her yarns sing with energy!
Welcome Therese!
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Friday, March 28, 2008
Art Fest Prep~
I got my Moos in the mail and they are SO adorable!
I am using them for my 'trades' for Art Fest, not sure if they qualify for a 'trade' as most seem to be making atcs, but my yarn is my art and it is all I have time to produce before leaving. I tied a yard of handspun to each card:
Here is the pile all completed and ready to be packed:
Jackie and Sheryl came over yesterday and we worked on Art Fest prep.
I set up the a practice table for vendor night, so I can plan out my space. Here is a sneak peek at part of the table:
I still need to get my knit items tagged and my class materials prepped and packed.
I am so stoked to work in some different mediums! I have not done any painting/collage work for a long time.
Classes I am taking:
Dwell: Coffee table book with Traci Bautista (2 day class)
Funky Wallpaper people with Anahata Katkin
WOOHOO-- getting that butterfly-in the-stomach excitement! (skippty-skip!)
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I am using them for my 'trades' for Art Fest, not sure if they qualify for a 'trade' as most seem to be making atcs, but my yarn is my art and it is all I have time to produce before leaving. I tied a yard of handspun to each card:
Here is the pile all completed and ready to be packed:
Jackie and Sheryl came over yesterday and we worked on Art Fest prep.I set up the a practice table for vendor night, so I can plan out my space. Here is a sneak peek at part of the table:
I still need to get my knit items tagged and my class materials prepped and packed.I am so stoked to work in some different mediums! I have not done any painting/collage work for a long time.
Classes I am taking:
Dwell: Coffee table book with Traci Bautista (2 day class)
Funky Wallpaper people with Anahata Katkin
WOOHOO-- getting that butterfly-in the-stomach excitement! (skippty-skip!)
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Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Portland Easter Nano~
It's been longer than I planned since I last blogged, so this one will be looonggg.
Portland girl's day!
Last Sat. Jackie and I took a trip to Portland to hit Utrecht for ArtFest supplies.
I took this shot. Jackie is a blog fiend, so she was shooting pics of EVERYTHING.
Here we are, Jackie is wearing her MW hat (new pattern coming eventually).
Easter!
Next day was Easter, which was a new expereince for us here in WA, 3,000 miles from family. We had planned a whale watching trip, but it was 40 degrees and raining at the shore so we hit Powell's bookstore in downtown Portland instead. Here is a pic of the girl's baskets. The white rectangles are canvas' I bought for them to make art for their bedroom.
We had the brightest rainbow I have ever seen yesterday. It made me cry. I know-- dork, but it was so amazing.
Remember I killed my camera? I fell down the stairs with it. They couldn't fix it! sigh. Good thing it was under warranty. They sent me a gift card and I got THIS (I already replaced the camera long ago).
It's really for Paul since he is in the car about 8 hours a day, but I can pretend it's mine too.....
I LOVE IT! MY NANO-- MINE!
I have been prepping for ArtFest, but will spare you those pics for next post.
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Portland girl's day!
Last Sat. Jackie and I took a trip to Portland to hit Utrecht for ArtFest supplies.
I took this shot. Jackie is a blog fiend, so she was shooting pics of EVERYTHING.
Here we are, Jackie is wearing her MW hat (new pattern coming eventually).
Easter!Next day was Easter, which was a new expereince for us here in WA, 3,000 miles from family. We had planned a whale watching trip, but it was 40 degrees and raining at the shore so we hit Powell's bookstore in downtown Portland instead. Here is a pic of the girl's baskets. The white rectangles are canvas' I bought for them to make art for their bedroom.
We had the brightest rainbow I have ever seen yesterday. It made me cry. I know-- dork, but it was so amazing.
Remember I killed my camera? I fell down the stairs with it. They couldn't fix it! sigh. Good thing it was under warranty. They sent me a gift card and I got THIS (I already replaced the camera long ago).
It's really for Paul since he is in the car about 8 hours a day, but I can pretend it's mine too.....I LOVE IT! MY NANO-- MINE!
I have been prepping for ArtFest, but will spare you those pics for next post.
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
Charkhas for Africa back on MW!
Charkhas for Africa is coming back to Material Whirled!
The yarns arrived from dear Therese yesterday.
I will be putting them up in the next few days on their own special shop page.
Stay tuned-- there are delicious yarns from France also!
Read about the latest Africa news on Therese's blog...
Jump Sheep~
I will be putting them up in the next few days on their own special shop page.
Stay tuned-- there are delicious yarns from France also!
Read about the latest Africa news on Therese's blog...
Jump Sheep~
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Snow what?
Yesterday we took a road trip through the cascade mountains so the kids (and Paul) could play in the snow.
We're talking some serious snow.
Here I am standing next to the plowed snow-- this is not a pile from the plow, this is how deep the snow was.
Here is a view of the mountain on the ride home. Breathtaking.
I found a cool telephoto setting on my camera. hee (more pics here)
Me? Personally I think the snow is pretty pretty pretty but do not like to be IN it.
It's cold. and wet. nuff said.
I sat in the car and knit in the silence and looked out at the pretty white stuff.
It was divine. Very zen.
I am working on an art piece for the gallery at Art Fest.
Oh--I never mentioned that I am attending Art Fest in Seattle in a week and a half.
I am BEYOND excited and have been taking some time from the wheel to prepare and to create a knit art piece for the Art Fest gallery. ( I will post pics when it is complete).
I am also fortunate to have scored a coveted spot at vendor night. I am selling yarns and treasures, I will be sure to take pics.
If you are going to Art Fest give me a holler so we can find one another>>??
Off to prepare for Easter tomorrow-- since we are 3,000 miles from family we are planning to take another road trip--this time to the ocean. I hear the whales are migrating and it is the official start of whale watching week on the coast. I will pee myself if I see one.
Plus this gives me plenty of riding time to KNIT. hee.
Today Jackie and I drove to Portland to play in the Pearl District and I scored some interesting items for Art Fest, as well as for some new yarn designs and some project ideas I have been stewing on. However, I will make that another post as I a TIRED and this one is getting a bit windy. >:)
To those who celebrate, Happy Easter!
To those who do not, Happy Spring!
More yarn after the holiday-- plus new yarns from an additional talented spinner!
We're talking some serious snow.
Here I am standing next to the plowed snow-- this is not a pile from the plow, this is how deep the snow was.
Here is a view of the mountain on the ride home. Breathtaking.
I found a cool telephoto setting on my camera. hee (more pics here)
Me? Personally I think the snow is pretty pretty pretty but do not like to be IN it.
It's cold. and wet. nuff said.
I sat in the car and knit in the silence and looked out at the pretty white stuff.
It was divine. Very zen.
I am working on an art piece for the gallery at Art Fest.
Oh--I never mentioned that I am attending Art Fest in Seattle in a week and a half.
I am BEYOND excited and have been taking some time from the wheel to prepare and to create a knit art piece for the Art Fest gallery. ( I will post pics when it is complete).
I am also fortunate to have scored a coveted spot at vendor night. I am selling yarns and treasures, I will be sure to take pics.
If you are going to Art Fest give me a holler so we can find one another>>??
Off to prepare for Easter tomorrow-- since we are 3,000 miles from family we are planning to take another road trip--this time to the ocean. I hear the whales are migrating and it is the official start of whale watching week on the coast. I will pee myself if I see one.
Plus this gives me plenty of riding time to KNIT. hee.
Today Jackie and I drove to Portland to play in the Pearl District and I scored some interesting items for Art Fest, as well as for some new yarn designs and some project ideas I have been stewing on. However, I will make that another post as I a TIRED and this one is getting a bit windy. >:)
To those who celebrate, Happy Easter!
To those who do not, Happy Spring!
More yarn after the holiday-- plus new yarns from an additional talented spinner!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
New Nephew!
Welcome new Nephew~!
My sister Nicole had a baby last night.
Introducing Isaac James Kopp, 7 lb. 8 3/4 oz, 18 1/2 in.
My sister Nicole had a baby last night.
Introducing Isaac James Kopp, 7 lb. 8 3/4 oz, 18 1/2 in.
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Sunday, March 16, 2008
Cherie Anne Designs~
Material Whirled is thrilled to represent Cherie Anne Designs!
Cherie Anne's yarns sparkle with energy and vibrancy!
Check out her site!
Cherie Anne's yarns sparkle with energy and vibrancy!
Check out her site!Friday, March 14, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Back from the caves!
He's BACK!
It's taken a while but Battman is back into the swing of things.
It's taken a while but Battman is back into the swing of things.
There are many changes, largest being that his spinning batts are now for sale on MaterialWhirled.com
Other big change? Battman hand-dyed yarns!
We are still in the learning phases of dyeing so yarns will be available on a limited edition basis for a while. Grab them up, they go fast!
Here is Bubble Gum and Gothic Lolita, napping in a bed of batts:
We are still in the learning phases of dyeing so yarns will be available on a limited edition basis for a while. Grab them up, they go fast!
Here is Bubble Gum and Gothic Lolita, napping in a bed of batts:
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Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Wood Gnomes
I was watching Oregon Art Beat, a show that features local artists. Knitting and half paying attention, I heard this voice that sounded just like my late Pop-pop!
Pop-pop passed away when I was pregnant with Annie. I grew up next door to him and he played a huge part in my childhood, as all of my grandparents did. He always had wood stain on his white t-shirt and smelled like varnish. My Pop was a woodworker, he refurbished antiques. I would scrape old paint with a paint scraper or sand with him for hours.
Anyway, this man, Leroy Setziol, was a wood carver.
He had the same big outdated glasses, the same elfish stocking cap, the same grimy clothing and the same crazy-old-man laugh!
I quickly googled him to find that this clip was filmed 2 years before his passing, he is now gone, but his art remains.
Here is a link to his art. (there is also a video clip).
Here a quote from the show, which inspired this yarn:
"Sometimes I start with a full blown idea and carve it to completion. Sometimes I start on something and half way through it changes because it changes YOU. Sometimes you almost finish the piece and you run into a knot or a rot and that is an unpleasant surprise, but that is the way the tree is."
A great metaphor for life I say!
Introducing "Leroy" the yarn.
Lumpy and bumpy animal friendly wool from a rescue farm! Targhee, mohair, poly pay and merino. Dyed a mossy mix of greens and browns with some mustard yellow roving carded in the mix.
Plied with a brown lumpy cotton thread.
I left the snarls pop out when plying it to resemble gnarly treeness.
Available in the One-of-a-Kind shop.
Pop-pop passed away when I was pregnant with Annie. I grew up next door to him and he played a huge part in my childhood, as all of my grandparents did. He always had wood stain on his white t-shirt and smelled like varnish. My Pop was a woodworker, he refurbished antiques. I would scrape old paint with a paint scraper or sand with him for hours.Anyway, this man, Leroy Setziol, was a wood carver.
He had the same big outdated glasses, the same elfish stocking cap, the same grimy clothing and the same crazy-old-man laugh!I quickly googled him to find that this clip was filmed 2 years before his passing, he is now gone, but his art remains.
Here is a link to his art. (there is also a video clip).
Here a quote from the show, which inspired this yarn:
"Sometimes I start with a full blown idea and carve it to completion. Sometimes I start on something and half way through it changes because it changes YOU. Sometimes you almost finish the piece and you run into a knot or a rot and that is an unpleasant surprise, but that is the way the tree is."
A great metaphor for life I say!
Introducing "Leroy" the yarn.
Lumpy and bumpy animal friendly wool from a rescue farm! Targhee, mohair, poly pay and merino. Dyed a mossy mix of greens and browns with some mustard yellow roving carded in the mix.Plied with a brown lumpy cotton thread.
I left the snarls pop out when plying it to resemble gnarly treeness.
Available in the One-of-a-Kind shop.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Whooz ya daddy?
My dad and family were here for a week to visit. It was so nice to see him and just hang out.
Here is a pic of us with me having a schlumpadinka-bed-hair day (as usual). We were even dressed alike like dorks-- haha. unintentionally of course.
Shell (my dad's wife) and Paul and the ever-energetic kids wanted to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls (1 mile up hill- bah!) So Dad and I hung out and drank coffee and chatted. I knit and he watched people. Good times.
Here are the kids hamming it up at Vista Point. You'd think they would have been tired.
That is my baby brother, Jack on the left- he is 7. Center is Ann and right is giant Eve (she hit 5'4!!)
Oh! I did decide to try the Double Cable Scarf (see previous post) on size 10 needles and it is perfect! Once I get a few more inches knit I will take another pic.
It has much more drape and movement on the larger needle. Yay!
Back to the wheel-- I am working on some one-ofs for a site update.
tah!
Here is a pic of us with me having a schlumpadinka-bed-hair day (as usual). We were even dressed alike like dorks-- haha. unintentionally of course.
Shell (my dad's wife) and Paul and the ever-energetic kids wanted to hike to the top of Multnomah Falls (1 mile up hill- bah!) So Dad and I hung out and drank coffee and chatted. I knit and he watched people. Good times.Here are the kids hamming it up at Vista Point. You'd think they would have been tired.
That is my baby brother, Jack on the left- he is 7. Center is Ann and right is giant Eve (she hit 5'4!!)Oh! I did decide to try the Double Cable Scarf (see previous post) on size 10 needles and it is perfect! Once I get a few more inches knit I will take another pic.
It has much more drape and movement on the larger needle. Yay!
Back to the wheel-- I am working on some one-ofs for a site update.
tah!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Double Cable Scarf~
This is my Double Cable scarf I am working on, using the Noro Kochoran yarn I bought at the shore.
The yarn is divine to work with and the pattern is fun and easy. I did change the pattern a bit (found in One Skein by Leigh Radford) by not switching to ribbing in the center of the scarf. I decided to cable the entire thing.
I have considered frogging and making it on size 10 or 11 needle instead, I am using a 9 and it seems kinda thick, not as drapey as I would like. Maybe I will knit a bit on a 10 or 11? and see how it drapes, before frogging the first.
HA!-- logic?!
See- I do have some left.... hmmmmm I will stew on this while at the dentist this morning (woohoo)~
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Hoppity Hop Hop
When we lived in PA the girls had an angora bunny named James. Here he is before and after shearing.
Last summer we took him back to our breeder (my friend Susan), since moving a bunny 3,000 miles is just crazy. We're crazy, but not that crazy.
Turns out James carries a dilute gene which produces a multi-colored litter. Susan bred him with a pretty girl named Sal, who also carries this gene and here is their first litter.
Cute fuzzy snuggly bunnies!
She will be breeding them again this spring, so if you are interested, contact her.
I still have James fluff, it appears in the occasional skein of yarn.
Last summer we took him back to our breeder (my friend Susan), since moving a bunny 3,000 miles is just crazy. We're crazy, but not that crazy.Turns out James carries a dilute gene which produces a multi-colored litter. Susan bred him with a pretty girl named Sal, who also carries this gene and here is their first litter.
Cute fuzzy snuggly bunnies!
She will be breeding them again this spring, so if you are interested, contact her.
I still have James fluff, it appears in the occasional skein of yarn.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
I am the Queen of Spaz~
We went for a road trip to the ocean on Sunday and I visited a wonderful yarn shop in Cannon Beach,OR called "Coastal Yarns".
I splurged and bought myself some yarns! I rarely buy yarn to make myself something, but this stuff was so soft and delicious I couldn't resist!
It is Noro Kochoran, in color #5o and is 50% Wool, 20% Silk, 30% Angora.
I am making myself a cabled scarf out of it using the Double Cable scarf pattern in the One Skein book by Leigh Radford. I will post pics once I get a few rows knit.
I am the A.D.D. QUEEN today, bouncing from one thing to the next. My family has been visiting from PA and we made 3 road trips in the past week. I am a mess, more than usual anyway. >:)
Back to my spazmosity!
I splurged and bought myself some yarns! I rarely buy yarn to make myself something, but this stuff was so soft and delicious I couldn't resist!
It is Noro Kochoran, in color #5o and is 50% Wool, 20% Silk, 30% Angora.
I am making myself a cabled scarf out of it using the Double Cable scarf pattern in the One Skein book by Leigh Radford. I will post pics once I get a few rows knit.
I am the A.D.D. QUEEN today, bouncing from one thing to the next. My family has been visiting from PA and we made 3 road trips in the past week. I am a mess, more than usual anyway. >:)
Back to my spazmosity!
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