Direct Checkout is Coming to Etsy

I was just on Facebook seeing what my peeps are up to, when I saw an interesting update from Dank Artistry.  Etsy is rolling out Direct Checkout.  This means that before long, you can shop on Etsy without a PayPal account.  That's right, you can buy something from Wind Rose Fiber Studio with just a regular old credit card.  


I've added my shop to the queue and just as soon as my turn comes up, I'll be accepting major credit cards at Wind Rose.  I think it's a nice improvement to give buyers a choice.  You will still have the option of paying with PayPal if you prefer.  Personally, I'm a fan of PayPal, but it's always nice to have options!

Hat Sizing

I've been talking about hats a lot lately, so I thought I'd share this handy hat sizing list.  Even for those of us with kids, sometimes it's hard to remember the average head circumference of a 3 year old.  


This list leaves out adults.  21"-23" or 53.5 to 58.5cm is pretty typical.  21" is usually an adult small, 22" a medium, which leaves 23" as a large hat size.  This is the kind of information that's nice to keep around when hat making is the order of the day!

*Info for this post comes from Little Lids.

A Beanie For Craft Hope

Yesterday Craft Hope announced Project 16:  The Littlest Warriors.  This time we'll be crafting for kids fighting cancer.  Craft Hope is collecting beanie hats for babies through teens and bags for the kids to take to the hospital.  You can even fill the bags with crayons, coloring or activity books and anything else the kids might like.    

I couldn't wait to get started, so last night I got to work on a larger version of my Spiral Baby Beanie.  I've always liked this hat and I knew it wouldn't be hard to enlarge the size.  I need another day or two, but I'll be posting a free pattern for this beanie in youth to adult sizes.  

For this particular hat, I picked colors that I thought would look cute on a little boy, but half the fun is making them in different colors every time.  You can get creative with embellishments too.  On my Crochet Patterns Page you'll find a couple free flower patterns and a little leaf.  You could also buy sew-on decals for boys and girls at most craft or fabric stores.  Novelty yarns can also take this beanie to the next level.  Imagine a fur trim or a nice bouclé.

I like to get the kids involved in these projects too, so I'll be designing an easy sew fleece hat or something that we can do together.  My boys just don't want to learn to crochet.  Can you imagine that? 

The First Dye of 2012

Yesterday, a customer asked me how to place an order.  Thinking she was new to Etsy, I explained how ordering works.  Then she wrote back to clarify.  She wanted to know how to order certain colors that didn't appear in the shop.  If that's not a "get back to work" push, I don't know what is!

It was my idea to try to keep 40 shades of Merino in stock, so I guess I'd better get busy.  It's so easy to slack off during the holidays, but it's time to replenish the inventory at Wind Rose. 

I'm dyeing 1.5 pounds of Merino broken down into 4oz lots.  Each will get their own color in their turn.  Up first on the stove are the reds.  Russet and Crimson are on the menu today.  They take a little more time, thus giving me a chance to write.  Waiting in cue are four more bowls of pre-soaked wool.  They will be dyed Happy Green, Pink Blush, Golden Ochre, and Bright Yellow.  

Depending on how fast everybody dries, they should be in the shop by tomorrow afternoon.  Up next I'll be making sure the rest of the reds and pinks are in stock since Valentine's Day is the next big holiday.  It might take a week or two, but I'll get all of the colors back in stock.  Then I'm determined to get some Skin Tone Samplers dyed!

Well, that's what's on the stove at Wind Rose.  What's cookin' in your kitchen? 

Because It Matters

What matters?  In this case I'm talking about The Grey Matters Foundation.  This is a "nonprofit organization created to support and empower brain tumor patients and their loved ones through encouragement and personal outreach."

I met the founder, Lanette, and her husband earlier this fall at an event.  I spent a few minutes talking to Lanette's husband.  I was moved by how he spoke of his wife and her journey after being diagnosed with an Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma.  When Lanette discovered that there was very little support out there for people with brain tumors, she became that support for others.  That's a short version of the story, but that's how The Grey Matters Foundation began.  

Not long after that meeting, I found The Grey Matters website and signed up to be a Brain Buddie.   I love that this is a way that my kids and I can help to support others.  Since it's the holiday season, I sat down with my son Wes and we made some ornaments to put in Christmas cards.  Can you guess which ones I made? 

I know that the crafting community is full of big hearts and everyone finds such wonderful ways to give of themselves.  I like to share the little things that my family and I do because you never who you may inspire.  I know that I find myself inspired daily!

Falkland & BFL ~ By the Pound!

I'm making some changes around Wind Rose Fiber Studio this week. Every so often I like to add new products and mix things up a bit. It keeps life interesting!

Beginning this week, Bluefaced Leicester Wool Top and Falkland Wool Top are now available by the pound. I'm starting off with a limited quantity, but if it catches on, I'll make it a staple.

If these wools are among your favorites to work with, you can now buy 16oz or more at a time!

Shop!

Yesterday I was working on my Tunisian crochet project when I got to thinking. I really like making things, but my handmade items tend to get lost among all the roving in my shop. The truth is, I do focus on selling fibers in my Etsy store and that's my intention. Still, I have a studio full of designs that need a good home.

Then it occurred to me that I already link to the patterns I sell here on my blog. You can go to the Crochet Patterns page and not only find free patterns, but the ones for sale as well, so why not have a shopping page?

I already have my handmade accessories available for purchase in my Etsy and ArtFire stores, so I've created a new page that is simply called Shop. It's a gallery of pictures so you can browse through a selection of my favorites. If you see something that interests you, like this cute Autumn Baby Beanie for instance, you can just click on that photo. That click will take you directly to the product listing where you can view more images and all of the important details.

So far I have 21 handmade accessories available on my Shop page. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be working to add to that list. If you love handmade and giving handmade gifts, or even if you just like to window shop, I hope you will enjoy this new feature here on the Wind Rose Fiber Studio blog.

Crochet Community Service ~ 1

Every once in a while, an opportunity presents itself and you just know it's meant for you. This very thing happened a couple of weeks ago when I opened up an email. Within my community, an organization is setting up workshops to teach crochet and other crafts to homeless and at risk members, with the goal of ultimately creating marketable products.

It may not seem like crochet and community service have much in common, but I think it's inspired. Creativity is a powerful, powerful thing. It's about opening yourself up to new possibilities. It's about finding the beauty in chaos. It's about connection and letting go. To riff off a lecture I recently listened to, it's about not just being, but becoming. When you create, you are an active participant in the world around you.

In short, I'm excited to join up with a group of volunteers who will be sharing their own talents and perhaps sparking a creative light in others. I've always enjoyed teaching my craft. It's a special joy to see someone's face light up as they grasp something new. It's wonderful to witness that pride of accomplishment and the enthusiasm to learn more. If I can be even a small part of helping another person feel good about themselves, then I'm in!

So the only thing I'm sad about is that I'm going to be out of town for most of the first workshop. I had to content myself with donating a bunch of yarn and hooks to help them get started, but I really wish I could be there. This project has been so on my mind that I started to think I should keep a journal of the experience. That's when I had my "duh" moment. Hello, I write a blog! I really don't know how the project will go and what will ultimately come as a result, but I'd like to share it all with you. I even created a special photo for my posts on the subject and whenever I have stories to tell, I'll tell them here.

My Merino Color Chart!

Pdlrrrrrrrrrr........ (that's my drum roll)

Here it is! My Merino Color Chart. Here are the 40 colors of Merino that I keep in stock at Wind Rose Fiber Studio!!!

This has been my goal since January. Every year I make resolutions for improvements to my shop and this year my plan has been to have a large, staple inventory of Merino colors. These are the colors you can count on finding when you visit Wind Rose!

Of course now the challenge changes from getting them all in stock to keeping them all in stock. I guess I'm about to find out if I can maintain an inventory this size. I'm just one dyer, but I'm pretty determined!

PS ~ If you click on the image, you should be able to view a larger picture of the chart. :D

My New & Improved Studio Space

Every so often, a neighbor or a friend will be visiting and ask to see my studio. I immediately feel bad for two reasons. One, it's just so cluttered and two, almost none of my handmade items are actually on display. Well, these two issues are now a thing of the past. I spent the better part of President's Day weekend overhauling my studio.

I've rearranged my studio before, even reorganized, but this time was different. This time I purged! My studio had become a storage space for a lot of stuff that I seldom use. With the goal of only keeping what I work with on a regular basis, eight bins made their way out of my studio and into storage. This freed up a lot of space and allowed me to bring up a display unit from the garage. Back in my craft show days, this triangle grid unit was always my favorite display because it holds so much in a rather small space. With the exception of my smaller jewelry items, it now holds every handmade thing I own.

I was also able to create an even roomier workspace for myself. My largest table, which used to just hold stuff, is now my desk. I have all my most important tools at my fingertips as well as my computer and entertainment devices. Gotta have my tunes!

I even cleaned out the closet and, and this is a big and, I don't have a bunch of stuff blocking the closet doors. I can actually get in and out of the closet. It's now workable storage.

I'm not sure why I'm blogging about my studio. I guess it's just out a sense of accomplishment. I can't help wanting to say, "Look what I did!" I should at least be sharing storage solutions or organizational tips or something. I guess I can point out, back in the first photo, how I organize all of my dyed roving. I have two, long card tables stacked up on top of each other. If you include the floor level, it means I have three tiers of surface area to keep my fiber bins. I use mesh laundry bags to store my roving. It's already packaged and ready for shipping by the time they go into their bags. They are sorted and kept organized by type. You know, Merino, Alpaca, Soy Silk...

I also repurposed some storage cubes. This is wear my jewelry lives as well as all of my other tools. It's amazing how many tools of the trade one can acquire.

Now my studio is not only clean, but it has an open feeling. The best part is, the next time someone asks to visit Wind Rose Fiber Studio, it will be fun. I'll be able to show them what I'm working on now as well as projects I've made that date back to my early years. I can put on some music, offer people a seat, and really enjoy sharing my creative space!

Tangled Up

It's been a couple days since my last post. I've been a little tangled up around the house. In fact, when I'm done writing, I'll be heading into my studio to organize this yarn. Why is it that no matter how neatly I put away my yarn, it always ends up looking like this?

Well, it's the weekend after Thanksgiving and the neighbors are starting to decorate their houses for Christmas. My email inbox is full of ads from any retailer who's managed to procure my address. Blockbuster movies are filling the theaters. Ready or not, it seems the holiday season is here.

As for me, I'm not thinking about the upcoming holidays just yet. The approach of early December represents something different to me. It means that the anniversary of Wind Rose Fiber Studio is coming. This year, on December 8th, I will have been in business for 3 years.

Really, December 8 could come and go and change nothing but the date on the calendar, but for some reason, the anniversary affects me significantly. I start to think about what I should change and what I should keep the same. I end up organizing and planning. How do I make Wind Rose even better in the upcoming year?

I can get seriously caught up in organizing. My brain starts to look a bit like this yarn photograph. I stay up late at night with notepads and my laptop as though I were running an empire and not a small craft business. The results of my efforts are usually minor, but worthwhile.

Last year I expanded my inventory and took my accounting online. This year I've decided to commit to keeping a group of core colors in stock. I like the idea of being the place where you can find a huge variety of hand dyed colors any day of the year. When I was writing down the colors I had to have, the list grew long. For every color of the rainbow, I want a cool and warm represented as well as a light and dark shade. I also want to include the earth tones not to mention grey and black. By the time I was done, I narrowed my list to 40 colors. These are just core colors mind you, there are others I'd like to include if time allows.

I don't think it would be practical to undertake this goal with every fiber I sell, so I've decided to keep my core colors in Merino wool. Merino is by far the most popular fiber I carry. For two other favorite wools, Falkland and BFL, I'll keep smaller, more primary selections. I'll try to do the same for soy silk if I can ever get enough back in stock. There is one more fiber dear to me and that is Firestar. I will keep a selection of colors in stock for this fiber too. As for blends and silks and all the other wonderful wools out there, I'll keep stocking them in ecru, but will probably only dye them upon request. This makes sense to me as the demand for them is much less.

So, with my anniversary looming, I'll be dyeing pounds of wool in all of the core colors I have chosen. This should take me a couple weeks to accomplish. Then the real test will start. The goal is to keep these colors available consistently throughout the year. I suppose it won't be long before I know if this is a reasonable goal or if I have chosen too great a number of colors. I'll be back another day with that color list so you know what you can expect to find at Wind Rose in 2011.

Black & White Lap Cloth ~ A Great Gift Idea!

I'm a member of the Telaraña Weavers and Spinners Guild. Like a lot of clubs, we raise money at our meetings to support our events throughout the year. Usually we raffle off baskets filled with fiber goodies, but at our last meeting, some of the ladies created something special.

Now I can't remember whose brain child this was, so if anyone from the guild happens to read this post and knows the answer, please leave a comment. I would like to give the creative mind proper kudos. For now, I'll just share what I think is a wonderful gift idea for anyone who works with their hands!

It's called the Easy-Eye Lap Cloth. It unfolds into a rectangle about 21 x 12 inches in size. It's a very comfortable width for laying across your lap. It's white on one side for when you are working with dark colored yarn or beads or whatever your craft may be. On the other side it's black for working with lighter colors. Having the right background makes it so much easier for your eyes to focus on your project.



Wait, that's not all! There's another cool feature. The lap cloth is open on one end like a pillow case. When it's time to pack up, you can slide your project right into the lap cloth for safe keeping. It's perfect for projects on the go or just keeping your work handy and protected.

I thought this idea was so clever that I bought two, one for me and one for my mom. I wanted to share it with you today because I think it's a great homemade gift idea for anyone in your life who knits, crochets or beads. All you need is some basic sewing skills and a little black and white fabric. I love how ours was personalized with our guild name. That little touch makes it special.

Megan's Headband ~ Making a Comeback!

I have to laugh at this picture because it's totally vintage Wind Rose. This was back in the bad old days before image editing, especially on an Apple computer, had become quick and easy. My camera wasn't much help either, but believe it or not, this photo helped me get into a few juried craft shows.

The featured item here is Megan's Headband. This is a design of mine that was inspired by a sweet young friend named Megan. She went to preschool with my son and her mother I became friends. One day Megan was wearing a very interesting headband. I'd never seen anything quite like it before, so I asked her mom about it. It was something they had purchased on a family trip to Singapore. I asked if I could study it sometime and so that is how Megan's headband came to be.

So I had some definite inspiration for this design and I made some pretty major changes. I used different materials, changed the way the headband is wrapped and tweaked the crocheted kerchief in the back. I bet I made and sold at least a hundred of these before moving out to Arizona. Then I stopped doing craft shows and took my business online. My poor Megan's Headbands have bee sitting in my studio, waiting for attention.



I don't know how much attention they'll receive on the internet. Headbands are the kinds of things that you have fun trying on and looking in the mirror. At my craft shows, I had a tall mirror that I painted purple with sparkling silver stars. Girls would put on a headband and dance in front of it. You gotta love dress up!

Today I'm just here to humbly let you know that I'm listing them for sale in my ArtFire shop. So far there are four, but I have at least another half dozen to go.

Pages Are in the Works!

I have a little blog improvement project underway. I'm in the process of building on a new addition to Wind Rose Fiber Studio!

I can hardly believe it, but since I started writing in January of 2008, I have accumulated 684 posts. With so many, it's getting harder and harder to find what you are looking for with ease. When I learned about Pages, a new gadget, I knew it would be the perfect tool to help me organize my blog.

I've already gotten started. If you look to the left on your screen, right under the Wind Rose banner, you can see the first three pages. The first is Home. That's where you are now, with articles posting in order as they are written. Next to that I've created Dyeing Tutorials. This page includes links to my top dyeing how-tos. Right now I'm working on Crochet Patterns. This will make it super easy to find all of the crochet patterns that I have shared on my blog.

Right now I'm taking it one page at a time. When I'm finished, you will be able to effortlessly peruse all of the most popular posts in each category. I think it will make surfing this blog a lot more fun!

Sparkling Metallic Fibers!

For two days straight, I have been plunging into the depths of my studio and coming up with buried treasure. Today I found gold! That is, I found sparkling Angelina fibers looking for a good home.

My studio is actually an orderly place. It's just packed full of my years of fiber enthusiasm. I've been holding onto a large assortment of Angelina fiber and I've decided to go ahead and sell it. For me it's about clearing space, so I'm only charging what I paid. I'll be happy to break even and have a little more studio wiggle room.

So this means, for a limited time, I'll be selling a range of these twinkling metallic fibers. They are made of shredded mylar and metallic film. The are soft and fine enough to go through a drum carder. I've decided to package them in .25oz bags because that is enough fiber to make two or three batts of roving, or skeins of yarn, very sparkly!




I have seven colors to choose from. At the very top of this post is Yellow Gold. Then moving down to my set of six pictures and going from left to right: Lapis & Purple, Mardi Gras, Antique Gold, Silver, Lapis and Crystal Amethyst.

Blended Alpaca, Merino & Silk ~ The Newest Additon to Wind Rose!

This is it. This is my last week of summer vacation before my kids go back to school and I go back to teaching. What does this mean? It means that I'm still sitting here in my jammies at 2:00 in the afternoon desperately trying to get Wind Rose Fiber Studio as organized as I can.

Throughout most of the year, I juggle the roles of teacher and manager of my Etsy store. During the summer, I try to accomplish as much as I can as far as dyeing, stocking inventory and just general housekeeping, or in this case, studiokeeping. In the process, I always stumble upon a few surprises.

Today's unexpected discovery is this gorgeous blend of Alpaca/Merino/Silk Roving! It's obviously something I planned to dye and list in my shop some time ago because I already had the fiber divided into 4oz lots. I saved some for dyeing, but I decided to list some ecru in the store for people who like natural fiber or who like to do their own dye work. There are four options. You can purchase a 4oz, 2.3oz, 1.7oz or 1oz amount of roving from Wind Rose on Etsy. I also put a few extra 1oz packs in my ArtFire shop.

This fiber is so nice. The 50% Alpaca gives the roving a 5" staple length. The 30% Merino gives it some body and the 20% Silk adds that silky shine. It's all you could ever want in a fiber really. It kills me that I've had it for months and forgot about it; a casualty of my frenzied existence!

Dedicating Time For Others

I have this brain that's always filled with 101 things I want to do with my time. I pack my days with all sorts of activities from plain old housekeeping to motherhood as well as my creative aspirations. Time passes by and then I realize that I have neglected to dedicate some of my precious minutes to others. I have to push down on the break and remember how important it is to be a positive part of the universe.

Spirit Jump is one of the ways I try to give of myself to others. Spirit Jump is an organization of people that send cards and small gifts to people who are struggling with life threatening illness. The whole idea is to let people know that someone cares when they need that care the most. It's a wonderful group and a simple, yet powerful idea. I'm very happy to be a part of it.

It's easy to join up if you like the idea too. They send emails with short stories about people who need a Spirit Jump and you can reply and ask for their address. You can send one card a year or one a week. I tend to be sporadic, but I have to say, when I make time to lift someone's spirit, it makes me feel so good.

If you think you may struggle with what to say in a card to someone who is terribly ill, I understand. I know I've had a hard time with that myself. What do you say to a stranger who is in pain? I'm sharing one of my cards today. It's not a long note, but it says what I feel and what I want the recipient to know. I made a small heart to go into the envelope and this is what I wrote:

"I crocheted this little heart for you. It's a small token from hands to yours. When you hold it, please know that I am holding you in my thoughts. Love Jennifer"

I Think I Have Enough Crochet Hooks

Over the past couple weeks, I've been doing more cleaning than creating. I don't know why the urge to sort and organize hits me this time of year. It makes no sense really. It's gorgeous outside, yet every fiber of my being tells me to tidy my closets, drawers and all of those smaller spaces that become cluttered throughout the year.

For me, this also means going through my bag collection. I have many totes. I can't go anywhere without a project in tow, but I never seem to go back to the same one. I end up with half a dozen bags filled with all sorts of unfinished creations. Some go unvisited for shameful lengths of time. Going through them feels a bit like walking down memory lane. "Oh yeah, I remember when I was going to make that!" Then I'll think to myself, "That's kind of cute. Why didn't I finish it?"

So yes, like a truly mad woman, I talk to myself as I rediscover my own forgotten work. And let's talk about the tools! For every stowed project, there are hooks and needles, thread and scissors, beads and findings of all sorts. It's the crochet hooks that really get to me. I have so many crochet hooks, but as sure as I'm typing this post, I'll go crazy hunting for a G hook in a couple of months. I'll eventually get tired and frustrated with looking and buy a new one at Michaels. The collection will expand.

Top Ten Posts

If I count this one, I've posted 628 articles to the Wind Rose Fiber Studio blog. Blogging has become my favorite part of the day. It's my quiet time when I get a chance to process and share.

Over the past three years, certain posts have emerged as the most visited among the herd. I find this interesting because it's a snap shot of what currently interests people.

For at least a year now, my husband has been telling me to make a list of my most popular posts. Well guess what honey, I did it! Now if you scroll down just a short way on my left side bar, you'll find links to the Top Ten Most Viewed Posts here at Wind Rose Fiber Studio!

Coiled Wire ~ An Organizational Idea

I'm not sure if I have the right magazine, but isn't it Highlights where they have that page of close-up pictures? The photographer has zoomed in on part of an object or an animal and the kids have to guess what the picture is of.

My picture here, of coils and Pipe Cleaners, made me think of that. If I had not named this post, "Coiled Wire..." would you have to look twice?

I'm sharing a little organizational idea with you today. I've been working with coiled wire lately. Since I'm turning the coiled wire into beads and shapes, I like to make more than one coil at a time so I have a little stock of wire at the ready. When I work with the coiled wire, I like to have it attached to something to make it more stable and easier to handle. These desires led me to my craft closet yesterday.

I was looking for something I could pass through the coils when I saw a collection of Pipe Cleaners. Initially I was thinking I'd like something less flexible, but now, I think Pipe Cleaners for coil work and storage are a pretty cool idea.



Here's why:
1. Both the large and small diameter coils will fit on a standard Pipe Cleaner
2. You can color code your inventory to help keep track of different wire gauges by using different colored Pipe Cleaners.
3. You can also organize different colors of wire by using different colors of Pipe Cleaners
4. The coiled wire does not slide off so you could store your stock of coiled wire by hanging them on a wall. They're Pipe Cleaners after all, so they would easily attach to a hook on a pegboard or something as simple as a string stretched between two nails. You could also use removable 3M hooks.
5. You can work with the coiled wire while it's on the pipe cleaner by attaching either end of the pipe cleaner to something stable. For example, you could use two clamped down corner braces. The holes in the braces create a convenient place to attach either end of the Pipe Cleaner.

There you have it. Coils and Pipe Cleaners! It's a handy combination!