1st Treasury!!!

The Etsy Treasury is a collection of collections picked by individuals who buy or sell on Etsy. The idea is to showcase favorite items or items within a theme. The treasury can then be used as a shopping guide for others! The lovely Barefoot Beadz on Etsy thought my "just peachy" yarn would fit right in with these finds.

I was SUPER excited!!! (as you can imagine...)

Have a fabulous day!

Leslie, Spinderella and Drummond

I'm back!

I wanted to take a moment to "show off" some of the new yarns I have made... and will be listing in the shop in the next couple of days.
I have been really loving to thread ply these super soft painted rovings!


And (in my opinion) you just can't beat a good chunky, textured, core spun yarn!


Alas... we have the old stand-by... the ever versatile single...

And, yes, I realize I was avoiding the elephant in the room by not explaining where I've been the past several months... but to be honest I don't even know. I did have some MORE health problems over Christmas. All is well now. And, I did lose the cord that connected my camera to the computer so I couldn't upload any pics. But, other than that I have no excuse. I didn't even realize it had been that long! Hopefully things will return to the semi-normal state they were in last fall. I have a couple of workshops to attend this year and really want to grow my business! Glad to have you along for the ride!

Leslie, Spinderella and Drummond!

October has become one of my favorite months!

I have always preferred the spring... until this year. So much fun stuff has happened this October I can't help but call it my favorite month of this year!

My new work schedule started this month... I got to spend a week at the beach spinning and knitting... I am having the GRAND OPENING of my shop this month... I sold yarn to France... this weekend will be my first "trade show" (more about that later)... I got a great deal on a drum carder this month (much more about that later)...

So many fabulous things are going on this month! Now, I want to share some of my fabulousness with you! If you follow my blog this month you will be entered to win a (obviously) fabulous prize!

And, don't forget to drop in my shop. I am offering FREE SHIPPING for the entire month of October!

Have a fluffy day!
Leslie and Spinderella

MY SHOP IS OPEN!!!

My goal was to have my shop open by the end of the day Sunday, September 20, 2009. Guess what? I made it! I even sold my first yarn within 5 hours!!! Can you believe it! Just a few months ago I didn't even know people could actually still make yarn! I feel like I found my niche! Finally!!!

Other news... as of this week I work only 4 days at my "real" job and I have the rest of the week to work on my fiber arts! How cool is that? So, that means I have to really get on the ball and get a schedule going for my at home time. And, that also means I will have more time to share with you on my blog. I have quite a bit to catch up with you on!

Now, while you are here... take a look to the right... and you will see a preview of my shop! (Super cool!) Or, you can just click on this link... Spinning Spinderella. Or, you can copy and paste this... www.spinningspinderella.etsy.com ! So, there you go! No excuses! Let me know how you like it!

Squish squish!
Leslie Cooper and Spinning Spinderella

Yarn!

As promised I spun up some red, white and blue fiber on Memorial Day! It turned out pretty nice (if I do say so myself). This little beauty is my first 2 ply yarn too! One thing I learned was that when you spin (or ply) the two yarns together you spin it the opposite way than you spun the original yarns. Crazy isn't it? I don't know but I don't think that would have ever crossed my mind.
Memorial Day Yarn

Most of the spinning I have done since the introduction of Spinderella has been scrap yarn or practice yarn. I have done a LOT of practice treadling too just to get the speed under control. It is really easy to get excited and start running on that thing! Just recently I have learned how to set the spin in hand spun yarn. Here is one of my first (and favorite) yarns I have spun and set.
Electric Slide
When you finish spinning the yarn you wind it off the bobbin onto a niddy noddy (or the back of a chair if that is all you have). I WILL do a video of this SOON. This is a way to keep the yarn from tangling and a way to measure the yardage.
Spring Fling

Now after you wind the yarn and tie it... it is time to "set the spin". The first step in this is to run some really hot water into a sink or bucket. You place the yarn in the hot water and let it sit until the water is cool. I suggest doing this with only one colorway at a time in case bleeding occurs. After the water has cooled you remove the yarn and place it on a towel. Fold the towel over the yarn and press the water out so that you do not agitate the fiber. Then hang the yarn over a hanger or door knob or something. If the yarn spins back on itself use a couple of hangers as weights at the bottom of yarn. When it dries... you have ready to knit YARN!
Pretty Pink

All of the fiber used to make these yarns was from the Phat Fiber Sample Box. Last month I got the "Just Fluff" box. Boy was that fun! I opened up the box and took out some fiber... when I looked back at the box it was full again! It was like Mary Poppins bag! Never ending fluff!!! Well, sad thing is... it did end. But I will have another chance at a Phat Fiber Box this month! Hope everyone is having a great week! Happy hump day!

LC

Oh my, my heads-a-spinnin!

Don't worry... my zest for all things fiber has not diminished! I have just been so busy stuffing my face with information I haven't had time to spit it back out! I find something new EVERY day either on the internet, in books or just by trial and error. It is absolutely fascinating! I have been to my LYS (aka Local Yarn Store... that took a while for me to figure out) The Woolie Ewe. It is delicious. I have joined a small knitting circle (there are only three of us). I have also been knitting a bit with my sister... who I found out knits totally different from me. It is so crazy! We get the same end result but the process seems so strange. Maybe I will get her to do some videos for you too. Speaking of videos... I don't have the technology to do videos at this time... my sister has a camera that does though. So, all videos will be at her convenience (and she has a new baby).

I have BIG fibery plans for the next few weeks! This weekend I am *crossing fingers* going to Trinity Ridge Alpaca's Open Farm Day/ Spin In! How fun does that sound? And it is just a hop, skip and a jump from the casa! Then of coarse we have Memorial Day on Monday. I might just spin up a little something red, white, and blue! And then... next Friday night... The fantabulous Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, is going to be in Plano, Texas! My sister and I are so there! I must make something small and fibery to wear that night... has to be springy... any suggestions?

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and let you know everything is OK. I am having tons of fun!

I will definitely be posting pictures soon.

LC

ps. I had a dream that I curled up into a yarn ball! It was orange!

One row too far...

Last night, after a completely unproductive day with a migraine, I decided to do a little knitting. Yesterday was the one week one day marker in my knitting story. I have been practicing stitches like a mad woman. I even did a little swatch to check out the pattern I wanted to try on my first project... a scarf. I had it down... knit, knit, knit through the back, purl, knit, knit, knit through the back, purl, etc. I finally felt like a knitter! I had found my rythem! And then it happended... I knew I was feeling sleepy. I told myself, "One more row!" And then I did it. I dropped a stitch. At the end of the row I had 29 instead of 30! I dragged myself off to bed where I proceeded to beat myself up for at least 30 minutes before I finally fell asleep. Guess what my first thought was when I got up this morning? What will I do? I have heard that fixing knitting mistakes is almost impossible. Well, I am going to give it a shot. I think I can see where the accident happened. I am going to fix the problem. I will not let myself give up and start another project. I will not unravel the whole thing. I will figure it out!

Wish me luck!

LC

ps. Any tips or suggestions will be appreciated!!!

*Cast on* this!

Today's lesson is Learning to Knit: Part One-- Casting On

Step 1: Start with a slip knot on the needle in your right hand.

Step 2: Hold the end of the yarn away from you. Wrap the yarn around your pointer finger. The ball of yarn should be the strand closest to you.

Step 3: Take the needle over the strand closest to you and point away to the other strand.

Step 4: Go over the strand furthest from you.

Step 5: Point the needle down.

Step 6: Point needle back toward you and pull through pointer finger and middle finger.

Step 7: Let strand on pointer finger go.

Step 8: Pull tight...

tighter...

Step 9: There is no step 9... if you have done it right (if I have taught it right) you will be ready to repeat the steps until you have enough rows for your pattern (or your ugly practice square... like me).

Not your everyday knot...

The infamous Slip Knot.

This knot is used to start any crochet or knitting project. I thought I knew this one but it turns mine wouldn't slip. So, here it is:
Lay out yarn over your fingers with tail end away yarn end toward you.

Grab the tail and place it over top of the yarn, towards you.

Use pointer finger and thumb to go through the loop and grab (yarn ball) yarn.

Pull on ends of yarn to tighten.


Take loop and place over needle.


Now you are ready to start your project!
There are other ways to start crochet and knitting projects like the magic circle or long tail cast on but I just wanted to get started with the basics.

LC

ps. This beautiful yarn was sent to me in my Phat Fiber Box! I was so thrilled when I saw this colorful sample from Desired Haven Farm called Spring Day. More samples and fun things to do with them coming soon!!!

Introducing...

SPINDERELLA!!! She is my beautiful new Louet Victoria spinning wheel. I was introduced to her this past Sunday, April 26th 2009. I went to the DFW Fiber Fest to try out some different types of wheels. She totally won my heart! She is a little thing (weighing around 7 lbs.) and she has her own suitcase. As soon as I got home I grabbed some roving and got to work. These are some pictures of me *spinning Spinderella*...

The pictures here show my very first yarn. It is a little wacky but I think pretty good for my first day EVER!
Boy can she spin...

These guys (need a pedicure) know how to work it! I always wiggle my feet anyway... my boyfriend calls it *making biscuits*. You know, like a kitty? Turns out this was perfect practice for treadling(I didn't even know that was a word until last Sunday). Well, at least I don't seem to get tired.

Other exciting news is that I learned to knit last night!!! I was super excited when I finished up my little rectangle! I will treasure it always. I hope to have a short video this weekend. I have a list of topics all ready. I will leave you with a picture of my first knitting progect in progress.

Have a lovely day!
LC

Fiber: Fascination or Fetish?

Does it matter?

So what if I am a little obsessed with comfy, cozy, colorful, cotton candy... I mean... FIBER... Just look at it. It is full of potential and calling my name! Okay. You're right! It can do a lot... but it can't talk.

Anyway, this blog is going to be all about my adventures in fiber and fiber related things. Examples of this might be yarn, crochet, knitting, spinning, dying fiber and who knows what else?!?!?! Isn't that exciting?!?!? Well if you don't think so just mosey on along... you won't be missed.

Now, back to the fun stuff.

I don't quite know how I got all *wound up* in this yarn thing but I am here and things are lookin' pretty. I do know that this slight obsession started sometime in the beginning of 2009... somewhere between Twitter and Etsy... I know! Weird how one thing leads to another. Like how I learned to crochet from a woman who called herself a Mexican Jew while volunteering at KERA about 7 years ago. Pretty random. Or how I met a lovely lady at the doctors office waiting to have blood taken (again) who teaches crochet, knitting, spinning, etc. who told me I HAD to go to the DFW Fiber Fest.

My plan is for this website to 1) be a place for you to see how much fun I am having, 2) be a place for current *fiber fans* to hang out and remember the good ole' days when you didn't know anything and 3) convert some new folks!

I will try to get out a video a week of a new technique I learn. I will try to post at least twice a week about projects I am working on or maybe just some pictures of yummy fiber.

I am starting from the very beginning... it's a very good place to start...

LC

ps. My new Louet Victoria is named Spinderella (hence the name of the blog)