The Yarn Gnome

Extra, Extra: read all about it!

2010-04-18T04:30:00.000-07:00

Hot off the presses here folks. It's been ages since I updated my blog. I admit it.. facebook has sucked me in like a vortex. If you haven't fanned our page yet, please do. I announce random sales all the time.

At this moment, we have a couple of things to announce. Our customs list is hammered away. We are down to 2 orders remaining. Seems like nothing to me, being as earlier this week there were lots more to get done.

Secondly, TYG has a new product out called Dippin' Duds. The brain behind the idea is Cait from Little Hands Little Feet. What a great lady she is.. and a wonderful friend. I got the first pair I dyed from her on Tuesday this week and dyed them Friday morning. Gosh was it ever fun. I do need a larger pot though. I discovered my husband had used our stock pot for something else and I could no longer find it. It has since materialized back in our kitchen.. and shockingly.. it's clean. Wow. I wish more of our pots and pans would disappear and come back cleaner than the last I saw it. HA! Anyway, expect these to hit virtual shelves this spring. I love pairing with Cait for this sort of collab. Her knitting is absolutely flawless.. if I had to use 1 knitter for the rest of the time I diapered my kids.. it would be her. Fluid short rows, very neatly knit gussets.. everything down to the littlest detail is perfection! I like that.. I am a perfectionist too, so it's a trait I admire!

OH! and before I close this out.. I am FINALLY getting into wrap dyeing. I know, I know.. I've been promising to dye stuff since like November last year. Well, I'm finally able to do it. Pricing starts at $50 for anything 3.6 and shorter. Please contact me for details. I am able to do cellulose fibers as well as protein (wool). For right now I am just doing dip dyeing.. I will get into it more. Once I have a bit more business coming in I will begin purchasing wraps and dyeing them for my store. Keep your eyes peeled!

I do think this is all.. I am going to start doing some contests soon.. so like I said, find us on facebook and stalk for updates.

-M

Not so great at keeping up!

2010-01-28T00:58:00.000-08:00

Lots of new and exciting things for The Yarn Gnome! As you probably have noticed by now, I have my own HC store now. I am so happy to have my own little place to call "home"! Please do keep checking back. I am trying to get into the routine of stocking Sundays at 4pm eastern time. Sundays are usually one of my days to get away and relax, so it fits in pretty well!

I've come out with about a dozen new and exciting colorways.. AND, I've been working hard to release a line of plant fiber yarns! This will be exciting for the mamas that are wool sensitive, or for those looking at cheaper options for those knitting or crochet projects they have been dreaming up. I am currently dyeing my first batch of testers (over 2000 yards to dye). I will update the blog when they're done.

Please see the store on January 31st at 4pm eastern time for the BSRB collab stocking. I am so thrilled to be able to collab with a wahm whom I consider to be one of the best in the industry as far as diapers go. After that collab we will have an exciting tshirt and yarn combo, and then a few diaper and yarn combos. Eventually I want to team up with many WAHMs. Please feel free to contact me if you're a wahm with a cute product. We might be able to team up and host a great collab!

Great things in the works

2009-11-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

So I have done a few customs now, and actually I rather enjoy the challenge of matching colors. it's very time consuming. Just to give you an idea of how long this last one took.. I started it at 4am and the dye was all set by about 9:30/10am. I let it dry for a while and then it took me almost an hour to reskein. Keep in mind the thing is 500 yards.. that's a lot of yarn! I am hoping my customers will be pleased with their purchases. One of the colorways I pulled out of the dye pots yesterday morning is just stunning. I grabbed some of my 2ply bbr, which mind you I have the grey base.. I chose it because it's a merino/corriedale mix, for sturdiness and softness. It is dreamy soft, despite what corriedale it does have in there. Such a wonderful mix, and nicely spun. Unlike Marr Haven, this grey base takes dye.. and it looks BEAUTIFUL. I love the feel of marr haven, but the grey is a lot to get used to. I wish they'd bring back the natural color worsted.. I can only get it in sport weight now.

I am in the process of completing the yarn I have on hand now, and will be ordering more after the Congo opens on the first. My store should get set up around then as well. I am just trying to get all my ducks in a row first.

On Black Friday (11/27) I am running a 5% discount on select instock yarn. The discount applies to the cost of the yarn before shipping. Discounts cannot be applied to custom orders! There is a post on the WAHM wares forum that has some shots of what is available. Lots of girlie colorways. Tonight or tomorrow I should have more boyish colorways available.

On second though!

2009-11-21T16:44:00.001-08:00

Lots of stuff came up between the time I wrote that last entry(deleted it now).. and right now. I am going to remain open for custom slots on customers yarn. I do not have enough in stock right now to offer it on my yarn. If you are wanting recommendations on yarn I can link you to several sites that have gorgeous bare yarn for sale. It works out to be cheaper for you doing it this way anyway!

Next month or the month after I will more likely have some extra yarn available to offer custom slots on what I've already got.

I have a full rainbow of jacquard dyes and soon I will be investing in another line of acid dyes, so I will have even MORE to offer. Please stay tuned!

It has begun!

2009-11-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

I decided to hand pant yarn early in 2009. It was thanks to a long time friend that I bought my first Jacquard acid dyes and wool yarn. I can't say my first attempts came out brilliantly, but it was fun all the same. After a few practice attempts, I slowly started to get the hang of it. You can mix your colors and have so much fun letting your vision flow onto the yarn. I love it.. it's a hobby that is turning into a way to supplement our income. We've been on the bottom lately with DH's career change. Despite our struggles we're sticking to making things work for our family. So this is why I decided to open The Yarn Gnome for business. On December 1st this year The Yarn Gnome will open it's not so literal doors for orders. I'm very excited to offer my work to mamas seeking that perfect colorway.

Just for the record I am quite humble with my abilities. There are so many amazing indie dyers out there right now. Just take a look at Mosaic Moon or Dashing Dachs. I occasionally wonder if they could ever make a mistake or an undesirable colorway. I have loved all the colorways that I've seen from both. I envy that sort of talent, and strive to get that good. Maybe one day!

Coming in 2010, there will be photo contests and several giveaways. There will be so much to come, and lots of changes. For now I will be offering instock colorways and occasional custom orders. For my grand opening I will be offering a FFS slot and a drawing for a coupon.