Insubordiknit

Knits and shop update

Finally I've done it...I think. I've updated the gallery of things knit from Insubordiknit yarn with all the pictures people have sent me over the last 2 months. I think. I hope. I tried to get them all but I've not been the most organized of gals lately, if ya know what I mean. But here they are (please let me know if I've left you out). For details, check the page. Also, the shop was just updated and the monster hats and ragamittens are gone as well as a few yarns, but there's a scant few left. Plus, a big order to KPixie went out this week, so check there later!

Soon a real update! I've got 7 FOs of my own to show off. Yikes! At least I'm a slacker with my own stuff as well.

Thanks-taking

Oh boy. This one's another podcast yarn, look for it this holiday weekend on the next episode!

A big and bulky 2-ply that speaks more to the history of this country than the day in question. First it begins with a nice handpainted earthy wool, heavily coiled around that is natural bison fiber, because they used to be aplenty. Soon the earthy brown and green ply fades to browns and pinks, as the pink skinned man (white-y) landed and decided to make this his home.

Plied with the flesh tones is still bison, but the coils are less and less, also spun in are a few crosses, and some handfelted veggies (white man brought religion, natives shared harvest). Soon the Bison is no more and the pink and brown is plied with itself with the pink coiling more and more around the brown, choking it out. Less veggies and now a bit of uncarded red as the carnage began...then the blankets (no real smallpox contained). These cycle, few and many, as the cycle of violence and promises tended. Finally the brown becomes less as the red gory bits become more, white is added and soon it's nothing but white and pink...then just white.

Remember to be thankful for what you have, but don't forget to be kind and remember what others might not have.

Yarn Museum and Bust

I'm humbled to have been asked and agreed to be involved in a super cool project, although the super-coolness, like all things collective, depends on everyone (read: YOU). The Yarn Museum! It's a collective, collabrative effort to honor the artistry and beauty of all handspun yarn. How could I say no? I'm on the Circle of Advisers, along with some of just about the best spinners out there. Check it out, and submit. It goes live in a few weeks so let's make it awesome!

Also, thanks to Dharia from Skeintily clad (and now several others) I saw myself (or at least my yarn) in Bust again this month! Woohoo, what a surprise. It's in the editor's picks for holiday gifts! Exciting. Yep, me and Parker Posey in Bust this month, we're like this, me and Parker.

Oh, I thought of another thing I want to trade for -- plushies for LB for winter holiday. He loves stuffed friends! oh, and did I mention art? I mean, I know it's all art, but wall art? that too. I should make a list, or a page, or something...

HodgePodge

I've been sick. Not terribly sick, but sick enough to feel justified in complaining. And knitting during the day. And not doing laundry. I'm better now and I've got knitting to show for it, and piles of dirty laundry. Oh, and I also spent all day one day with LB, on the floor, cutting stuff out of magazines for collages. They were my first, pics later. I think everyone may be getting tiny collages for winter holiday, we're all about the homemade around these parts.

I didn't mention that there was a shop update last monday, there was. Only 8 yarns and I think there are 2 left, which is pretty rare. I'm not even sure what to do when there's yarn left over from the week before. Hmm...I also wanted to mention that I do trades. I know it's close to the end of the year when people need money, and while I'm in that boat, I'm also in the boat of wanting your super cool stuff! Heh.
Yeah, so hit me up! I recently did a trade with Nesting Emily for the coolest handthrown pottery -- 3 bowls and a vase-y mug. i loved it! I want to replace all my dishes with artist pottery...someday. So, trade me, I love artist made stuff. I'm particularly interested in pottery, knitting bags, handbound journals, aprons (i really want a cool one), sock yarn, and skills! Yep, I really want a weaver to step up and weave Bill a cool guitar strap as a trade for yarn! So, whatcha got? I've got yarn.

The Pictures are a quick photo strip of our KC trip. My lovely fairy mother, my scary skeleton kid, and a midwestern dance party featuring the tunes of OFM

Return, renew

I'm home! I'm home. And I'm happy to be home. And I was happy to be at my folks. The Little Bit and the Ratty Old Baby and I had a wonderful time. I'm really grateful to have parents that I love and I like being around.

Highlights of the trip --
-Little Bit (LB) got to go on my mom's bus route with her, at least the last one, where he met a new friend who came over to play a few times.
-LB playing pirates with my mom and stopping to take a drink from his water bottle exclaiming ahhh, me loves me rum!.
-My pop taking up all on a surprise day to a big cat sanctuary! Yeah, it was awesome and I've got pictures to prove it!
-Coming home to a finished bathroom! Yes, finally, after 2 years of having a bathroom in various states of unfinished-ness, it's now done. Bill worked his hard little ass off and it's awesome (and fushia)!

Now, I didn't update the shop on Monday because I just couldn't get my baltimore feet back after so long in MO. They'll be one this Monday, for sure. I'm renewed and rejuvenated, you know, except for the times I'm sluggish and must sleep all afternoon. But I'm renewed when it comes to the yarny bits. I took some time organizing my knitting when I returned home. Which, btw, I've got 2 more pairs of Socktoberfest socks to show off -- 4 total, yep! My knitting for the next 2 months of the year is mapped out in all it's insanity. Two sweaters (one is original for Bill, one is going to be a EZ yoke sweater with handspun for LB), a clapotis for my mom (I think...I don't have the yarn yet). And we call them pirates for my pop, who reads this so that all the details I'm putting in here, he'll just have to wait and see. Shew, so as you can see, I've got some knitting to do. Starting.........now!

And spinning. I'm going to try to be better about updates, especially since I'm kinda supporting us now. Did I ever mention that Bill lost his job during my illness due to having to take off for so long (me in the hospital and then bedrest)? Yep, he's been getting unemployement but it's not much and it's about to run out. He's focusing on the band right now, and doing a little freelance web and graphics work, but pretty much, we're sitting on a house built up by fiber. So it you know a brick and mortar shop that needs to stock me, lmk, I could use 2-3 more brick and mortar shops and then I'd be set.

I've decided to really put my all into the spinning. Not that I haven't been, but even more so. I'm only going to sell yarns that I love, no more spinning just to fill the orders, it's all going to be my best or it doesn't get listed. When I started spinning, I didn't think it'd become a business and I want to make sure it stays something I love. I know my yarn is expensive, more than some, not as much as many, but expensive just the same. I try really hard to be fair with the pricing, I don't believe in taking advantage or charging the most I could possibly get.

I could buy super cheap wool. It exists and I know it exists. I also know where to get it and that lots of spinners use it and it's perfectly lovely. However, it's personally important to me that my fibers come from humane sources. I am vegan and have been for over a decade and I just have to know I'm not contributing to any suffering. So I buy my fibers from sanctuaries and small, no-kill farms where the animals are friends, not food. These fibers are more expensive, no $6, $7, $8 per lb here, it's usually more like triple that, depending on the breed and it's usually dirty, even if they're washed. So that means washing and dying and carding. Or sometimes, I'll send it out to be processed into roving, because I like the variety and some yarns call for carded batts and some yarns call for combed roving. So my cost is higher, but it's a cost I think is important. Werd.

Now, let me say that this is not a slam on those that buy from the other places, we're all different and everyone's has things that are important to them, this just happens to be one of mine.

All my cottons are organic as well, human suffering does not come second to animal suffering to me, yo.

I spend time (and am commiting myself to more of this) thinking about each yarn, what it is, what it means to me, how it'll look, how it'll knit up, and how to make it do what I want it to do while keeping it's structural integrity. The more time I spend with a yarn, the more I like it, so each yarn gets a little piece of me.

I really do love the fiber work that I do. It's given me something that I've never had before, peace and satisfaction. I don't feel all itchy, like I'm waiting for my life to happen anymore. I don't have to look for things to fill my time or my brain. It contents me, even the part of me that isn't concerned with fiber or creativity, the part of me that has friends and relationships and a house to clean -- having something I love makes me happier with all those things. Poo poo the drama and dissatisfaction, pick up the wool!