The Craft Begins

Here’s an update to yesterday’s post about the scarf I made – the yarn from beginning to end, courtesy of Robayre!

Here’s a project I feel very strongly about.

The Navajo Nation is pretty desperately poor.  If you’ve ever driven across northern Arizona, you know what I mean.  The standards of living there aren’t keeping up with the rest of the US.  And unlike many tribes that rely on the income from oil contracts, or gambling, they don’t have too many sources of income.   A few months ago I stumbled across a little shop that was selling beautiful yarn from the rafters.  Sheep are a traditional way of life for the Navajo, and they spin this gorgeous yarn from some of their herds.  I bought several hanks, and got the impression that I was the first person to have bought yarn in quite a while.  I was really impressed by the quality of the wool, the variety of the colors, and the price (just $6.25 a hank). If I had to guess, I would say that it’s spun at a worsted weight.

I’m going to be buying all of my yarn from them from now on.  Not only is a great value, it’s also a great way to support people who could really use our support.   And you can be proud knowing that it’s a truly American product!  I called the store when I got home and they said that you can call and order directly from them, if you’re interested.  I’ve attached the color card that I was given here – the colors are as close as I could get them, but if you call they will send you a color card in the mail as well.

It’s not a terribly high-tech system, but you can just call and ask to buy the yarn.  The business is called the Cameron Trading Post, and the phone number is 928.679.2231.  Let me know if you’d like any clarification on colors or anything, and thanks for supporting the Navajo and their lifestyle!

Here’s another I found that I just had to try.  I’ve never really figured out what to do with old t-shirts instead of just giving them to Goodwill (or making a big quilt out of them).  I’ve found that cutting the shirt into smaller strips than you would expect works best.  And tie-dyed shirts make really cool yarn!

You can find the tutorial here.

I got to go to a great alpaca farm last weekend and take pictures!  Alpacas are seriously adorable.  They’re very curious, and they can be quite affectionate as well.  I definitely found myself to be the recipient of more than one alpaca kiss.   They also have the most wonderful soft fur!   I loved taking pictures of them, as they all had quite distinct personalities.   Plus the little tuft on the top of their head makes them look quite silly.  There were also some beautiful dogs called Maremmas that are a special Italian breed meant to take care of pack animals like this.  They were very protective but once they warmed up to me they were also quite affectionate.

These are a few of my favorite pictures from this weekend!  If there are any knitters out there, I recommend checking out their shop.  All of the yarns are made from Alpacas at the ranch here in Southeastern Arizona, and they are very well loved.  The yarns are so soft, they would be a dream to knit with.  You also get to see a picture of the alpaca that gave up its coat to make such luxurious yarn.  :)

Yay, it’s Friday!  Time to celebrate with some awesome Etsy sellers.

1.  So I love fabulous headwear but I’ve found that I never have the courage to really go above and beyond.  I’m a big hat person, and some people even find that a bit questionable.  However, if I had the occasion and the guts, I would wear something from Emilliner. This particular piece is supposed to be for a bridal ensemble, but I think it could be worn in a number of circumstances.  She has some wonderful, whimsical and sometimes more subtle creations in her shop – I urge you to check it out, for artistic value alone!

2.  I know that everyone’s not a knitter, but I can’t help but share some of my favorite spun creations.  I love Moonrover‘s colors – they remind me of old German fairy tales.  They have wonderful, deep bold colors, and the price is super-reasonable.  One of my favorite things are the cute little hand drawn cards that identify each of the yarns.

3.  I’ve just discovered Coco’s Greenhouse and I really love her stuff!  Whimsical, dainty and feminine, with some awesome color choices and really reasonable prices. I think that her stuff is part Victorian, part cabinet of curiosities.  There’s definitely a nice balance between nature-inspired pieces and luxe materials.

4.  OK.  I am trying not to get too excited about this, but I really have a hard time finding sweets that I like and for the most point, I usually avoid them because I’m sure I’ll end up disappointed.  However, Whimsy and Spice seems to be the place to go for interesting and delicious confections.  Who would have thought they could have ever lived without caramel-infused marshmallows?  Or rose and black pepper thumbprints?  Plus, as an extra bonus, they’re all hand made, preservative free and I’m sure, delicious.

Thanks to this week’s awesome artists!

The theme of this week’s favorites is Blues and Greens.  Springtime is here (at least for me) and I can’t get over the color combination.  It’s so fresh and fun!

1.  First up is retrofied.  I just bought a moped last weekend and so I’m obsessed with all things 2-wheeled and motorized.  Add a little love of polka dots and stripes and you have one awesome bag.  Roomy, with lots of pockets, this is the perfect bag for someone like me.  Lots of space to hold your junk and keep it organized.  She’s based out of Chicago, and has lots of awesome fabrics and styles of bags – there is definitely something for everyone.

2.  Next is econica.  She has some really elegant designs, simple yet stunning.  This dress is made of bamboo and organic cotton, a combination that I’m sure would feel even better than it looks.  I love the intensity of this green – green in such a hard shade to do right, but I think this would be flattering on a number of skin types.  I love that she uses mostly organic materials but still maintains a feminine, stylish form.

3.  I keep seeing these soaps from amethystsoap pop up all over Etsy, and after taking a closer look I can see why.  They really look like actual polished chunks of turquoise!  They’ve got some all-natural goodies for a little exfoliating action (who couldn’t use that) and I think they would smell terrific.  The rest of the soaps in the shop look like tumbled stones as well – how do they do it?

4.  Last is adventuresofjr.  I’ll make no secret of it – I’m a shmere snob.  Why on earth would you wear anything besides cashmere?  You can find it reasonably priced, if you look, and its just so sinful.  You always want to pet yourself, or you can get someone else to pet you…anyway.  She makes some beautiful, modern and fun accessories out of, you guessed it, cashmere!  I think that I want everything in her shop.  Life’s so short, everything should be soft.  She also sells some of her lovely yarn here.  Her shop is definitely worth a look – an perhaps a small indulgence?

That’s it for the week!  Just a reminder, today is the last day to sign up for my giveaway!  Scroll down and look for it, leave a comment, and you could be the lucky winner of some awesome prizes!

Here’s the roundup of beautiful, fabulous, gorgeous things for the week!

1.  I’ve been pining after this shawl by Las Lopez Las. A shop run by three sisters in Argentina, they have some very interesting takes on textile arts, and the kind of scarves you would love to wear but just didn’t know that they existed until now. I’ve been wanting to buy something, but I haven’t been able to narrow it down to just one thing yet.

2. Every Jot and Tittle is probably my new favorite shop on Etsy. It’s shops like this that make me wish that I was a scrapbooker, just so I would have a reason to buy some of her products. I might have to pick up scrapbooking, just so I can binge and buy everything in sight.

3.   For a musician, there has to be nothing better than a really well made, special guitar. I’m betting that the folks over at West Corinth Studio understand this, which is why they’ve built this beautiful guitar. Entirely handmade, utilizing refurbished and locally grown woods, you get something that is stunning as well as environmentally sensible! For those of us not musically inclined, they have other wonderful wood products as well.

4.  I secretly harbor a desire to spin my own yarn, however in the meantime I’ll have to settle for the gorgeous fibers over at Loop. She always has some great yarns, as well as the raw material for those with the luck and the patience to be able to spin themselves.

If you have any favorites that you’d like to recommend, please let me know! I’m always excited to find new and fabulous things, but I don’t always have the time to go out and search for them.

Here are some of my latest favorites on Etsy. There are so many great sellers on the site, it’s hard to make a choice!