Creative Carding Simply Spun Yarn

I took the highly creative Lexi Boeger of Pluckyfluff's class Creative Carding Simply Spun at this year's Shepard's Harvest Sheep and Wool Festival in Lake Elmo Minnesota.  I carded three totally textured, add-in filled sparkly batts.  I then spun a bobbin full from a batt and a half and proceded to navajo (chain) ply it.  Here it is:

Lexi was so nice and taking the class (and a plying class with her) has really inspired me (I hope these photos inspire you).  It was fun to just let go from creating coordinating color batts and going crazy with the add-ins.  So I'm going to be making lots more of these amazing batts and some yarns too.   If you love how this yarn turned out and think you would want to spin a crazy batt I'm now offering what I call Hello Purl PARTY Batts in our Etsy shop.  These batts will have lots of textured wools in a mix of (totally random) colors plus all the fun add-ins like sari silk, yarns bits even feathers!

Hiking at Dave's Falls

Me and the family when on a little hiking trip this weekend.  Well we walked around a park for a few hours in the afternoon.  We drove to Dave's Falls County Park in Amberg Wisconsin.  The paths were a icy and had snow yet.  What did you expect this is April in Wisconsin.  Don't you just love it?!  I normally don't blog about this sort of thing but I was inspired by the different textures I saw.  I've been inspired and I would love to translate my photos into fiber art.

The rushing water of Dave's Falls County Park.

Moss on the ground.

Moss on the tree and beautiful texture of the bark.

Incredible texture on the bark of this tree. 

The flowing water at Dave's Falls County Park.

A fallen tree surrounded by fallen leaves.

Tree with moss.  The ground covered with leaves and pine needles.

2 Year Celebration Giveaway Winners!

Basket filled with names to pick!

We picked TWO winners!  That is right we reached 600 fans over on our Facebook page so both my kiddos got to draw names for winners.

The first winner is:

Winner number one Bonfiber

Bonfiber said "Love, love, love the colors and fibers!" 

The second winner is:

Liz Beckwith is our second winner!

She said: "Everything you create is just so gorgeous! ♡♥♡ Hello Purl!"

We just want to thank you SO much for all of your support over these past two years!  We have big plans for the future of Hello Purl.

We are offering 20% off an order* in our Etsy shop until the end of April!  Use coupon code: HELLO2YEARS

* $25 minimun purchase.  Coupons can not be combined with any other coupons or offers.  Thank you.

2 Year Celebration!

On April 11th 2 years ago I opened our Etsy shop so that is what I'm considering the anniversary date of Hello Purl, fiber arts with a spin!  To celebrate we are giving away a 4 ounce Card it Kit.  The very one pictured below.  The kit contains Blue face Leicester top, Coopworth wool, Border Leicester wool, faux cashmere, milk fiber, rayon, raw silk, recycled sari silk and Angelina.

*If you are the winner and don't have a drum carder or blending board and want it carded just let me know and I can run it through my drum carder to make you a batt.

4 ounce Card it Kit

Enter to win it:
Just leave a comment on this post letting everybody know why you LOVE us!

I will pick a winner on Friday morning so you have until Thursday April 11, 2013 11:59 P.M. central time to enter.

PSST.... We will give another Card it Kit away if we reach 600 fans on our Facebook Page so remember to share!

Felt Egg Tutorial

Sneak Peek: Card it Kits

I've been making Carding Kits, they would be so fun for felting too, for our Art/Fiber shows.  Since not everyone can't make it to the events we sell at I decided (after a few requests too) that I should put some in our Etsy shop.

These kits contain a variety of fibers including fluffy farm fresh wool and super fun add-ins like angelina, silk noil and milk fiber.  When I do carding sessions at home I will create fiber groupings like the kits, like 10 at a time and card them up into batts.  So now you can create amazing batts of your own at home with these kits.

Without further ado here is the sneak peek for the shop update tomorrow:

If you guys love the kits as much as I do I will be adding them to the shop on a regular basis.

WANTED: Rustic Industrial Decor

Modern bedroom seeks rustic industrial decor to complete it.  Newly painted room in a blue gray, with teal curtains and oak hardwood floors would love some rustic, vintage, industrial accents.  OK not really, well maybe. 

My bedroom is currently under construction.  Nothing super major, we aren't removing any wall or anything like that.  Carpet is currently going to hardwood laminate flooring, I just painted the walls and trim and the hubby hung the curtains I picked out.  I've been perusing (yes I do use this term in real life, just kidding) Etsy for some great decor to accent the room.  I'm really drawn to a modern meets rustic industrial design.  Don't believe me just check out my Pinterest board on interior design or just want to see my decor style.

So I created a treasury with the thing I would LOVE to get.  In reality I'll  be doing some DIY things like the art work, lamp and mirror revamp and the hubby will be building a couple shelves, a headboard, nightstand and desk.  I'll show you all the room when we finish.

Vintage Metal Pulley / Indus... havenvintage $24.00	Antique Kerosene Bottle Coll... ethanollie $195.00
Industrial metal farmhouse l... theshabbyKat $30.00	Large Vintage Letterpress Dr... BrightWallVint... $40.00
Croft House Live Edge Platfo... robrray $2900.00	Industrial Style end table/ ... HillcrestDecor $495.00
Vintage Industrial Yellow Ex... LuccaBalesVint... $48.00	Vintage Mid Century Teak & G... kibster $20.00
Industrial Black Metal Wire ... simplychi $30.00	Dovetail Work Table - Modern... KithandKinStor... $1200.00
Pair of Industrial Vintage M... BrightWallVint... $32.00	STORE CLOSING SALE Yellow Li... AvaBeanStudio $2.80
industrial shelf / display ... ohalbatross $68.00	Darigold Farms Industrial Da... marybethhale $22.00
Vintage Wood Type Letter Pre... AnelaAndElDiab... $7.75	Pope Pipe Industrial Lamp wi... EarthSeaWarrio... $2480.00

Treasury tool supported by the dog house

Made it! The Elk Tooth Shawl

Me in my Elk Tooth Shawl.

So I was almost finished knitting the Elk Tooth Shawl when I realized I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish the pattern.  So I spun up some milk fiber in a bright blue for some nice contrast.  I wanted to put a stripe in the middle and not just use the blue yarn at the end and make it look like I ran out of yarn and just put it in to finish.  That meant I had to undo or frog (rip it, rip it, rip it) some of my knitting.

Blocking the Elk Tooth Shawl I knit

I didn't know for sure where I was in the pattern so I knit a few extra rows just in case.  Well that didn't help at the end because after I added the rows of bright blue and knew I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish again.  I didn't want to start over and didn't want to add a new color.  I spun up all of the bright blue milk fiber.  Jessie could have dyed me more but I wanted to finish it so I could wear it too my husband's work Christmas party.  So instead of the seed stitch at the end I knit stockinette to keep the same look as the top and make a smaller trim.  If I had more yarn I would have liked to keep the pattern because I like the look of the seed stitch.

I added bright blue milk fiber yarn.

I have never blocked a shawl before and wasn't sure it would turn out but I think it looks nice.  I just soaked it in warm soapy water (non rinse soap).  Gently squeezed and laid it on a towel that I put over a piece of cardboard.  I pinned it down so it wouldn't curl up.  Blocking it also helped show the YO (yarn over) stitches better.

Back view of the Elk Tooth Shawl I knit.

So what do you think?

Elk Tooth Shawl Sneak Peek

I'm currently knitting a shawl called "Elk Tooth" by Caitlin ffrench on Ravelry.  I'm using my hand-spun yarn from an art batt by lanitiumexmachina on Etsy.  It's one of her GLAM batts and is called "One Mind".

Elk Tooth Shawl

Elk Tooth Shawl

I'm almost finished and have found the pattern easy and fairly quick to knit.  But I've been told by multiple people that I knit fast.  I spun the batt thinner then I normally spin but it has worked well for the pattern.  I've never blocked anything so I'm hoping that part goes smooth and will have it finished with photos on Monday.