Eye Masks Sooth and Comfort!

I have been making cotton eye masks for this spring and summer!  With record pollen counts, and weather fronts coming and going, these have been needed, for sure.  These are my own design - crocheted with USA grown worsted weight cotton.


A wide ribbon allows the wearer to adjust the fit for comfort, and a set of round eye pads can be used for added darkening for sleeping, or for warm or cold compressing to ease headaches and sinus pain.  I love putting the damp pads in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, then putting them on and securing them with the mask - aaaahhhhhh!

My Banner Is Here!

I have been struggling with finding a design that fits my business for some time.  Crochet hooks and motifs are not very abundant in the marketing world (hmmmm, maybe a new niche?).  

I found one design through Staples for my business cards, but they did not have the design available in banner form.  Fortunately, Vistaprint did!!  I am very excited that I'm able to present a consistent 'look' on all of my signs, as well as my banner and business cards now.  Can't wait for market this week to hang this up!

It's Baseball Season!

A happy customer in her new hat!

Many colors and sizes available.

Last year, I began offering cotton baseball caps for kids at my market booth.  They are my own design.  I wanted to offer a hat that was more appealing for boys as well as girls.  They were well received, so this year I am adding more inventory and offering more sizes.  Custom color choices are available as well.

Baseball cap with rose flower clip.

I am using worsted weight,  USA grown 100% cotton for these hats. The weight provides just enough structure for the brim, while providing a soft, cool feel.  They look very cute on kids!  They can be glammed up with flower clips for the girly-girls, too.

Right now I am not offering these hats in adult sizes.  I am working out how to stiffen the brim on larger sizes.  The brim has to be longer and flatter to give the proper eye shade on larger heads.  So far doubling the yarn hasn't given me the results I seek, and I haven't found an ecofriendly brim stabilizer that retains its structure after a trip in the washing machine.  I'd appreciate any ideas from fellow hat makers out there!

Pretty Custom Little Girls' Hats

This winter, I spent a considerable amount of time completing custom hat orders!  They were so fun to do, and I am very pleased with the results.  I used Debbie Bliss organic, free trade Ecobaby cotton yarn.  So soft and a perfect weight for spring.

These hats were made by eyeballing photos posted on Facebook, as the original pattern was written in Russian. (I found the only English translation I could find to be incomprehensible to me.)  They are beautiful, yet time consuming, so I likely won't make them for general sale - just custom orders.

Versatile Designs for Variable Weather

The weather has been so topsy-turvy here, I never know what I'm going to need from morning to evening to stay comfortable!  Two days ago our high was 84 degrees F and humid. This morning it was in the high 30's, and by late afternoon it reached 60 degrees F with a cool breeze.

Soooo.... I've been working on some designs that can function as either scarves or shoulder wraps. I like the pairing of a geometric mesh stitch paired with a shell or puff stitch pattern.  I am striving for a more modern look with just a touch of softness.

I'm using Debbie Bliss Ecobaby fair trade sport weight organic cotton yarn.  Very soft and just right for adding a little warmth around the neck, or a cool cover over the shoulders in the sun.

Ecofriendly Yarn Hunt!

I am on a serious hunt for additional sources of ecofriendly yarns!  I am specifically looking for fiber grown and processed in the USA, but I am not limiting myself completely to USA products.  I am investigating buying wholesale supplies in order to offer the yarns themselves to my customers over the coming year, in addition to my finished items.  So far, I've found some really interesting ventures, and I will post here as well as on Facebook about them as I go.

First, I'll start locally (for me):  Home Again Farm, 37098 Schell Road & Route 26, Theresa, NY 13691-2226; 315-628-5302; http://www.homeagainfarmalpacas.com/

Home Again Alpaca Farm was originally established in 1831 as a dairy farm, and is now owned and operated by the family's sixth generation.  They converted to alpaca farming in 2005, and have a current herd of 20 alpacas. The farm also grows grapes for local wineries.

Home Again encourages "slow, 'drive by' viewing" or calling to make an appointment for a full farm tour and personal introduction to the alpacas.  Schools and organizations are encouraged to visit!  Experiencing the farm is truly a joyous treat - I wrote about my family's 2010 visit here:  http://lindagibbshandmade.blogspot.com/2010/05/our-visit-with-alpacas.html

The farm also has a lovely gift shop that offers yarn and roving made from the fur of the alpacas on the farm.  The yarn is processed near Syracuse, about 100 miles away.  If you are not a fiber artist or crafter, they offer many finished items made with alpaca yarns by both local artisans and by artists in collectives in South America, supporting alpaca and human well being in Peru.

First Attendance of a Needle Arts Show!

This past weekend I attended the Pittsburg Knit and Crochet Show (www.pghknitandcrochet.com) in Pittsburgh, PA!  This was the 10th year the show has been presented. It was the perfect show to get my feet wet at this type of event, and I came away renewed and refreshed, ready to try my hand at more jewelry, some art pieces, and working with hemp and linen this summer.

A cadre of experienced fiber arts instructors offered a wide variety of classes for knitters and crocheters at any level.  Special events included a pj party, a keyote dinner and book signings with well-known author Debbie Macomber, who also has a new yarn line out, and brunch with pattern designer and author Nicki Epstein.  The show also included a large vendor market, with yarn makers and retailers from as far as Texas and Maine, plus a rotating trunk show, with 30-45 minute presentations by different pattern designers, yarn producers and yarn retailers.  It was so much fun to see and touch items that I've seen pictured in pattern books 'live and in person.'

Meeting so many wonderful people in one place who were just as (or even more!) passionate than me about yarn and crochet was a joy.  I was happy to be able to offer others my tips, and to receive fantastic tidbits from others.  I fully enjoyed the Freeform Crochet class I took, led by Lauren Etling, who was warm, charming and fantastic at teaching. 

I definitely intend on attending another event in the future. Next time, I'd like to either travel with one or more fellow fiber fanatics, or meet up with a few at the conference.  Especially at any larger markets, it would help to have several people working together cruising the marketplace for deals and particular fibers.  I needed the two days to see everything at this one!