Fuzzbee Yarns

I just got a box full of amazing things from my friend Cassie. I met Cassie while serving in the Peace Corps, and she is one of the people that helped me to learn how to knit while living in Armenia. She came to Armenia already a skilled spinner and knitter, and she has continued to hone her skills and is now selling amazing hand spun and organically hand dyed yarn! It's all pretty amazing, and I can say this because I just got a box of her yarn! You can buy your own at the Fuzzbee Etsy shop, and check out her website fuzzbeeyarns.com to learn more about her spinning and dying process.

Here are some photos of the yarn I just received!

 Ok, one by one, because you know you want to know more!

100% BFL handspun, undyed 109 yds

100% BFL, 150 yds

100% Shetland Wool, handspun, red caggabe dyed, 470 yds

100% Shetland Wool, 216 yds, turmeric/indigo dyed

yarn ball and knitting needle ornament!

I'm going to start designing a few things specifically for the subtle beauty of handspun. I'm really excited about this, because I've very rarely had the opportunity to knit with handspun yarn before, and have yet to design with it! Stay tuned!

Yarn Addiction

Hello, my name is Mari and I am addicted to yarn. It all started when I began knitting in 2008, while living in Armenia. Until recently everything I owned could fit into just a few suitcases. But this year we moved back to the US, and I began designing much more 'officially' and ever since my yarn stash has exploded. My yarn has been sort of spread out. Some here, some there, in the closet, in a suitcase, in a basket, in a few tote bags. Well, we're moving in a couple of weeks so I put all of my yarn into a box for moving... it doesn't all fit.

Now don't let this picture deceive you. This box is at least 3 feet long, and 1.5 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. Also, I have another basket of yarn that wouldn't fit and isn't  pictured for current projects I'm working on. So, make me feel better by telling me that you have way more yarn than I do!

Yarn U iphone app

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to try out Mary Beth Klatt's updated Yarn U app.

Yarn U is a reference database of yarns. There are 34 different brands included, however for most of the brands the lists are incomplete. For each yarn there is a photo, yardage, yarn weight, stitch gauge, suggested retail price, suggested needle size, and fiber content. There are links on where to find the yarn, and the address for the distributor/manufacturer. Also included are the authors opinion of each yarn, and for some suggested patterns.

Pros:

• This app works offline, so you can access all the info on the app without internet. It would be great if you were yarn shopping and wanted to compare the price to suggested retail. 
• Colorful photos of each yarn and finished objects with featured yarns that load quickly
• There is a built in way to leave your comments for the author, and Mary Beth seems dedicated to making this app better and better. 

Cons: 

• In my opinion the app isn't very intuitive. There is a short tutorial which introduces you to all of the features which is helpful. 
• The list of yarns included is limited, and can't compare to the yarn database on Ravelry.
• The reviews of the yarns are subjective, and only reflect the authors opinion. 

There are a few parts of the app which seem incomplete. There are pro and con sections for each yarn, but for most of the yarns they are empty. I'm also not sure the purpose of knowing where each yarn company is based, there is a map that shows you where different manufacturers/distributors are located, but personally this isn't information I would use. 

For the time being I'm much more likely to use the yarn search feature on Ravelry. However I think there is great potential for this app and as it continues to include more yarns it will become a stronger tool. 

A day in the secret life of yarn 3KCBWDAY2

Today is photography challenge day! 3KCBWDAY2

So, here's what one naughty skein of green yarn does when I'm not looking...

Sleep in

Read the newspaper

Hang out with its peeps

Play hide and seek

Contemplate its future

Get acupuncture

Work out

Weigh in

Relax after a long day!

Color Lovers 3KCBWDAY1

Day 1 of Knitting and Crochet Blog week! YAY! 3KCBWDAY1
Today's theme is about color.
Lately I've noticed that a lot of my projects are green...

My other current favorite: Natural tones

What's your current favorite color?

What else can you do with yarn?

As much as I love to knit, I'm also interested in other yarn projects. Here are some really cool ones I found on Pinterest, which is a great website for finding, and remembering ideas/items/anything.

Yarn balls: balloons, glue, and yarn, from Sweet Designs

Yarn letters: yarn and wire from Family Chic

Yarn animals for sale by Beklina

Inspiration

My husband Brian bought me some beautiful yarn for Christmas. I didn't give him any hints, and this was his first time buying yarn, he did very well! From left to right: Anime #2, Anime #6, Socktopus sokkusu - Jasper. After reading this post by Yarn Harlot I felt the need to make something with one of these yarns. 

I looked high and low through my patterns and on revelry. I didn't quite feel up to designing anything today, and then I found this pattern, the Lacy Baktus! I've just started, but here's my progress below. I think this pattern is great for showing off the variegated yarn without being too busy. I don't usually buy hand-painted yarn. I tend to lean towards solids and semi-solids, but I'm really enjoying this.