I've been published!

Yep, this month's issue of Long Beach (CA) magazine has a profile of myself and two other 'artisans' that are currently making an income (I am?) from their 'craft'. If you go to the magazine site and register, you can read the magazine online!!! I'll try to upload the article at some point! I'm very proud and thankful to all of my friends who keep reminding me that what I do has merit and value. I'm forever in your debt.......and that project you're waiting for.....I'm getting to it...REALLY!

Just wanted to add......links fixed...sorry about that!!

Jamie Who?

Just stopping by to add a photo of today's work project..... months ago my sister sent me this Shetland fiber that is a great cantalope color. A co-worker said that it was a bee-you-tee-ful color....hmphf!....So.....her office mates suggested I make her wedding dress for her....couldn't I have it done in a day or so? Wellllllll, for her wedding gift I am making her a Barbie wedding dress........I have grown very fond of this colorway! I've been asked to make a shawl for another co-worker who truly DOES love it!!!!

It was suggested by my buddy Geanine that I document my train stories.....I commute to work 2 hours daily (I really do love my job!) and this gives me lots of knitting time...sometimes I drop spindle on the train...I'm determined to get as good as I want to be at this spinning thing!

Every day I get some sort of reaction...usually positive...sometimes negative...... I share them with my office mates and now with you! Today I was working on the yarn in the picture. This small older Mexican lady worked her way up the aisle holding onto the grab bars as the train moved along. She stood in front of me and pointed at the spindle and then to herself! I asked "You spin?" She looked at me and smiled. I looked around for a Spanish speaking person eavesdropping...none! You'd think after almost 10 years with Abraham I'd have learned Spanish by now........anyway..... I pointed at the spindle and back to her. She nodded and with a big smile she held her hand about waist high indicating that she did as a child. I handed her the spindle and she handed it back with a bigger smile. I gave her a bit of the fiber and she stroked her cheek with it. She smiled again and got off the train. Not a bad way to start your day, huh????

A day spinning and laughing

Just wanted to stop by and make sure that I at least made an appearance! Life has once again gotten crazy. Hours cut at work-but still employed! Spinning to get better, knitting to make money....just like everyone....taking it day by day!
Yesterday I got to spend the day spinning with Janice Rosema our knew friend, one of my spinning mentors (with incredible hand painted fiber) and designer for Ozark Mountain Yarns....oh...and enabler of Spinolution wheels....She allowed me to try the Bee Traveler Wheel(allowed? Nah...I was there for 5 seconds before she had me spinning on it!). As I found with the Mach 1....the wheel is incredible!!! I HIGHLY recommend them!!!
Check out this months Belle Armoire magazine...they've published more Janice--this time concentrating on her Freeform Knitted Shawls!

Oh...did I mention...I was interviewed by Long Beach Magazine? Yep....they are doing an article about those that do "their grandmother's" craft and are trying to make a business of it!!
Speaking of my business....we will be having another Learn To Knit workshop soon....early March it looks like. May have to have more than one as I've got a waiting list!!! Can you believe it? Maybe I can tempt a few of my knitting buds to come sit in and assist? LOL!

Ok...got to get a dragon scarf finished today...so I'm off to slave away and listen to my podcasts....

Be back soon with pictures and more ramblings!

Hello All!

Ok...soooooooo....I'm of course at work and finding time to post! I've been swamped lately with several orders for hand knit items.....My Frida Kahlo doll sold to a great guy who ordered two pair of socks for his partner...only request....bright, striped or patterned! Sooooo..... I grabbed my favorite sock yarn from Hudson Valley Sheep & Wool Co. and started! In the picture you can see how the striping worked up different on each one! I emailed a picture to my client and he loved it! The third sock-in-progress in the picture is pair #2 being done in Mirasol Peru "Hancho" a yarn and raised, spun and hand painted in the Peruvian highlands and from which a portion of every sale is returned to the region for the funding of schools! I found this yarn at Alubelitas Yarn Shop in Pasadena. A great little shop that also carries embroidery supplies so Abraham and Gisel were happy to wait for me while I did a little shopping! The owner, Samantha who I haven't met yet in person was gracious enough to mail me the additional skeins I needed!!! One day service! Speaking of service....I was unable to go get the yarn on my day off because I had to serve jury duty! I was able to get one sock and a cuff done of Tim's pair #2 done while there!

I've been working on several orders and haven't had a great deal of time to spin on my new wheel "Mad Mack" the Mach 1 wheel..... LOVE this wheel!

Let's see...what else is going on? I'm working on a few items to have on my sale table at the annual "LOVE/HATE" show at Picture This Gallery & Custom Framing owned by our friend Marisol. I'm also trying to set up an impromtu knitting workshop there on the 24th of this month! Not sure if that will happen! So...time to get back to work! Thanks to all who stop by here! Amazing how many of you there are! Thanks!!!! Stop by the Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool group on Ravelry!!

Had to pop in and add that Velvet KNOWS bizzee!!! Check out her blog! WARNING: You WILL be inspired!

Does he ever blog?

Hello! The answer to that question is when I make the time and always right after reading my friend Velvet's blog http://atyarnsend.blogspot.com/! The woman is amazing! She can pack more spinning, dying and LIVING in one day then most do in a week!! Work has been crazy...as you may remember I work in the accounting office of a retail location in Beverly Hills.....so needless to say...holiday time is pretty much working long hours....riding home on the train and bus....grabbing a few bites, trying to have a conversation with Abraham then bed then doing it all again!

This season I had several hand knit orders to fill...some got filled...some didn't!! LOL! Thankfully I have the best clients in the world! "That's okay! I'll give it as a New years present!"

So....today I paid for my Christmas present to myself.....with Abraham's reluctant blessing! I bought myself a Mach 1 spinning wheel made by http://www.spinolutions.com/ from Janice of http://janicerosema.blogspot.com/ . Her Etsy store is http://www.janicerosema.etsy.com/

Class Pictures

Hello! It's been a few days but I finally have time off and took a few moments to download the pictures from Abraham's phone from Saturday's Learn to Knit Workshop.

This is Marisol, our hostess and friend.

She has a unique way of holding the needles! She would NOT let me change her hand position!! LOL!!

That's her sitting with her friend Sara...a funny, warm person who was determined to do it RIGHT! Don't know know how many times she took her knitting out and started over!!!

This is (from left to right) Patty, Lorena helping Carrie. Three friends who took the workshop together to spend some 'girl time'. Giving Marisol the idea (did I mention that Marisol likes to make things happen?) ....Marisol's idea is that I should start doing home parties!!! I'll keep you posted on how this pans out!!

This is my buddy Geanine who I thought was a pity registration! Figured she was helping out her friend....well...when she was having difficulty, I joked that I would have her scarf done for her on Monday. She got VERY uppity as she told me SHE would do her OWN scarf!!

The class was held at Marisol's gallery and the paintings you can see are from her current show "'Casualites of War".

Spinning, Knitting and Teaching!

hello and again.....apologies for such a long time between posts.

What's been happening??? Spending time at my favorite LYS LisCat in Long Beach CA, with my fiber friend Velvet (Velvetinna on Ravelry) who is an amazing spinner/dyer. Check out her yarns! I've been honored with gifts of some of her yarns (pic to follow) and some wonderful purple fiber she and her husband dyed/blended! again....no pictures here at work but I'll get those up!!! LOL!

I've been working on getting orders out for clients and working on my spinning....not nearly as much as I need to!! I also have been working on some silly knitting projects that just HAD to be done!!!

We (Velvet and I) got Cathrine (pronounced Catrina) at LisCat spinning and soon she'll be carrying spinning supplies including fiber from the mill my sister works at! Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool Co. (By the way.....Cathrine was making yarn within minutes....such a show off!!!)

Yesterday I taught my first Learn To Knit Workshop and it was fantaztik!!! My students were wonderful and more importantly....FUN!!! We did a lot of laughing in between the frustrated moments of learning to knit for the very first time! I had grand ideas of them leaving wearing a wonderful drop stitch scarf I designed.....in reality they all left with a few inches of garter stitch. But every one of them left PROUD! I am still bursting with joy!

Lorena, Patty, Carrie, Geanine, Marisol and Sara.....the best students anyone has ever had!!

My partner Abraham came along and was a great help to me....making sure I didn't forget important hints!

I did forget my camera but everyone else took many so I'm sure I'll have some posted soon!

to be continued..............REALLY!