A Few Sheep Shy of a Farm

Sorry I haven’t been posting much!

Things have been very busy with Inspirations Yarn! The whole thing is very exciting! I’ve been doing loads of dyeing, swatching and trying to work on new patterns when I can.

I did break down and take out DH’s sweater, you know the one. If you were at the KR Retreat last year I brought it to show and tell. I started work on it July 1, 2004. Now granted, I started with spinning the yarn myself, then worked out the design (simple as it is) for the sweater and I did have to do the sleeve 3 times before it fit right (his arms do not follow the forulas! not even close) I now am working on the second sleeve, my notes dont’ mean much after so long so I’m “reading” the first sleeve. I just hope I have enough yarn already spun to finish it since I don’t spin anything like I did then anymore!

Actually, I’m not very sure he will even wear it if I do finish it. He thinks its itchy, and perhaps it is a little bit. Its also going to be very warm and heavy, I had spun a fairly thich yarn. I figure it will be good for when he needs to do something in the yard this winter and would otherwise be cold. Oh well, its the thought that counts, right?

His next sweater is going to be from Gems Merino, in a deep burgandy color. I haven’t picked a pattern for it yet, but I do have the yarn. Perhaps he’ll get that for Christmas this year?

Ah well, its getting late and I still have a few things to do. I’ll be dyeing yarns all day tomorrow so I don’t know if I’ll make any progress on the sweater, but we’ll see.

Oh, before I go, I almost forgot to tell you. I know what the next Mystery kit is likely to be! Unfortunately, its going to be a while before I can share that info. Just thought you’d want to know that I am on top of it!

Wow!

Wow! is about all I can say today. We have had a tremendous response to the Mystery Kit idea! Looks like a lot of people are going to be getting surprise in the mail!

Oh, and her is something else I thought of late, late last night. Looking for a ROAK gift or a Secret Pal gift? I’d be happy to ship a Mystery Kit to someone else for you. Just write me a note in the comments section of the checkout and let me know you’ve ordered it as a secret pal gift and tell me who to send it to! I promise, I won’t tell them who sent it, it will be our little secret. Oh, I hope someone does that, it would be so much fun to know that someone really is getting a total surprise!

I’ve got a little bit of dyeing to do today, for orders other than the kits. Just a couple of skeins so it shouldn’t take too long.

Knitting wise I’ve been working on the Mystery object over the weekend, finished that up before I could post that the kits were available. I have a sock for DH started, barely. I’ve done the cuff at the top. I’ve also done one baby sock and need to really do the other. I plan to take them to my Brother’s for the new baby later this week. I’m going to add the pattern to the options on the site once I get it written up. My Brother and SIL are going to let me “borrow” Megan’s toes to model the socks for the pattern photo. Actually, you are likely to see a lot more of my new little niece as a start working on patterns for baby things. Handy to have such a willing model around, though they grow fast so I’d better start knitting faster!

I’m also itching to get some larger, non-work project on the needles for those rare quiet moments when I can just knit to knit. I may go back to working on DH’s sweater. I’d love to have that finished before the weather gets cold enough for him to wear it. I just hope I had spun enough of the yarn. I was spinning it a while ago when I was still a relatively new spinner and its a lot, lot thicker than I tend to spin now. I’m not entirely sure I could spin more if it even if I try! Perhaps this afternoon I’ll take a stab at that.

I’ll be making a run to the post office later this morning. I’ve got 2 orders being mailed out today. Actually, I had hoped DH would take them when he went out for the paper this morning. The store he goes to is just down the street from the nearest Post Office. However, he had to go meet someone about some part he needs for the barn so he didn’t even get a paper today. Oh well. We are going to make that SOP for him to take with him any waiting packages in the am since he goes anyway and it will save me a trip. Its only a small thing, but when you get busy those small little things can add up over the course of a day.

Well, lots to do today so I’d better run.

This is so exciting!

Our first Mystery Kit is now available! Orders are rolling in! Boy, oh boy am I going to have some dyeing to do!

I finished knitting the sample of this project about 11:00 last night and worked until Midnight to get it posted!

We’ve gone with a simple project for this first kit and in order to help keep the cost of the kits low, we are treating these a bit different from our regular orders.

Here is how it works. Ordering for Mystery Kit #1 will remain open until October 4th. Once all the orders are in, I’ll dye up the yarns all at once (okay, really in 2 batches since its 2 colorways) then after the yarn has had a chance to dry and I’ve gotten it skeined out, I’ll be mailing all the kits together, on or about October 9th. That way most people will get their kits about the same time so it should really be a surprise for everyone!

Sometime after all the kits have been mailed we will reveal the new pattern and yarns on our site and make them generally available. So if you aren’t up for a surprise you will still have a chance to try this project, though not at the Mystery Kit prices. We are offering the kit for a bit under regular retail since it comes as a surprise and since we are dyeing them all at once rather than one at a time. I save labor, so you save cost, fair no?

I’m really excited both about the way this project turned out and about the 2 new colorways! I really think you are going to like them! DH has given his seal of approval, both on the project and on the new colors! And those of you who know him, you know how finicky he can be!

We’ll I’ve got a swatch to knit and felt, yup! I’m going to try to felt our Regular today and see how that works out, I will keep you posted!

And it sounds like I’ll be working on creating those solid colors a bit sooner than I thought . . . . again, I’ll keep you posted!

Have a great Sunday!

Just a quick note, things have been quite busy!

I’ve just added 4 new colorways to those available at Inspirations Yarn! All 4 are pastel, baby type colors. If you’re like me, you have a few baby gifts to knit in the next few months. I have a new neice who has arrived and 2 more neices or newphews on the way in the late winter and early spring. Lots of baby knitting going on!

I’ve got a couple more that I’m saving for the Mystery Project Kits so those won’t be out for a couple of weeks yet. . . .

Gotta run, I’ve got some yarns to reskein for shipping in the morning . . .

Grand Opening Sale!

In honor of our Grand Opening Inspirations Yarn is having a SALE! Purchase 3 skeins of yarn in the same colorway and receive the 4th skein of that same yarn/colorway for FREE!

Here is how it works: Order 3 (6, 9, or 12 etc) skeins of a yarn in the same yarn/colorway combination and then enter the word “SALE” in the comments box when you check out. You will recieve the 4th skein for each 3 ordered FREE!

In order to qualify your 3 skeins must be of the same yarn in the same colorway. For example, if you order 3 skeins of Regular in colorway #1004 you will receive the 4th for FREE! Another example: If you order 9 skiens of Decaf in colorway #1008 you will recieve 12 skeins, that’s 3 FREE skeins of yarn!

CAUTION: Do not enter the free skeins in the total number you are ordering or the shopping cart will automatically charge you for them! Simply enter “Sale” in the optional comments box when you check out and I’ll add your free skeins to the order!

If you have questions about placing an order feel free to email me at info@inspirationsyarn.com. Thank you.

This sale ends at 12:00 am EST on September 30th 2004.