Updates

This is what HN&S has been up to this week,    
  

Crochet

    Lakers Afghan

     I've been hard at work focusing mostly on this project for the past week as it needed to be done for today.  The Fort Frances Lakers are the local Junior A hockey team.  They are part of the SIJHL and judging by the exhibition games we've recently had I think they are gonna kick some ass this year! :D.  I'm very glad I finally decided to dedicate myself to making up this blanket to donate in order to raise money for the team.  After over a year of "wanting" to do it, I finally got to it and set a date: it *MUST* be done for the first pre-season game.  Tonight is the first pre-season game and I'm finally done! If you are in the Fort Frances area, stop on by at the Ice For Kids arena to watch a good game of hockey and come see the beautiful afghan! The raffle will be going on until December, the fund-raising comity has decided to do the draw for Christmas.

     I have to say, I am INSANELY happy to be done with this afghan... I was really getting sick of working on it lol, but the satisfaction of seeing it completed and knowing it will raise money to help support our hockey team is well worth the effort.  Tomorrow I will have full post on the Lakers afghan and how it went at it's debut tonight at the arena.

Knitting

     New Slippers. 

     I haven't done much knitting this week. The past couple days I needed brief distractions from the Lakers Aghan so I started working on some slippers.  I've been 'tweaking' an old slipper pattern to make it more comfy and better fitted.  I haven't assembled them yet so I'm not sure how it'll will turn out.  I should know by this weekend and the slippers might be up on my site by the end of next week (assuming the 'tweaking' of the pattern worked).

Sewing

     New Series.

     I've not done too much sewing this week as I was more focused on my crochet project though I did do a little work on my new series and did TONS of computer work for it.  I've set release dates for the new series here, made up the free demo letters and made up the page that will be posted on the public release date.  I never realized just how much work needs to go into launching a new line!  But like the Lakers Afghan, I'm sure it'll be well worth it in the end.

     Now, for those of you who are waiting on the new series: here is a sneak peek! Every week until the public release date I'll post one random pic here in the weekly updates! They may be close ups of an actual product or just of the materials used. Hopefully they won't be too obvious.... or too confusing :) Enjoy!

New Series!

     Here is the scoop! Over the past few weeks I have been brewing up something special: a new series! And it's big one!  I'm hoping to have it up and ready for public sales by early November.

     What is this series? Well rest assured it's lovingly handmade by yours truly.  Does it have a name? It sure does but that's secret until the release date. Of course everything will be described and detailed on the official site once we reach the public release date (and on the demo letters sent out to the fans who request the demo) but in the mean time, here is a little peek at what's going on in my workshop: 

     The nature of this product requires much effort and creativity.  It is an eco-friendly product and contributes to several ethically sound practices along its creation process.  Each product is unique, different and has a story; a story that can be told.  As for the functionality of the product, it is very practical and can be used either on a daily basis or for a specific purpose. Either way, it is quite useful and durable.

So far, here is the plan:

September 2011

•   Finding and buying up a stock of materials
•   Creating products
•   Send out the free demo letter to selected fans (see below for details)
•   Ship out the free demos
•   Hopefully, receive feedback

October 2011

•  Work like mad at improving and creating more product
•  Continue working on site to be ready for release date

October 20th 2011

•   Fan Release Date!!

November 7th 2011

• Public and Etsy Release Date!

     Here is what you need to know if you'd like to be on the demo list.  First, find HN&S' facebook page (here) and show some love by *liking* the page.  Then in discussions, you'll find a thread titled: "New product demos". Join the conversation! Leave your name and e-mail and you're all set to receive info on new demos!  From there, if you like what you see and want the demo, you send me your mailing address and I send you some awesome goodness in the form of a free demo! Sounds good, yes? If you are only interested in the new series demo, just write "new series demo" next to your name/info and you will get only the new series information and demo.

     On October 20th 2011, the fan release date, the new series will be available only through the facebook page and only to those who've *liked* the page (effectively making them "a fan") and the main page (on the blog) will not be functional until the public release date on November 7th 2011.

     On November 7th 2011 the full series goes public! So exciting! On this day the main page for the series will be up, the product name is released, the new products will be up for sale on the Etsy site and anyone will be able to make custom orders of the product.

     So that's the D-L on the new series I'm cooking up.  I hope I've got your attention.  I also hope you'll join me and the other fans that have requested the free demo and be part of the .... oops, almost slipped there ... part of the "new series" family :D

Keep crafty everyone! And mark your calendars!

Totes!

         For the past month I have been sewing totes like it's nobody's business!! ... Well, it's MY business, but you get the idea.  I must say I've become a pro at this pattern, though I really need to start making something different.  20 thousand totes from the same pattern isn't very good for business. But they are pretty sweet totes! 

Gurr is Keeper of the Totes!

     I've just started experimenting with linings and matching clutches (making my own patterns).  The clutches are still very much in the "trial and error" phase and have a couple kinks to work out but I hope to have a working product out and ready to sell within a few weeks to a month.

First attempt at lining and matching clutch

Turned out pretty good

     These totes are available for purchase on my Etsy site here or you can send me an e-mail at HookNeedleSpindle@hotmail.com.  Keep crafty!

It's Fall!

     Sure officially we are still 20 days away, but to me, in my mind September 1st has always signified fall!  And today is the perfect example: overcast, windy and chilly, leaves scattered all over my yard... It's a typical fall day.  This means a wonderful thing: Fall Projects Time!! Fall has beautiful brilliant colours and inspiration is everywhere! Be it for crochet, quilting or even painting! Though I do have a current fall crochet project on the go, it has proven very difficult and time consuming.  I started it 2 falls ago and have worked sporadically on it ever since.  Being a combination wool-eater and babette, this blanket I fear will take many more falls to complete.  That being said, my mind is vivid and excited to start new fall projects that can be completed in mere weeks or even days! Going through various online sites (including Google search "fall afghans") I've found a few projects that caught my eye and I may attempt in the next couple months.  Most of the ones I've found so far were from Etsy (searching handmade "fall afghans"), the links are in the captions.

I can no longer find the link for this one, I believe I had found it on Google search.
A quick and easy project for sure!

The seller on Etsy is selling the pattern here. 

This is one of my favs.  The Etsy seller labeled it "A Dash of Fall and a Splash of Christmas".

Again, the seller is selling the pattern here.

I really like the textured stitch on this one. Found here.

A cute and quick granny square afghan.  Found on Etsy, here.

I absolutely *LOVE* this one! Though it might be difficult without the pattern.  Item found here.

     Now the difficult part will be deciding which one to do :).  For the time being, the weather is too threatening to venture out to the yarn store when I could be comfy and cozy with tea in my mug and soup in my crock pot in my home.  Besides, I really should be working on some of my current dresser projects! :)

6am sewing adventure

     As of late my health has been questionable which has confined me to my crochet chair or bed, leaving me ample time to get crafty. So this morning when I awoke at 6 am feeling like I was hit by a truck the natural thing for me to do was make some tea and get sewing.  Of course, being that early, Gurr, my affectionate kitty, was wide awake and ready to play.  By 7am we were having an adorable sewing adventure!

     First he was good and just lay on the opposite side of the sewing machine and glared at me through the hole of the machine, then he decided that wasn't getting enough of my attention so he decided to continually flop on what ever fabric made it onto his side!  This was quite challenging as he was far too adorable to move; I know, I'm a cat-loving wuss.
     Luckily he soon decided that wasn't good enough and needed to lay on my lap, and as awkward as it was, I did still manage to get some work done.  

     Not long after that he became super hyper and decided to cause mischief (or at the very least what he considered to be mischief).  He sat on a chair and stared at me, then when I got sewing he started picking scraps off the table and batting them to the floor. Then, grabbing them in his mouth like prey, he quickly ran to another room to play with his seemingly sneaky kill. This was far too adorable. He would then return several minutes later to hunt another scrap.  Before long there were no more scraps to be found on the table.... they were scattered all over the house!  So he came back up onto the chair, laid down and attempted to grab the handles off the bag I was sewing.  Then he rolled around on the chair being all cute like, jumped back up on my lap, ran a couple more laps around the house then, tuckered out climbed back onto the table and contented himself to lazily napping and gazing outside at traffic.

Laying on fabric that is clearly on HIS side of the sewing machine

Playing with scraps

"No mommy, this isn't one of your scraps at my feet!"

     On second thought, having gotten up early and feeling rotten doesn't seem so bad... at least not when you have a sewing partner who's so adorable and makes you smile the whole time :).  For more pics of this morning's sewing adventure, click here.

Peter's Birthday Blanket

     A couple years back when I was living in Ottawa, I asked my brother, Peter, if he'd like me to make him a blanket.  He flipped through my pattern books and picked out one he liked.  I marked it and waited for a time when I had enough money to buy new materials to make it.  Well things always tend to happen and the project fell to the side.

     Several months ago I had remembered the project and had some extra cash to put towards it so I bought the needed materials.  Unfortunately I just didn't have the time to dedicate to it.  So it sat in the corner in a bag waiting for me to find the time to pick it up and make it.  Well on Aug 6th 2011 I said to myself enough is enough and I got to it hoping to have it done by his birthday on the 17th.  So I got started that day and a miraculous thing happened: I finished a project!! Start to finished I touched only that blanket (aside for some occasional bag sewing), I worked tirelessly on it, early in the morning, throughout the afternoon and late at night. I finished the blanket in one week flat! That's right! I finished it on Friday the 12th.  Needless to say here, I'm quite proud of myself.  Even though it's wasn't one of my older dresser projects being finished off or even one that I get to keep and put in my pile, I'm still happy I got a project started and finished. (Not to mention AMAZED that I got it done THAT quickly!)

     The original pattern to this afghan is found in "(Leisure Arts Presents) Vanna's Favorite Crochet Gifts" on page 19 : Ebony & Ivory.  For more pics of the blanket click here. This blanket is now available to order (custom made to order in any desired colours) on my etsy site here.

     So Happy Birthday Peter!  I hope you enjoy the blueberry muffins and your new afghan!

Weekend in Sudbury

     Last weekend a most wonderful thing happened: my good friends Becky and Jake got married!!  Both being from Sudbury, they had a fantastic outdoor backyard ceremony in Sudbury on a beautiful sunny day.  Of course this meant I got the opportunity to travel out of Fort Frances for a bit of a vacation and spend some time with my crafty friend. And despite it being her wedding weekend, she found ample time to get crafty!

     I got to see some of her more recent projects, one of them being a nifty handbag and another some heavy duty slippers, and help out with a new one;  all on the day before her wedding.  One of the great things about spending time with a Becky, or any crafting buddy, is all the new ideas that come up.  Of course with Becky's energy level, and all the projects she's done the ideas are 10 fold!  Needless to say I came back right full of motivation and teeming to the brim with new ideas!

Becky's lap blankets

     One of the neat projects I got to see was a some really cute little lap blankets Becky put together as gifts for family.  She made them by sewing a layer of linen to a layer of fleece.  They turned out quite nice.

Helping Becky out with a new bathing suit

  Becky's project that day was a new bathing suit.  Since she couldn't find the pattern she had previously purchased she decided to just put something together and see how it would turn out.  The great thing about creating this way (without a pattern) is that you almost always stumble upon something new and great!  The resulting design was very cute, though the seems were off and there was no time to fix them, the bathing suit did not get to make it's debut that weekend.  After all, it was the day before her wedding, and as much as crafting is awesome, there were other duties to tend to. :) (For more photos of crafting in Sudbury and a the wedding click here)

Becky's kitchen sewing mess

          So my weekend in Sudbury was really great!  I got to spend time with good friends, make new ones, get crafty and be part of a wonderful and beautiful wedding.  What more could one ask for?