Tuesday, June 1, 2010

June 1 - What a year! And a giveaway.

A year ago today, I officially opened my Etsy shop and tried to make a real go of this yarn dyeing business. And in the last year I've learned so much and done so much that my head it buzzing with all of it still. I vended my first festival, I made my first ad banners, I sent my work out there and people came back for more.

When I think about where I was a year ago and where I am now, I'm glad and hopeful and grateful. I came to this out of near desperation and it's giving back more than I can express. And I have so many people to be grateful to as well, good friends and family who've put up with this thing eating my brain and my time and my patience, and gone well above the call of duty helping out.

So thank you to everyone who has participated in this whirlwind of a year. I have so much still to learn and do to grow this business right, and I hope you're all with me through the next year as well. :)

And to celebrate all this and to launch this blog officially with something fun, the giveaway! Specifically, this skein of yarn:

Three Hares, colorway: Colonial Day, hanging out in the persimmon tree

Details of this giveaway and more pictures after the jump-




More pictures of the skein in question. It's deep blue and grey, streaked with brighter blues, white and khaki and olive. This colorway was inspired by the BSG FPB group on Ravelry and it seems fitting to start these giveaways with something that hearkens back to the group. They've been hugely encouraging and a big part of my first year. :)

All you have to do to be entered in this drawing is to comment here with one or more of your favorite Etsy shops. I'd like to see actual shop names/links and why, not just a link to one's favorites page. (And not including my shop! That is, of course, understood. *cough*) And if you let me know you tweeted, blogged, etc a link to this giveaway, I'll add another drawing entry for each.

This is open through June 4, and on the 5th I'll pick a winner out of a hat. Don't forget to check back on the 5th to see if you've won! Or leave a way I can reach you. :)

I had thought to have everyone go to my shop and find something they like, like Jessie does for the Phatfiber giveaways, but this whole blog is about my stuff and I want to see what else everyone likes!

To start this off, I'll mention Lavender Cottage because I fell in love with a ring set. After visiting the rings almost every day for a month, I gave in and asked for a custom set of bangle bracelets since I don't really wear rings. The seller was fantastic and easy to work with, and I adore the final result. I bought this for myself to celebrate this year.

Sun, Moon and Stars as a bangle bracelet set in hammered silver

I have too many sellers that I really love and now that I've listed one specific thing, I'm going to cheat and link my favorites, because there are too many to list here. Although if Urbhome had any wool wash in stock, I'd definitely recommend it as well. Botanical wash with lanolin, eucalyptus, and lavender, it's been making my woolens soft and sweet smelling for months now. And of course, I can't leave out Phatfiber which has been instrumental in everything I've done and has contributed so much to the growth of my shop.

Penultimately, just in case anyone's missed it, I'm having a stitch marker giveaway in my Ravelry group that also wraps up on June 4th. Just join the group and comment to be added to the drawing for a Widget stitch marker. :)

And lastly because this is a party, some music!

Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

18 comments:

Mandii said...

Oh lets see, I love too many shops, Desert Garden Farms, Moonwood Farm, FiberFancy, Color Bug Yarns, Bohemia Fibers, BohoKnitterChic to name a few ;) We can't forget the PhatFiber boxes each month either!

Unknown said...

I love Christina Marie Potter (http://www.etsy.com/shop/christinamariepotter)

Her scifi themed yarns are so awesome :)

theluckielizard said...

Hi. Congrats on your one year anniversary!

My favorite etsy shops are:

1. Bohemia Fibers- http://www.etsy.com/shop/bohemiafibers - This shop has so many wonderful handmade products from natural balm to knitting tools (spindles, stitch markers ect.)and of course fibers and yarn, all made by Amy and her family. Amy is such a pleasure to work with.

2. Scarymerry- http://www.etsy.com/shop/scarymerry - cute and kitschy stitch markers, knitting needles and zipper pulls. This is one of the first etsy seller I purchased from. Very easy to work with.

3. Luna Stitch - http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunaStitch - I have several of her KP interchangeable needle holders. I love her fabrics and she does quality work.

4. Mama Jude's Plant Dyed Yarn - http://www.etsy.com/shop/mamajudes - She offers such wonderful yarns, all naturally dyed from materials either recycled from other local craftsmen or products found in nature. She somehow is able to take the colors that nature provides and display it in her yarns.

5. Phat Fiber - http://www.etsy.com/shop/PhatFiber - I couldn't pass up an opportunity to mention Jesse's shop. Phatfiber has opened me up to a whole new world of fiber products and possibilities that I would of never known existed. Through the sample box I have found so many new fiber vendors that offer such great products. I love to support small family business when I can.

Thanks for offering such a great yarns, being apart of phatfiber and giving me a chance to win some beautiful yarn in the process.

Shannon

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your anniversary! Hmm, I have so many favorite shops, ack! I love Beadsidemyself because her beaded work is sturdy and gorgeous; I own several of her bracelets and have also gotten her to make me some stitch markers and other goodies. :) I also love KnittinK because her geekery-inspired yarns and fibers speak to me. DesertGarden is one of my faves because her SALs are SOOO fun, and I really love Johanna from EverImprovingMe and her beautifully blended batts - I'm spinning one now, as a matter of fact, and it's gorgeous!

Jess
jessicacook17@hotmail.com

Stephanie said...

Congrats! There are too many shops to list so I'll try to narrow it down somehow. Bohoknitterchic--her batts are a blast to spin

Silversunalpacas--I always end up doing something I've never done before with her fiber.

Blue Mountain Handcrafts--caddy sax are adorable. batts are fun to spin.

CCfibers--I'm spinning a batt from here now and I must say that I am in love.

Hampton Artistic Yarns--the first sample I spun from my first phatfiber fluff box. I will always have a soft spot for H.A.Y. Fun batts, pretty colorways in yarn and roving. I just can't get enough

Moonwoodfarm--one word, Moonbeams

Spindies--I love the paintboxes. So fun to see how everyone interprets a color.

nephnie at gmail

Guen001 said...

Hey, congrats on your first year!! I can only imagine the amount of work it's been!

I have so many favs on etsy... so I'll just mention one of my most recent purchases. I got some really great pewter buttons from Roosterick. http://www.etsy.com/shop/Roosterick

Unknown said...

Ooooh, pretty! :D

My favourite etsy shop is The Gossamer Web, because I love fine lace yarn and Susan sells some of the best stuff I have ever seen or touched. I just finished a stole with "Tribble", and it's delicious.

Anonymous said...

I'll play! I love Ylfdragon's Den, maintained by a friend of mine who makes a bunch of gorgeous steampunk things.

Also in the Steampunk Is Awesome section of our program, Fortunate Sky has some incredible makings. Purple Mercury Cat makes awesome rosaries, and I suspect they may be the same artist? Or at least closely related? Unsure!

And if I can be vain about my own nonsense, I will be~

Anonymous said...

So many pretty things on ETSY!!! So hard to limit myself to just a few - but the quest to win some beautiful yarn from Light Brown Hare is worth it!!!
-------
One of my recent faves is

Catherine's Trashion Fashion -
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TrashionFashion

'cause she made me some custom ear-rings out of Vernor's cans (it's a Michigan thing...) which give me a smile when I'm wishing I was 'home'...
---------
Another is

http://www.etsy.com/shop/kyecrow

- the colors are so beautiful and her mission is admirable. (she works/lives with some very unusual Rescue animals...)
--------
Pipps Purses has wonderful bag patterns to knit and felt - results are always noteworthy:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PippsPurses

Amy said...

Congrats. Lovely yarn!

I really have enjoyed the project bags from KnittingNadine, Nadine's Nook: http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnittingNadine?ga_search_query=knittingnadine&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

They zip up so nicely and hold a ball of yarn I can use to knit cloths, which I love. The colors are great. The little handle fits well on a chair when I knit in long meetings at work.

Anonymous said...

Its so hard to imagine that a year has gone by already! Congratulations! Its awesome to see your store up and running and doing well...I hope this new year brings you amazing success! You deserve it!!!

Hot4Handbags would be one of my favorites on Etsy :O)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hot4Handbags

KnitnSmile :O)

ajdag said...

i love Xen's shop. supper squishy yarn
Art of Xen
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ArtofXen

Has some of the prettiest stich makers
Lady Lady Danio's shop Exchanging Fire
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LadyDanio

really neat hand carved stamps and stamed things
winemakerssister's shop Winemakersister
http://www.etsy.com/shop/winemakerssister

beatiful yarn.
LadyFirelyght's shop WhiteIrisYarns
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WhiteIrisYarns

Helen said...

Congratulations on your one year anniversary! I've been a fan of your knitting patterns since the LiveJournal days.

Favorite etsy shops besides yours:

Epicurus
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Epicurus

StormMoonKnits(When she was open)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/stormmoonknits

Anonymous said...

Etsy is dangerous for me! I am not allowed to go there often because it makes me want to buy way too much yarn and also beading supplies ^_^

(Like, say, http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackSheepDyeworks, which I stumbled across the other day and had to force myself not to bookmark it.)

(...though I probably will eventually anyway *g*)

EVA SB said...

I love Etsy both for shopping and eyecandy.

So favourites?

The Fancy Lady Gourmet
These cookies look delicious. They are so well presented and the decoration is bright and attractive.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TabbyCat13

Doodlage
Her art is just mesmerising and so original.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Doodlage


Alessandra Fusi's Infinitales
More art. This time colourful and whimsical.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/infinitales

Alona Lahav
Unusual cold clay jewelery.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/rafya

Handmade Miniatures
I love earrings and these appeal to my sense of fun.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/shayaaron

Hope you like them as much as I do.

eva.s.black[@]gmail[.]com

Pookledo said...

I've just shared your link on facebook. Hope you get some traffic from it :)

ikkinlala said...

I love The Plucky Knitter (http://www.etsy.com/shop/sjdimond4437) for gorgeous semisolid yarn - she sells out quickly, though!

Also, I love the buttons at OruAka (http://www.etsy.com/shop/OruAka?section_id=6966147).

Congratulations on a year!

ikkinlala AT yahoo DOT ca

rogue1 said...

A couple of favs...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/edmdesigns
DD3 bought DD2 a necklace from here. I heart the Art Deco style earrings. If I was a kid again, I'd love to go full-blown steampunk.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/46521746/unisex-organic-cotton-crew-sandstone

We got this t for my physics/math geek nephew, who builds Tesla coils for fun.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CenterHillClayWorks

Yarn bowls are as much fun as yarn!