Kitty Grrlz Knits & Spins

On Vox: Am I there yet? (moving and new yarns)

2009-12-29T16:18:59Z

I think I may have mentioned that we were moving this month. Well, we are sort of moved. I am here in our new apartment with Bug (our cat) and my laptop. And the printer. And a box of fiber ready to spin. And my wheel. And a few other things that made it down here with me on Sunday. BUT, almost all of our other stuff? Still 3 hours away waiting to get down here. I'm hoping it will all arrive today and then I'll feel a little more "settled". For now, I still feel like I'm just visiting or staying in a hotel. At least I've got the laptop, the TV, and Bug! :)

Here she is, as a matter of fact, as Queen of the Boxes - these are boxes we brought down a few weeks ago - mostly non-essentials - stuff like our collectible toys/figures, books, and a few miscellaneous things that are non-necessities.

For perspective, here is the full-length shot of the closet -
That is the closet in what will probably be "my" room - I'll have my fiber in there, and probably a desk/computer, etc. My bookcases will also be in there. As the queen of clutter we are trying something NEW with this apartment and that is trying to keep the living room area look really clean and OPEN. NO clutter! My wheel will still be in there, because I'll still be spinning in that room since it has GREAT lighting. But, all the other fiber WILL be confined to this one room. Maybe I'll take more pictures later . . .

In fibery news - I was hoping to have new yarns spun the past couple of days but I've been feeling sort of in limbo without all of my stuff. I DO have fiber to work on, and hope to get to some of that today, but I DO have some new yarns from BEFORE the holidays - ones I don't think I ever posted here, so here they are! :)
From top to bottom -
The last batches of Plum Divine for 2009! One skein has already sold, but the other skein is still available here in my etsy shop!

Kitty Singles - Candy Colored Clown - Hand Spun Merino Wool Yarn - 134 yards
Beautiful Bamboo - Spring Garden - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn - 224 yards
Novel-Ply - New Year's Twilight - Hand Spun Super Bulky Yarn - 70 yards and a small 20 yard skein
Thread-Ply - Spumoni Sparkle - Hand Spun Thread-Ply Yarn, thicknthin with a few coils and beehives, too - great sparkle! - 60 yards and 30 yards

Here are a couple of others, too -

Kitty Singles - Rose Mocha - Hand Spun Single Ply Rambouillet Wool Yarn - 155 yards

Kitty Mixers - Adirondack Autumn - Hand Spun Two-Ply Merino Wool Yarn - 150 yards

Kitty Singles - November Garden - Hand Spun Single Ply Falkland Wool Yarn - 168 yards

Wow, I am even more behind than I thought in posting current yarns! Here is another mosaic with even MORE recent hand spun yarns! All of these yarns can be found in my etsy shop HERE!
Beautiful Bamboo - Sand and Sea - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Beautiful Bamboo - Chocolate Berry Shine - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Kitty Singles - Sabrina - Hand Spun Single Ply BFL Wool Yarn
Kitty Singles - Sweet - Hand Spun Single Ply BFL Wool Yarn
Squish-tastic - Twilight Dreams - Hand Spun Bulky Thick/Thin 2ply Yarn
Navajo 3-ply - Twilight Dreams - Hand Spun 3ply Yarn - merino wool and silk
Kitty Singles - Holiday Memories - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Kitty Singles - Orchid CinderWood - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn

Okay, I think that is all! I better get offline now and try and get something spun. I've got some Rambouillet wool ready to spin into a single ply, a few more batches of bamboo (I'm almost completely out of bamboo, though! I need to order more!), and some merino and merino/silk ready for some Squish-tastics! and Navajo 3plys. Alright, definitely better get to work!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: More new hand spun yarns

2009-11-25T18:49:04Z

More new hand spun yarns listed today in my etsy shop! A variety today - a single ply, an art yarn, and even a two-ply. Here is a mosaic of the new skeins -

Kitty Mixers - Barney's Midnight Blues - Hand Spun Two-Ply Yarn in merino wool 150 yards
Kitty Mixers - Barney's Midnight Blues - Hand Spun Two-Ply Yarn in merino wool 112 yards
FunctionArt - River Twilight - Hand Spun Art Yarn 64 yards
FunctionArt - River Twilight - Hand Spun Art Yarn 74 yards
Kitty Singles - Blackberry Sea - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn in merino wool and bamboo blend 150 yards
Squish-tastic - Bronze Field - Hand Spun Bulky 2ply Yarn 96 yards

Today I'll probably be knitting for my show this Saturday, so most likely will have some new yarns again on Friday.

As for the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness - right now, since I have my show on Saturday, my plan is to not have any specials on Friday, BUT, I will be having a Cyber Monday sale that will most likely start on Sunday. This sale will *definitely* be for my newsletter subscribers, but I also *might* have some specials for everyone. It's all going to depend on what I have left after my show. Also, Newsletter subscribers ALWAYS get better specials. You can sign up on the side of this blog or at the bottom of this page. I'm not sure what the discounts or specials will be yet, though.

Now, it's off to get some knitting done for ART VS CRAFT this weekend!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: NEW hand spun yarns!

2009-11-23T18:41:23Z

I've got lots of new yarns listed in my etsy shop, and am continuing to try and list new ones daily. Here are some of the latest ones -

Bronze Field - Squish-tastic! Bulky 2ply

Some new bamboo - one is a lighter shade of "Plum Paradise" - this is Plum Paradise Light -

And, some more of the Taos Sunset Art Yarn colorway, and also another NEW art yarn color, Holiday Whispers -

And, finally, some new single ply yarns -

Top
Blackberry Sea Hand Spun Single Ply Falkland Wool Yarn 200 yards
Christmas Wrapping Hand Spun Single Ply BFL Wool Yarn 130 yards
Bottom
Cinnamon Clay Hand Spun Single Ply Falkland Wool Yarn 140 yards
SerpentSong Hand Spun Single Ply Falkland Wool Yarn 140 yards

This week I hope to spin some merino wool two-plys and I'll also be knitting lots of scarves for my show this weekend - ART VS CRAFT in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! I'll also have a couple more art yarns before the week is done.

Now, it's off to get some of this work DONE!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Two totally new hand spun art yarns!

2009-11-16T19:39:47Z

Oops, so much for posting again regularly! I HAVE been listing new yarns every day in my etsy shop but there's too many to post here right now. But, I do want to post pictures of two BRAND NEW FunctionArt Art yarn colors!!

The first is spun from hand dyed merino wool dyed by the Yarn Wench in color "Taos". When I first saw this color on her site recently, I liked it and it definitely popped out as being a bit different than what I'd been spinning lately. But, I wasn't sure I was going to spin it into an art yarn. At the time, I mostly just bought it because it was "different".

Then, this past weekend when I was going through one of my organizing/pre-prep routines of finding yarns to go with fibers for other art yarns, I came across some yarns that were PERFECT for this batch of fiber. So, I started accumulating them as I went through my boxes of yarns, and by the end had a very large collection of yarns that would be good to use to spin in with the wool. Instead of spinning the others I had meant to spin first, I decided heck with it and spun up TAOS as the first new art yarn for the week - I have two skeins, 80 yards and 84 yards and both are in my etsy shop here and here. Here are the skeins -

80 yards 84 yards

Then, since I already seemed to be more on the bright colors/new blends kick, I spun up this one - also merino wool dyed by the Yarn Wench in color "Sundapple". Again, liked the different colors and combination than what I've been spinning recently. I also have two skeins of this one, 65 yards and 67 yards and they are in my etsy shop here and here. Here are the two skeins -

65 yards

67 yards
I have a lot of other new yarns listed, too. You can check them all out in my etsy shop!

This week I'll be getting ready for the DIY Trunk Show which is Saturday, November 21. I have lots of scarves to knit, yarns to spin and much more. This means I may not be posting many new items on etsy, though I WILL be listing at least ONE new yarn every day. Others may not get listed until after my show.

But, now I better get to work! SO much to do!!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: I'm back . . . with new yarns and more!

2009-11-08T07:08:05Z

Wow, it has really been awhile since I posted. But, I AM BACK! I honestly don't know if I'll be able to post daily, but I'm at least hoping to post a little more regularly, especially with all that may be happening in the next couple of months. Here's my confession - since the middle of July I've been working a "day job" again. That is why I haven't been posting as many new yarns, why I haven't been blogging and in general just haven't been "around" as much. But, for many reasons I rather not go into right now, I have QUIT that job and now will be able to devote my full attention to getting ready for my November shows. This is the perfect time since I do have my two most-favorite shows of the year this month - DIY Trunk Show in Chicago and Art vs Craft in Milwaukee. I am determined to have lots of new yarns and new knits for both of these shows! This means I'll be spinning and knitting like crazy over the next few weeks and I will be listing at least ONE NEW YARN EVERY DAY in my etsy shop. Due to time constraints, I may not list *everything* I spin, but yarns not sold at the shows will all be listed by the end of the month.

The other news, which is NOT 100% quite yet, but about 99.99999999999% sure is that we are MOVING. Not just moving to a new apartment but to a NEW CITY. And a NEW STATE. This is going to be happening within the next few months, which is the main reason I quit the job. More on this as things progress . . . but I won't be TOO far away from where we are now, which means I'll still be able to do my "normal" shows in both Wisconsin and Illinois.

For now, it's back to my old (wonderful) routine of daily spinning and listing yarns. Today, I spun 9 new yarns! Some were for possible custom requests, but several will be listed tomorrow, including 3 new art yarn skeins. In the meantime, though, I wanted to catch up with the new yarns that I have listed lately - these are skeins spun in the past few weeks that are new and still available -

Here are direct links to each listing in my etsy shop -
Squish-tastic! - November Garden - Hand Spun Bulky 2ply Yarn
90 yards and 30 yards
Kitty Mixers - Brown Eyed Girl - Hand Spun Two Ply Yarn (merino wool)
140 yards and 120 yards
FunctionArt/Batt-tacular - Holly Hobbie Redux - Hand Spun Art Yarn - 120 yards, 5.4 oz
CoilySpun - Vampire Valentine - Hand Spun Coils & Beehives Yarn - 12 yards
Beautiful Bamboo - Marmalade Pine - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
134 yards and 124 yards
Beautiful Bamboo - Kitty Grrlz Dark - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Kitty Singles - Marchengarten - Hand Spun Single Ply Wool Yarn
Kitty Singles - Berry Crush - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Kitty Singles - Italo - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn
Kitty Singles - Cormorant - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn

I think that's all for now, but should have more new yarns for Sunday!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Two new single ply yarns

2009-10-19T01:41:16Z

Even though I was at my show all day yesterday, I did manage to spin 2 new yarns and have listed them in my etsy shop today - both are spun from Falkland wool hand dyed by Cloudlover.

This one is from her "Rotten Pumpkin" colorway, though I'm calling it "Harvest Night" and it is 158 yards -

And, this one is from her "Decay" colorway, but I've dubbed it "Southwest Rustic" and it is 180 yards -

I spun a couple more today but am not sure I'll get them listed tomorrow, but they will be coming soon. I also have two pairs of wristwarmers, one hat, and four scarves that I hope to list in my Kitty Grrlz Knits etsy shop this week. I've got some custom-spin requests to work on next, but I also hope to have time to get some new yarns spun for my etsy shop, too. We'll see how it goes!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Some new yarns and Craft Show this weekend!

2009-10-15T05:38:25Z

THIS Saturday, October 17, I will be at A Community Affair in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin!

Menomonee Falls High School

W142 N8101 Merrimac Drive - Menomonee Falls, WI

Located off Appleton Avenue (Hwy. 175) at Woosencraft Dr.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Over 80 Exhibitors - Silent Auction - Raffle - Luncheon & Snack Bar
Fabulous Desserts, Homemade Bakery & Treats

Admission $4.00

Clear Hallways Sorry, No strollers

For further information call: 414-297-9446 or email cleague@communityleague.com

All Proceeds to Charity

I will have some new hand knit items and some new yarns, too!

I listed a few things in my etsy shop this week, too! (actually, these are from the past couple of weeks! it has been way too long since i've posted!) Direct links to their listings on etsy are below the mosaic -

Blackberry Sea - Hand Spun Merino Wool Yarn, spun slightly thick n thin - 108 yards
Four skeins of "Meadow Gold" bamboo single ply yarn
Three skeins of "Plum Paradise" bamboo single ply yarn
Two skeins of "Halloween Sunset" (aka Kitty Grrlz Dark) bamboo single ply yarn
Two skeins of "Plum Divine" hand spun FunctionArt art yarn
Three skeins of "Plum Honey" hand spun FunctionArt art yarn
One skein of "Ice Princess" bamboo single ply yarn
Mystic Pine - hand spun Falkland wool single ply yarn
CoilySpun - SlateBerry - Hand Spun Coils & Beehives Yarn
CoilySpun - Meltdown - Hand Spun Coils & Beehives Yarn

I've only linked to one skein when multiples are available, but you can always find ALL of my yarns on etsy here!

I should have more new yarns listed AFTER my show. Right now, I'm focusing on knitting and also dealing with some news that could mean some major changes . . . more on that later! (I will continue to spin and knit no matter what, though!!)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: It's been awhile . . . but here are some new yarns

2009-09-21T22:27:18Z

I am so bad at keeping up with the blogging thing. I try, really, I do. I spin and think of the things I want to write, but then when I sit down to write them, they are gone, or don't seem important enough to post. Oh well. Here is one of my usual new-yarn posts . . .

First, is a new art yarn, another in what I'm calling my "Masquerade" series, this one, simply "Masquerade II", spun from hand dyed merino wool, dyed by the Yarn Wench. I have two skeins listed in my etsy shop, an 86 yard skein and a 76 yard skein -

And, another one, spun from merino wool hand dyed by Cloudlover - this one is called Telltale Heart and I also have two skeins - 88 yards and 84 yards -

And, finally, here are two of my all-time favorite colorways, merino wool and merino/silk hand dyed by the Yarn Wench in "Andromeda" and "Mahogany Peacock". These are all listed in my etsy shop as well (direct links below the picture) -

Navajo 3-ply - Mahogany Peacock - 100 yards
Squish-tastic - Mahogany Peacock - 70 yards
Squish-tastic - Mahogany Peacock - 25 yards
Navajo 3-ply - Andromeda - 100 yards
Squish-tastic - Andromeda - 105 yards

And, one more, this one spun from merino wool and silk blend also dyed by Cloudlover - a Navajo 3ply - 190 yards - in color Peppermint Twist -

That's all for now! Time to get back to spinning! :)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: New yarns, Etsy Voter - HandSpun!, and Wisconsin Sheep & Wool

2009-09-08T23:46:51Z

I've listed a bunch of new yarns this past week! These will be the last new ones until after the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, which is THIS coming weekend!

In other news, my FunctionArt - Summer Mountain Morning yarn is featured in this week's Etsy Voter - please show your support by voting - you can find the voting HERE.

Here are some mosaics of the new yarns, but for all the details, please check them out in my etsy shop!

Fall Collection 2009 - all spun from LOOP Spontaneous Spinning batts -

Then, there are the blues and purples, also spun from LOOP batts -

And, one more, this set spun from Yarn Wench merino wool -

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: New yarns!

2009-09-02T04:11:40Z

These are some yarns I listed this past Sunday! Two new single ply yarns - Telltale Heart and Nevermore, an art yarn called LOCHNESS, another art yarn called "Watermelon Sushi", a Squish-tastic! "Turquoise Sands" and a Navajo 3ply, also called Turquoise Sands. The singles are spun from Falkland wool dyed by Cloudlover, Lochness is a Spontaneous Spinning Batt from LOOP, Watermelon Sushi is merino dyed by Cloudlover. The Squish-tastic is merino dyed by the Yarn Wench, and finally, the 3ply is merino/bamboo blend also dyed by Cloudlover.

I know my blog has been very neglected lately, but I've been busy with non-fibery things (unfortunately), though I have been spinning and getting ready for Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, which is coming up soon! I'll have NEW YARNS, BAMBOO YARNS AND FIBER, and also novelty yarn fiber packs perfect for your fiber art projects, scrapbooking, spinning or . . . whatever you'd like! I may try and have some new knits, too! I'll still be listing yarns here and there before then, but I should pick up the pace as far as new listings on etsy go AFTER the show.

Also, I have listed the remaining fiber and yarn destash in my Kitty Grrlz Knits shop. You can find the FIBER DESTASH here, and the YARN DESTASH here!

That's all for tonight! :)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: A few new yarns . . .

2009-08-24T23:18:20Z

I've listed a few new yarns recently . . . two art yarn skeins today and 2 bamboo skeins yesterday. Very opposite yarns - the art yarn is very bright and cheery in shades of bright pink and peachy coral, and the bamboo is the most gorgeous deep plum/purple! Here is a mosaic of them, and you can find them in my etsy shop HERE.

I also finally spun a two-ply recently! I do like how the twoplys turn out, but since they take me so much longer than all of my other yarns, I don't spin them very often. But, I had this custom-color dyed by the Yarn Wench in merino wool, and thought it'd look good as 2ply. The colors were hard to capture, but here are the two skeins -

You can find them in my etsy shop HERE and HERE.

I'm getting ready for Wisconsin Sheep & Wool, which is in a couple of weeks, so I may not be listing much or posting here, but I AM spinning and will have new yarns available there and then will list what doesn't sell after the show. Lots going on right now and one of these days I'll blog about it all . . .

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: New Hand Spun Yarns & Destash now on Etsy

2009-08-17T01:56:29Z

Today, I listed some new yarns. Mostly single plys, but also one Navajo 3ply in merino wool and tencel. Here is a mosaic of the yarns, all of which can be found in my etsy shop HERE. (One note - the last one, the orange/pink one won't be listed until Monday!)

Also, I have now listed all of my FIBER and YARN destash in my Kitty Grrlz Knits Shop on Etsy. I am also offering a discount for multiple lot purchases -
FIBER Destash - buy 2 or more lots and get 15% off
YARN Destash - buy 2 or more lots and get 10% off

This discount will be refunded to you via paypal (after your payment is made) OR you can wait for a revised invoice - BUT, if you want a revised invoice, please note that in the "Notes to Seller" section when checking out on etsy.

I may be working on a custom order this week, but hope to sneak in an art yarn or two and maybe some more Navajo 3plys. I've got the fiber ready, just need to spin! I've also got a bamboo fiber order that will soon be on its way so look for new bamboo late next week, probably.

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Two days in a row - more new yarns!

2009-08-09T18:50:55Z

Just a quickie post - here are a few more new yarns, listed today in my etsy shop HERE!

Two skeins of "Summer Mountain Morning" art yarn, and two single plys in luscious BFL wool, "Marchengarten" and "Absinthe". The art yarns are spun with Yarn Wench merino and the singles are from Cloudlover.

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: A few more new yarns

2009-08-08T22:52:37Z

I listed a few new yarns today! It's been slow going lately, but I'll be spinning lots today and tomorrow, and hopefully this week. Here is a mosaic of the new yarns, all of which can be found in my etsy shop HERE.

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Some new yarns, finally!

2009-08-05T00:05:41Z

I managed to get some new yarns listed tonight! Four new single plys. Three are spun from wonderful merino wool/bamboo blend dyed by Cloudlover, and the other is Falkland from the Yarn Wench.

Here is a mosaic of the new skeins, all listed now in my etsy shop -

Here are direct links and more information -

Kitty Singles - A Clockwork Orange - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn (Falkland Wool) 126 yards, worsted weight

Kitty Singles - Blackberry Sea - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn (merino wool/bamboo) 152 yards, DK weight

Kitty Singles - Peppermint Twist - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn (merino wool/bamboo) 162 yards, DK weight

Kitty Singles - Not so Fiendish - Hand Spun Single Ply Yarn (merino wool/bamboo) 126 yards, worsted weight

I know i've been quiet lately, but I'm working on a big custom request, along with having some other distractions at the moment that have been keeping me from my wheel. I hope to have more yarns to list at the end of the week, though, probably on Saturday.

Also - just a note about my shipping charges - I am no longer offering free shipping in my etsy shop, and my international rates have gone up for those outside the USA and Canada, but if you'd like free or discounted shipping EVERY month, please check out my mailing list - you can sign up in the sidebar of this blog, or at the bottom of this page!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: New bamboo skeins, probably the last ones for awhile

2009-07-26T20:03:51Z

Today I listed 6 new bamboo skeins which will probably be the last bamboo I list for awhile as I really don't have much fiber left and don't plan on another fiber order until August, or maybe even September. You can see the new bamboo skeins in my etsy shop in this section. These are the colors I listed today:

Also, my BAMBOO BOGO sale continues, and I am going to extend it into Monday, too. THIS SPECIAL now ENDS AT 5pm Central Time on Monday, July 27!! The special is this - buy one bamboo skein and get the second at HALF PRICE. Plus, Free Shipping in the USA on ALL orders, and $5 International shipping. You can check out the details, and the bamboo, in my etsy shop HERE.

What's in store for the week ahead? Probably a couple of single plys, maybe some art yarns, and maybe some Navajo 3plys or Squish-tastics. I'm not really sure, beyond the two single plys I have ready for today, so I'm just going to see which fiber strikes my fancy this week and spin that! :)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Two new single ply yarns

2009-07-25T20:34:55Z

As promised, pictures of the two new single ply yarns listed in my etsy shop today -

Top - Blackberry Sea - 190 yards - DK weight
Bottom - Orion - 146 yards - thinner Worsted weight

Also, I don't think i ever posted this mosaic, but here are some of the yarns I listed this past week -

short and sweet today as i've got to get some spinning done! :)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: BAMBOO BOGO SALE

2009-07-25T20:33:58Z

I am having a sale this weekend in my etsy shop! It is on all BAMBOO SKEINS, and is BUY ONE at regular price and get the Second Skein HALF OFF. Sale goes through Sunday night. You can find more details in my etsy shop HERE.

I also have two new single ply yarn skeins to list later today, and I should have pictures later today, too.

Hope to have some new yarns to list tomorrow, too!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Back from the Fair & lots of new yarns!

2009-07-20T23:35:14Z

So, another year of the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair has passed. This year, I went a little crazy and ended up buying bunches of Cloudlover fiber -

It was a lot of fun just pulling braids, piling them up and then figuring out which ones I absolutely HAD to have! (I couldn't buy them all no matter how badly I wanted to!). I also ended up spinning two of them while at the Fair. The mosaic above includes the "Tahiti" single ply I spun, and this mosaic includes the Navajo 3ply spun from her "Antoinette" colorway in merino wool and silk. This fiber will be spun up over the next few weeks.

This mosaic shows it, along with "Tahiti" and two FunctionArt/Batt-tacular yarns spun but not sold at the show. All four of these yarns are now listed on etsy. Here are some direct links:

"Antoinette" Navajo 3ply - 186 yards, DK
"Tahiti" Single ply - 176 yards, DK
"Fairy Tales" FunctionArt/Batt-tacular - 98 yards, 4.6 oz
"Midnight Princess" FunctionArt/Batt-tacular - 50 yards, 2.2 oz

I also listed some bamboo skeins today. You can see the new bamboo on etsy HERE. This mosaic shows the colors listed (Stormy Night, Stormy Sea, Razzleberry, and Cotton Candy Blues)

I also have 6 new art yarns to list, but think those will get added tomorrow. After that, my next new yarns will probably not be posted until the weekend. I'm thinking of adjusting my "work" schedule so that I spin during the week, take pictures on Saturday, and list on Sunday/Monday. We'll see how it goes this week. I do know that I'll most likely NOT be listing new yarns daily, like I have tried to in the past. I've also got some commissions to work on, but, look for new art yarns tomorrow!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: New yarns and show preparation

2009-07-13T20:19:51Z

These are the new yarns I've listed today and yesterday. Mostly Falkland single plys, and 4 bamboo skeins in color "Chocolate Berry Shine". Here are some direct links -

Kitty Singles - Rain Forest
Kitty Singles - Mandarin Crush
Kitty Singles - Storm
Kitty Singles - Bit o' Luck
Kitty Singles - Sugar Plum
Beautiful Bamboo - Chocolate Berry Shine 122 yards, 132 yards, 146 yards, 140 yards

These may be the last new yarns I list until after my upcoming show. This weekend I will be at the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair which is being held at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois. I will be in the same spot as last year - booth number 45 in the Gym area. The Fair is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please check out the website for all the details!

This means I will be busy spinning this week so may not take the time to list items on etsy. It depends on how much I get done each day. Today, I'm working on the last of the bamboo and tomorrow will be some bright art yarns. Wednesday may be more art yarns or some other wool yarns (not sure yet). Either way, I'll have lots of yarns at the fiber fest and whatever doesn't sell will be listed on Sunday night and Monday.

Now, it's time to get spinning that bamboo!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: AWESOME! new yarns

2009-07-09T20:45:53Z

Okay, I know I shouldn't be so bold as to say that about my own yarns, but every time I look at this batch today, I just think, AWESOME! Maybe it's the variety of colors, or the variety of fibers, or maybe it's that I spun two art yarns yesterday that were really spontaneous (usually I plan them out ahead of time and these two just happened!). For the singles, it could be that finally they seemed to be pretty well-balanced. Anyways, yesterday I spun wool and had a blast! Four new single ply skeins and two new art yarns - the art yarns spun from blended fiber batts. You can see all the new listings in my etsy shop. Here is the mosaic -

FunctionArt/Batt-tacular - Holly Berry Trail - spun from a LOOP Spontaneous Spinning Batt
FunctionArt/Batt-tacular - Aloha Tangerine Dream - spun from a batt from TerraBellaSpun
Kitty Singles - Ophelia's Midnight - spun from hand dyed merino wool from LimeGreenJelly
Kitty Singles - Vintage PolkaDot - spun from hand dyed Falkland wool from the Yarn Wench
Kitty Singles - Banded Iguana - spun from hand dyed merino wool and tencel blend dyed by DragonFibers (colorway of the same name)
Kitty Singles - Sunfish - spun from hand dyed BFL wool from FatCatKnits

Now, I've really got to get going on some more bamboo today, though I've got some more fun wool spins coming soon!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Marmalade Mint & Rain Forest Bamboo!

2009-07-08T20:14:21Z

Today I listed 8 skeins of bamboo. Four skeins of "Marmalade Mint" and 4 skeins of "Rain Forest". Marmalade Mint is a color I've spun before, though this batch is a bit darker and more saturated than previous versions. Rain Forest is a new color and this may be the only time that I will spin it, though I'm not sure. It is a mocha brown and chartreuse-y green color combination.

Marmalade Mint -

Rain Forest -

All can be found in my etsy shop HERE. (or check out the Beautiful Bamboo section here!)

Today, I'm hoping to spin up some more wool single plys. I've got some really soft merino, BFL, and merino/tencel that I'll get to for sure and then maybe some Falkland. I may also do a couple core-spun singles, or maybe some coils. Will wait and see how I feel later. Tomorrow it is back to the bamboo - I've got Citrus Dreams and more Spring Forest Trail to spin. Once I get through those colors it is back to the blues and pinks as next on my list is "Razzleberry" and "Chocolate Berry Shine". I've got quite a lot of bamboo lined up on the couch waiting to be spun.

Which means I should really get back to work now!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: More new yarns - merino wool and silk today!

2009-07-07T19:05:06Z

I am really trying to stick to a heavy spinning schedule this week as I prepare for the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair. My plan is to alternate between "bamboo days" and "wool days". Yesterday was a "wool day", so I spun up some merino wool and merino wool and silk blends. I've listed all of these skeins in my etsy shop - here is a mosaic of the new ones - (below you'll find direct links to the listings)

Kitty Singles - Ivy League - Hand Spun Merino Wool - 132 yards - worsted, thick n thin
Navajo 3-ply - Ivy League - Hand Spun Merino Wool and Silk blend - 90 yards - heavy worsted/bulky
Navajo 3-ply - Mahogany Peacock - Hand Spun Merino Wool and Silk Blend - 58 yards - heavy worsted/bulky
Squish-tastic! - Mahogany Peacock - Hand Spun Merino Wool and Merino/Silk - 88 yards - super bulky
Squish-tastic! - Mahogany Peacock - Hand Spun Merino Wool and Merino/Silk - 28 yards - super bulky (mini skein)

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Some new yarns, finally!

2009-07-07T00:19:23Z

Well, I finally have some new yarns listed in my etsy shop. I listed 5 bamboo skeins today and all are the last of those particular colors I'll have until my next bamboo fiber order (which may not be until August, I'm not sure.) Today, I'm spinning wool, but tomorrow it is back to the bamboo. I've got lots of it to spin as I get ready for the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair, which is coming up soon! For now, I'll still be listing all the yarns I spin on etsy, but next week I may be holding some of them back and those wouldn't be listed until after the show. But, enough rambling, here are the new skeins -

I've got to get to exercising and then back to spinning, so no direct links today, but you can find them all HERE. Also, just a note about shipping - my shipping charges are going up tomorrow (right now it is still Free USA Shipping and $5 International), but if you want to NEVER pay full price shipping again, sign up for my newsletter and get shipping discounts and other specials, too! You can sign up at the bottom of THIS PAGE.

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com

On Vox: Vegas musings . . . and Fourth of July specials

2009-07-02T04:41:46Z

So, yes, I was on vacation. I don't know why I don't like to just come out and say it. Well, actually I do. I think it's because I don't feel like I *should* take vacation so don't like to admit it when I do! Plus, I know Las Vegas can bring out some strong emotions in people - some love it, some hate it - and I like to keep most of my blogging focused on business. But, since I was gone for a whole week, I want to post a few random musings from our trip.

First, though, let's start with us getting ready to leave -

Apparently, Bug really wanted to come with us. I had my suitcase out on the couch, waiting for those last few things to be added, when she jumped right in and made herself comfortable. She really missed us while we were gone - she didn't stop meowing for HOURS once we returned! Maybe she was just trying to tell me about HER exciting week?

We arrived in Las Vegas Thursday morning, which was unusual for us. We usually like to go Sunday through Thursday - leaving late on Sunday night and taking the red-eye/overnight flight on Thursday - so are there for about 4 days. For some reason we couldn't find cheap enough airfare this year, so we ended up going Thursday - Tuesday, which amounted to 2 more days than normal! (The airfare WAS cheap, but we really prefer Sun-Thur.) Another note about flying - I was *VERY* disappointed to learn that you don't get the fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies on Midwest flights until AFTER 10am! Our flight was earlier than that, so no cookies. :(

In the airport before leaving, I bought a couple of puzzle books, mostly word searches. I thought they'd give me something to do on the flight and also take up time when I just wanted to hang out in the room. It was a smart move and they definitely ended up "saving" me some money! The more time I spent in the room, the less time I had to lose money!

And, since money was an issue, I didn't take as much as I have in the past, and tried to regulate it better. That first day, I don't think I played much at all. After lunch, and check-in, I played a little and then Scott did a poker tournament. Usually when he plays poker, I also hang out in the room. Not that I couldn't play slots, but I was determined to rest a lot on this trip, so I did just that! Puzzles and napping . . . not a bad way to spend the first day. We also had free internet in our room, so I brought the laptop. This really made me less anxious because at least I could check in every day just to make sure all was well in Kitty Grrlz land.

One of the main reasons we go to Vegas is so that Scott can play poker. Going during this time, lots of places have tournaments that would get you into the big World Series of Poker which I think starts soon. So, he plays poker, and I play slots. The funny thing is, he tends to be very unlucky in poker (plays really well and ends up losing because someone else gets lucky on the river!) BUT he is SO LUCKY when it comes to slots!!!! He won TWO small progressive jackpots while we were there!!! They were both won on the SAME kind of machine I won on last year, and that he won on two years ago. He hit one early on so was able to do a bigger tournament as well as a couple smaller ones, and the other one later so was able to come home with it. He also gave me a little money since by the weekend I was a bit behind where I wanted to be. This also coincided with our "bum around the Strip" day. See, we usually stay downtown, but always venture up to the Strip at least once. We went to the Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood (our favorite buffet), and then went to a couple casinos. We weren't really feeling it, though.

BUT, before we had left that morning (this was Sunday), I made a couple bets on the NASCAR race that was happening that day. Scott noticed that Joey Logano's odds were crazy - 80 to 1! - so we bet on him. A $5 bet. I usually do lots of these sports bets before we go - I take all the crazy long shots on football and hockey, and a few on baseball and basketball. The thing is, the last two years I haven't had money to make the bets. It always becomes one of those, "If I win, I'll make some sports bets." Of all the crazy sports bets I've ever made, I've not won a single one of them. Oh, I've come close - I had the Rays last year for the World Series and have also had teams bet on for the superbowl get as close as the playoffs. But, no winnings.

Until NOW! Joey Logano actually WON that race and I finally won a long-shot sports bet!!!! Woohoo!!! Thank you, Joey Logano, and Mother Nature (since rain definitely played a factor in the victory.)

That win really helped as then I was able to get through the last few days way ahead of my "daily limit" and thus also came home with money!! In my opinion, any time you can come back from Vegas with money in your pocket, you win!

I also have to thank Elvis and Star Wars! Those last couple days, I played alot of Star Wars - they have different machines and I was playing the one for the first movie, and it was doing things I've never seen before - hitting 5 of a kind all over the place! I think I got more out of that machine than I got from the sports bet!

With slots, if we stay disciplined, we have a system. Start with a certain amount, if you win and get over what you started with, cash out, pocket the winnings and put the original amount back in. IF you keep winning (which i was doing for awhile), you WILL come out ahead - or at least even - because you are still always working off of that original amount, with the "winnings" pocketed.

The thing is knowing when to stop. Unfortunately, I was chasing a bit by the end, so didn't end up with as much as I could have, but still feel I ended up ahead.

Then, there was Elvis. One of our favorite places downtown is this little corner slot place called Mermaids. They have girls out front in tropical costumes, and they give you beads as you walk in. They also have the most attentive waitresses - if you want to drink, go to Mermaids. We are usually barely through the door before they are there asking if you want anything. This can be a bad thing, though, as sometimes the goal is to NOT drink. They also have .99 hot dogs and deep-fried twinkies and oreos! They are also the only place left downtown (I think) that has slot machines that actually take and give coins! There is just something so cool about the sound of hundreds of quarters cascading out of a machine!! We also like it, because it can take up more time - cash out and feed those coins in one by one! Anyways, there was an ELVIS machine there that seemed to be doing pretty well, hitting a lot of the bonuses and just paying out alot. Usually, though, there was someone playing it, except for the last day. We finally got a chance to sit down at it. I put in 3 quarters for a max-bet spin and got the bonus right away! By the time I was done I won at least $200 on that machine alone. Once it started to slow down on the bonuses, though, I had to stop.

A few more comments on Mermaids - I do love it, but prefer it during the day. At night it can get a little crowded/rowdy and really loud. My favorite time for Mermaids is mid-day and early afternoon. And, another reason we like it is because they remember us - the waitresses know what we want and the manager even recognizes us from year to year. Early on, we were even mistaken for locals, which I kind of like. It has a lot more "corner bar" feel to it than "tourist strip" and that is what I prefer.

It's probably why I like downtown/Fremont Street in general better than the Strip. The Strip can just be so huge and intimidating and sometimes crowded. And, since we do tend to go in the summer when it is so hot (100+ degrees every day we were there, I think), downtown is nice since you are almost always walking in casinos or under the Fremont Street Experience canopy (that's the light show - this summer they are doing a 60s theme and also had a Michael Jackson tribute up. the only one we watched, though, was the "American Pie" one since that is one of my favorite songs!)

Anyways, we capped off the week with a bit of Pai Gow Poker. We had sat in on the Craps and Pai Gow Poker free lessons the first day we were there, but then never ended up playing either, until that last day. We played a bit, but didn't do very well. I may play a little more next time we go, though, just because it is something different than slots.

We ended up leaving for the airport sooner than usual as neither of us really wanted to spend or lose any more money. We got there 4 hours before our flight!?! It was a long 4 hours since we were both exhausted and just wanted to be home. But, before we knew it, we were on the plane getting our fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies! (Seriously, I love that they do this and I know it's just 2 cookies, but it is way better than peanuts!) Our flight arrived half an hour early and we were home by 6am. Bug sure was happy to see us, and while I am *definitely* happy to be home, I'm also not quite ready to get back to reality. I've got a few things I'm going to try and do the next couple of days, but I probably won't get back to my "regular" schedule until Sunday or Monday.

Look for new yarns to start appearing in my etsy shop on Monday, hopefully!

In the meantime, though, I am extending my shipping specials and sale sections through the holiday weekend as part of the Fourth of July Sale on etsy.

Kitty Grrlz Hand Spun Yarns - SALE SECTION HERE
Kitty Grrlz Hand Knit Items - SALE SECTION HERE

Plus, Free Shipping in the USA and $5 International Shipping.

All specials will end on Monday, though!

Originally posted on kittygrrlz.vox.com