Neighborhood Fiber Co. » Chit Chat

Results of Haiti Fundraising and FO

Karida Collins — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:38:32 +0000

Well, at this point, I think most everyone is thinking more about the Olympics than they are about Haiti. But over here at Neighborhood Fiber Co., we’re just wrapping up two weeks of mini-fundraising. I’m happy to report that Neighborhood Fiber Co. was able to donate $45 to Oxfam America’s Haiti relief effort. Not a ton of money, but every little bit helps!

And, an FO that I’ve had finished for a very long time. The Boneyard Shawl (rav link) modeled by my friend Katie was knit for the wonderful Meaghan of ohmeaghan fame. Meaghan is one of those people that I met in the months before I left the DC area (along with Becky) who made me sad that I was leaving. Luckily, these here interwebs make it easier to stay in touch with people, though I do miss out on the opportunity to just hang out and craft. This scarf/shawl thing was supposed to be a Christmas present, but we knitters know how that can go sometimes. I finally finished knitting it and sent it out to Meaghan and I hope it’s a nice reminder of me in the cold weather!

Gratuitous textural closeups:

Yarn is 1 skein of Studio Worsted in Edgewood colorway knit on size 8 needles.

now with 30% more knitting

Karida Collins — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:14:18 +0000

I have actually been knitting since I’ve been here in Columbus. Part of my plan to face my first mid-western winter is to cover myself in knitwear. The rest of the plan involves a very very very warm down coat and snow boots. On to knitting content!

Long ago I started Ulmus (rav link). Great pattern! And repetitive but not in a bad way. Currently it looks like a big orange and purple blog, but soon it’ll be a big squishy shawl of wonder. I’m using the Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock in Truxton Circle and an experimental colorway.

I actually managed to finish the Maine Morning Mitts (rav link) from the Knitter’s Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes. Warm, cozy, and just perfect for these cool fall days. Fall is one weather thing about Columbus that will not elicit any complaints from me. There is a crispness in the air that we never got in DC and there are lots of pretty leaves!

Pattern: Maine Morning Mitts (rav link)
Author: Clara Parkes
Source: Knitter’s Book of Yarn or Knitter’s Review website
Yarn: Farmhouse Yarns, Andy’s Merino in Deep Pink
Needles: US 7
Mods: I cast on 6 more stitches and then did 3 inches in ribbing before decreasing over the next 2 inches. Also added little white dog hairs. As I do to everything I knit.

Also, this scarf. Knit from the yummy, wonderful, squishy merino that I bought from Folktale Fibers’ booth at Crafty Bastards. I love the way the yarn transitions through 32 different colors and how soft and buttery the merino is. I was almost done knitting it before I got off the plane back in Columbus. I pretty much started knitting it as soon as I got back to my Mom’s house. The yarn totally knew what it wanted to be.

Pattern: My So-Called Scarf (rav link)
Designer: Allison Isaacs
Source: Sheep in the City website
Yarn: Folktale Fibers Yarnbow
Needles: US 13
Mods: I made it a keyhole scarf because I only had 130 yards. Also, again, with dog hair.

Wonders never cease

Karida Collins — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:58:38 +0000

You may have heard that I’ve resurfaced. In reality, I’ve been here in Columbus the whole time, working away on yarn for Neighborhood Fiber Co. and classes for Wonderknit. It’s been a long process, but I finally did get my studio set up and was back in DC for the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair. The show was amazing, and I got to see a lot of friends and family.

Anyway, I’m back on track, dyeing yarn and selling to stores, as well as stocking my own Etsy shop. I’ve even got some handspun listed, the product of partnership between me and Mia (http://knitplaywithfire.wordpress.com/). Look for more updates from me in the future as I’m really getting busy and have made some major changes. It’s an exciting time for Neighborhood Fiber Co.!

Check out my yarns in Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA back in the DC area. If you’re in Columbus, stop in to see me at Wonderknit.

Home Sweet Home!

Karida Collins — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:22:02 +0000

Well, I made it. Somehow, with all the packing, sorting, and throwing away, I managed to get the moving done. Now, if you’re looking to find me, you’ll have to look in Columbus, OH!

I’m still getting settled into a routine, but I’m really happy to be here! I’m working with Libby at Wonderknit and still setting up my studio on the premises. For now, I’ve reopened Etsy shop and stocked it with lots of laceweight yarn. I’m on a lace kick. As I get more stuff set up and properly sorted, I’ll add more yarns to the shop.

Also, I have been doing some knitting to keep me sane. I finished the Boneyard Shawl as a gift for a guy friend. I used Studio Sport in Thomas Circle. Very masculine.

Moving along

Karida Collins — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 04:08:19 +0000

I feel like all my posts lately have been about moving, but it’s all I’ve been thinking about or doing lately. The big day is this Friday, July 10 and I’ll need a few weeks after that to get things back up and running on the Etsy site.

Spent the morning at Eastern Market and then headed down to Artomatic for the last day of the show. I can’t express enough how much I’m going to miss this town and its crafty scene.

In the meantime, I leave you with a few of the photos I took for my Crafty Bastards application. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Everything Must Go!

Karida Collins — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:45:22 +0000

Well, not everything. But a lot of things! I’ve been finalizing moving plans and realizing that I have A LOT of stuff. Crafty stuff, book stuff, random furniture stuff. And most of it will not fit in the back of the Honda Fit.

So, this Sunday, June 28th, I’m hosting an Open House/Rummage Sale. Come on down to Chez NFC to say goodbye to moi and paw through all the yarn, fiber, and general crafty ephemera that I’ve accumulated. Details are below:

Who: Come one, come all!
What: Karida’s De-Stashing Rummage Sale and Open House
When: Sundya, June 28, 2009 from 12:00 to 8:00 pm
Where: Karida’s house, 3602 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

In addition to the NFC yarn you’ve seen on my Etsy site, I’ll have for sale a lot of my personal stash (yarns from Karabella, Art Yarns, Rowan and more!), books and some random supplies (paper, glue guns, a sewing machine, etc.).

Even if you don’t need to buy any stuff, come hang out with me and say goodbye. This will probably be the last time I get to see most of you while I’m living here! No need to RSVP, this is an open event. Post any questions in the comments!

Back from mini-vacation

Karida Collins — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:17:22 +0000

Since I set a timeline for moving, I’ve been frantically running around trying to get things done. Things like packing and cleaning and apartment hunting and general moving madness-type stuff. At the same time, I’ve been hurrying to do the East Coast things that I’ve taken for granted. On top of this list is SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY. Most of my family lives in this area, and I’m pretty much used to seeing them on a weekly basis. So, when my Mom let me know that she was planning a 5 day trip to her retirement house in the mountains of Western NC, I was instantly jealous. And then she let me know that my Grandma was going too, and I knew I had to find a way to go too. Basically, I moved my whole working schedule around and made it work. It was just the vacation that I needed. I rested, relaxed, and soaked up lots of family time! Of course there was also lots of knitting. I’m really close to finishing my Ishbel (Rav link).

The best part of the vacation was taking a short hike with my Mom and Grandma to see Whitewater Falls. We also stopped at Fairfield Lake for some pics. I’ve never seen such lush, green terrain. We came back on Saturday, and I can’t wait for my next mountain retreat!

Also hit Handmade Mart on Sunday. Recap and haul to follow tomorrow!

Out of the Bag

Karida Collins — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:32:50 +0000

The cat I mean. It’s out of the bag. I started telling people over this past weekend at the MD Sheep and Wool Fest (which was AWESOME, btw). I figured it was time to share the news with everyone else. Fair warning to anyone who is not interested that the rest of this post is personal life stuff, not yarn related.

After moving into the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington DC 10 years ago, I am finally leaving the area. This summer, I am moving to Columbus, OH. There are a lot of reasons for the move, both personal and business. But the overall reason is that it’s time for a chance and I’ve been presented with a wonderful opportunity.

I will still be continuing Neighborhood Fiber Co., and will be dyeing yarn out of a studio in Wonderknit, the most kickass yarn shop in Columbus. I will also be working with Libby and Karen to bring new and exciting classes and workshops to Wonderknit which is in the adorable Clintonville neighborhood where I will also be living.

I love Washington, DC and no amount of time in Columbus will cure me of feeling like a DC girl, but I’m incredibly excited about embarking on this next great adventure!

And tomorrow I’ll return us to actual yarn-related news. I even finished binding off the Adamas shawl (Rav link) and should have photos of it!

Making Stuff!

Karida Collins — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 16:00:24 +0000

Sometimes you just need something you can be done with NOW! And knitting isn’t always it. But I love fiber and usually want to play with it somehow. So, here’s what I whipped up while I was deep conditioning my hair. 15 minutes.

It’s soap! I bought a few yummy bars from Biggs and Featherbelle at Homespun Yarn Party. This one is the Polar Bar. I covered it with corriedale that I dyed and felted according to instructions on the Mielke’s Fiber Arts website. Voila! Instant scrubby soap combo. Smells SOOOO good. I want to make more with some blended colors of corriedale maybe. Stay tuned.

And I’m chugging along on my current project, the loverly Lemongrass Bolero (rav link). Behold progress! It’s almost time for sleeve separation. Yarn is Studio Worsted and color is something that happened while I was playing around. Much more violet in person though.

P.S. I’m teaching this bolero as a class for Knit-A-GoGo if anyone is ready to make their first sweater!

Getting Stuff Done!

Karida Collins — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:11:29 +0000

So, Homespun Yarn Party was AMAZING! From a vendor’s point of view, it was well-organized, well-advertised, and overall a dream show. And from a shopper’s point of view (because I do that too!), it was AWESOME! There were loads of great vendors and I picked up some sweet products from local folks. Also, was inspired to actually knit something and finish it!

First up, I realized that I really do love handspun yarn. And the best way for me to get it is NOT to spin it myself. So I headed over to the Treadle To The Metal table and picked up this lovely handspun. The pic doesn’t do it justice. It’s got pink sparkles and lots of deep purples and fuchia in it. I’m loving it pretty hard.

And just because I don’t spin, doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy playing with fiber. So I stopped in at Loop to buy one of Stephanie’s famous batts. And I’m planning make a felted scarf, probably nuno style. I might even have enough for a shawl type piece.

And the lovely Mia traded me some handspun that I can’t show you in the skein. I loved it so much I HAD to start knitting immediately. Pretty pink seacell/merino top from Creatively Dyed Yarn (Diane rocks!) spun up as a 2-ply worsted-ish weight. I was inspired by Thischickadee’s lovely Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl and by Stefanie’s endless parade of triangular scarves. So I cast on for the Comfort Shawl, knowing mine would be more scarf-sized. It turned out bigger than I expected. I love it so much and can’t wait to post pics of me wearing it!

Finally, I did a dye workshop this past weekend on Sunday. Three lovely ladies joined me in my home studio for quiche and sock yarn! We had so much fun and I was really inspired by the colors the ladies came up with. Big thanks to Debbie, Debbie, and Brooke! If you’re interested in taking a dye workshop with me, I am having another on April 19 and you can register online here.

I also bought one of Thischickadee’s stash baskets, which I mailed to a friend before photographing (the green one). My biggest mistake was not getting one for myself.

And then, I finally wove in the ends of the silk cowl I knit back in November. And I blocked it. And it’s drying. Which makes this post contain not one, but 2 FOs!!!! Simple pattern that I’ll post soon. Promises.

Phew! I’m tired. How about you?