Neighborhood Fiber Co.

Home is where the heart is

Karida Collins — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:34:48 +0000

So, the thing is, I more or less do love Columbus. I’ve met some good people, eaten some good food, and done a lot of good drinking. All that said, I miss home, and home is DC/MD. I miss my family, friends, and a decent public transportation system.

So, I’m SO very excited to be vending at Homespun Yarn Party! This show is completely homegrown and features lots of good vendors from the DC area. Hope to see you there!

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.

New Retailer – Handknitting[dot]com

Karida Collins — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:00:29 +0000

I’m happy to welcome a new online retailer to the short list of companies carrying Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarns, Handknitting[dot]com! Right now, they’re stocking a selection of the Penthouse Silk Lace. So, if you’re looking for silk lace online and my Etsy shop has none (as it does now!), head over to their Neighborhood Fiber Co. page.

Here are some of the lovely photos that Laurel at Handknitting took of the silk lace. Enjoy!

Donations to Haiti

Karida Collins — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:58:20 +0000

I’m slow to jump on this particular bandwagon, but I figure, better late than never. Lots of good people out their in the knitting/crochet community are donating a portion of sales to non-profit organizations doing work in Haiti to respond to this disaster. I’d like to do my part.

So, until February 15, 2010 at 11:59 pm, 25% of all sales through my Etsy shop will be donated to Oxfam America’s relief effort in Haiti. Oxfam America has 200 people on the ground in Haiti right now working to meet the basic needs of Haitian people (like clean water delivery). To learn more about their work in Haiti, visit their website at http://oxfamamerica.org.

The shop is currently stocked with sock yarn, but I’ll add more stuff as it becomes available.

Win Free Yarn!

Karida Collins — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 21:08:30 +0000

If you’ve been watching her blog, you might have seen the wonderful write-up that Meaghan gave Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarns. I met Meaghan this year just before I moved to Columbus. She’s basically a fixture in the DC crafting community and one of the nicest, most talented people I’ve ever met. I’m so excited to be a part of the Holiday Sponsorship deal she’s got going on right now.

The bonus of the sponsorship for you readers is that she’s hosting a giveaway! Click on the big pretty graphic above and you can enter to win any number of awesome goodies from some of my favorite crafters including, This Chickadee, Tina Seamonster and more! The yarn from me is 2 skeins of the Studio Worsted in Cooper Circle. 800 yards of yummy merino goodness.

But wait, there’s more!

It’s Wonderknit’s 1st Birthday! Come on down this Sunday, December 7 at 4:00 for a birthday party. In addition to awesome sale prices, yummy snacks and good company, there will be door prizes, including some Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock. Check the blog for full details!

So not one, but two opportunities to win free yarn! Not bad for a holiday gift.

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.

If you can’t beat ‘em

Karida Collins — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:02:46 +0000

Since moving to Columbus, I have experienced a frightening phenomenon with which I was previously unfamiliar. This bizarre occurrence is known as Buckeye Football Season. Truly, being a DC gal, I thought I was at least somewhat prepared. After all, Redskins fans always seemed pretty hardcore to me. I was wrong. So. Very. Wrong. OSU fans are a different breed. I don’t know if it’s the cold, the lack of proximity to the ocean, or just the sheer numbers, but on weekends in the fall, everything in Columbus is about Buckeye football.

I’m still not a football fan, but I did finally cave in and give the people what they wanted.

Buckeye colorway, Studio Sock. It will be available, exclusively at Wonderknit beginning next Monday, October 26. GO BUCKS! Or something.

Also, look at me posting two days in a row!

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!