May PhatFiber WOOOOHOOOOOOO

For anyone who knows me, I don't spend much time outside, so when I was out burning off a pile of wood scraps to clean up my garden area, it was a welcome few minutes relief when my May PhatFiber box came.

Man, oh man, is it great this month.......???!!!!!

The first thing I noticed when I opened it was this FABULOUS knitting needle/notions keeper from Jessie. I thought I had finally gotten organized by using my needle size markers, but now they are absolutely stupendous. Even though now I need one specifically for DPNs. LOL

Isn't that so nice and neat looking?

Inside the bag were the ever exciting non-fiber goodies.

Great, great coupons from

http://www.twistedfiberyarn.com/

http://www.my8kidsmom.etsy.com/

http://www.silversunalpacas.etsy.com/

http://www.theyarnside.etsy.com/

http://www.wooliebullie.etsy.com/

http://www.summersstudioetc.etsy.com/

A coupon and pattern bookmark from

http://www.greenwoodfiberworks.etsy.com/

A spinning wheel photo charm from http://www.designsbytami.com/. This will go on my drop spindle bag. ;-)

A beautiful white glass rondelle lampwork bead w/flowers stitch marker from http://www.babydragonjewelry.etsy.com/

Yes, I was excited to snag yet another handmade stitch marker in the shape of a smiling flower from http://www.yarndemon.etsy.com/

2 wonderful beaded stitch markers from http://www.4stitchmeknot.artfire.com/

Something I got really excited about was fiber gift tags from http://www.fibergifttags.com/ Since starting PhatFiber, I've made several items from different yarns, etc. and wasn't sure how I was going to tag it all for the recipient. These tags are going to make it easy for me as it allows me to show if it is a hand knit, crocheted, spun, woven, etc. item; who it was made for; who it was made by; fiber content and care instructions. These are the greatest idea. Matter of fact I'm using one this weekend for a wedding gift.

Teri from Matilda's cookies sent in some doggie biscotti. I can't give you any real details as I didn't get to try it. lol I have 2 garbage disposals who woofed them down very heartily.

In the upper left is some gorgeous burnt orange recycled yarn in cotton/rayon/nylon/angora/lambswool. Does that sound soft or what???? This is from

http://www.twiceshearedsheep.etsy.com/

Upper center: Jacob/Merino wool mix in black/brown/white color variety from

http://www.fromewetoyou.com/.

Center: Rose Garden colorway of squishy merino/nylon from

http://www.knit.etsy.com/.

Upper right: Hand dyed, handspun baby alpaca plied with rayon from http://www.plumcrazyranch.com/ The colorway is a mix of pastels that remind me of a giant swirl lollipop. mmmmmm.

Lower left: From http://www.theyarnside.etsy.com/ in colorway Wild Flowers. 100% Blue Faced Leicester.

Bottom Center: an alpaca/nylon blend in colorway Tulip from http://www.serendipitousewe.com/.

Bottom Right: Lilacs and Roses from http://www.coolclimates.etsy.com/

Upper Left: from http://www.pumpkinmama.etsy.com/ Fool in the Rain mini batt of wool/bamboo/nylon icicle.

Upper Center: From http://www.bohoknitterchic.etsy.com/ is Romney Locks in blues.

Upper Right: http://www.sevenyaks.etsy.com/ Gorgeous deep pink/rose 100% silk noil in a cute little white shopping box/bag.

Center: Fiber in colorway Hyacinth of merino/firestar from http://www.corgihillfarm.com/

Center right: http://www.moonwoodfarm.com/ batt in Dusky Rose of alpaca/bamboo.

2nd from botton: http://www.greenwoodfiberworks.etsy.com/ Merino roving in Fields of Flowers colorway.

Bottom: Garden Variety colorway of superwash merino from http://www.welovethor.etsy.com/

I love to get patterns. If I started now, all of my patterns wouldn't get done by the time my gggrandkids have grandkids.

This Garden Bracelet pattern by Katherine Vaughan Designs is so neat. My daughter loves wristlets and fingerless gloves, etc. so this will be fun to make for her. Actually her hubby is wanting to learn to knit and this may just be the ticket for his first pattern. The pattern is on a postcard so it'll be easy for me to send it to them.

http://www.knitwithkt.blogspot.com/

I'm so looking forward to playing with my new purties.

April's Phatfiber Box

#1) Woohoo, April's box came. Look at all the neat stuff..... the theme was EcoGreen....

#2) Yarn, beautiful yarn.......

#3) Giffordables.etsy.com - way cool abstract/folk/novelty yarn called Green Piece. It's described at Fulled Dreadlocks in bfl/corriedale, ice-blue merino and tussah silk. Feels so neat and soft despite the fact that it looks like it may be rough.

In the top left is a mini skein from http://www.theuniquesheep.com/ called Evergreen. It's organic sheep wool in sport weight. There's a free mini sweater pattern on the site to make out of my mini skein. That's gonna be cool.

In the bottom left is a way cool sample from (HAHA) Coolclimates or Rachel at http://www.coolclimates.etsy.com/. The colorway is blues/green/purples called "the Lilac Festival" and it's mainly wool with small amounts of mohair and some synthetic thread and the sources for this nifty yarn are from trips to the Yarn Tree in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn General Store AND fiber stores in Iceland and Norway, Peace Fleece, Mielke Fiber Arts and some Etsy artisans. Now this is a diverse yarn.

#4) At the top is a pastel mini skein in fantastic Spring/Easter colors called 'Welcome Spring'. this yarn from http://www.my8kidsmom.etsy.com/ is 100% merino. Super soft.

In the middle is a really neat sample from http://www.katsarayarns.etsy.com/ in a pale earthtone colorway called "Palouse". It's organically grown bulky cotton yarn. Sofffffttttttttttt.

On the bottom is from http://www.twiceshearedsheep.etsy.com/. A mini skein of extra fine merino lace weight reclaimed/recycled yarn in a pale blue/gray. I'm thinking a crocheted blouse collar here.

#5) FIBERRRRRRRRRRRRS

#6) The top left is from http://www.natchwoolie.etsy.com/. A dreamy roving (in her words and I agree) of 90% wool and 10% mohair in the colorway PEEPS. And it does remind me of peeps.

At the top right is a sample from http://www.corgihillfarm.com/. Merino, silk and firestar in Green Eire colorway. It's got the neatest shimmer to it. Oh, and Anna sends the most delicious maple leaf shaped maple candies. I may have to try to get some of these.

The bottom left shows 2 samples of handspun from http://www.enchantedyarn.etsy.com/ These two are Sparkle Fiber samples in Sea Glass and Pink Grapefruit. Can ya tell which one is which? They shimmer like glass.

http://www.infinity.etsy.com/ in the bottom right. Random samples in blue/green/brown and steel gray/blue/mint green colors. Soft, soft, soft.

#7) Huge cushy soft 'Bronze Green' merino from http://www.smokymountainfibers.etsy.com/. It says it's about 1/2 oz. It's HUGE.

Below that is a roving from http://www.lotusjulie.etsy.com/ called Breeze. 80/20 Merino/Bamboo. Super soft and no splinters.

Off to the right is a sample from http://www.knit.etsy.com/. It's 50/50 Merino/Bamboo in colorway Tabbycat. It's in one of those neat little plastic envelope/boxes with a note on it suggesting it be used as a notions keeper for your knitting bag. Great idea.

#8) I must admit I was a little taken aback with this next sample. I opened the little brown bag from http://www.farmgirlchic.etsy.com/ and thought 'holy cow, I got a bag of trash'. But it's not. The colorway is Ticking, like a pillow, and it's called Spinning Fixins containing wool, mohair, vintage cotton. This is going to be FUUUUUUUUUN to play with.

#9) These are the extra goodies. The big brownish bag with the leaves on it is so neat. It's an envelope bag with http://www.phatfiber.com/ ironed onto the front bottom. Jessie commissioned a local girl in her area who is legally blind to make these. So impressive.

The pink bag is a KIP (knitting in progress) Bag from http://www.ruddawg.etsy.com/. It's lined on the inside with a drawstring at the top. Superduper. I'm a bag FANATIC so these 2 items are so perfect for me.

A heavenly smelling and very large sample of Peppermint Sea-You-Later Old-Fashioned Soap from www.hyenacart.com/smokymtnsapothecary. It also lists the ingredients so you'll know ahead of time what you're getting and won't have to worry about allergies, etc. Great item.

The yellow square to the bottom left of the pink bag is an Art Pendant from http://www.designsbytami.etsy.com/. I can see this now on my KIP bag or as a great stitch marker or the bottom dangly of a row counter.

A simply gorgeous stitch marker from http://www.dlynndesigns.artfire.com/. Even though I make stitch markers, I still love to get and use other folks' stuff. It's kind of like eating your own cooking all the time.... sometimes it's nice to do something different.

An absolutely marvelous button from http://www.wildharefiber.com/ that shows a pic of 'samples' for Phatfiber and says 'shop 'til you drop' 'www.phatfiber.com'

And last but not least the wonderful coupons from http://www.platformnine.etsy.com/, http://www.wooliebullie.etsy.com/, http://www.wcmercantile.etsy.com/, http://www.danidocrafty.etsy.com/, http://www.slvfest.etsy.com/.

I get more and more excited each month with the neat things in the box. So many talented folks in Phatfiber. I just love being part of it all.

Drop Spinning

I WON!!!!! ZebIsisDesigns did a giveaway on Phatfiber and I WON. So, now I have one of her wonderfully delicious drop spindles and a HUGE amount of 100% silk roving that came with it. I've been spinning on it and my plan is to make a small doily for a couple getting married next month. With money tight, I don't think that I could find anything else that would have more of 'me' in it than a handspun, handcrocheted doily.

I'll post a pic after the project is completed.