Author: beverly

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Come and See

 

Come and see, y’all! My digital sticker pack, The Word, is now available at Abbey and Lincoln.

The pack is built around passages I ran across during my Bible study class and when I did other bible reading.

I like using the stickers for a pop of color and to make an emphasis of something that’s worth remembering.

I can scroll through the notes and see what stickers I placed and I know if I was in a moment of gratitude, a moment of praise, even a moment of repetence. They really do enhance my experience.

 

 

 

Also find SVGs. Use SVGs to print on mugs, tshrits, tote bags, etc. Create some cool looking merch. 

 

 

 

Designed for digital use but there’s nothing stopping you from printing them onto the right kind of paper and using them in your scrapbook, hard copy Bible or wherever else you want to place a sticker.

There are more than 100 stickers – with backgrounds and without – so they really can be used anywhere the program or app allows png files. I use Zinnia journal and I have to admit, I like my stickers more than the ones I can get inside the app.

Go and take a look. Would love for you to see it. I would love it even more if you purchase it. The pack is $2.50.

Also, don’t forget the headbands are coming and they will start going up today or tomorrow. All the orders are out so the runway is clear for the new stuff!

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Maybe or Maybe Not.

Maybe or maybe not. That’s the answer. The question? Could this be two of the three bags of yarn I came home with from the Hobby Lobby clearance sale. Maybe, maybe not. OK, yes. Yes it is. But this was a yarn haul with a purpose. 

When I heard they were doing their clearance a little early, I knew I wanted to get some cotton yarn to make spa cloths. There was a Spa cotton at Herrschners I wanted but when I went to order it, I discovered they don’t have it yet. There was a manufacturer hold up. So it’s in the catalog but they don’t have it in stock and don’t know if or when it will be. That meant I had to scramble.

Hobby Lobby has Yarn Bee Scrubology Cotton which looks a lot like the Village Scrub Spa that doesn’t exist. I called the store to see if the clearance had started and the nice person said yes. So over I went. They had about 5 balls total on clearance. The other 4 they had were on sale but I didn’t get those. They also had the Sugar and Cream Scrub off which is half the regular yarn and half the washcloth type stuff. They were on clearance. Loaded up on that.

The last time I was there, I looked at their Fireside yarn because I wanted to get back into making prayer shawls. Yes, I already have some..and some Homespun, too. But there were some pretty colors. I selected two colors then put one color back and doubled up on the other. Came back the next day and picked up the third color. Also picked up some bulky recycled yarn because it was screaming cowls at me. Spent about $50 all told and if I were sell one prayer shawl made with the yarn I bought, it pays for the entire haul. Not bad at all. And truly, it has a task already. The Go Imagine shop will feature the BoHo style. The Etsy shop will feature the wearables and Divine Nine and the patterns. Abbey and Lincoln will have the faith based digitals. It’s all part of the plan.

This purchase will become spa sets, prayer shawls and something cushy. I did good. Now to get it in the storage bins.

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A Funny Thing Happened

A funny thing happened on the way to the blog post: I realized I hadn’t done a lot of knitting or crocheting the past few days. It wasn’t because I was being lazy. I rearranged my schedule and front loaded the week with knit and crochet leaving the rest of the week doing all things that weren’t knit and crochet. I did manage to do some samples, though.

Immi asked about me making a baby blanket for her great grandchild. Once I got myself off the floor: If Immi is old enough to have a great grandchild and Immi and I are around the same age…how many portraits of Dorian Gray do I need hanging in my attic? Where can I get an attic?

I am almost obsessed with the puff shell stitch. Almost. It looked so much better in the YouTube videos. Both videos I watched have a 7 stitch cluster. I’m thinking it would look much better as a 5 stitch. Besides being more of a yarn hog than crochet normally is – I’m unraveling the green swatch as we speak and there’s so much yarn in that itty bitty sample. I have a green yarn river in front of me – it looks scary to me. Seriously, it’s freaking me out just a little bit. 

You might not be able to tell much difference between the 7 and 5 stitch but I like it a whole lot better. Look at the difference in how much yarn it uses. It’s not like you didn’t know I would change the recipe. Have you met me?

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The Headbands Are Coming

The headbands are coming! There will be several kinds. I think 10 is going to be magic launch number and they will be ready to ship which means the inventory is going to change. The first launch will be the crochet twisted. They will be in the GoImagine shop first. Then designbcb on Etsy.

 

Have I had fun doing them? Yep. The crochet ones are quick to make and it’s interesting to see what ball of yarn is going to come into my hands next. It is almost random. Definitely going to use the skeins and ball that have been leaving the yarn life of ease. Oddly, I haven’t been keeping track of what I’ve made. Thinking I probably should.

Another interesting thing will be happening with the stash balls. Not only will I make a headband but also a luggage tag and then the left over yarn will go into a scrap afghan. The design is in my head. I have a whole tote bag dedicated to the idea. A unique afghan will come from it. There won’t be another like it and they won’t come along very often. Very boho; instant scarcity. This appeals to me very much. Today. But we know what my attention span is like. It’s a miracle I have that many headbands. But for now, intrigued.

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The Return of the Yarn Review

I am here to announce the return of the yarn review.

Negligent. that’s what I’ve been. But I am now focused and I see the path. I will return to doing yarn reviews and I will start with a yarn I’m about to become obsessed with after using it for years.

One of the fun things about having access to the domesticated yarn is discovering what has been laying dormant for a few years. I pulled two bins from the closet and I can already see a couple of I Love This Yarn – Print. They’re not the color I’m usd to and I don’t even know if it’s an active color. Hold on a minute. It’s one skein and a remnant and there’s no ball band. Looked on the website and can’t match it up. Could be discontinued. Oh well.

So, here’s the deal: i am starting with the items I made in January and if I haven’t done a review of the yarn, I’ll do one. So, you can read what I have to say about this yarn here. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see all the domesticated yarn. It is a wonder there hasn’t been a revolt. Each time I look in that closet, something calls out to me and I just want to grab it and work with it.

But discipline has to be the principle and is my 2023 buzzword. I have goals that depend on my developing discipline. I will get to the fibers calling my name.

Do you see the HUGE flowers on the left of the yarn? I’ll tell you about them a little later. I also have a free pattern to share as soon as it’s written up.

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What I Made in January

You can see what I made in January. Seems a little heavy on the Hooded Scarf.

What can you do? The heart wants what the heart wants.

All in all, 41 items made and 50 balls of yarn used. Three balls of yarn came and stayed so it is a net total of 47 skeins of yarn gone from the massive stash.

 

 

 

I have photos of the great yarn sort but I will save those for another time. Suffice it to say, I like how the room looks. But by no means, is it a pretty kind of sort. It works for me because the floor is clear for when I work out and I have access to the domesticated yarn in the closet. I pulled a bin from the closet to start building the items for 2023. You can find the video of what is in the bin on TikTok @designbcb1. I’ve started the double knit headband but I still have orders so that’s not going as quickly as I’d like.

Each morning when I walk into my space, it feels good because it isn’t cluttered and the floor space is cleared. Also the work table is cleared enough for me to take photos. A great way to start the day. A great way to start February. Already have several items made.

I feel good about the coming year.

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My Knitting Identity

Works in Progress

I embrace my knitting identity.  I didn’t always. But that wasn’t the fault of knitting. If someone said I was a good singer, I immediately thought they didn’t know I was a good project manager. If they said I was a good project manager, I wondered why they didn’t know I was a writer. I didn’t want to be pigeon holed.

But being known as a knitter has a great deal more depth than just being seen as someone who knits. There is a difference.I have noticed recently that folks refer to me as a knitter. They no longer say, you know how to knit or since you knit. They now say, you’re a knitter.

This is both a source of pride and humility.

 I am pleased knitting and crochet have managed to stay in my life these many years. 20+ orders still to be filled and a room filled with yarn, is a sign of my passion. Other hobbies that held my passion have long given up hope of finding a permanent place with me – but knitting remains.

The great yarn sorting is complete. Didn’t take weeks like I thought but then again, I modified what I was doing. I am in the process of moving all the collapsible bins and other things out of the studio so I can vacuum the floors. Then we’re going to figure out how to put things back somewhat neatly since nothing else will fit in the closet. I have an idea on how to tackle bringing down the stash. I am going to start with the misc. yarn that didn’t make into the sorted bins. Those bins are packed and there’s not enough of any one color left over so there are three bins of unsorted yarn. I will start with using those and then moving to the ones in the closet. The hope is to make room in the closet and move the collapsible bins in there. This wil definitely take some time.

It would be a daunting project for someone who knits. But I am a knitter. I can get this done.

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Plan B

If you have a Plan B; you don’t have a Plan A

  I learned this in my business coaching class.  Then my coach said Plan B is to get Plan A to work.

I am feeling progress in my faith, business and health aspects of my life and it is a hopeful sensation. I know I will survive and get to where I’m going.

The first product for launch has been selected for designbcb on Go Imagine and on Etsy. The plan for my health map to success has been procured and faith is the unbrella that covers it all. I’m not setting this up for 2023. I’ve started now – today. There’s nothing magical about the first of January but there’s all kinds of magic in today.

So how goes the yarn sorting?

 

This is from the first day of the sort. Bins just filled wily-nily with yarn. That used to be fun until it was very efficient. A change had to come.

yarn stash 1

This wasn’t exactly the change I had in mind but the bins needed to be emptied and the yarn had to go somewhere.

And so it went all over the room.

It was madness. You’ll have to wait and see how it turned out for that section of the sorting. It is not glamorous by any means. But it is functional and I smile when I see it. That’s pretty much all that matters. The idea is for it to be functional for me to use. That’s the only plan – there is no other. Gotta make it work.

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Progress Progressing

Progress progressing on the organization front. I have to admit I like the fact there is some order to the bins. I also have to admit how surprised I was to find certain yarns I didn’t know I still had and how much of it. 

I suppose that’s what organization is about. Marie Kondo would be proud. Well, not totally proud. Some would say it’s still a little messy. They would be right. But I’m taking my wins where they are.

 

I am nowhere near done. There was a pile of yarn on the desk. Little piles all around the room. It’s making me a little anxious. On the other hand, I can kinda see a little down the road and it will be better. I will have an issue with having a boat load of one color and just a canoe load of another. When I get to the collapsible bins, there may have to be a lot of color sharing in one bin. I’m curious to see how that will eventually come out. The hope is to get to the domesticated yarn in the closet and see what surprises await in there. I have been in there looking around and I know I am going to be surprised at what I find.

I am seriously close to declaring I have too much yarn. (She writes as she’s had a delivery of yarn this week and expecting another one soon.)

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Organize the Stash

 

yarn stash 1Organize the Stash. I have 20+ orders to get out. I’m getting ready for a craft show. It’s Christmas season so things are busy at church. And I decided to organize the stash.

This is the time you all hop in and tell me I’m crazy. I cleaned up a little messy area by my chair and it looked so good, it put me in a deep cleaning jag. So I started sorting the yarn bins. Decided to do it by color since the stash is mostly worsted acrylic. Thought I would start with the 18 bins behind my chair.

yarns stash 2Some yarn got moved to the table. Seemed as good a place as any until I needed the table to photograph an order. Didn’t quite think that through.

There’s yarn everywhere. OK, there’s always yarn everywhere but now it’s going back in some semblence of an order. I have to admit. I’m liking it. 

It’s going a little faster than anticipated but I also anticiapte running into a problem because there’s not an even distribution of colors. I have way more brown than I thought and not nearly as much purple. Some colors are sharing the same bin: white/cream, orange/yellow, black/gray. That should help. 

The photos are from day 1. I’m on day 2. We’ll see how long it takes and what issues I run across.