Easing Into It

Saturday's spring market was a roaring success! Thanks to all the customers that checked out the new digs for the first time. I know all my Lacombe customers will be taking advantage of both market days in the coming season.

Thankfully, for me, I get one two-market week followed by a four-market week before we get into full gear in the third week of May. I don't yet know what the wifi connection will be like for the two new locations so please be prepared with cash just in case the card machine chooses not to work.

Because of the new vehicle and layout this year, I keep making discoveries every time I've been out so far this season. Besides finding increasingly better ways to secure the yarn for travel, I've discovered that my A-frame sign loves to hang out bungeed to my front mirror without trying to take off in the wind. I don't need the inside lights on all the time if I have the lift doors open, and BONUS, I have a really great place to hang another sign! Even better, I don't have to remove the sign to operate the lift! Woohoo! Depending on the weather, I may even have some more tricks up my sleeve. Make sure to come visit me to find out what they are. 😉

written by Lori, TCL owner, who's really looking forward to the coming season and hopes you are too!

A Long Goodbye / A New Beginning

Yesterday marked the first day in a long farewell between me and my original mobile store.

Obviously I’ve been anticipating her being gone since I made the decision to sell her back in September but Sunday was the day the new (soon to be) owner had a cheque placed in my hand. Only the usual paperwork and the handoff of the keys and she-who-was-never-named gets to ride off into the sunset with her new owner leaving me to concentrate solely on her replacement, who shall be known as LorigamiVan.

God saw fit to give me (and Mom) a beautiful week to get the majority of the store work done in LorigamiVan and now I will have time to get the physical bus upgrades done. I know. Most people would have done it the other way around but the added electrical will run off of solar and at least one portable battery - none of which will affect the store area of the build. 

I say build but it’s really more of a no-build build. At this particular point in time, I could remove the store and replace the seats and seat belts and no one would ever know a yarn store had been there. That will change when I add the solar and lights. 

Enough preamble. Let’s see some before and after photos! Remember - the lights aren’t installed yet so the after pictures are darker than the finished store will be.

Photo 1: all the seats and seatbelts still intact.

Photo 2: seats and seatbelts removed. Floor covered with our favourite soft flooring and the second of three incarnations of display designs partially completed.

Photo 3: final top to bottom yarn display with the bus’ original lights (which only work when the motor is running). LED strip lighting will either run down the center of the ceiling or under the front edge of the overhead storage. Still working on that.

I’m also trying to decide if I’m going to leave her as a plain white bus and just hang my signs from her windows like I did with the rv or put some decal signage on her. Any helpful suggestion - pros and cons - are welcome so please comment. 👍

Written by Lori, happy TCL owner, who can’t wait to get LorigamiVan out on the road this spring!

Look Who Finally Came Home

Finally picked up the LorigamiVan this Friday - two months (less a day) after purchasing her. I had no idea the number of hoops I would have to jump through to insure a commercial vehicle as a mobile store! I was concerned that missing out on the beautiful weather we had in October and the first part of November was going to mean working in freezing temperatures and wading through walls of snow to get from the house to the bus daily. Turns out God is on my side and is providing a mild winter to work in. Yay!

Saturday, with space heater on board, we started work on the interior. We began by removing all the L-track accessories we wouldn’t be using.

If anyone wants some hooks, I will sell them to you at a better price than you will pay on Amazon (currently $235+ each).

Next, I removed the two passenger seats from behind the driver’s seat. I expected that task to be more difficult than it was but it’s amazing what one can accomplish with a wrench, a rubber mallet and a little determination. The remainder of the day was spent measuring around wheel wells, fixed heaters and seatbelts (that were riveted to both the upper and lower L-tracks on the walls). Much of my lower storage plans got rewritten because of all these obstacles but that just means there will be more permanent display space for the yarn!

Sunday, Mom and I started building her out despite not having some of the hardware needed to secure some of the fixtures to the existing L-track. I tried for two months to find it locally but was finally forced to buy it online. Of course, the more cosmetic products can come within a week. The more functional products won’t be here until after Christmas.

Sunday was also the day we discovered the foldaway seat on the passenger side refused to be removed, so more reconfiguring is required because that was supposed to be my till area. Thankfully, my plans for the upper storage worked out exactly the way I wanted! The only drawback is that I have to buy more 2’x5’ grids to complete the task. Combining two 1’x5’ grids (which I have in abundance) resulted in a hinged effect that would put too much strain on the walls. No pictures until I have the rest of the grids purchased so that you get the full effect. Hopefully, Eddies Hangup Display has stock in Edmonton for me to pick up today (Monday).

As fas as the exterior is concerned, I’m leaving it as it is for now. I can use the same banners I was using on the motorhome because I am able to secure them the same way on the bus. I am toying with the idea of graphics in the future but for now that is an unnecessary expense. 

Written by Lori, extremely motivated TCL owner, who is going to have the most amazing shopping experience available to you next Spring!

Well, The Snow Flew and I’m Still Waiting

This blog is a couple of days late because I really wanted to have made some progress after last week’s time change messed with my internal clock.

I didn’t get the pattern written for the cowls I previewed last week but I am one step closer. I created a third version which will be a bonus pattern to the Faux Cable Cowl. It is a simple 3x3 rib for those of you who have never knit a Moebius cowl on a circular needle before. I decided that you may want to do a practice run before playing with the Faux Cable which takes a little more concentration so I’m giving you a two-fer. (2 for 1).

I know it’s a little hard to tell but the leopardy printy one is twisted the opposite direction of the other two. I did that on purpose for the OCDs in the crowd to let you know not to sweat it if yours twists a different direction from the one in the picture 😉. 

I also didn’t get the bus home. Boo-oo! Now I’m going to want to make sure all the people who forget they live in Alberta and forgot how to drive in snow get at least one or two good drives under their belts before I get out onto the highway with my new rig so I know it won’t get plowed into before it even gets a chance to become the new home for The Crafty Lady aka the LorigamiVan.

I will keep you updated and, in the meantime, enjoy the snow. Written by Lori, TCL owner, who’s itching to get going on this thing. 

When Is An RV Not An RV?

When it’s a mobile store! Can it be an RV after having been a mobile store for two years?

You tell me.

n.b. As of this publication (morning of October 18, 2021) I have not set a definite price but will update as soon as it has been appraised in it’s reverted configuration (which could be as early as the afternoon of October 18, 2021).

I could share ALL the pictures from empty store to it-could-go-either-way to full blown RV but I’ll just share a few highlights. 

Here you see the full U-shaped dinette with 4 of the 5 seatbelts visible. When the tables are dropped down onto the shorter legs, the extra cushions create an rv version of a king-sized bed!

In this photo, the double bed above the cab is visible along with the cargo net (or child sleepwalking prevention net). It also shows half of the dance floor I created when I removed the L-shaped counter from the kitchen. Each of the table leg holes has a protective cap on it so there will be no snagged pinky toes to contend with.

This photo highlights a few things. Set high between the upper cabinet doors are cute little drawstring lights that act as nightlights (or mood lighting), an MPPT solar charge controller to keep track of what the 315W panel is up to, and the 10” overhang on the kitchen counter. Also, notice the little 'block' on the back corner of the counter? It serves two purposes. It makes room for the cushion when in dinette mode and it flips down to create a full countertop when the seat cushion isn't there. And the little notch that's visible is to allow an electrical cord through from the outlet underneath.

This photo gives a glimpse of the propane stove and oven as well as the complementary rug. Why am I throwing in a rug? Because I am a full disclosure kinda gal. It completely covers the few (I think 6) tiny holes in the flooring left from the L-shaped portion of the counter. Other than making room for customers, why did I remove the L? Didn't I lose storage space? No, I actually gained storage AND cupboard space.

At countertop height, the corner of the L was completely taken over by the TV with hardly enough room to make a sandwich. Below, the corner was a huge void with a few wires and plumbing. The plumbing is still there and so is the storage from the original L. I also made a pathway from dinette to bathroom that isn't blocked by someone looking in the fridge.

This view is from the in-between stage. In case someone is interested in using this motorhome as a mobile store like I did, I want them to see it with the door in front of the bunks.

This photo showcases the copper tile backsplash and the counter extension that extends into the entryway. I don’t recommend using the extension during the day when people are constantly in and out - although the kids would have no trouble ducking underneath it - but it works great in the evening and makes a neat deterrent if it’s left up at night and someone tries to break in. ;)

This photo shows the TV placement. Great for watching while working in the kitchen (or from the back bunk beds) and it also swings out so that the whole family can watch their favourite show from the dinette. Behind the TV is more storage space which could accommodate a small microwave.

Did I mention that I sewed the curtains myself as the original curtains were sun rotted to the point of disintegrating? I like this material because it is machine washable and allows the light in while creating privacy.

Yet another configuration with the main bed/eating area. The left shows the setup for twin beds on the main floor.

Last but not least, the bunk beds at the back. The bottom bunk can flip up and be used as a large storage space accessible from the outside. Great for multiple bikes for family outings!

Okay. Now that the commercial is over, I have a serious question for you all. As you are aware, I put pegboard inserts in the cupboard doors so that I could make use of them for display. Back in RV mode, I find the light wood grain of the pegboard to be very aesthetically pleasing. Only one of these photos was taken with the lights on. The RV would have looked very dark with the original panels if I tried to do that before.

Not only that, the pegboard makes for great ventilation. Fruits and veggies could be stored in a cool dark place with air circulation. Dirty laundry wouldn't sit and stagnate only to knock you off your feet when the door is opened. Would the pegboard be a deal breaker or a bonus for you if you were wanting to buy this RV?

written by Lori, TCL owner, who is happy to get the RV sale ready yet frustrated because the shuttle bus is being held up in insurance limbo and I can't bring it home to work on it.

Let The Deconstruction Begin

 Just a quick reminder that even though the markets are over for the season - the store will be back bigger and better next spring! - online ordering is available around the clock and I will also be available by phone during more reasonable hours (10am-4pm weekdays). And with the markets over, if you think I'm going to be taking it easy for the next few months, think again. Besides updating product information on the website and writing patterns that were brainstormed and prototyped this summer, I, along with Mom, will be reverting the motorhome to the rv it was meant to be and renovating a new-to-me shuttlebus to be the best darn mobile yarn store you could possibly imagine! This week's blog will concentrate on the beginnings of the end of Lorigamivan 1.0.

 Above are a few photos showing what the store looks like without yarn, patterns, etc. Looks a little bleak, doesn't it? And tomorrow, while Mom is in the house preparing Thanksgiving supper, I will be removing all the needles and hooks from the entryway as well as turning the shower back into a shower instead of a storage closet. If all goes well, those pictures, as well as photos of the fully reverted motorhome will be showcased in next week's blog.

In the meantime, if you're wondering where all the yarn will be before finding its new home in the bus, take a look at the photo to the right. And there are two more of these trolleys full of yarn that hadn't made it out of the motorhome yet when I took this picture yesterday. To say the warehouse is stuffed is an understatement! I am just thankful that this is supposed to be a mild winter because we are going to be spending an awful lot of time running between the new bus and the warehouse getting it ready for the new market season.

Do NOT take that last statement as an invitation to NOT order from the online store. I want to know that people were listening when I said "pet the yarn now, so you know what you're ordering this winter". If you leave me with holes to fill in the new rig, I get to fill those holes with NEW product!

So whether you celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday or are feasting today, know that I am always thankful for the customers that have stuck with me through this transition from brick-and-mortar to click-and-order to mobile store. (If anyone can come up with a mobile phrase that rhymes with the other two, please leave it in the comments. I may even give you a prize if I like yours.)

written by Lori, thankful TCL owner, who is feeling blessed to have made it through the past couple of years.