Plant Fibre Week

No. It's not an official week - that I know of - it's just what the pop up store is concentrating on this week.

We have 100% cotton yarns, cotton blends with wool, rayon or acrylic, some even have multiple fibres blended in with the cotton for super drapiness, as well as other plant fibres such as hemp and flax.

There's even a little surprise fibre in here that isn't plant fibre but I don't like lumping it in with animal fibre because it feels more like a plant fibre even though it comes out of an insect's butt. You guessed it! I have some silk in the mix this week.

I will try to post the yarns along with their prices every week so call me out if I miss a week so that I know someone is reading the blog 😉

 

written by Lori, fake skeptical TCL owner, who understands her blog isn't the most captivating in the web-verse but still appreciates each and every one of you that takes the time to read it.

This Week - a Hybrid!

This week I get to try something a little different with the pop up store. So far, I've been indoors with my kits in Stettler and outdoors with the full service rv in Wetaskiwin. This Thursday I get to set up my indoor layout outside under the awning of the rv at Leduc. Thankfully, that means I won't have to carry everything as far as I normally do and it will be nice to be out in the fresh air with everyone else.

I don't mind making up the kits and selling my patterns and yarn that way but the people who visit the markets where I do that to fit into the 'handmade' 80% miss the weekly changes in the retail setup in the rv.

I mean, just look at the needle and hook selection alone!

For those of you who will be joining me at Wetaskiwin (on Wednesday) and Red Deer (on Saturday), the offerings will include cotton, cotton blends, bamboo blends, silk and most of the Berroco lines I have in stock. And let me tell you how happy I am that I have from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday morning to swap out the products every week! I got a head start this week because I still had Friday and Saturday free. I won't be so fortunate for the next few months.

written by Lori, sleepy TCL owner, who hopes to see you at one of the four locations this week.

Nuna, Nuna, Nuna - Isn't That Fun to Say!

I am in a quandary.

A few weeks ago we got Nuna in. Nuna from Mirasol is a sportweight yarn made with 40% merino wool, 40% mulberry silk, and 20% bamboo viscose.

This stuff is gorgeous darling (say that with Barbra Streisand's voice). The colours are brilliant, vivid, jewel tones. Not neon. There's a definite sheen to it. And it's soft. It is so soft. It is throw it in a big pile and sink into it, dreaming of cloud puffs on warm sunny days with gentle breezes soft.

So what is my quandary? I can't decide on a colour.

Do I pick one of each and make a gradient shawl using that technique where you knit with two strands and gradually blend them along.

Or do I pick one exquisite colour and make a beautiful lace scarf? Except - which colour do I pick? I can see all of these colours in a beautiful lace scarf.

L-R: Lapis, Emerald Jade, Gold Rush, Campfire,
Cherry Bomb, Orchid - $12.00 175 m

Look! Not an ugly colour to be found! Do you see my problem here? First I decide on the green. Then I go "no blue!" Then I think, but that red is gorgeous! And even that yellow or that orange would make a lovely, colourful, lace scarf - and let's not forget that pretty pink. 

I can't decide! Other women have definite colours that they love, and know which colours work for them and they are faithful to those colours, But me, when it comes to colour, I can't be faithful..

I am colour promiscuous.

There I said it. I am Anna and I am colour promiscuous. 

Oh sure, it started innocently enough. I gravitate to what I call peacock colours - blue, green, purple, but I also have a great love for reds and pinks, and even for neutral shades like browns and grays. 

Then I started working here.

I am surrounded by colour! It entices me. It wrapped its evil, elegant, tendrils around me and pretty soon I was swooning over orange. Orange! I was never a huge fan of orange, believing it was fine for oranges and carrots but not much for anything else. And yet - I want to drink in some of those oranges. And yellow! I have embraced yellow again, a colour that was a childhood favourite but lost it's way because it got muddied up by other colors. But now? Show me a brilliant sunshine yellow that makes me long for warm sunny days, or a soft delicate butter and I'm toast for that butter.

As long as I work here, colour is my drug and there is no known recovery. I will have to revel in colour and repent later. 

As for the Nuna, sigh. What shall I do? What shall I do?

Posted by Anna Maria Junus (happy employee who is also colour promiscuous and admits it)