Package from Maryland

I was so tickled to receive this package from my swap partner and to discover that she is my very dear friend Carissa ;D

This handspun yarn is very special...Carissa spun it from fiber from one of my own sheep, a Corriedale ewe named Coryn (Carissa bought her lamb fleece). I just can't explain how touched I am by this yarn! She carded it with hunter green and deep purple alpaca and silk and added just a touch of gold firestar. It is sitting next to my computer where I can just squeeze it every so often - LOL!

There was also this precious little felt covered journal and some of my favorite caramel/chocolate candy.

Thank you, dear Friend, for such a special treat! And, you did a great job keeping your identity a secret ;p

Thank you Carla

I rec'd a lovely parcel from Carla (TX) last week and while I did send her a card thanking her.. I did not post right away. I am so sorry for the lapse. I've posted pics on my blog. The parcel was delightful and perfect in every way!!

Package arrival

Hi there folks! Just wanted to ask you to let me know (or post on Ravelry) when you have received a package from your swap pal. I'm keeping track of this to make sure everyone gets their package. Thanks!

Bamboozled

Here's a picture of some bamboo that I just finished. I plied it with thread. There's 280 yard for 2 oz. I think I'll make some kind of lacy scarf with it.

Swap matches sent

I have sent everyone their swap matches. If you haven't gotten a mail from me with your match, please let me know ASAP. You should have also received a mail from your secret pal (or soon).

Support our members!

Hey folks, I just wanted to highlight our members shops. We've got a lot of talented people in this group! If there is anyone I haven't mentioned, please let me know!

Funky Carolina - If you don't know her, you're not a spinner. ;) Yarn, fiber and handspun.
HK Spindle and Fiber (Norway) - Handdyed fiber, handspun, spindles (15% off for Ravelry members - write "Ravelry" in the "Rabbat code"!)
Keegan Lane Yarns - Yarn and fiber
Kim4Life - crafty bags
Knit Front and Back - Fiber, yarn, handspun, bags, stitch markers
Lamina's Closet - Batts, fiber, handspun, learn-to-spin kits, spindles
LimeGreenJelly - Fiber, yarn, fiber art
Lizard Smells - Stitch markers, Yarn, Fiber and earrings
Material Whirled - Fiber, yarn, handspun, stitch markers, buttons, and "spinhancements"
Perchance To Knit - Yarn, fiber, handspun
Pixel Diva - Fiber
Punky Purls - Bags
Rosehill Designs - Silk hankies, accessories, housewares
Shelby's Designs - Yarn
Snarky Design - Handspun, yarn, handprinted paper, handprinted clothing
Snow Moon Spinnery - stitch markers, row counters, earrings, spindles, row markers, handspun
Spinspiration - swedish shop that has all kinds of stuff for spinning
Suzy Sells Sea shells - Handspun
Three By Hand - Yarn and Fiber
Vicki's Studio - Jewelry

HHHH Contest #1: How do you spin?

To kick off this Hootenanny (and to distract you while I choose your matches), I want to know how you spin! To enter, post a video of you spinning or plying on flickr, YouTube, Google Video (or whatever video hosting site) and post a link to it in the Ravelry forum for everyone to see.

You are not required to enter, of course, but I thought this was a good idea to document how you spin. It may change over time, especially if you are a beginner. Or it can be a conversation piece among your non-spinning friends. It may encourage other knitters or non-knitters to come to the dark side. So many reasons to do it! :) I just love watching other people spin, you learn so much!

Rules:

1. It needs to be at least 20 seconds long
2. At least part of it needs to be up close enough so we can see your technique
3. Needs to be submitted by July 31, 2008

Bonus points:
Submitting the video is 10 baseline points

1 bonus point if it is outside
5 bonus points if it is in a crowded public area
10 bonus points if there is a crowd around you

1 bonus point if you are wearing a knitting/spinning related clothing (Ravelry t-shirt for example)
2 bonus points if it shows your face
2 bonus points if you incorporate some humor
2 bonus points for fancy editing (and by that I just mean anything other than straight camera footage)
3 bonus points for wearing a handspun item (must be seen in video and made by you)
3 bonus points for flashing your knitting/fiber stash
5 bonus points for more than one person spinning in it (in the same place/room)
5 bonus points if it shows you spinning AND plying
5 bonus points if you show a fancy spinning technique like core spinning or coils or incorporating “other” elements into yarn like beads

Whoever gets the most points wins 4oz. Twisted Fiber Art Lively (sw merino) roving in the Dragonfly colorway. If there is a tie, then I will draw a name. The winner will be announced at the end of the swap.

I hope this isn’t too daunting, I want everyone to have fun with it!

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself? 2 years - beginner/intermediate.

2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)? 2-ply mainly - have done navajo ply. Have got bulky attachment to spin bulky yarn. Love it!

3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?wheel

4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don't like? Wool! Have yet to try some alpaca, working my way through different breeds of wool.

5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)? Buying from wool suppliers in NZ for sliver and fleece (roving) - Anna Gratton for fibre and knitting wool. Lucky that here in NZ wool is not as expensive as I seem to find from overseas, but more limited in hand-dyed fibre supply like I see from your sources - drool drool.

6. What kind of fiber do you want to try? Alpaca - perhaps silk, cotton sounds intriguing.

7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn? Mmmm not sure.

8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn? Recently dyed my first lot of fibre. Much fun!

9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber? I have equipment to spin from fleece - have yet to learn what is the ok parts of fleece and what is not. What fleece is good etc. Ready to spin fibre is much easier however.

10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed? Have made various garments for adults and children. Have done fine for knitting a shawl - my first fleece from scratch!

11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)? Do not have a wpi gauge - not sure that we have such a fascination for that here. We spin 'til it looks right.

12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand? Love green! But also love colour combinations, having flecked wool to knit with, variegated is great! Can't really stand bright oranges or harsh yellows.

13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now? Having 2 wheels - one has oatmeal coloured romney being spun fine and navajo plied, other has brown fleece - unknown breed - but carded by myself and spun 2 ply.

14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have? KNITTING!!! and crochet and cross stitch and beading, sewing and and and. Mainly knitting.

15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about? Living a good life! My family, my cat!

16. Do you have an online wishlist? NO keep it in my head!

17. Is there anything that you collect? Only in a small way - cat stuff mainly figurines, winnie-the-pooh stuff that has appealed, and treasures my sons have made for me.

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have? Opinionated Knitter E Zimmermann, anything that has exquisite patterns, love vintage books/patterns.

19. When is your birthday? 26 July

20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality? The extras - always quietly working away in the background!

21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)? We are in the middle of winter - so no melting yet!

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!

Favorites
favorite painting/picture(link):

Candy: Any! chocolate would probably be tops.

Food: Any except offal.

Drink: Coffee

Movie(s): Starwars - the first one!

TV Show(s): Science fiction stuff mainly - terminator - SC Chronicles, Stargate Atlantis.

Book(s): Science Fiction, fantasy etc. Probably Anne McCaffrey would be near the top!

Guilty Pleasure(s): Lying in bed on a cold day with a good book - when possible!

HHHN Questionaire

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself? 1 1/2 yrs, Intermediate
2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)? Singles, laceweight, I have done 2 ply in a class.
3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)? Wheel, but I can spindle
4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with (type, brand, etc)? Anything you don't like? I have done silk, but mostly wool. I have done bits of bamboo, camel, alpaca in my spinning class.
5. What kind of fiber do you want to try? All of them. LOL.
6. Is there any techniques you would like to learn? I have done Spinning 101 and 201 at a LYS in Austin.
7. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed? I am almost done with a Scribble Lace Scarf made with my hand dyed hand spun silk as the skinny yarn and it's really nice.
8. Do you have an online wishlist? Yes on Amazon
9. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Not really. Snickers.
10. What other crafts/hobbies do you have? Crochet and knitting. More knitting than crochet. 11. What's your favorite color(s? Any colors you just can't stand? Purple, Black, Red's earth colors. Don't really like Hot pinks, lime greens, etc.
12. What is on your wheel right now? Black shetland
13. Is there anything that you collect? Sheep, cows (not real ones)14. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have? Knit picks harmony's. Toy patterns by Alan Dart (the dragon is the cutest thing), from my Ravelry you can see I already have a big library and I have some that I can't list becuase they aren't on their list. I subscribe to Interweave Knits, Creative Knitting, and Knit Simple. I buy Spin Off at the store.
15. When is your birthday? August 29th16. Are you on Ravelry/flickr? If so, what's your ID? Yes
http://www.ravelry.com/people/Mimitojwm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/75744755@N00

Last day to sign up

Hurry, today is the last day to signup to participate!

HHHH Questionnaire

Here is the questionnaire. Please post the answers to these questions on your blog or in the Ravelry group thread by July 3 and make sure your pal is able to find it (if you post a lot, put a link to it on a sidebar). You are not obligated to answer everything, but the more info your pal has on you, the more options they have to gather up things for your package!

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself?

2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)?

3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)?

4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don't like?

5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)?

6. What kind of fiber do you want to try?

7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn?

8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn?

9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber?

10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed?

11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)?

12. What colors "fall into your shopping basket"? Any colors you just can't stand?

13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now?

14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have?

15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about?

16. Do you have an online wishlist?

17. Is there anything that you collect?

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have?

19. When is your birthday?

20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality?

21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)?

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself!

Favorites
favorite painting/picture(link):

Candy:

Food:

Drink:

Movie(s):

TV Show(s):

Book(s):

Guilty Pleasure(s):

Looky here, Chummy!

Just want to let everybody know (if you don't know already) that HHHH has been announced on L&V's Daily Chum!

Isn't this all exciting? ;-)

Ravlery group

I also added a Ravelry group - http://www.ravelry.com/groups/hush-hush-handspun-hootenanny

It is easier to chat/ask questions there, so please join!

Also, the fiber sources links have been adding up. I searched around for some EU fiber sources and came up with a bunch! So happy stash building! :)

Fiber Sources

I'm adding a list of the fiber sources that I have. If you don't see one on the list (I'm sure I'm missing many!), please let me know and I will add it! Although that will probably result in me buying more fiber, but oh well...

Welcome to HHHH!

Hi all and welcome to the first Hush-Hush Handspun Hootenanny (HHHH) swap! This is a "secret" swap for hand spinners (all levels welcome). Does it sound like fun??? It sure is! Because who doesn't like getting handspun?!

Requirements:
* You must be able to spin 4oz of fiber by the time the swap ends - there are no restrictions to this - you can do singles, 2ply, 3ply, whatever your pal would like
* You must send minimum of 4oz of fiber to your pal (unspun)
* Since this is a 1 package swap, you need to be willing to ship internationally
* You need to have an anonymous email address to send your downstream pal emails

You are not limited to sending only the handspun and fiber, you can send other things as well - soap, trinkets, sweets (be sure to put it in a ziploc to protect the fiber!), etc.

IF YOU CANNOT MEET THESE REQUREMENTS, PLEASE DO NOT SIGN UP! (seems kind of silly to say this, but after reading horror stories about other swaps, I want to keep this as friendly as possible) I understand that life sometimes gets in the way, so it is important that if you are not able to fulfill your duties, to let me and/or your swap pal know ASAP.

Here is the timeline:
up to 6/30/2008: signups and questionnaires posted
7/7/2008 - Receive your spinning pal and start spinning!
8/9/2008 - Swap ends

Note:
Having a blog is NOT required. I will invite everyone to join this blog, and you can post here.

Contact with your pal is critical for a successful swap. Be sure to send at least 3 emails:
* Initial contact to clue your pal in to who they will be getting treats from
* Sometime while your spinning, to let them know your progress and/or ask any questions to help decide what to give them
* After you've shipped their package so they know it's on it's way
You can send more emails, of course, but those should be the bare minimum.

To sign up, email me at bockstark.knits(at)gmail(dot)com with the following information. You should receive a confirmation email and invite to this blog.

Please include:
1. Name
2. Mailing address
3. E-mail address and anonymous email address
4. Ravelry ID
5. Blog address
6. Allergies? (Smoke, pets...)
7. Do you have smoke or pets in your home?
8. Do you spin with a wheel or spindle (or both)?
9. What spinning level would you consider yourself? (beginner/intermediate/advanced)