Sunday, January 25, 2009

Another Sneak Peek


The secret project is done and is blocking now! I love the way the stitch pattern looks when blocked. My apologies for the quilt background. This wasn't a choreographed photo shoot. ;)
I'm hoping to have the pattern written by the end of the week and a photo shoot of the final product in action within the next two weeks. Then, the pattern will be available for sale in my Etsy shop!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Let Me Tell You A Little Secret...


Sometimes I feel like crocheters get the short-end of the stick when it comes to pretty lacy things...beyond the doily and tablecloth. Knitters get dainty lacy mohair, wool, silk, and cashmere. Crocheters often feel confined to mercerized cotton.

So I give you a sneak peek of my latest design...what will be a gorgeous airy crocheted shawl! It doesn't look like much here, but just wait until it is blocked. This is sooo soft and yummy. I just love it! I can't promise when it will be done, but you will be the first to know!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Oh Come On!

Days around here are usually pretty tame. Oldest goes to school. Youngest plays or goes to preschool. Mom gets online or makes things or knits. Dad plays with youngest or plays his computer games. Dad goes to work. Mom and youngest pick up oldest from school. Snack. Play. Dinner. TV and/or knitting and/or board games and/or Barbies. Baths. Bedtime stories. Bed. Mom does her JL Yarnworks stuff. Dad gets home from work and relaxes a bit. Mom and Dad go to bed way later than they should. And the next day starts all over again. Nothing to write home about, but it works for us. ;)

Not today.

  • Wake up to -22F temps.
  • Dad walks Miss May to school.
  • Dad shovels the sidewalk until he can't feel his toes.
  • Mom and Dad take Miss Kate to preschool.
  • Mom and Dad try to shop for cell phones.
  • Cell phone store doesn't open until 10. It's 9:30.
  • Mom and Dad decide on a pancake breakfast at Perkins.
  • Perkins had a fire and is closed.
  • IHOP it is!
  • Mom and Dad are seated at IHOP and ask for coffee.
  • "We don't have any coffee." Do-wha-huh?
  • The coffee machines are frozen. IHOP has no heat. It is 39 degrees in the kitchen.
  • Mom and Dad leave, wondering why they wouldn't divulge this BEFORE seating people.
  • Mom and Dad try the OTHER Perkins across the street. Voila!
  • Mom and Dad enjoy a nice breakfast.
  • Mom and Dad go back to the cell phone store and pick out phones and plans.
  • Mom and Dad leave before the sale is complete to pick up Miss Kate.
  • Mom drops off Dad at home so he can take a quick nap.
  • Mom picks up Miss Kate and heads back to finish the cell phone transaction.
  • Mom gets a Blackberry! :D Dad gets a phone...it makes phone calls. hehe.
  • Mom gets back home. Dad gets a call from a coworker whose car wouldn't start and makes plans to pick him up and take him to work.
  • This call is interrupted by a call from ANOTHER friend whose car won't start and hoped she only needed a jump start.
  • Dad leaves. Mom and Miss Kate leave.
  • Mom can't get her hood to pop open. Yep. Mom is worthless as a superhero. Can't save the day. (I'm guessing it was either frozen shut or that being hit by another vehicle in the front in a parking lot before Christmas is keeping the hood from opening properly. I'm surely not just inept, right?)
  • Mom takes friend to work and promises to come back after the shift.
  • Mom and Miss Kate shop until it's time for school to let out.
  • Mom realizes Miss Kate hasn't had lunch and let's her pick her fast food location of choice. "Taco Bell. It sounds like Jingle Bells! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all..."
  • Mom and Miss Kate pick up Miss May.
  • Home 10 minutes before Miss Kate begins to scream "OW! OW! OW!"
  • Mom looks over to see an entire tin of pepper poured out over child and floor. Miss Kate's hands are rubbing her eyes as she screams.
  • A scream-filled bath followed by pepper clean-up of the carpet.
  • Mom, Miss May, and Miss Kate head out to pick up friend from work.
  • Mom has to stop to get supplies for Miss May's Friday Alphabet Parade and Alphabet Feast.

Now we're home. Eating dinner. The Taco Bell no one had a chance to eat in its entirety earlier because there was pepper all over the place. Mom now needs to create a robot costume and send "R" snacks to school in the morning. Raisins. Easy enough. I think I have the robot costume figured out too. But....

Even though nothing went horribly wrong today, nothing really went smoothly either. I'm waiting for a aluminum foil emergency later on. ;)

And really...all I want to do after a day like today is... KNIT!!

Maybe I'll just pull out a sock for an inch or so...

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Introducing LausengHaus Yarns


LausengHaus Yarns are my newest line of hand-dyed yarns. These gorgeous yarns have a sturdy 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon base, but are splashed with color like the ultimate luxury yarn.
No two skeins will ever be exactly alike, allowing you to make a completely one-of-a-kind garment...even if that's a simple stockinette sock!
Like my other yarns, these are all hand-dyed by me personally. So you can rest assured that they are of the highest quality.
Find your LausengHaus Yarns HERE!

Saturday, January 03, 2009

Tweet Tweet!


I have a new addiction. Twitter.com. Yep, I'm definitely addicted. I don't know why the little blog site with the message board feel appeals to me, but it most definitely does. Come join me! :)

Friday, January 02, 2009

Shipping Changes

When I first set up JL Yarnworks, the standalone website, I struggled with how to set up shipping charges. Set price per item? By weight? I set up something preliminary, and then refunded people if they were overcharged by more than a dollar. But that's cumbersome and not efficient at all. Plus, some people might be put off by higher shipping charges, not realizing I'd refund.

Soo....

Introducing $3 FLAT RATE SHIPPING!!

All orders under $60 will be charged $3 shipping.

All orders $60 and up will be shipped for FREE!

If you only need one small item? Check my Etsy store and you'll save a little on shipping.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

New Product: Rubber Stitch Markers


They aren't handmade, but they're super practical. 10 each of 5 different sizes of rubber stitch markers. That's 50 stitch markers for only $4.50! Not a bad deal. Want all one sizes? Those listings are coming soon, but if you can't wait, just contact me!
If these are all you want, it's cheaper by $1 shipping to buy them on Etsy.
If you're buying other items, you're probably better off shopping directly at JL Yarnworks.