Am I coming or going?

May 17, 2012 – 11:04 am

The Indiana Fiber and Music Festival was a lot of fun, despite my barely being alive still recovering from pneumonia. Highlights from the trip included:

These flowers at a rest area in Kentucky on the way down. What are these? I don’t think we have these in Michigan.

rest area flowers

One of my customers came just to see me and came straight to my booth when she got to the festival. Gratifying.

I petted a llama on the back of the neck and it turned its head toward me and noozled my cheek and neck. Oh! Llama love!

Dessert at Sweet Surrender in Louisville. Best vegan apple pie EVER. Go there! You will be so happy you did!

Sleeping 12 hours Saturday night. What? That’s not a highlight? Ok, fair enough. It’s how I got through Sunday though.

I’ve been sleeping a buttload since I got home too, since we’re leaving Friday morning to go to southwestern Pennsylvania for the Waynesburg Sheep and Fiber Festival. If you’re in the area come say hi. I’ll be the purple haired chick who smells like cough drops. Oh, and I’ll have lots of yarn and fiber and stuff too. Really pretty awesome stuff when I stop to think about it.

 

By Riin | Posted in Food, Garden, Shows | Comments (0)

Books, new wool, a show, and more

May 10, 2012 – 1:17 pm

Wow. I’ve got a lot to tell you about! Where to start? Ok, first off, I am very excited to have received my copy of The Complete Guide to Spinning Yarn by Brenda Gibson. Why am I so excited? Because some of my handspun yarn is featured in the book! And they used a photo of my booth too!

Riin with book

Ok, this isn’t the best photo of me, but you try taking a photo of yourself while you’re holding a book open to a page you want to be in the photo. Anyway, the brown/coral yarn in the upper left corner of the page is mine, and there’s another one of my yarns on another page.

This is the first time my yarn has been published in a book, so I’m pretty excited!

I haven’t had a chance to actually start reading it yet because I’ve been reading my friend Tara Swiger‘s new book, Market Yourself, which is launching today. I’m hoping to have her here for an interview soon. She is so smart! She writes about marketing a yarn business or other small creative business in a way that is friendly and makes sense to me and doesn’t make me want to run away screaming, and she’s made me face some Big Questions that I needed to face. She’s good. If you’re a fiberista and sell your stuff or want to, you will definitely want to read Tara’s book.

I’ve also been getting ready to head out of town for the Indiana Fiber and Music Festival. It’s this weekend in Charlestown, Indiana (practically in Kentucky!), so if you’re in the area, I hope you’ll stop by. I had a booth there last year, and it was a fun show. I’m looking forward to being there again.

One thing I’ll have there that’s new (and that I also just added to the shop) is superfine merino combed top. It’s finer than standard merino, so it’s classified as “superfine.” The individual fibers are an average of 19 microns in diameter. It is so soft it’s incredible. This is perfect for a luxurious next to your skin project.

Superfine Merino combed Top Blue Lagoon

I have one other thing I’m selling, but I don’t want to ship it. Since I got my Louet drum carder, I’ve been using it exclusively, so I want to sell my old drum carder, a Mark V. Earth Guild sells them new for $348. Mine is in very good condition. I’ll sell it for $200. You can read the specs here. You could either come pick it up at my Ann Arbor studio, or if you tell me you want to buy it, I can bring it with me to one of my upcoming shows. Here’s the list of where I’ll be! Interested? Let me know.

And finally, the people who do the software I use for my online store released an update so there are finally more options for sharing on social sites. When you’re looking at something you like in my shop, there’s a “Share” link, which, if you hover over it, will make buttons appear so you can share the item on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and Tumblr. Yay! So be sure to tell all your friends how much you love me! And tell them how modest I am too!

What?

I think that’s finally everything I had to tell you, so I’m going to eat lunch now. Baked potato with spinach and hummus FTW!

 

By Riin | Posted in Books, Shop, Shows, Spinning | Comments (0)

One year of glorious freedom

May 3, 2012 – 2:23 pm

Today marks the one year anniversary of my emancipation from the world of working for someone else.

I started Happy Fuzzy Yarn in 2006, but kept my day job, and spent evenings, weekends, and vacations dyeing, spinning, filling orders, building my website, etc. After a few years, I began to long for a life as a full time fiber artist. My library job had completely changed from what it once was, and I couldn’t stand to be there. When my position was eliminated, I was overjoyed.

For one entire year, I have been completely self-employed, making my living as a fiber artist. I have never have been happier in my life! I’m not rich, but I wasn’t rich before either, and I’ve managed to keep a roof over my head and pay my bills, and now that my body can follow its own clock, my migraines are almost completely gone.

And I get to do this for a living:

what I do: spin!

My life is so wonderful!

Thank you so much, all of you who have supported me by buying my yarns and fibers and wearable art, encouraging me, advising me, teaching me, laughing with me, sharing with me, and being there with hugs, whether in person or virtual! Thank you! Hugs to all of you!

Here’s to many more years!

 

By Riin | Posted in Happiness, Shop, Spinning | Comments (1)

I’m not quite dead

April 23, 2012 – 6:47 pm

I was finally well enough today to mail club shipments. Thanks for your patience.

I’m still not over this nasty thing that may be bronchitis or may be pneumonia. (My doctor said it could be either one and she would treat them the same, and since the only way to tell for sure which one it is is with an x-ray and I have really crappy insurance, I decided I didn’t really need to know.) I’m still really tired. I’m still coughing a lot. And my voice is pretty much gone, so if I try to speak, what comes out alternates between a whisper and a squeak.

But I am so much better than I was. I think I’ll probably be able to start dyeing again by the end of the week.

In the meantime though, having to stay home from Greencastle caused me to miss out on a large chunk of my income, and I’ve got bills to pay. So I’m having a sale. From now through the end of April, enter the coupon code PNEUMONIASUCKS at checkout on orders of $75 or more (before shipping) and save 20%.

And if you like to see the yarn, fondle the yarn, etc., before you buy, encourage your LYS to start carrying Happy Fuzzy Yarn. If you give your LYS owner your recommendation and let me know you did so, and they place an order with me and list your name as a referral, I’ll name a colorway after you! (You can let me know what colors you like and dislike, so your namesake won’t be colors you hate.) Or I could name it after your spouse or your kid or your grandma, if you prefer. We’ll work it out.

By Riin | Posted in Health, Shop | Comments (0)

The Bronchitis Blues

April 16, 2012 – 11:04 am

Were you planning to go to Greencastle this coming weekend to come visit my booth? Well, if you were going to see the other nice vendors too, keep your plans. But if you were just coming to see me, I’m afraid I had to cancel. I’ve got bronchitis. And since I’ve got asthma, it hits me hard. I actually passed out yesterday.

I’ve got a doctor’s appointment this evening. But since never in my entire life has a cold or bronchitis lasted less than 10 days for me, I went ahead and canceled my spot at Greencastle this morning. Hopefully they can fill my spot.

Club shipments will be a bit late this month. I was putting the club fiber in the laundry tub to soak when I found myself lying on the floor, so I’m reluctant to go back to finish the process until I’m not so short of breath.

By Riin | Posted in Health, Shows | Comments (3)

I’m going to the Sock Hop! Are you?

April 9, 2012 – 7:59 pm

What are you doing Wednesday?

This Wednesday, the 11th, Rae’s Yarn Boutique in Lansing is having a Sock Hop from 4:30 to 8:30 to celebrate their 8th anniversary. I’ll be there with my sock yarn. Rae says there will be 50′s music and cake. If you’re planning to go, she’d like you to RSVP (there will be something waiting for you there if you do).

There’s some sock yarn to tempt you. Tempt, tempt.

Oh, speaking of temptation, have you had a chance to look at my new corespun yarns yet? They are so much fun to spin. This one is called Medley.

It is made of awesomeness. Well, and also Border Leicester, Lincoln, and Romney wool all from local sheep, kid and adult mohair (also local), BFL top, Firestar, banana fiber, silk noils, and metallic threads. But you can’t leave out the awesomeness. It just wouldn’t be the same.

 

By Riin | Posted in Knitting, Shop, Shows, Spinning | Comments (0)

Getting ready for Bowling Green

March 22, 2012 – 3:01 pm

Hey, are you near Bowling Green, Ohio? I’ll be there Saturday for the Black Swamp Spinners Guild Market Day & Fiber Fair.

Want a preview? Duh. Of course you do.

I just packed up all the new yarn I’ve spun in the last month. Here’s a top view of the bin.

The colors are a bit off — apparently my iPhone doesn’t want to “see” chartreuse any more than my trusty old Kodak. What is it with cameras and chartreuse? Anyway, you get the general idea. Lots of lustworthy yarn.

I’ll have tissues for those who can’t stop drooling.

By Riin | Posted in Shows, Spinning | Comments (1)

In which Riin is cranky

March 15, 2012 – 2:11 pm

So I was going to card up a bunch of batts for you guys, but I was wondering how best to display them in my booth at shows. Clear drawstring bags was the consensus on Facebook, so I ordered a whack. They arrived, only they were much smaller than I had anticipated. I hadn’t realized the dimensions on the website were for a flat bag with no gussets, so there was no way the batt was going to fit in it. I called them up, and they were happy to do an exchange for a larger size, so I sent the small bags back and waited for the larger ones to arrive.

The tracking info they emailed me told me to expect the package last Thursday. By the end of the day, when I realized it still hadn’t arrived, I checked the tracking again. It said it had been delivered a little bit after noon, but it had been delivered to “office,” which was rather odd. Usually UPS just leaves packages on or next to my porch, and I had been home all day. In addition, there was no note on the door.

The management office down the block was already closed for the day, so I stopped in the next morning to get my package. But they didn’t have it. They said they never take packages for residents. The three women working there that morning had been there all day the day before, and none of them had signed for a package.

So I went home, looked at the more detailed tracking info, and called UPS. I found out that the company had shipped the package via UPS to my billing address, which is my PO box. Since they couldn’t deliver it to that address, they decided to deliver it to the address they had on file for me, which was where I lived 4 years ago (even though they’ve delivered probably hundreds of packages to me here in that time). So they delivered it to the office at my old apartment complex.

I figured they would pick it up the next business day and deliver it to me here the following business day. I was wrong.

They opened an investigation. I don’t know what exactly that consisted of, but I called this afternoon and was told they needed three more days to investigate.

And then a few minutes after I hung up, someone from UPS security called me and said someone from the apartment complex office said that I had picked up the package yesterday. I did not. So now they have to get the police involved.

So now I’m wondering when I’m ever going to get my drawstring bags.

Also, I’ve had a pinched nerve in my back for days.

And there are loud pounding noises outside.

I am cranky. Can somebody cheer me up?

By Riin | Posted in Life in General | Comments (0)

The Survey Results!

February 23, 2012 – 12:58 pm

Did you take my survey? Are you curious about the results? Well, read on!

First off, thank you to everyone who took it! I had 103 respondents! Second, OMG, you said such nice things! Whenever I’m feeling blue, I’ll have to remember to look at all the nice things you said about me and just bask in the love!

In general, a lot of the answers confirmed what I already knew: a lot more of my sales are at shows than online, and I sell a lot more of my hand dyed yarn than my handspun yarn or my hand dyed fiber. The latter makes sense since spinners want to spin their own (so they’re not buying handspun), and non-spinners and non-felters aren’t buying fiber, and also the handspun is more expensive.

But while the people who buy handspun are smaller in number, they’re quite enthusiastic about it and want more. Ditto with spinners and fiber.

I probably should have worded this question differently. “Keep everything the way it is” came out far ahead of everything else, but several people chose that in addition to one of the other choices, and one person noted “that would be keep everything ELSE the way it is.” Indeed.

Anyway, I will indeed be adding art yarns to the store (I already made two absolutely gorgeous corespun skeins, but they sold already at last Saturday’s Fleece Fair!) along with carded batts. I’ll be spinning more yarns (art yarns, and my other, whatever you want to call them yarns), and added them as fast as I can. And I’ll be keeping everything else more or less the way it is, though I’m phasing out a few things that have been very slow sellers. (If it’s a very slow seller, you probably haven’t bought it, but if you’re concerned, let me know.)

It was quite interesting to see the distribution of what fiber arts you guys do. As I suspected, you’re primarily knitters with a bunch of crocheters, spinners, weavers, and felters thrown in.

But when asked to pick just one?

You guys are some serious heavy duty Knitters. Several of you noted that you had a hard time choosing, or that it was really a tie between two or three. It’s ok, honey. You’re preaching to the choir.

The best thing was seeing that people really are happy with my products and customer service.

  • How satisfied were you with your purchase(s)? On a scale of 1 (I wish I’d spent my money on something else.) to 10 (OMG it was the most exquisite thing I’ve ever bought!) — Rating Average 8.63
  • How satisfied were you with the customer service you received? On a scale of 1 (Worst ever.) to 10 (Everyone should be so wonderful.) — Rating Average 9.28

And the lovefest comments I received!

“Your booth has been the highlight of several festivals I’ve attended.” — Heather

“Can’t wait to make a shawl with my Happy Fuzzy Yarn! So personable and fun! Booth was beautifully arranged and I love the name of Happy Fuzzy Yarn.” — DD

“Even during a show, you manage to be welcoming and helpful. I feel like so many hand-dyers grab onto fads and look to the same places for inspiration. I like your booth because it feels so different than the others. Thanks!” Abby M.

“Love your colorways and fiber choices. Just made my first purchases at YarnCon last fall and look forward to more in the future.” — Lindy S.

“Love the bright happy colors, as well as your base yarn.” — Artie M.

“You have a beautiful sense of color. I’m definitely going to be looking for you at Rhinebeck or next year’s VKLive. Can’t wait to use your yarn!” — Ruth G.

“The colors are wonderful – they drew me into your booth like a moth to the flame!” — Lea V.

“The colors of your fibers are wonderful! I recommended them to my local yarn shop and they now carry your yarn.” — Amy

“Met at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC!! OMG, I was like a kid in a candy store!! The colors!!! The colors!! Wish I lived close by..I would probably camp out where you live just to be surrounded by all the beautiful yarn. Truly amazing!!” — Diana M.

“Most vibrant and well-made handspun/dyed yarn at 2011 Stitches Midwest! (And I went to every vendor!) Keep up the great work! Beautiful stuff!” — Keri K.

“Beautiful yarn, the roving presented at VK live has inspired me to try spinning and felting.” — LaVerne

“Still drooling over it.” — Adele M.

“I love your fiber top and your yarns. Your yarns are exquisite! I’m glad I found your site.” — Doug D.

“Love all the colours and textures, it’s bliss!” — Nancy D.

“Everyone should be in Fiber Club! The club fee is reasonable and the fiber sent to your mailbox is very high quality! Great gift for Christmas, Birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day…” — Sonya A.

My hope is that these rating and comments will encourage those people who are reluctant to buy yarn or fiber online to go ahead and take the plunge. Yes, it really is that good!

 

By Riin | Posted in Survey | Comments (0)

Fleece Fair!

February 16, 2012 – 4:45 pm

If you’re in or near southeast Michigan, come to Chelsea this Saturday!

More handspun yarn and roving than you can imagine! I’ll be there with many of my fellow guild members, so come say hi. And be prepared to be amazed by the sheer amount of awesomeness!

By Riin | Posted in Shows | Comments (0)