going, going, gone

Posted on Posted in book reviews/events, designing, lace/shawls, projects, yarn and dyeing

it’s been quite a process to get the first shipment for our 2013 bare naked club pulled together and packed, but david finally has seven stacks of large totes filled with club packages all set to go to the post office tomorrow. now the fun can begin! and we are just about sold out as i write this—i think there are four or five spots left in case anyone still wants to join or upgrade (if you do and your category says SOLD OUT, please contact david and he will hook you up).

i am working this week on getting the first BNK book chapter finalized, getting some pattern work done, and putting together a big re-order for breakfast blend yarn—wow do you all love breakfast, or what??

this is what’s left—we can’t get over how fast it’s going out the door, especially the DK weights. we’ve put in a big reorder for the existing colors and today david and are sitting down to create an order for some additional colors. we read that everyone would like to see some lighter shades, so those will go to the top of the list. i think we can certainly get some lighter grays, pale oatmeal, and even some peach and rust tones.

we so, SO appreciate your support of our new venture and hope you are enjoying our yarn products—for us this is a dream come true, something we’ve wanted to do for years. it’s so cool to see it come to life and to watch your enthusiasm for it.

my main job this week is to finalize the first chapter of our BNK book, which will be a treasure trove of material—some months are abundant with content, while some are slimmer and this will be a big one.

i am also trying to get a little ahead on pattern work and setting up new projects, because once again i will be traveling at the end of the week—this time to work on a different sort of project with craftsy (more on that later).

when i do have a few free minutes—usually at the end of the day—it’s been a real pleasure to work on the shawl i’m knitting in our breakfast blend DK. it’s so lush and knits up so quickly; i can’t help but find it satisfying after a long day of looking at the computer.

i finally got the hem chart issue solved and am now flying along once again. the yarn goes surprisingly far—the first skein got me all the way through the body section and the start of the hem. i have attached my second skein of yarn, but i’m wondering if i’ll use it all. hard to tell, of course, because the last few inches will eat up yarn at a much faster rate.

won’t this be a cozy layer to curl into at my desk? i am situated between two windows in the outside corner of the office, which is wonderful for people and bird watching, but disastrous for keeping warm; i am always in need of  shawl or scarf and am known to wear a hat as well on very windy days.

erica put her order in for a cowl/infinity scarf design in our fingering yarn, so that’s another thing i’ve been working on this week.

i’ve been swatching some openwork patterns, searching for just the right motif that balances texture and light. so far, i have a couple i like, but i still feel there might be something even better out there. i think i need to explore some solid knit/purl textures too, since i really REALLY enjoyed designing and knitting  squeeze me (and you could totally knit that with the BB fingering yarn; just use a 3.5 or 3.75 mm needle and make one of the larger sizes).

i do like this swatch a lot—it’s reversible with a sort of allover openwork pattern. while it doesn’t have a strong, distinct appearance, it DOES have an ethereal, cloudlike quality that i find lovely; i can totally imagine that a larger volume of it would work very well as an infinity scarf.

naturally i love this geometric pattern quite a bit—it’s so ME. but i think this one could be far better as a wrap than an infinity scarf, something along the lines of hypotenuse, which is such a favorite. why, i think even mister knitspot would covet such a thing, don’t you?

and i have loads of secret knitting in the works which unfortunately, i can’t show you, but it may help to know that i’m excited about what’s on the boards.

now, after all that, i bet you’re jonesing for a spot of color, eh?

i put another inch on my sign of four sock while sitting in the orthodontist’s waiting room the other day. i forgot to mention last time i showed it that i’m working with string theory caper sock in black cherry
(i think), which is a delicious  merino/cashmere/nylon blend—nice and plump. certainly a happy sight in an otherwise gray afternoon (we’re expecting a little snow this afternoon, i think).

and that’s all i’ve got for now, but we do have a special valentine’s treat to post, so check back later!

17 thoughts on “going, going, gone

  1. The geometric one struck my fancy, too, Anne, but I think you’re right – something along the lines of Hypoteneuse. You’ve trained me well. : )

    It’s so exciting to see how well the Breakfast Blends have done in such a short time. And I love that you’re ordering more neutrals as well as restocking. The DK is probably the soft yarn I have ever knit with. And the fingering is just awesome, too. I call them fat and skinny BBs to myself when I’m figuring out which I’m going to use. Must find some of my skinny BB for this project. Oh, this one needs the fat BB yarn.

    And I love, love, love that gray shawl in fat BB yarn.

    Happy Valentines Day to you and David, Anne. Do something special with your special guy.

  2. ohhh a Craftsy project? I’ve taken several classes through them, and all have been great! I’m excited to hear more about this! I also wanted to say that I love, love, love the breakfast blend. I’ve only tried DK so far, but it is heavenly. Thank you for everything that you do, Anne!

  3. I was resisting the club since I don’t knit anything like all the yarn I get anyway, but I finally couldn’t stand it one moment more!

    I’m knitting a Squish Me right now in a grey baby alpaca of a lighter weight (something more like a sport weight — lost the ball band) in the largest size on smaller needles. It’s looking great so far and it’s going to keep my head so happy.

    I’m so excited to knit stuff in your yarn, which looks soft and lovely.

  4. OMG! Are you doing a Craftsy class?!?! So excited if you are 🙂 That is right up your alley!!

    Congratulations on the success of Bare Naked Wools! I love knitting with my breakfast blend 🙂 Can’t wait to see more neutrals too!

  5. After seeing the spoilers, I am so glad I upgraded from pattern only! I started a Fall Line cowl with the oatmeal and I am loving it. My greys arrived yesterday and they are gorgeous. They will make awesome accessories for football season (our colors in Dover are red and grey).

  6. craftsy, Anne? that sounds wonderful! especially to someone who would really like to take a class with you! (patiently, ha-ha, waiting for my first bare naked shipment…)

  7. But what I want to know is, how on earth do you get all those totes to the post office? Do they come and get them? I hope so! Or maybe David has a king-cab 4×4 truck, lol. He might need a crane too, just sayin’. So glad you are already reordering!

    I can’t wait for all your pattern ideas for the DK weight. I’m holding on to my lonely skein of cocoa for now, while I contemplate possibilities.

  8. Oh my stars a Craftsy class?! How exciting! Your teaching schedule hasn’t passed through the Boston area in a while so I love the Craftsy idea.

    I just received my Morning Smoke DK BNW this evening and it is so wonderful! I love the color and it so squishy soft. I couldn’t stop nuzzling it. I love it so much I’m having trouble picking a pattern especially since I’m enjoying it so much just as it is, lol! Congrats on the spectacular debut of BNW.

  9. I’m not going to get my hopes up about a Craftsy class until I hear the words come out of your mouth, but if that’s what you’re doing, I’ll be the first in line! I’m a craftsy addict and would love anything you put out.

  10. I love these idea-filled posts, especially when the yarn is gray:) I’ve been wearing my Hypoteneuse -one of my first projects, made in an ordinary commercial yarn – so much, and thinking I should make another in something really beautiful . . . I’m so looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

  11. The club and the yarn are sooo tempting! I think that I will hold the line for stash busting this year and treat myself to some of the warm brown yarn later. The club will be my reward next year! At least that’s my stand for right now.

  12. Having lived for the past few months surrounded by boxes, I admire you for all the plastic boxes you have around the whole time! It must be so exciting to send off the yarn each month and wait for people’s reactions.

  13. I am so happy for you to be doing what you’ve dreamt of! I would love to make the transition to a fiber business. I like the feel of the BB and am going to start a pair of socks for christmas giving for my husband. They are a stealth project that I’ll have to do on my lunch hour at work. I hope to come back and purchase the DK weight soon. Congrats and Happy Valentines Day.

  14. Congratulations on the launch of your new yarn. You have great taste in the choice of fibers and colors. They look gorgeous and I will have to get some soon.

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