A Super-Cool New Swag Shop and a Shop Update!

06JulApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

The heat’s getting to you too, right? We’ve been in the high 90s for weeks now (…well, it feels like weeks anyway) and the longer it goes on, the less I seem to be able to think. I mean, I’m squirreled away in an air-conditioned office so I shouldn’t even notice the heat and yet… oh, as that mercury climbs, my ability to focus just seems to vapourise.

It’s not just me, right? It’s you too…? Tell me it is, because the temperature is set to hit 100F (37C!) this weekend and I think I’m just going to melt into a little puddle of uselessness right there on the floor — and I kinda need to know you’re right there with me!

Tour de Fleece

So when your brain is melting into mush it’s probably best to concentrate on the simple things, right? Tour de Fleece couldn’t have come at a better time, and I’ve given myself permission to spend a little quality time with my (most beloved) Lendrum. I’m spinning some top that I dyed absolutely ages ago that, when I pulled it out of the dyepots, I didn’t like at all. I shoved it in a bag and promptly forgot about it. When I finally came across it again about a month ago, I realised I can’t even remember what the fiber content is…. merino? superwash? merino/alpaca? I have no idea but — I’ll tell you what — I am loving these colours now. What was I thinking?!? Here’s my progress, day by day…

The SpaceCadet’s Swag Shop

Wait!, you say. You’re in an office? You’re not in the studio? Well, in truth, this job is split pretty evenly between the dyepots and the computer. And while most of the time I’m elbows deep in yummy yarns and dye, summer is the ideal time to get a little behind-the-scenes work done on all the great ideas I come up with throughout the rest of the year.

And I’ve been working on some really exciting stuff too — I can’t wait to show you! Most of it’s only in the beginning stages, but I can share one really cool thing with you… At every festival we do, at every trunk show, people are always telling us how much they love the SpaceCadet (we love him too!), and then someone always asks, can I get a SpaceCadet t-shirt? I’ve never be able to offer them one before, but I now I can! Check this out — the SpaceCadet Swag Shop! SpaceCadet t-shirts, tank tops, tote bags, and all kinds of cool stuff… Squeeeeee!!!!

Shop Update

Oooh, and there’s one other thing I can do even when I’m melting in this insane heat… How about a shop update? There’s some incredibly rich colours in this one, and a few one-of-a-kinds, so click here to have a look before they disappear.

Shop Update: a Lunchtime Meditation

24MayApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

Green leaves on trees, green grass in the park, a barefoot lunch hour sitting in the sun. Summer knitting.

knitting, yarn, indie dyer, handdyed, fiber arts, crochet, sock yarn — Clockwise from top left: Celeste fingering yarn in City Park, Hedgerow, City Park, and Forget Me Nots

Dappled light through the leaves, warm breeze, songbirds calling through the green oasis in the city. Needles softly clicking.

Bright blooms bursting from neat flowerbeds, calm amid the bustle, soaking up sunlight and softening the city-grey. Stitched meditation.

Sunshine Today, More Forecast For Next Week

20AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

When I discover my yarns featured in an Etsy Treasury, I get such a rush of excitement, I can’t tell you. And so it was yesterday when I found Sunflowers had been picked for a treasury called “My Sunshine“, put together by ThePlumTree.

Sunflowers sold pretty quickly after that, and I am so excited to send it off to its new home. But if you loved all these golden colours, don’t worry — I’m going to be dyeing a lot more beautiful yellows over the weekend.

The forecast for next week? Bright Sunshine!

What Happened Nest…

16AugApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

This summer, a pair of robins built a nest on top of my back porch light, right outside my backdoor, and consigned me to using only the front porch for the whole month of June. And I (and you) got to watch as the eggs appeared, and the babies hatched and grew. It was magical thing to witness so close.

Also this summer, the family next door moved away. As she was in the middle of the chaos of packing up her house, my neighbour mentioned to me one day that she always collects a bird’s nest from every house that she lives in. But her husband had already started his new job on the other side of the country and she was having to pack up the house and move the (5!) kids all on her own, and I suspected that she never got a chance to collect a bird’s nest.

And I have a beautiful nest sitting empty right outside my back door…

So today, we very carefully took it down.

It came away without too much difficulty and all in one piece. It was made from sticks and leaves, as you’d expect, but I was intrigued to see string, yarn, and bits of dried grapevines (complete with old grapes!) tucked in there as well.

We put the nest into a bag to keep it safe.

And then wrapped it in tissue paper… just because.

And packed it up with all the love and care that I package my yarn. More, probably — this is precious cargo!

And, just like that, the little nest that gave three baby robins their happy start in life was ready to travel all the way to the other end of the country.

Where, I do believe, it will be absolutely cherished.

Crack… Crack…

30JunApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

And without warning, we went from three quiet blue eggs to three blind, naked, wonderful hatchlings…

The nest is in such a place that I can’t get my head up there to have a look — I have to hold the camera up over it and take pictures, and then have a look at them on the camera to see what’s in the nest. And, as I looked at the first few images, the babies looked so lifeless… I was suddenly heartbroken at the thought that they might all be dead.

And then one of them raised his head up and begged the camera for some food, and I realised with relief that they were fine!

Fine… and growing fast! This was them only 48 hours later. Look at all the feathers coming on their wings.

And this is them today, only 5 days after the first photos. Incredible how much they’ve grown! My first thought is how much work that must be for the parent robins, to get enough food to them to support such rapid growth…!

Aren’t they amazing? It’s been well worth not being able to use the back porch through all this lovely weather, just to give these beautiful babies a chance to hatch and grow.

An Announcement (Yes, THAT Kind of Announcement!)

14JunApril 14, 2015 By Stephanie

One of the best things in life must surely be spending a breezy summer afternoon sitting on the back porch, with a nice glass of wine, listening to the birds and spinning wool into yarn. Absolutely magical!

Except today I am on the front porch instead of the back, and this is why…

Last week, while I was away for a couple of days, a couple of plucky robins decided to build a nest on top of our back porch light, right next to the back door. And every time we go in and out, or even just sit out there, they get so nervous that they leave the nest and fly to the apple tree, screaching for us to leave. And I really want them to feel secure and comfortable, because this is what’s inside that nest…

That’s right, folks! We’re having babies!!!

…And hanging out on the front porch for the time being.