Category: Uncategorized

Tagged by Glorious Hats

Marie Haigh3 Comments
Jane of Glorious Hats tagged me. Well, shucks, color me bashful (the color of grey if Eeyore is to be trusted). I’m honored to be tagged by somebody whose hat making skills blow me away.

The rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.
7 Facts About Me
1. I like my tea the way the Irish do: Strong enough for a mouse to scurry over.
2. In order for me to recall an event, I first have to remember where I was when it happened.
3. My favorite Christmas song is “I Wanna Hippopotamus for Christmas”.
4. I eat 2 breakfasts (almost) every day.
5. Every Fall, I go on a Leaf Tour with my husband and 2 dear friends.
6. I am a dedicated thrower (knitting term that means I knit in the English way).
7. When hand quilting, I do not use a thimble, preferring to use the inside of my fingernail to push the needle along.
Tagging 7 People
1. Mrs. H who always makes me laugh when I read her blog
2. Marti and Laurie, sisters who share their funny life stories and their beautiful knitting patterns
3. Loren who roots for the wrong baseball team (the Phillies is the Right team, of course), but makes up for it in her stories of her very large family (1 husband, 2 sons, 1 chocolate lab, 1 cat, 2 goats, and several sheep … plus I might have missed some others) and her hand spinning
5. Maple & Cassie whose pictures of their many alpacas never cease to make you go “Awwww”. Maple then spins and dyes the alpaca fleece into yummy yarns, while Cassie supervises.
6. Tracie, an avid crocheter, has just recently made the move to become a full-time designer & teacher. Congrats to her for having her very first submission to a magazine be approved!
7. Brenda who spins natural fibers into beautiful yarns on just a drop spindle. You may recall that she is spinning my Christmas yarn up.

My Own Website

Marie Haigh4 Comments
Have I ever mentioned that I am married to a computer geek? If I hadn’t, let me tell you now. I am married to a computer programmer. He’s a consultant for Arris Systems in KOP (King of Prussia for those not in the Philly area).

So, when I have told family members in the past that I have a blog and an Etsy store, they automatically assumed that the Husband set it up. I’ve actually fought with people who wouldn’t believe when I said, “No, no I did it all by myself”.

So, why am I telling you this? Because, today I set up my own website using Google Pages. No help from the husband, I did this all myself. I’m awfully proud even though it’s rudimentary at best. I still have 9 more patterns to upload onto the site, but I couldn’t wait to tell someone.

The pic on the front I created in PowerPoint to showcase all my 14 designs. I borrowed (stole!) the idea from Tracie. Thanks!

The “Buy Now” links on my website are from Payloadz. I learned about this company through the Designer’s group in Ravelry. Payloadz works in cooperation with Paypal so designers like me can offer downloadable patterns. For the icing on the top, the service is free until you start selling over $100/month. How great is that?

A New Indie Community

Marie HaighLeave a comment
Have you heard? The indie (independent artists) community has a new website where artists can meet each other, meet prospective buyers, and meet prospective retailers. It is called IndiePublic. Of course, I have already set up my page on it.

Knitting news: After many attempts and a boatload of frustration, I have finally worked the kinks out of my Lucky Purse lining and drawstring. Hubby is home today so I may not have a chance to post pictures this afternoon, but I’ll have them up by Thursday for sure.

Have a wonderful day, All!

Ravelry

Marie HaighLeave a comment

More exciting news of the day: I’ve been invited to Ravelry. I’ve heard all the craze about it. I’ve been envious for months while I read blog after blog about how other knitters and crocheters were being invited.

I received the e-mail invite this morning. I updated my profile right away and that is where I am stuck. I’m a little bit confused as to how to use the rest of the Ravelry tools. They have instructions. I just might have to break down and read them.

A memoriam

Marie Haigh3 Comments

Well, I promised more knitting news later today. And I do have a sweater to show you, but you must have noticed the lack of pictures by now.

My husband’s grandfather passed away this morning. So, rather than tell you about trivial knitting stories, I want to tell you about him.

When I first met Pop, shortly after my husband and I were engaged, I thought him a quiet, old man who only raised his voice every once in a while and who loved his fat cat, Nermal. Then, I got to know him. He was filled with so many good stories. Stories about how his mother canned tomatoes (he knew how much I loved to cook and to hear cooking stories, how he fought in the Korea War (though he never spoke of his time over there), how his mother and then his step-mother would make home-made strudels (you had to stretch them out on a huge table until they were paper thin) and how he met Gran. He was full of songs too. While he was in the hospital, he sang German drinking songs to my husband. He had a great sense of humor.

He will be sorely missed.

Web Rings & a new craft website

Marie HaighLeave a comment
As you know, I am a proud member of Etsy FAST (Fiber Artist Street Team). We now have a web ring, thanks to the hard work of Lissa of Fiber Diversions. The web ring is a list of the blogs maintained by Etsy FAST members. You’ll find me on the ring along with many other talented artists. Please come and check it out.

As I was trolling through Etsy’s forum earlier this week, I found a link mentioning that the Etsy Sellers Who Blog web ring was back in action. The V2 version is being steered by Lis Kidder. For more information about joining, please read the accompanying blog or the web ring info.

Lastly, I am excited to tell you about a new website, The Art of Craft. It is a website dedicated to bringing you quality arts and crafts on the internet. They pride themselves with prescreening all the shops and sites listed on their website. You’ll find me on the “Shops I” page. In addition to the new website, they have an accompanying blog that features an artist each week.

Enjoy browsing these sites!

I can’t show you

Marie HaighLeave a comment

Well, today has been Gauge Day. I made gauges for two upcoming sweater designs (one men’s and one woman’s). Except, I can’t show you a thing. It has to stay top secret. They will be submitted to magazines next month (fingers are crossed; toes are crossed). The rules of the house state that they must not be published anywhere beforehand. A pity for I so want to show them off. Jake just doesn’t jump up and down for me unless I have a tennis ball or stick or food in my hand.

I have worked on my shawl pattern. It is half-way done. Yet, if I stare at the spreadsheet and accompanying document much longer, I think my eyes are going to cross. So, I am taking a break. Talking to you is my break. *Smile*.

Since I can’t show you what I have been doing, let me show you what other people have been doing.

Enthral has made a lovely brooch (pin).

If you didn’t know already, I almost never leave the house without a pin of some sort on me. And every Black Friday (the big shopping day after Thanksgiving Day), I buy myself a new pin as a reward for accomplishing all the shopping that I do. I have two jewelry boxes filled with pins. I even have a trained husband who brings me home pins. =) Alas, not too many people handcraft pins these days. So, I was thrilled to see Enthral’s handmade pin in my color (blue!) to boot. I just might have to buy it off her. Feel free to beat me to it.

In the knitting world, Ivanova and Carter have started a Celtic Knot Project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivanovaknits/496323237/in/pool-82573356@N00/

They are on a quest to provide you with free Celtic knot cable patterns. See their blog for their growing list of patterns – now at five. I always try to sneak in a little cabling to each of my sweaters so this project is near to my heart.

Well, that’s all for now. Have a great weekend!

Inspiration

Marie HaighLeave a comment

Sometimes inspiration comes in the oddest forms.

Today, I found mine in my own backyard. Here it is.


I think it will look quite handsome in a new sweater design, minus the rust.

I sincerely hope that you too find inspiration in the simple things surrounding your life.

I have very little else to report. My sleeve is creeping along at a snail’s pace. Sometimes it is hard to knit during a baseball game. Sometimes the game is too exciting.

Speaking of baseball, I learned of an upcoming Stitch n Pitch night at the Phillies park. The Stinging Sheep had all the details on her blog. I booked my tickets straight away. My husband will be coming with me. He still refuses to learn how to knit and thus plans to spend his time scoring the game.