Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Bucket's List
Everyone that knows me, knows that I love to support small indie businesses. It all started when I discovered Etsy a few years ago. I developed a real love for buying gifts for people from my favorite shops and feeling really good about giving my hard earned money to someone that was passionate about creating at home. Whether it be a stay-at-home mom or a singleton supplementing their income or a creative genius sharing their craft with the world, I decided that giving and buying indie is the best thing since (whole wheat) sliced bread. And I've never turned back.Even better than JUST supporting indie, is supporting someone you KNOW that is an indie shop owner. Case in point, my girl, Krys. We met when she came to our knitting group a little over a year ago. We hit it off almost immediately. We had a lot in common, shared the same sense of humor, views on mommyhood (ha!) and of course, our love of fiber and knitting. She's since become one of my dearest friends. So, when she decided to open up her Etsy store, Gherkin's Bucket ....I was all about it and started buying my first handspun yarns right away.
Her business has evolved quite a bit since she opened earlier this year. She not only dyes her own fiber in luxurious blends such as merino/cashmere/nylon, 22 micron merino, organic merino, baby alpaca/merino and merino/seacell, but she spins them into lofty, gorgeous yarns. She also just recently started kettle dyeing merino superwash worsted and bulky and will soon carry merino superwash fingering....all of which are conventionally spun yarns. You get the best of both worlds....handspun AND conventional yarns all in one awesome shop.
Recently I worked on some knitted projects with some of her handspun....
First up, Highly Regarded Mitts by the one and only Gherkin herself.
These were done in her Fat Grasshoppa colorway in superwash merino bulky and only used about 80 yards for the entire pair! You could get 2 pairs out of one skein of this yarn!
Next up was the Beech Wood Cowl by Ilga Leja.
I made this with her merino/tencel blend in Charmed. It was LOVELY to work with and the stitch definition is incredible!
Some of the other pretties in my stash are:
Baby Alpaca/Merino in Honesty
80/10/10 Merino/Cashmere/Nylon in Ching Ching
Superwash Merino in Verve
Pretty, eh? You can get your own Gherkin's Bucket yarns here ON SALE! She's offering 15% off everything in her shop right now as a fall sale!
And congrats to Krys for being featured yesterday on Lime and Violet's Etsy Shop of the Day!
Labels: cowl luff, Gherkin's Bucket, i heart etsy, indie rocks, knitting, swag
Monday, June 11, 2007
Supporting "Indie"
I've been on an "indie" kick for a while now. I think it's so important to buy from small businesses especially businesses that are run out of a home. I've been a work from home mom and it's tough stuff to balance work with life...since I only really dabble now with my cloth diapering business and don't rely on it for income anymore (mostly just Etsy and yarn purchases...snort), I try to pass the torch and support others in their endeavors. I have a few favorite indie designers/sewers/artists that I'd like to share with you. Please check them out and support their work. In doing so, you give opportunity to another woman who without the support wouldn't be able to do what they love to do most, create.The Plucky Knitter - breathtakingly beautiful hand dyed sock and laceweight yarn with colorways inspired by her favorite things
This Is Spiffy - gorgeous stitch markers & jewelry
MaryMo - handmade bags, pouches, art and knitwear
Scout's Swag - gorgeous yarns, knitting bags, and notions
TinkerWithThis - jewelry, pouches, hand stamped tees and baby items, gorgeous bags
Please feel free to share some of your favorite indie businesses with me in the comments so I can check them out! :)
Labels: i heart etsy, indie rocks
