Girl on the Rocks

Things I liked at Maker Faire 2012 May 28, 2012

Hands down Favorite item:
Zevrino Arduino powered automatic cat feeder

In the Expo Hall:
Joona Re-upholstery classes
The Algae Lab Grow-your-own tank of spirulina
Bare conductive conductive paint

Bazaar Bizarre:
.retool. Seat belts made into wallets, card holders, and (my fave) passport covers
Bossa Nova Baby tiny hand stitched brooches
small adventure Artwork and illustrations
Novel Poster poster prints made from the complete text of novels.

Stitches West is overload March 9, 2009

Stitches west proved to be overwhelming as always. Helping out in booths was a great way to prevent me from doing too much shopping. And it allowed me to surround myself with lovely Pigeonroof goodies on Friday, and all kinds of crafty goodies at Urban Fauna on Saturday. I did a miniature loom demo in an area that was not conducive to the audience seeing a tiny loom (and the chairs were bolted together so they couldn’t scooch in). But I think several people were able to ask questions and take a closer look. Several of them ended up getting looms, so I was able to get the work out that tiny looms are rad!

I peeked in on my fiber at the UFS booth, trying its hardest to jump into the hands of passing customers.

While I was helping at the UFS booth, I tried needle felting. Jamie always has a little needle felting demo area set up, and usually I resist. I am not that into making things tangled, but she had these neat-o cookie cutter like forms so you could make shapes (see the center of the photo below), so I gave in.

Photo from maryjanesattic

It was pretty fun! Much funner than anticipated. I am blown away at what a small amount of fiber it takes to embellish something with felt. Spinners, save your scraps and you could make a felter have a stash that will set them for life. I am also impressed that Jamie’s needle felting kits include everything you need to get started – fiber, needles, and a natural foam pad.

I took off on Saturday to do some shopping with friends. I spotted an infamous and highly controversial rolling cart on its own in the wild:

So what did I buy? I already knew that I wanted a Tiger Cascade spindle from Carolina Homespun, so I made that purchase as soon as I arrived. On Friday, I got some CPH buttons from “Buttons!” (*jazz hands*). On Saturday I got two bags (6oz each) of Border Leicester/mohair from Toots LeBlanc. That’s it! Major restraint!

A fiber filled weekend awaits February 26, 2009

I have been pretty busy lately and Stitches West is to blame. First, I have a project that has been toiling in obscurity for years… My Central Park Hoodie. I haven’t mentioned it here in over a year, and the pattern, project, and yarn all relocated to different unknown locations. I wrangled everything together and started working on it in the evenings, with the hope of wearing it to Stitches West, a mere 2 years after I bought the yarn there. I am one and a half button bands (and some blocking) away from completion.

The next time you see it, I will be wearing it at Stitches.

Thanks to Jamie at Urban Fauna Studio (booth #1036) and Krista from Pigeonroof Studios (booth #637), I am not just a Stitches West shopper, I am a seller! UFS has both my stitch markers and fiber, and Pigeonroof will have my stitch markers. Yay! I am really excited about this and plan to break some rules and snap some camera phone pics of my items on display. I am headed to stitches tomorrow and Saturday and will be helping out in the aforementioned booths so say hi if you see me. Also I will be doing a Hazel Rose loom demo on Saturday at 1 pm in the Demo area so come by if you want to see a little loom in action. I plan to tweet my adventures, so follow me for pics and updates.

Note to self: Go to Target tonight to stock up on “Adult Juice Boxes.”

Upcoming Shopportunities October 8, 2008

I can’t believe that I have waited this long to tell you… There is going to be another Color: A Fiber Festival in just a few weeks. It is at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley CA on Saturday October 18. If you didn’t make it last time, and you are in SF Bay area and have any interest in yarny or fibery pursuits, you have to stop by. There will be a few local vendors (including me!) so you can pet before you buy… Uh, I mean pet the fiber, not the vendors. There is also quite an assortment of very affordable classes from drop spindling to weaving on hand looms. What’s that you say? Tell you more about weaving on hand looms – sure thing!! I taught a similar class at the last Color, in the spring. I think everyone had a good time learning how to weave on some of my vintage weave-its.

Picture from flickr user Mrs. Knitwit

This year it is still just an intro to weaving, and students will get some practice, pointers, and a list of helpful resources. Students are welcome to borrow my looms for the duration of the class. BUT this year I will also have looms available to purchase. I have a few Hazel Rose Multilooms (readily available perfect substitute for weave-its and weavettes) and I will be letting go of a few of my vintage weave-it looms.

Sign up for any of the classes through the webpage, or check out the Ravelry Color group for more info (the ravelers are planning a potluck!).

Okay.. enough about fiber. Let’s talk about junk. It’s here… My favorite garage sale of the year. The El Cerrito city-wide garage sale. It is THIS Saturday, October 11 from 9 am to 3 p.m. A participant list will be posted on the City of El Cerrito webpage so that you can plan your shopping strategies. Keep in mind that you have to pay a small fee to be published on the map, so those are the serious garage-salers. Many more houses have sales and just don’t bother to pay to get n the map. This year, the neighboring city of Albany is having a sale on the same day, too. That’s a lot of shopping. Here is some of my loot from a few years ago. This year I am hoping to find an ice cream maker and a set of small bowls… And any random pyrex would be an awesome find. What are you gonna look for?

Event Report – Color: A Fiber Festival April 29, 2008

Saturday was a perfect day in Berkeley: Sunny and 75. It couldn’t have been a better time for Color: A Fiber Festival. I was a vendor at this event together with A Verb for Keeping Warm, Tactile Fiber Arts, and Pigeonroof Studios. (But I couldn’t have done it without Abby and my table wouldn’t have looked the same without her tweed chickens, so thanks!). The Verb and Tactile ladies are fiber show pros, and they have a ton of product. In my typical style, I am less professional and little more garage sale-y, but I try my best. I still could not resist capturing some of their setup in action. I took a photo of my little table.

I loved hanging out here and meeting other Ravelers and especially several of my blog readers. Hi Ladies – leave a comment!! I was tickled every time I met someone that I recognized from their Ravelry avatar.

The festival provided not only an opportunity to shop, but also several free classes. I taught two rounds of “Weaving on small hand looms” and was so happy that I had so many participants! A big high-five to everyone that was in my class! I hope you left with lots of ideas and that you aren’t all bidding against each other on ebay right now.

And just because I was selling doesn’t mean I wasn’t buying….

California Red Wool

Icelandic, Gotland and Wensleydale Wools
I sure hope there are more Color: Events in the future. Seriously, it was SO much fun. Thanks so much Sara for your awesome organizational skills!

Links

• I started a flickr Group so if you have photos on Flickr, send them over.
• There is also a Color: group on Ravelry
• Looms to go Ravelry Group

Doomed April 10, 2008

I fed a beetle to one of my carnivorous plants (a Cape Sundew).

If you live in the bay area and you want to buy some nice Carnivorous plants, you should stop by the UC Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale. It is Saturday April 26 from 10-2. Of course you should go there AFTER you stop by Color: A Fiber festival.

Fiber Festival Fun April 8, 2008

Just around the corner, on Saturday April 26th there is an exciting little fiber festival. Color Fiber Festival is taking place in Berkeley and will include fiber tastings (materials fee only) and free drop spindle classes. Several local indie dyers and crafters will be there including yours truly. I am looking forward to browsing some Pigeon Roof Studios fibers – can you imagine how nice it will be to see a bunch in one place?! I am particularly excited that A Verb for Keeping Warm and Tactile Fiber Arts will be there. They have the NICEST naturally dyed fibers. I’ve spun up all of my Yak and I need more!

You should definitely check out the session/class schedule – there will be fun things to do all day. I might sneak in there with a few weavette/weave-it demonstrations, and I’ll even let you give one of my looms a try!

If you have an hankering for anything in my shop, let me know and I will bring it and you can pick it up! You can even get recycled vinyl wallets from Abmatic as she’ll be representing with me.

Did I say how excited I am about this?? There is inside and outside space available so you can come and shop for fiber, hang out and spin, and even get lunch nearby! I hope I can sneak away to try out some fibers from Rare Wool Breeds.

So, will you be there?