testing testing 123

i'm an aunty again!!

yep. another new nephew has been welcomed into the Werner family: Vincent Edward Werner, born April 29th, 2009. So, in honor of our newest nephew, and my new aunty-ness, we are having a Sale! And because i usually have a theme to the sales, this one is 29% off Everything in the Shop, because he was born on the 29th-- and that's a pretty good savings! Enter promo code: VW. this is no joke.

oh, hey.

garter stitch yoke sweater, originally uploaded by good little granola girl.

i forgot to tell ya'll that i finished a sweater. well, this is not news if you see the photos on ravelry, or if you follow my photostream on flickr. but what the heck, i'll talk about it here as well.

this is the garter stitch yoke sweater (rav link), designed by the very talented melissa LaBarre. i saw this in her ravelry before she got it published and knew that would finally be the right design to go with my beautiful beaverslide dry goods mctaggert tweed yarn.

i actually knit this twice. the first time i put in too many button holes, too close to the edge of the button placket. and because the buttonholes where put in-as-you-knit the entire sweater, i couldn't fix them too easily. well, i could have sewn them up and cut new ones in, but i couldn't bring myself to do that. so i pulled the whole thing out, and reknit it with buttonhole placement that was better from me.

i also really like the short(er) sleeve although the first night i was wearing it, i dunked the sleeve in the peanut butter spread for a sandwich. i know how to avoid that now. hehe.

and just when i think, whew, it's too hot for this sweater, it snows the next day, so it has gotten a lot of wear in just one month of spring.

in which i am not a steady blogger,

but very good a multi-crafting.

if there is anyone still reading, i've decided it's high time for an update. on stuff-- just stuff that's all. it's probably one of those list-type posts telling you snippets about stuff.

• the stinky sweater: recently while working away on sweater #2, alone, in the car one morning, i smelled something funky. old garlic smell. on my hands. then on my needles. and even more funk on the last few rows of my knitted work. image some on-looker: that lady is alone in her car smellin' her sweater. now i never! the only thing i can imagine is that i picked up my knitting post garlic-handling. i was either mincing it for cooking, or i had garlic bread with dinner, and the oil didn't come off my hands.

(are you still with me? i know this is very exciting.)

• i might run out of yarn: while working away on sweater #1, the notion dawned on me that i would likely run out of the lighter, cream colored yarn. i only purchased this yarn, um, 2 years ago so the thought of obtaining more made me stall. i knew i could get more. but i was feeling lazy. i finally ordered more, it has arrived and all is well.
  

• i love to sew: i have 3 quilts, count 'em: THREE! quilts in progress. one, i will confess, is 3.5 years late for a wedding present. the other two i started within the last two weeks: one for my on-the-way, due-any-day nephew. another for an upcoming wedding present (which i have sworn will be done in time. thank you, machine quilting). all of this quilting is to due to the quilt shops i found in Longmont. I can't believe I didn't know about them until now.
  

• more shopping: i love Fancy Tiger Crafts, in denver. i can only describe it as being able to walk into the craft section of the internets. being that i am a tactile person, i like to typically touch the things i buy: hold them in my hand, flip through the pages, feel the texture and weight of fabrics. Thus making some of the craft things not so fun to buy online. but walk into fancy tiger, and i am set! While there, i bought ysolda's whimscal little knits, organic cotton gingham, organic cotton sherpa and sublime stitching's i luv veggie's pattern. i tried to use restrant, since i would kinda like to walk out with one-of-everything, please. (and yes, i have transfered all the veggies on to fabric, gathered embroidery thead & hoop and i am ready to start another 'little project'.)
  

• um, there is this book of which i have developed a crush on. i fell in love when i saw these photos. people, you do the quilting as you sew the pieces to the batting! genius! i.am.determined.not.to.start.until.one.quilt.is.done. must not dive head first into plentiful stash of scraps. must not dash off for quilt batting. must finish one other quilt.

• i have lost two seam rippers in the craft-room, or the greater house area. so rather than stop a project, tidy and try to find one of them, i went to the sewing store and bought 4(!) more seam rippers. then i labeled each one and put them in the places i use them: sewing machine, serger, craft-couch and sewing tool box. when the other ones turn up, i'll have that many more in the 'reserves'.

• i made 2 more 'uniform' dresses. new, fresh and ready for the heat of summer. i made one while trying to resist starting that new patchwork quilt. tomorrow's another day full of temptations. must finish another quilt first!!!
  

• we drove to moab for some groceries. it's a terribly disappointing story having to do with very full camp grounds, full or expensive (!) motel rooms, and a whole night's worth of driving back home. ugh.
  

well, i think you are up to date. thanks for reading.

shop update: march 16, 2009

Good Morning! I would like to invite you all to wander over to the Shop to see all the new diapers that have just been added! Additionally, some diapers still remain On Sale. We hope you like what you see and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us!!

my new favorite picture of yarn

my new favorite picture of yarn, originally uploaded by good little granola girl.

i just thought i was share this lovely, soft, basket of wool with you.

mama & me, circa 1981

mama & me, circa 1981, originally uploaded by good little granola girl.

i'm not sure what i want to say here. just that i wanted to post this picture on March 8, one week from my birthday. i've been reminding myself to this on this day, so that i could get the timing just right.

also, a little reminder: the 28% off sale, at The Shop, ends today so if you wanted to order something for a great price, do it today. The sale includes 28% off items that are already marked On Sale (wow! cheap!).

i hope you all are enjoying March. I certainly am. I made myself (and the husband) a second birthday cake to keep the celebration going all week long. The weather has been unseasonably warm so there has been a lot of time spent outside as well. In some places the crocuses are up-- soon to be filled with snow i am sure.

as i type this i am listening to a wee bit of Irish fiddle, flute and pipes. St. Patrick's Day, another favorite holiday, will be here shortly. Another tasty meal and celebration and the baking of (american-ized) Irish Soda Bread. Did you know i used to be an Irish Step Dancer? My favorite part of St. Patrick's Day was performing this time of year-- at pubs, and senior citizen's homes. I love going to see them, because it didn't matter if you got your Steps mixed up. Most started to clap their hand and move their feet-- remembering their own happy times of lively dancing. Oh, the power of music.

okay, i'm kind of rambling and reflecting.

a tale of three sweaters

oh yes. i've been knitting. i also have a twinge of startitis.
sweater #1: milk/chocolate (tree line cardigan from purl bee), ecological wool, brown and cream. this sweater grabbed my must-knit-it-now feelings when i saw it floating around in my friend-activity on ravelry. i didn't know what yarn to knit it in though until i saw Kate's jailbird. i happen to have quite a stash of ecological wool on hand, meant for other projects that failed terribly. this is working up really fast since the one-row-striping method is a tiny bit addictive (and incredibly clever. it might be my new favorite knitting trick). i knit the sleeves in one weekend, while i wasn't feeling up for much else. it's going to be fine warm wool sweater when it's done.


sweater #2: the red sweater, my own design, cascade 220 in perfect shade of red.
this sweater kinda showed up in a dream. which lead to a must-go-to-the-yarn-store now! moment. tom actually picked out this fantastic shade. not to pinky. not to dark. not too bright. it's really hard to photograph the correct color. anyway, the plan is a raglan shaped cardigan, very simple, with heart shaped elbow patches. that's the key: the elbow patches. i was doing this sweater top down, and nearly had the whole thing done when i finally told myself the truth: the arm holes were too tight and so were the sleeves. i had 'winged' the numbers from another top-down pattern, but it didn't working out so well. i pulled the whole thing out, and decided to go with EZ percentage system and work it bottom up. I've done sweaters in that fashion before with beautiful results, so i figure it will work this time as well. Lately, Knitting Workshop has been a daily reference and travels everywhere with me.


sweater #3: garter stitch yoke sweater, beaverslide dry goods, wild mrytle.
i originally bought this yarn to make a sweater for my father but, realized the color was a bit too purple for him. i ended up getting my hands on some on some BDG yarns in charcoal for him. this yarn is wonderful. i made a husband a sweater with the same wool and some times when he isn't home, i wear his sweater. It's so darn cozy. I knew i needed to make myself a sweater with the yarn, but i've been waiting for just.the.right.sweater design. I've changed a few things however: the buttonholes (only doing six) and i want the neck line to be different, so i did a provisional cast on so i can go back and add some more rows, and shaping for a cozy fit.

and that's the knitting update.

happy birthday... to me!

cloth diapers: film photographs, originally uploaded by good little granola girl.

it's my 28th birthday today, Sunday March 1. And to celebrate, i'm having a wee sale over at the shop. everything, including On Sale items are 28% off until Sunday March 8 2009. Enter the promo code: birthday.

happy diapering!

hey, i know her! kinda. 'cause she blogs.

i'm feeling kind of star-struck. maybe that's not the right term. anyway, let me tell you why: the family i work as a nanny for has a subscription to Mothering magazine (well, the Mom does) and i often bring their mail into the house. Well, when i saw the cover (not up on their site just yet) i recognized it quickly... from Ravelry. Oh those Knitters on Ravelry! what a fun community. This is the rav link to the photograph on the cover- the girl with the crystal blue eyes!

then i continued to look at the cover and noticed the issue is focused on crafts, handmade and some crafty moms (naturally). Well, low and behold, those crafty moms are some of my favorite (!!!) daily blog reads: Amanda Blake Soule of SouleMama, Amy Karol of Angry Chicken and Sally of Shim + Sons.

Of course, I don't know these women personally, but the medium of blogging, especially with a post everyday, certainly makes me feel like i know them (i hope that isn't creepy). I have been following some of these blogs for years now and thoroughly enjoy what they have to say and share. and i love that they invite us into their homes, to see their children grow and change and share their daily thoughts with us. all of us readers. Seeing them featured in Mothering Magazine made me really happy and a little bit of that feeling of "i know her!"

thanks ladies. i'm so happy to see you in the pages of the magazine and to be able to read your blogs each time you post. You often make my day and give me limitless inspiration.

ten things i didn't blog about

1. CPSIA National Bankruptcy Day: february 10th 2009. and the press conference i attended that day. hosted by the best cheerleader a small business could ask for.
   
2. making yummy strawberry rice-krispie treats. yes, i eat like a 7 year old.
3. the gnomes i made for Gnome swap on ravelry. you can see them here. i have yet to photograph the gnome i received.
   
4. my almost-finished garter stitch yoke sweater (rav. link). it was finished until i realized i didn't want 12 buttons on it (i messed that one up.). and then i couldn't bring myself to cut (a la elizabeth zimmermann) button holes into it. so i pulled the whole thing out. and now i am doing it again... with six button holes.
   
5. the 3rd time i have strep this season. ugh.
6. the loverly valentine's day i had.
   
7. how much i enjoy the 'contacts' section of my flickr account and the 'friend activity' on ravelry.
   
8. the time i spend watching #CPSIA on twitter . but now i do it fast with TweetDeck
   
9. missing my self inflicted dead-line for having a red sweater finished by 2/14-- complete with heart-shaped elbow patches.
10. having several diaper orders from here and here.
    
11. (one more for good luck) seeing a former boulder knit-night knitter, kate gagnon & her newish business in KnitScene. congratulations!
    

um? what knitting.

i was just putting together a post about, you guessed it, diapers. and the fun new shop i have.
but then i went looking back over the recent posts and, ugh! where is the knitting? no fun at all.
i have been knitting. i just haven't been documenting said knitting with photographs.
so. i'm not going to post any pictures, until they are knitting pictures and i write a proper knitting post. because, i really would like to share that stuff with you too.
bye.

CPSIA blog-in

oh, yes, another post that is CPSIA related. Don't you all wish The Law Makers of Congress would hurry up and change, amend or repeal it, already!! so that i would stop blogging about it. I mean really!?


today is BLOG IN day, an idea from the Etsy community which is a big voice in the battle for a change to the CPSIA. So for my contribution i have a few words-- well i have more than a few. I have a few points, let's say.

I feel strongly about needing a change to the testing requirements simply because of how it affects Handmade and here is why:

• hand making things has always been a part of my life. there is value in learning to make items or clothes or home made food. there is value in knowing how these things are made and taking pride in what one can do with one's hands and body.
  
• hand-work is a part of my everyday. how lucky am i that someone would want to buy it!
  
• handmade is typically done in small batches. Small, thoughtful and carefully done batches.
  
• handmade is supported by other people who VALUE handmade. just like the people who make things because they enjoy the process, people who buy handmade like knowing who made it. It also has value because hand-made is now more of a luxury than a necessity. There was a time when handmade had little value because it was cheaper to make something than purchase it. One is no longer considered poor because one's clothes are handmade.
  
• handmade has added value because so much of our stuff is mass made, in factories, overseas. The handmade items we have in our homes often have special places, memories and stories. Obviously, I can not hand-make my cell phone, my television or even this here computer i type on. I know that I can't make it all, but what i can make i try to. And then I try to share that with others. And with this law, I feel penalized (by the outrageous prices and time consuming paper work) because I want to sell something hand-made.
  
• Hand-made holds memories, thoughts and personality.
  

I think what i am trying to get at was best said by a ceramics teacher I once had. While making a pot he commented on the value of hand-thrown pottery. Of course I can not remember his exact quote, but to sum it up he said: hand made items will always be valuable because people will pay to have something hand made. Why? I asked. Because the more we (we, the society) embrace and depend on technology, become more fast paced and impatient, and no longer learn trades for a living will still want something hand made in our homes (it makes us feel safe and comforted. It speaks to our senses.) and we will pay for it rather than take the time to learn how to make it (because come on ya'll, you know it takes years to master a hand-work trade or skill).

so that's my post for today's Blog In. I don't want to complain about the law. I'm no longer very confused. I got my XFR testing done for my products. I feel 'okay' until August. But I also don't feel marvelous about this law. It's disappointing: i'm disappointed that Law Makers didn't take the time to think of how damaging this would be. I'm disappointed that Big Toy Companies didn't value their products and let the lead levels get too high for children. I'm disappointed that small businesses are already closing because of this.

today, I have diaper making to do. But i also am ready to stuff envelopes with letters to Congress, the CPSC (even though their hands are tied) and the media. I'm so thankful for the great community that has come together .

thanks for reading.

just a blog post

i'm having one of those i-feel-like-blogging-but-don't-know-if-i-have-much-to-say moments. i do have things to say actually.

• i am currently packing my list of items to be XRF tested tomorrow. somehow, in a meant-to-be-situation, i was invited to be part of a group of local business owners/manufactures getting XRF lead testing done for a small fee. i feel so lucky to have been asked to be part of this testing, since i wasn't quite sure what kind of plan i was going to come up. Turns out, a plan just landed on my computer via Twitter (how i adore thee!). The testing will be valid through august 2009. but i'm still hoping the CPSIA law will get changed, if not totally repealed

• i got an order for cloth diapers from being on the news. did you watch? did you laugh at me?
  
  
• i have a new store front. Now it's easier than ever to purchase Aunty Em Diapers via Big Cartel. i'm still working on filling in the inventory but so far, so good. and i really like the Big Cartel format.


• i got a new serger. i'm still getting used to sewing on it but, i really enjoy it. the cloth diaper production is going to be much quicker with the new serged-edges compared to what i was doing before. and the possibilities for future projects feels limitless. Finished egde? Here I come!



• taking a zillion photographs of my paper-whites. they were so cool to watch while they grew and changed. they have past their peak now, and are totally unmanageable. such a lovely arrangement to have on the table despite cold temperatures and nothing but brown 'foliage' every where in site.



• Knitting: i am managing to get some done, despite non-stop CPSIA watches and sewing. I am working on the garter yoke cardigan (rav. link) from the winter issue of Knit.1. But i don't have any progress pictures to share with you at the moment.
  

my t.v. news interview!

i know, i know. you want to read about knitting. or some other project i have going on. like canning (oh! by the way, i heard from a buyer at a local store that carries Ball brand jars, you know for canning, that sales at Ball are up 300%! crazy huh? that's why the size jar i want has been out of stock for months!) any way, I'm sure the CPSIA news will calm down in February, but right needs the news and awareness needs to be large and strong. So I am thrilled to share with you my 15 minutes of fame related to CPSIA. I was interviewed today for 9news/KUSA here in Colorado and the story aired today. I'm thrilled. I've been a twitter all day. And for those of you blog readers whom i have never met, now you can see and hear me. Isn't that fun?

Enjoy! and if you haven't taken any CPSIA action yet, please do. We need your support and your children (or nieces, nephews or friends) need your support. Thanks. and yes, I do have knitting to share with you in an upcoming post.

on the local news

the CPSIA is getting to be big news with lots of questions. And i am no expert, at all. but i have been trying to be vocal about it so people become aware of the new law that takes effect February 10th. Mostly it makes me sad to see such a wide and ill thought-out law take effect on so many people and small businesses. With that said, I'm also happy to know that my diapers were featured on the local news today. I'd love for you to a take a moment or two to watch-- just because local news is fun, and I'm on it. And it might be interesting if you are interested in the CPSIA.

gingerbread girl

i'm kind of behind on the holiday-project blogging, but christmas is a season (the lesson i learned this year) so why not share!

i made this gingerbread girl from Alicia Paulson's Ice Skating Afternoon pattern. I found it while searching for holiday felt ornaments on flickr-- looking for inspiration. i pondered over whether or not i should buy it for 3 days. Three Days! I've developed quite a little crush on this Gingerbread Girl. I made this one for my mother but, i think i'm going to have to make one for myself (for year-round enjoyment) when i need a little project.

i hope you and yours had a merry holiday season and enjoying the New Year.