More hand painted cashmere sock yarn

Last weekend I went home and dyed up the remaining skeins I had of the cashmere sock yarn! This is the remainder of what I ordered, and the shop I ordered from is now sold out, which is very unfortunate because I love this yarn. It's soft, squishy, fuzzy, and just plain luxurious. (I've written about it before here and here, about knitting with it) Here's a preview:

I'm really pleased with the way these batches turned out. I got a bottle of black food coloring, which didn't turn out black (the colors separate during the dyeing process), but instead some awesome shades of purpley and orangey brown.



The colorways in this batch are Canary's Song, Beach Surf, Parma Violet, and Green-Winged Teal. I'll be listing them over the weekend.

~Joyuna

What else I'm working on: Cashmere Coriolis Socks

These socks are... heavenly. I just finished the first one, and I might not ever want to take it off. It's the same cashmere-merino-nylon (20-60-20) sock yarn that I've dyed up in my shop. It's really fantastic to wear. It's fuzzy and quite warm, and just oh, oh so soft.

The pattern is Spiraling Coriolis from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways for Sock Knitters (part of my project to knit each of the pathways this year). I adore the look of this spiral sock, but a word of warning to anyone who might knit it: The spiraling bias ring on the sock is very inelastic compared to the rest of the sock. As you can see in the top picture, it's very tight around my leg, and this sock is a little hard to get around my heel. Had I not put in some extra calf shaping at the last minute, these socks wouldn't have fit.

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My latest obsession... handmade soap!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: opening an Etsy shop has led to me spending much more time on Etsy, which has led to much more buying on Etsy. Lately, as a quick browse of my favorites will confirm, I've been shopping for handmade soap.

Handmade soap is supposed to be better for your skin, and less drying, especially with ingredients like goat's milk and shea butter. I haven't had enough time to see results for myself yet, but something I love about these soaps are the variety and the sheer style of some of these bars. Check out one of my recent purchases:

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What I'm working on: Japanese Feather & Fan Shawl

Lately, with starting up the shop and all, I haven't really been blogging about what this blog is supposed to be about: Knitting! Truth be told, I haven't been knitting all that much lately. Between school, the shop, and everything else going on my knitting productivity has sharply decreased. I have been working on a pair of socks, as well as this: The Japanese Feather & Fan Shawl. Rav

I promise I'll take a better picture later, post-blocking. Really, the pattern is absolutely gorgeous and it looks much more complicated than it actually is. This pattern is for a curving semicircular shawl in eight sections. Because I'm using my one tiny skein of Buffalo Gold Lux bison yarn that I won in a raffle, I deleted one section on either end, which should reduce the yarn consumption and give me more of a true half-circle.

I only have 330 yards of buffalo yarn, and I'm not sure how far I will be able to stretch it. Hopefully it'll end up as a Swallowtail-sized shawlette that I'll be able to wrap around my neck, enjoying the feel of the yarn and looking fabulous while doing so.

The first 50 rows went by in a flash, as the first few sections of center-outward shawls tend to do. Now I've got quite a few stitches on my needles and each row completed is an epic achievement. I'll keep you posted as to whether I ever actually finish it, and how big of a shawl can you REALLY make with only 330 yards of lace yarn.

~Joyuna

Anniversary and Etsy Day Special

Three years ago today, in the early morning US time and the less-early morning UK time, my boyfriend and I became... My boyfriend and I. And if all goes according to plan, in about a year and a half I'll be starting grad school in the UK, with him finally by my side.

Happy anniversary sweetie.

By the way, since today is Etsy day, I'm offering 20% off one item when you place an order from my shop today. Just write 'Happy Etsy Day' in the message to seller. Happy Etsy Day! :) Tell all your friends about Etsy.com and encourage them to buy handmade.

~Joyuna

Review on CraftyBitch 101!

Rhonda over at CraftyBitch 101 has posted a great review of my shop in her blog. Not only do I like it because it's positive (:), but it also provides a really nice overview of the selection of items I have in the shop.

I've been reading CraftyBitch 101 for a while now, ever since I found it through Entrecard. It's a craft blog that's well worth reading. She covers a wide variety of topics, including upcycling, beadmaking, crochet, and more. And her writing is just plain fun to read.

"She Made Yarn", @ CraftyBitch 101

~Joyuna

Three Sachets knitting pattern now available!

It's been a lot of effort designing, writing out the instructions, editing, photographing, editing, laying out the pattern and editing again, but my new PDF knitting pattern, 'Three Sachets', is finally available.

You can either purchase it through my Etsy shop, for $4.65, or through Ravelry for $4.25. The difference in prices is due to Etsy fees. However, you can purchase the knit sachet pattern through Rav without being a Ravelry member. Just click the link below.
for US$4.25
If you would rather buy through Etsy, it can be found in the I made patterns section of my shop.
If you need a hard copy pattern, contact me privately and we can work something out.

This PDF contains patterns for all three - yes, THREE - knit sachet patterns: the Bag Sachet, Globe Sachet, and Pyramid Sachet. All are completely seamless! And in the round! They're easier than knitting socks. Much quicker, too. Just really perfect for using leftover scrap yarn. They are also a great opportunity to learn new techniques such as Judy's Magic Cast-On, making a twisted cord, and picking up stitches.

Yarn: A small amount (approx 30-50yds per sachet) of fingering weight yarn
Needles: US 2.5 / 3mm DPNs
Special Techniques: Knitting in the round, provisional cast-on

~Joyuna

Sneak Attack Treasury

I got featured in a treasury today, a collection of items from the shops of Sneak Attack victims. Thank you so much Winemakerssister!

Sneaky...



~Joyuna

Boyknit scarf: Best present ever.

Yesterday in the mail I got a big box of love. It was from the boy in England, for our third anniversary next Friday. Within the box was candy, a card with a wonderfully sweet note inside (I may have shed a tear), a stuffed owl, a mix CD... what more could you ask for?

How about a hug? A wooly hug.

I taught him to knit during spring break, and he sent me his first garter stitch scarf.



It's adorable, much like anyone's first garter stitch scarf. The edges are uneven, the stitches are looser at the beginning than at the end, there are odd holes... And it's made with love. And that makes it the best present I could ever imagine.

~Joyuna

Sheepy: The Story behind the Sheep

Supermodel. Mascot. Cuddlebuddy. He is a sheep of many talents, but who is Sheepy really?

Sheepy is the wooly mascot of I made yarn. He models my scarves, he poses in pictures and he's my best inanimate friend (he sleeps with me ;). Click below for more.

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Thank you to Kelly's Sewing Basket!

I want to send out a big thank you to Kelly, of Kelly's Sewing Basket, for this lovely apron I received in the mail yesterday. I was the winner of a giveaway on her blog.

She's currently having a sale to make room for new items, so if you're in need of an apron, a tote bag, a grocery-cart-handle-cover, or something else, do take a look!

~Joyuna

Joyuna's Etsy favorites, edition 3: Itty Bitty

Some people create dollhouses, some people paint with single-hair brushes, some people knit with wire and a magnifying glass. I have a fascination with all things miniature, and itty-bitty Etsy items are the theme of this edition of Etsy favorites.

I'm as much of a shopper as I am a seller on Etsy, so I spend a lot of time browsing the site and I have a large list of favorites. Out from my list I've combed for you four outstanding sellers with mini things to tickle your fancy.

Meowstro sells miniature hand-bound books, both blank journals and ones with art inside! Not only are these books teeny-tiny, they are also as beautiful as any full-sized book.

JOYouz's miniature calligraphy is wonderful. These are quotes done in brightly colored calligraphy, that you can wear around your neck. I've never seen anything like it before, and it's a really sweet way to carry a happy thought around with you.



I've always been a big fan of Spinsanity. As I've mentioned, Shannon is a wonderful person and she makes wonderful spindles. I own two of her spindles, and am waiting for an excuse to get another. When I do, I might have to partake as well of the fiber her daughter dyes, as well as the adorable keychain spindles, which really work.



Finally, MiniPotteryByAnita makes me go squee. Taking a look at her other shop you can tell she is as talented in full scale as she is in dollhouse scale. The tea sets really drive me wild. Awwww, look at 'em so cute!



Okay, I'm done squeeing. Time to get back to work - maybe I'll fashion some tiny limes.

~Joyuna

Spinning merino - no sweat!

I spun merino! On a drop spindle! And it wasn't even that bad.

Okay, I'll back up so the non-spinners can understand. Different breeds of sheep can produce drastically different kinds of wool. Merino wool is a very fine wool, very soft (for some wool-sensitive people, it's the only kind of wool they can bear), and very short staple length - that means the individual hairs are very short.
To read more, click below.

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Knitting with handspun yarn, part 2

This is the second part of a two-part article on how to knit with handspun yarn. For the first part, look here. Last time, I discussed the unique nature of handspun yarn, the different weight, density, and texture issues to take into account. In this post, I will be discussing plying and what makes handspun yarn so interesting to knit with. Click below.

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Happy Easter

As a dirty heathen, Easter doesn't mean very much to me (chocolate, fertility icons, Jesus). But if Easter is important to you, then I hope you have a happy one. And to the rest of you, happy Cadbury Egg Day.

~Joyuna

Knitting with handspun yarn, part 1

This is the first part of a 2-part article about how to knit with handspun yarn.

If you are learning to spin, or are patronizing a spinner (for instance, myself or any of the number of talented handspinners on Etsy and elsewhere), you quickly find out that the yarn you make by hand is quite distinct from the yarn you buy at a shop. Knitting with handspun can pose some challenges if you're used to knitting exclusively with commercial yarn. Here's what you should know.

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The name "Joyarna", and a quick cartoon

I did a Google search for "joyarna", and noticed something odd. Most of the results were about me and this blog, which is what I expected, since it's a name I made up. However, I also got a few results in Swedish. Huh?

Thanks to the international connections of the internet, I got a friend of a friend's answer that joyarna isn't really a word in Swedish, but if it were, it would mean something like "the joys". -ar is a plural ending, and -na is a definite article. Joy-ar-na = the Joys, in "Swenglish".

I looked back over my Swedish results, and they seemed to be gaming sites. They were talking about controllers...

Completely unintentionally, I believe that my blog's name means "the joysticks" in Swedish. :)

As to the actual origin, I made it up because my internet alias is Joyuna, and I talk about yarn. A portmanteau of the two most important things about the blog. Pretty simple, and hopefully descriptive. Though it probably doesn't garner as many Google hits as "Knitting Yarn Blog Website Knit Handknit Knitted Yarn Wool Blog" ;) But I've always been bad at search engine optimization.

And here's a morning funny for you:

~Joy has bedhead

Etsy favorites, edition 2: Geekery

Here comes edition 2 of Joyuna's Etsy favorites! This time, I am focusing on a theme: Anything geeky, smart, nerdy, and/or clever.

First off, CosmicFunPalace makes earrings and pins from Lego pieces (Star Wars and Harry Potter). Too funny! Imagine having some Storm Troopers dangling from your ears. You'd be the belle of the convention.

ClairePayne makes all kinds of adorable objects out of felt, including these adorable plushie planets. There's also amoeba and red blood cells. Shown: Sad non-planet Pluto.



Ruby42. Cross-stitch. Black and white, no mixing. Beautiful. Hurm.



Windtwirler's origami jewelry is too cute! There's an endless number of shapes, colors, and patterns too. Look around for a while and something will grab your attention for sure.



~Joy

Entrecard's new policies...

If you use Entrecard, you no doubt have noticed the changes implemented in the past few days. Entrecard has started using a paid ad system, where 50% of the advertising on your widget is an EC ad, and 50% is a paid ad for which we receive no compensation.

I have decided that, for the time being, I will not be accepting paid ads on my Entrecard widget. If I want to sell ad space on my blog, or indeed buy ad space, I will use my preferred advertising program, Project Wonderful. I know that these first few days of the new EC advertising program have been rocky, but I will not be participating in the system until they get it ironed out. They say they are "paying" us by putting in a new credit cashout feature, but nearly all of my credits go towards placing EC ads, so I do not really have credits to cash out. I will not let EC sell advertising space on my blog without compensating me for it.

If they make some changes to the paid ad system, great, I may accept paid ads in the future. But right now, with the system being the way it is (ie, a clusterfuck), I am letting the ads paid for with EC credits get 100% of their advertising time on my blog.

~Joy

Edited to add: It has come to my attention that some paid ads are still running on my widget. I had cancelled all my previously approved paid ads that were on my dashboard. I have made this known to Entrecard, and hope to get this fixed ASAP. I apologize to my advertisers.

Alethiometer Mitts: Free Knitting Pattern

Alethiometer Mitts

These fingerless gloves were inspired by the mitts Lyra wears in the Golden Compass movie. Last winter I improvised a pair with my handspun yarn, and now I've written up a pattern from my notes for anyone who's interested.
They are especially warm because of the flap that wraps around your fingers, and doubly so in the bulky wool/alpaca blend that I made the purple pair out of, Knit Picks Cadena.

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Some of my Etsy favorites, edition 1

One would think that selling things on Etsy would result in more making money than spending money - more selling than shopping... Right? Well, I'm afraid this simply isn't the case. Spending such a large chunk of time on a website that has thousands of so talented artists has resulted in more than a few orders and more than a hundred 'hearts'. These are some of the favorite sellers that I've encountered so far.

FeltFarm is an ENORMOUSLY talented needlefelter that makes all manner of fun items, from toys to earrings to hairsticks. I ordered a pair of Redwing Blackbird earrings, and they are simply gorgeous. Her creations are really beautiful and her shipping is fast.

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Some small updates

Happy April, all... I'm not pulling any pranks on you, because I don't enjoy being fooled myself. ;) Just posting a few miscellaneous things.

• All my sock yarns I have dyed so far are up, here, in the 'I dyed yarn' section of my shop.
  
• Thanks to all the Entrecard users who have visited this month, especially those who have commented. I really enjoy reading your comments! These are my top five droppers for last month:
  • Cheese and Chocolate
    
  • Beaded Tail
    
  • Split Rock Ranch
    
  • Movie Veritas
    
  • Gems by Jerri
• I am currently working on writing up some patterns, the first of which will be posted for free on this blog. Stay tuned for a free pattern for the Alethiometer Mitts, inspired by the Golden Compass film.
  
• After that, I will be releasing patterns for sale on Etsy and Ravelry for my knitted limes and knitted lavender sachets in three shapes. After that, I have a few other designs brewing in my head that I'll be working on that I may need test knitters for. Let me know if you are interested, and I will contact you when I have my patterns ready - one for a steampunk cardigan, one for a set of winter wear (a hat, cowl, armwarmers and legwarmers), and possibly a few different sock patterns.
  
• I have some Project Wonderful ads up for bidding if anyone is interested: Square ads on the sidebar, and half-banner ads at the bottom of the page.
  
• If you would like to be a fan of my shop on Facebook, you can do so here: I made yarn, by Joyuna. I post most of my shop-related news there.

That's it. Wishing you all a wonderful April!

~Joy