Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Something You Might Like - State Fair Ribbons!

I know, there State Fair was over a month ago, but I just had to share this picture.  There are actually 8 ribbons in total, but I guess they ran out of 5th place ribbons for my goat, ZZ Top.

In other news, my husband was inerviewed by a local news station.  Here is the link to the video- http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2011/11/scottsdales-small-businesses-welcome-national-day-of-shopping-local/  Yess, that is me standing next to him. :)

Keep Crafting!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Sari Silk For Spinners

I have been ogling this spinning fiber for a long time, wondering when I would ever be able to add it in to the store.  So, here you go.  Recycled Sari silk for spinners!  


Beautiful multicolored recycled Sari Silk for spinners.  Wonderful colors, great for blending.  Recycled sari silk is from Nepal and India.  Leftover silk fabric from making saris is sent to Nepal for processing in small villages.  Impoverished women in Nepal are given the opportunity to improve their lives and give them a way to make a living that is sustainable.  You are supporting these women by purchasing this fiber.

Happy Spinning!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF

Monday, November 28, 2011

Something You Might Like - Small Business Saturday Pictures

Thought you might like this.  We started off Small Business Saturday with the Mayor of Scottsdale coming in to our shop with an entourage so he could purchase a pen from a small business and sign the document proclaiming Small Business Saturday.  There was lots of fun and chaos a few feet down from our pen shop for several hours.  I thought I would share my pictures with you.  Remember, it was 75 degrees here on Saturday, but everyone looked like they were having a good time.  

Carolers
Big Elves
Sponsor table
Mr and Mrs Claus arrive......
with an adorable elf!
Arizona Beagle Rescue
Arizona Beagle Rescue
Sigh, yes, that's my finger in the picture,
An adorable Shop Small elf!
Right outside our shop door
Sorry for the blurry shot, but I had to share this festive pooch!  (It's not mine)
Happy Small Business Monday!
Regards,
Karen
OPYF

Sunday, November 27, 2011

One Planet Yarn and Fiber Cyber Monday Sale Starts Now!



One Planet Yarn and Fiber Cyber Monday Sales Event!


What's Happening?

Greetings All!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend!  Here is the Cyber Monday sale.  I hope you find the gift that you are looking for the fiber arts person in your life, even if that is you!
The Cyber Monday offer is 15% off all worsted weight yarns currently in stock and listed below.  Sale ends Tuesday, November 29th at midnight. And remember, there is free shipping on all orders over $15.00 in the USA.  Flat rate shipping of $7.99 for all international orders.  I think I have finally repaired the code for that.
Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom for Cyber Monday offers!

Don't Forget!

The One Planet Yarn and Fiber My Rewards program is in effect.  From September 15th until December 31, 2011 for each purchase you make, excluding tax and shipping, you will receive one point for each dollar spent.  There is nothing that you have to do to participate in this program.  Every dollar you spend counts as a point.  After 30 days the points will be released into your account for you to use.  Once you reach 100 points you can begin to start redeeming points against purchases.  You can let the points build up or you can spend them every time you reach 100 points.  There is no limit to the number of points you can accrue.  Once the accrual program ends on December 31, 2011 you will have until January 31, 2011 to redeem them.  After that point, any unused points will expire.  The points that are redeemed are converted into a gift certificate for you to use at any time.  The certificates do not expire.

Gift Ideas!

There are great ideas for the yarnie in your life at One Planet Yarn and Fiber!  First, if you can't figure out what to buy, we offer gift certificates in any denomination.  On a budget?  We have gift ideas starting at under $5.00 such as these new items!:  ChaioGoo Limited Edition knitting needles, scarf kits from Jade Sapphire and Schaefer Yarns!

Please Help And Gift Others!

We at OPYF this holiday season are supporting an organization called the Orphan Foundation of America The Red Scarf Project - Foster Care for Success Program.  Children that go through the foster care system often face challenges getting the education they need to lead happy and productive lives. The Foster Care for Success program gives scholarships to further the education of kids who would not have the money to continue their education.  In 2005 the Foster Care for Success program began sending the kids that were attending college or vocational schools a Valentine's Day care package.  These kids often don't have family or parents who would send care packages to them.  So, to show that someone cares - packages are sent with treats including a red hand knitted or crocheted scarf.  You will find all the information about this on the blog - Please Help! Red Scarves for Charity I have not received any scarfs yet, so no prizes are posted yet.
Please Remember!

November 30th Blog Contest!  Enter to win a brand new color skein of Lanas Puras Melosa Fingering and a set of Lantern Moon Stitch Markers!  How do you enter?  By going to the blog picking your favorite names for the new colors by November 29th.  Please make sure that you leave me your contact information or I will be unable to send out this prize to you.  One winner will be drawn on the morning of November 30th by the online random number generator.  Good Luck, and remember, if you don't win this time, there will be plenty of other opportunities to win something coming up this fall and winter.  Good Luck!

What's New?

The fiber section has moved in the store to City Girl's Fiber Farm.  Why?  Because I am expanding that area to include my new City Girl CSA Fiber Farm!  I felt it needed to be reworked and this area will be updated as time allows.  ChiaoGoo single and double point needles and of course the other items mentioned earlier in the gift section of this newsletter.  Whenever I am online you can just send me a message through Live Chat and I will answer your questions for you.

What's Next?

More colors and yarn tyoes are due in from Schaefer Yarn Company.  City Girl's CSA Fiber Farm.  Sari Silk for spinners.  


Don't Forget! 

Please sign up for the One Planet Yarn and Fiber Blog to receive news more than a few times a month.  I post there several times a week.

Blogs you may have missed-



    Other Important Things

    Make sure to visit the "What's New" and the "On Sale" section of the site as I add items here regularly! Join the Facebook Fan Club and be able to chat with other OPYF fans.  Read The Blog about all of the new items that are being added to One Planet all the time -I have many new yarns, fibers, patterns and more from around the world.  Please join the Ravelry group!  If you haven't joined yet, please do and then post an introduction on the thread titled  "Introduce Your Self!".And please join the mailing list for monthly special offers and news!  I send out at least one monthly newsletter with different offers each month. I never share your name or private information. I use it only for the newsletter.


    Don't forget that Arctic Qiviut Sock yarn is on sale through the end of the year at 17% off.  Only 2 skeins left! Use Coupon Code: ARCTIC17


    This Week's Special?

    HAPPY HOLIDAY SALE! FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS OVER $15.00 IN THE USA!  NO COUPON CODE NEEDED  $7.99 FLAT RATE SHIPPING ON ALL INTERNATIONAL ORDERS.  SALE ENDS AT MIDNIGHT ON DECEMBER 21ST.  Let me know if you have any trouble with the shipping so I can adjust it on my end.

    Please let me know if you have any problems with the codes!


    All in stock worsted weight yarns!  Use Coupon Code: WORSTED15  Ends Tuesday, November 29th at midnight.


    Yarns included in sale are:


    Artyarns Beaded Mohair and Sequins
    Be Sweet Magic Ball 
    Farmhouse Yarns Cotton Blossom
    Fleece Artist Lanica
    Hand Maiden Lady Godiva
    LaLana Wools Streakers
    Lanas Puras Melosa Clarissa and Worsted Weight
    madelintosh merino
    Natural Dye Studio Dazzle Worsted
    Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd's Wool


    **Important-Discounts are not retroactive.  If you placed an order last week or the week before, we are sorry, we can't credit you now.  Discounts must be taken at the time of order.  Please do not write us after you placed an order and ask us to apply a discount.  We are sorry, but we just can't do it.  If you need help, please email us before you place your order.  In addition, these special offers are only valid for in-stock items.  They are not valid for special orders for new colors or yarns that we might not have in stock yet.  Excludes spinning wheels, OPYF Clubs and items already listed on the sale page.  Orders placed for unqualified merchandise will be refunded back to you.

    Best Regards,
    Karen
    OPYF

    Ethnic Knitting by Mary Glendinning


    When I was growing up in Canada many people wore what are now called, "Cowichan Sweaters".  You may be more familiar with the old Mary Maxim patterns of the 50's and 60's that many people knitted instead.  The Mary Maxim patterns were sometimes called "curling" (as in the sport) sweaters and they often had a motif on them, such as horses, deer or other animals or birds.

    The true Cowichan sweaters were knitted by the Salish People that live in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, Canada.  These women began a tradition of knitting sweaters with yarn they spun themselves and used only the natural colors of the sheep.  The sweaters are traditionally done in natural white, dark brown, grey and black and featured geometric designs.   The designs were made up by the knitter at the time the sweater was made and often no patterns were written down.

    These sweaters were knitted holding six strands of thin roving (yarn that has not be spun yet) together making a very heavy sweater.  Sweaters were knit in the round from the bottom up with raglan sleeves and a shawl collar.  The lanolin was left in the roving to help the sweaters be somewhat waterproof in the very damp and wet climate of the island.

    Other residents of the island soon began noticing these beautiful and warm sweaters and it wasn't long before people began purchasing them and they became something of a cottage industry, bringing money in for the women that knitted them.  Of course, with all great things, someone decided to begin writing patterns and producing yarn so that all knitters could make the sweaters themselves.  White Buffalo Yarns of Canada produced the yarn for many years but went out of business a number of years ago when the sweaters were no longer in style.

    When the Winter Olympics came to Vancouver in 2009, the Canadian team came out at the opening ceremonies decked out in "Cowichan Sweaters" and began a resurgence in interest for these sweaters.  Unfortunately, it was discovered that the sweaters were actually not made by the Salish people, but were mass produced in Japan, causing a huge outcry from knitters and non-knitters alike!  The "Cowichan" inspired sweaters were sold in department stores as the real thing.  After a great uproar the government now requires the true "Cowichan" knit sweaters to carry tags of authenticity so that someone purchasing a sweater knows they have the real thing.

    Like many other Canadians I have decided to knit myself a "Cowichan" inspired sweater.  I am almost finished the back - here is a picture.

    So many of us have traditions in knitting from all over the world.  Aran sweaters, fair isle knits, Swedish lace, the list goes on and on.  We should be proud of these traditions and as knitters we should strive to make sure that they continue.  If you are interested in more information on the Cowichan sweater there is a great group on Ravelry called - Cowichan Inspired.

    Regards,
    Mary Glendinning
    OPYF

    Saturday, November 26, 2011

    Wow! Beautiful ChiaoGoo Needles Just In Time For Gifting!


    I was offered a chance to restock my ChiaoGoo needle selection and I was so pleased with what I saw that I loaded up the selection where I could.  These needles are so beautifully crafted and sell for a reasonable price.  Just in time for the holidays!


    Double Points
    Available in Natural color (5"/13cm, 6"/15cm and 8"/20cm) and Dark Patina color (6"/15cm and 8"/20cm). Needle size is permanently laser marked on the needles.
    "Find A Cure." Breast Cancer Single Points
    Westing Bridge will donate a percentage of "Find A Cure." sales to Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), a non-profit organization focusing on assisting women at all stages of diagnosis, treatment and recovery. Visit www.LBBC.org to find out more about this organization. "Find A Cure." 9-inch (23 cm) single points are embellished with a pink miracle bead. The design is transferred (NOT painted) and guaranteed to not come off on your yarn.
    Limited Edition
    9" Blue Flower Single Point.  These are an all bamboo needle underneath a beautiful printed blue flower pattern.  Available in sets or as single pairs.
    BAMBOO FACTS:
    1.  Bamboo is a grass! There are more than 1,000 different species of bamboo in the world. More than half of them grow in China.
    2.  Moso bamboo is the largest and strongest bamboo.  It is mostly grown in China (6.7 million acres), but can also be found in Japan (1.2 million acres).  ChiaoGoo needles and hooks are made from Chinese Moso bamboo.
    3.  Bamboo grows very fast!  A new bamboo stem grows to a full length of about 75 feet in only a few months and matures to hardness in about 5 years.  Believe it or not, in the spring you can actually hear the bamboo growing!  It sounds like an army marching through the forest!
    4.  One mother bamboo plant can create several new stems each year.  A single acre of bamboo forest can be harvested year after year not only for mature bamboo, but also for new bamboo shoots which have a long history of use in the traditional Chinese kitchen.  It is truly a fast, renewable resource!
    5.  BTW, Moso bamboo that ChiaoGoo needles are made from is not the same species that panda eat!  Panda eat much smaller bamboo species! 
    MORE BAMBOO NEEDLE FACTS:
    1.  Because bamboo is quickly renewable, using bamboo needles is environmentally friendly.
    2.  Bamboo needles are approximately 60% lighter than aluminum needles of the same size, making knitting more comfortable.
    3.  Bamboo needles are very strong.  Fibers under the bamboo's skin are extremely elastic and have tensile strength comparable to steel!
    4.  Knitters can benefit from the warmth and natural feel of the needles.


    Happy Knitting!
    Regards,
    Karen
    OPYF

    Friday, November 25, 2011

    Something You Might Like - Cat Bordhi and Jean deCoster

    During the last few weeks I was privileged to take a few different classes with some very special teachers.  

    The first class was November 9th and it was given at Tempe Yarn.  One of my favorite sock knitting gurus, Cat Bordhi, was teaching her new Sweet Tomato Heel class.  I had a great time in spite of the fact that I had a bad cold.  My husband, Jay, kept telling me to rest at home until the day of the class.  I had a really good time, but I did leave an hour early to go home and rest.  Below are pictures from the Cat Bordhi class.  I have the joy of taking 2 more classes with her in January!

    Cat demonstrating mother and daughter stitches
    Helping students
    Getting autographs!

    My handspun superwash that I used for my sock
    Sweet Tomato Heel
    Last Friday I again had a chance to take a couple of classes with the wonderful Jeane deCoster of Elemental Effects at The Fiber Factory.

    The first class I took with Jeane was here Two Fisted Knitting class.  We used Jeane's Shetland yarn to kearn to knit using both hands to learn how to knit Fair Isle.  Once I understood how to hold the yarns I was off and knitting!
    Jeane explaining to us about steeks
    Following the pattern
    Separating the two colors to knit
    Close up right side
    Close up wrong side
    Showing the two colors
    The second class I took with Jeane was called Spinning Fast And Furious.  We learned to perfect spinning woolen to achieve a lofty thicker yarn.
    Jeane assisting students with hand placement
    Fellow classmates
    One of my singles
    Jeane using my bobbins to demo how to ply
    More plying
    I am still plying my singles.  I'll share pictures once I'm done with all 3 of m class projects.

    Happy Holiday Weekend!
    Regards,
    Karen
    OPYF

    Thursday, November 24, 2011

    Jade Sapphire Scarf Kits Now Available!

    One Planet Yarn and Fiber is will now be carrying yarns from Jade Sapphire.  This company is known for the wonderful, luxurious fibers they use to make their yarns.  There are many more yarns coming from Jade Sapphire, but I wanted to get this out to you before the holidays in case you wanted to give this as a gift.

    Want to knit a scarf for a present for that special someone in your life, even if that someone is you?  Here is the perfect kit for you!  Jade Sapphire has put together a wonderful cashmere scarf kit for her or him, although these kits can be used for anyone, I think.  The colors are so lovely and the yarn is so wonderful next to the skin.  Each kit comes with enough yarn to make a scarf as well as a booklet with 7 different patterns for her or him.  You can use the booklet that comes with this or you can knit any scarf pattern that you have fallen in love with that matches the yardage in this kit.  So, each kit includes 4 skeins of handpainted 100% Mongolian Cashmere yarn for a total of 350 yards in worsted weight, the booklet with 7 patterns and a handy, clear plastic pattern bag.  But wait!  There's more!  My gift to you!  A pair of Lantern Moon Rosewood knitting needles in either a size 8 or a size 9 for her or 8-10 for him to knit this scarf with, while supplies last!  These needles usually sell for $21.00 a set.

    Happy Gifting!
    Regards,
    Karen
    OPYF