Home base

I'm trying to simplify a few things on the back end of the business, especially as we keep growing and getting busier. (Yay!) The less time spent doing other things means more time spent dyeing yarn:)

To that end, I'm switching my blogging efforts over to our website. It just makes sense to have everything in one place. And it's one less thing my little scattered brain has to remember to do. So, please join me over here...

October House Fiber Arts Journal

I'm also pretty consistent about posting to Instagram, so you can generally see what I'm up to, and what's been added to the shop over there...

Instagram

I grew this business out of this little blog, and I'm eternally grateful for it and YOU, since there wouldn't be any October House without you! So let's keep making and creating....:)

quiet colors

Spring is in full swing, but I'm still loving the soft and quiet colors

One of these days, I'm going to knit a sweater out of Par Avion (shown above). I'd love to knit the Classic Cardigan by Sandi Prosser from Vogue Spring/Summer 2015, but it calls for a DK weight, and I'd like to knit it out of fingering. Maybe a little math in my future:)

Of course, there are a few colors I think would look great in a sweater:

Wind that Shakes the Barley

Blithe Spirit

But before I get ahead of myself, I'd better finish up the sweater on my needles.

may days

I got the first whiff of honeysuckle today. Near the entrance to the park, there was some blooming...smelling sweet and just like summer.

We'll have tons of it blooming in the woods behind (and in front) of our house in the next week or so, and the entire neighborhood will smell heavenly! Of course, that usually means the heat and humidity are not far behind, but what are you gonna do?

I'm doing some projects around the house, as well as working on some new cross stitch designs. I hate to admit it, but the warmer weather is making me want to put my current knitting project aside. It's a sweater, and having it on my lap isn't exactly cool. Maybe I'll switch to a sock or some sadly neglected blanket squares:

I've got 40 or so squares done, but I think I need 100 or more for a lap size blanket. I tend to work on them in spurts, instead of trying to do one or two a week. Maybe that would be a better approach. I'll have to give that some thought.

There's also the quilt project, which is coming right along. Lots and lots of "pancakes" for a cathedral windows quilt:

I had hoped to have this done by now, but as you see...not done. It's at the top of the list of things to finish, so hopefully, I'll press on (ha!) and get it completed by the end of this month.

Perfect projects for warm spring days!

myst shawl

I finished my Myst Shawl back in early March and then promptly forgot about it until we headed off to PLY Away and DFW Fiber Fest.

I've worn it a few times now, especially since we had all that cold weather last week (brrr!), and it really is very lovely.

I'm always a sucker for a beautiful triangle shawl, and this one is certainly that!

Details:
Pattern - Myst Shawl by Melody Hoffman of Mandarines
Yarn - my own Sojourn Sock Yarn
Colorway - Blueberry Trifle
Needles - US4 (3.5 mm)
Yardage - I used 2 skeins (920 yards) and I used all but 20 or 30 yards of each skein, so I would say my final yardage was about 870.

weekending

Sewing away on a new bed quilt....

Stitching away on a cross stitch project....

Knitting away on a shawl and a sweater....

And enjoying a weekend of sunshine! Something we haven't seen in way too long!

work in progress

It's been a very nice start to the new year around here. I've been concentrating on establishing some new work routines that are in line with my goals (trying to look at the big picture here!) as well as build in more personal and home care time. So far, it's going well.

But fiber show prep is starting to take place, and that can be a crazy busy time. Especially this year, since the two shows we are doing (PlyAway 3 and DFW Fiber Fest) are on consecutive weekends.  That means we have to prep for both shows at the same time. Yikes!

Things will be a little quiet around here for a couple of months while I dye up a mountain of yarn and fiber:)

crafty plans

January...how I love it! A fresh start, a whole new year ahead of you.

The planner/list maker in me gets very giddy with all that blank canvas to fill up. Of course, I also love having a quiet month with no obligations. Just cozy and quiet evenings at home, with plenty of time to think and dream. And I've definitely done some planning and some dreaming!

I've got several exciting plans for October House, but you'll have to wait to hear about most of those later in the year.

Right now, I'm thinking about what I want to make this coming year. Of course, that gets blended with what I plan to make for the business, but I've also got several purely personal goals in the making department. First up:

KNITTING
Namely, sweaters. I need/want more sweaters in my personal wardrobe. And so does Jimmy. So sweater knitting will be the big focus for this year. My eyes are always bigger than my stomach - so to speak - but these are the patterns I'm looking at:

Stitch Sampler Sweater by Holli Yeoh in the Fall 2016 issue of Vogue Knitting

Granito by Joji Locatelli

Classic Cardigan by Sandi Prosser in the Spring/Summer 2015 issue of Vogue Knitting

a cardigan for Jimmy (still looking at patterns)

Silver Leaf Cardi by Hannah Fettig in the first issue of Making

V-Neck Cardigan by Julie Wiesenberger in the Winter 16/17 issue of Vogue Knitting

A couple of new hats and mittens for each of us would also be nice


SEWING
I can't get enough of sewing right now, so I'm running with it! Besides quilting and hand work, I'm eager to get back to garment sewing. I used to be quite the seamstress back in the day. I even made a lined blazer and slacks that I loved.

Not much call for pantsuits in my wardrobe needs today, but I would love to make a couple of blouses, some tunics and see if I can remember how to make a decent pair of pants.

This is an ambitious list, I admit, but here goes:

2 blouses (I have ideas, but haven't found any specific patterns yet)

2 pair of pants

4 pairs of pajamas

2 bed quilts

2 lap quilts that can also be tablecloths

2 tote bags (Riverside Tote and The Townie Bag)

6 project bags

6 pouches

2 english paper pieced baskets

a handmade collar and harness for Riley


CROSS STITCH & EMBROIDERY
Most of my cross stitch plans are for October House patterns, so they're kinda secret, but obviously I'm having a lot of fun with the knitting themed patterns, so that will continue.

I also plan to introduce a few non-knitting things this year, including a couple of larger pieces.


Whew! I think I'd best get busy.

2017 recap

Here's a little recap of most of my makes from last year:

I can see that at some point, I stopped taking photos of finished socks. Because I finished several pairs with no picture of the sock or the WIP. I also haven't taken a photo of my finished Cloud Burst Cardigan, even though I've worn it a couple of times already. 

Nor I have I gotten a shot of my finished Hollows shawl, which has become my favorite knit of 2017. I enjoyed knitting every stitch of it. The yarn felt wonderful, the pattern was perfect and the finished object is getting a lot of use right now. It's so big and squishy, I can wrap it around my neck 3 times...which I need during these 20 degree days! It never falls off, and it just feels so dreamy.

I'm also wondering where my sewing projects are. I mean, I know where they are in real life, but they are missing from my photos. Basically, I haven't been great about photographing all my crafty projects. I tend to get the ones that relate to the business, but the purely personal projects don't get any screen time:)

Hopefully, I can change that, since I have a lot of sewing plans this year. Next time I'll talk about my making/creative plans for this year!

end of year sale

don't miss our first annual Year-End Sale...happening now over on the website!

happy holidays

We're winding down the studio for the rest of the year, at least as far as dyeing goes. The rest of this week I'll be baking and making. In the kitchen mostly, but I'm also really enjoying sewing right now, so there will be some quilt making happening, along with stitching away on a couple of new cross stitch releases for next year.

BUT there is news.

We will be having our first ever Year-End Sale next week, beginning Thursday, December 28. I'm discontinuing a couple of yarns, so they will be in the sale. And just to clear the shelves, I'll be discounting every single skein in the shop! More details will be coming.

Have a wonderful holiday!

seasonal sights

We've decked the halls around here, and we're enjoying plenty of holiday movies, Christmas music, tree watching and eggnog sipping.

I've been bitten by a huge quilting bug, so I'm busy cutting fabrics, patching blocks and sewing. It feels good to visit my old friend, patchwork! I've even broken out the betweens needles and done some hand quilting!

I've got a new cross stitch release coming up, but after that it will "Christmas break" all the way! The new year promises to be very busy, so I'd better enjoy some relaxing days while I can:)

happy thanksgiving

The pie baking and bread making has commenced over here in our neck of the woods. So for everyone celebrating, Happy Thanksgiving!

a knitter's sampler

Thank you so much for the wonderful response to my newest cross stitch pattern! I had a lot of fun designing and stitching this piece, and it's so gratifying that you like it too. I think a lot of us spend our non-knitting time thinking about knitting...a lot. At least, I know I do. There's always some kind of woolly thought running through my head!

We've got more knitting themed patterns coming in the months ahead! Here's a little sneak peak of what's coming up next:

I've got lots more ideas running around in my head, now the trick is to get them out and into some linen and thread:)

getting up to speed

Oh, October, I love you! It has finally turned crisp and very cool here, and I am loving it. It's amazing to me how just a turn in the weather can make me so happy.

I'm knitting away on a few projects, including the never ending Cloud Burst Girl cardigan. Yikes! Seed stitch sleeves! But I'm nearly there (whew), and I'll have a versatile cardigan just in time for cold weather.

I've also cast on the Myst Shawl by Melody of Mandarines, and I'm completely smitten with it at the moment. I'm using my Sojourn Sock in Blueberry Trifle. This was an exclusive color for Little Skein in the Big Wool's Little Stitches Box. I'm really glad I held on to a couple of skeins for myself. It is just the perfect blue, even if I do say so myself:)

And now back to my regularly scheduled program. I've got a small backlog of dyeing to catch up on after my hospital stay. Because we all know the holidays will be here in a flash!

celebration mode

What a week it's been!

We've done lots of celebrating around here...and not only for October House's anniversary. I had a very unexpected trip to the hospital and a short stay in ICU, thanks to a blood clot in my lungs. Can you say "big surprise!"

But, I'm on the mend, home from the hospital, and well on the road to recovery. We're celebrating lots of things now: life, health, October, yarn, autumn, knitters, nurses, sunshine, husbands...just to name a few. I'm feeling very blessed.

The little collage above is one I made of some of our most popular Instagram photos, as well as few of my own favorites. It's hard to believe that it's been 4 years that I've been working at this little biz!

Shoot, I'm ready for 24 more!


P.S.  If you're not a newsletter subscriber, now is a great time to sign up! We've got celebrations going this month, and that includes special discounts, free stuff and a giveaway. Click here to sign up!