Free Printable 8x10 Yarn Wall Art for Crocheters, Knitters and Fiber Crafters

"You Can Never Have Too Much Yarn" FREE Printable PDF 8 x 10 inch Wall Art for the Fiber Lover!

Whether you knit, crochet, weave or just have an obsession with using yarn in your craft projects, this free fiber crafter's wall art print is right up your alley. Simply click the link below

Preparing my yarn and hooks for crocheting

Do you like to Crochet? 

prepping my crochet hooks and yarn stash for making holiday gifts

A few weeks ago, I had an outpatient surgery - actually it was my second one this year. This time though, the recovery time has been a little more intense with the first two weeks basically bed rest and the following six weeks sedentary with no lifting or exercise. For a usually active, goal-driven person like myself, I knew up front that the recovery time would be quite challenging. I decided to prep for one of my favorite sedentary crafts - crochet!

A week before surgery, I went through all my yarns, separating out bulky from worsted weight and cotton yarns. I also downloaded and printed a bunch of crochet patterns from Lion Brand and Red Heart yarn sites putting them in binders to flip through. I also like the assortment of adorable crafts on Repeat Crafter Me - great, printable patterns that are free! I have a few of those printed out too.

My printed patterns to keep me busy include a wide variety of hats, cowls, mittens, amigurumi and Christmas ornaments & decor. The plan is to make a bunch of handmade gifts for friends and family. We'll see how it goes. Hopefully, it will keep me seated and out of trouble while I'm healing. (My doctor stressed the importance of not going crazy with housekeeping or DIY projects!)

Later in the month, I'll try to post some of my creations along with pattern links so you can see what I've been up to during my sedentary recovery time. Do you crochet? Or knit? If so, do you make holiday gifts? How early do you like to get started? Let know in the comments what projects you're up to.

And for inspiration, please follow my Crochet Cuteness and Winter Wearables boards on Pinterest. Or just follow me for all my crafty pins!

For wool roving, spinning fiber and equipment, hand spun yarns, and classes in the Kansas City area, check out the Woolgathering in Lexington, Missouri

Even though I live near Kansas City, it is still difficult to find local sources of wool roving, spinning equipment, and fiber classes.  There are several yarn shops and chain hobby stores that carry a wide variety of ready-made yarns, but there are very, very few places to find actual wool roving and spinning supplies as well as classes.

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 On facebook the other day, I happened upon just such a shop in Lexington, Missouri, called Woolgathering.  My husband was very sweet to take me and the baby girl for a little Saturday afternoon drive to check it out.  I was extremely happy with what I found.  It is an awesome fiber shop!  The shop carries all kinds of fiber arts supplies and equipment and even offers classes on spinning, knitting, and crochet.   It also has very reasonable prices.  I left there with a bag full of roving and know that I'll be back for more.  Also, Lexington is really a sweet little town with oodles of charm.  I could see making a day trip of it to explore the downtown area and eat there.  (Although, it isn't too far for a quick trip for supplies either.)  When you get the chance, I highly recommend that you go check out Woolgathering for yourself.  If you are a fiber artist or fiber junkie of any kind local to the Kansas City area, I think it is well worth your drive time.

Some more additons to my fiber equipment - a Mother Marion Kick Spindle and a Lazy Kate

Although I consider myself primarily a traditional feltmaker and always will, I have decided that I'd like to become a more well-rounded fiber artist.  Part of this endeavor is to learn to spin yarn.  I had a spinning class a little while ago and realized how much I enjoyed the process of making hand spun yarn.  Unfortunately, I can't afford a spinning wheel right now.  I just invested in a beautiful Fancy Kitty drum carder and must wait a while to purchase a wheel.  In the mean time, I am making some smaller investments on fiber equipment including a kick spindle and a lazy kate.

I have used my drop spindle off and on, but I feel a bit uncoordinated on it so I decided to invest in a Mother Marion style kick spindle from Heavenly Hand Spinning.   I bought their Little Meggie in Oak kick spindle.  I've only used it a few times now and am still adjusting to how it feels.  It is faster than my drop spindle and allows both of my hands to be free for spinning so that I can practice drafting as you would on a spinning wheel.  I personally like to use it standing up and kick the spindle with my right foot.  It is a bit of a balancing act at times, but undoubtedly a great workout too.  Overall, I like my experience with the spindle so far.  It is quite heavy though and a bit clunkier feeling than using a drop spindle.  It will slide around if you don't brace it well.  I put plastic furniture tabs on the bottom of mine to keep it in place on my hardwood floors as I use it.   It also has a tendency to tip and slip out of its ball bearing.  These, in my opinion, are very minor design flaws considering the overall craftsmanship and beauty of the piece.  I think the base could be wider to avoid the instability.  I may end up attaching it to a wider board myself eventually.  For now, I am satisfied with my kick spindle.  It is a happy medium between using a drop spindle and a spinning wheel.  The truth is that I'd prefer to just have my own spinning wheel right now.  Eventually, I will, but there is some saving of funds to do first.  If you are in the market to buy a kick spindle, I recommend checking out this blog post by Knitting Dragonflies.  It has information on different kick spindle brands as well as a good review of how one works.

The other piece of equipment that I purchased is a handmade lazy kate from a little shop on Etsy called bigfam15.  It is made out of recycled oak from a church pew.  (I just love that!)  It was also significantly less expensive than comparable name brand lazy kates on the market.  I must say that it doesn't sacrifice any quality though.  It far exceeded my expectations in its craftsmanship, functionality, and overall beauty.  It also shipped very quickly and was well packaged with a sweet hand written thank you note.  This lazy kate was completely worth the money and an absolute little gem of a find if you ask me.  I have tinkered with it a bit and really look forward to using it with my hand spun yarns.

The Fruit of My First Spinning Class... A Sweet 2-ply Hand Spun Yarn!

Today I had my first spinning class and learned to make hand spun yarn on a wheel.  In the photo above is the fruit of my labor.  The yarn that I made today is 42 yards of 2-ply with wool and silk fibers mixed.   The six hour class was somewhat exhausting both physically and mentally, but I learned quite a lot.  Overall, I was satisfied with my learning experience.  My only wish is that I had gotten to spin on more than one kind of wheel.  I was only able to use a Kromski Minstrel wheel.  I liked it, but I haven't ever used anything else and would really like to get a feel for other wheels before getting one of my own.  At least I have begun the journey of spinning though.  With many other things preoccupying my time right now, I am uncertain if I will be taking the plunge and purchasing a spinning wheel of my own anytime soon, but it certainly could be in my future.

Buying Wool Roving and Locks in Bulk and other Fiber Art Supplies at Good Prices!

Bulk Wool Sources and Suppliers for hand dyeing, feltmaking and spinning yarn

Since I decided to eventually start selling some handcrafted fiber supplies (like dyed rovings, fiber batts, kits, etc.), I've been trolling the internet to find the best sources to buy fiber art supplies in bulk. I've researched many fiber art forums as well as done a lot of Google searches. In the past, I haven't shared a lot of my supply sources, and there's still things that I like to be my little secret, but today I'm feeling generous so I thought that I'd give you a heads up to some good fiber art supply sources online.

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Maybe you fiber art enthusiasts out there - you knitters, spinners, dyers, felters, crocheters, etc., etc. - have some sources that you'd like to add. Please do!! I encourage you to leave a comment with a link to your favorite online source for great fiber art supplies whether it be roving, dyes, yarns, silks, or whatever. Share! Share! Share! Share! Share! (You get the idea!)

Now on to my little list of fiber art supply sources - yes, it is just a little list, but I'm in the process of researching still so it may grow and grow and grow - well, that's the goal at least!

Wool Roving and Fibers in Bulk:
The Sheep Shed Studio - rovings, yarn, and fibers in bulk quantities at great prices
R.H. Lindsay Company - fleece, sliver, top, and more available in large quantities

Other Fiber Suppliers:
Outback Fibers - prefelts, dyed wool, kits, and a lot more
Brown Sheep Company - yarns, yarns, and more yarns, oh, and patterns too
Halcyon Yarn - fiber supplies for every type of fiber art

Dyes, Silks, and Misc. Supplies:
Dharma Trading Company - all kinds of dyes and a variety of silk fabrics too
Thai Silks - silks galore from fabric to artist's items, and they even give an artist's discount


So there's my little list. I hope that someone out there finds it to be helpful. If you have experience with these supply sources, want to add to the list, or just want to express your thoughts, please leave a comment. I really appreciate my readers' insights and experiences.

I also wanted to say that I really appreciate all the comments on a post that I made about buying a drum carder a while back. Your personal experiences have been very helpful. I'm about half way to my funds goal so that I can purchase a drum carder, and I'm so excited!! It shouldn't be much longer now until I can buy one. I can't wait to get one and start making some fiber batts!

A Great Store for Yarn, Wool Roving, and other Fiber Supplies in Minneapolis, Minnesota - The Fiber Studio

Well, I'm finally back from a short vacation to the North Shore area in Minnesota. It is beautiful there this time of year with their spectacular Fall foliage. I hope to have some photos to post of my mini vacation next week, but for today, I wanted to share a wonderful new store that I discovered in Minneapolis - The Fiber Studio!

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I actually came across their website while searching online for fiber supply places to visit while on my vacation. I always try to stop into to two or three local shops whenever I'm traveling. This time, I feel like I really hit the jackpot with The Fiber Studio. It has a wide variety of roving in a rainbow of colors. You will find merino roving, corriedale roving, harrisville fleece, and more. They also carry a lot of other fiber related supplies such as dyes, silks, yarns, and many, many other things big and small. It is a quaint shop in a very neat area of town. If you are traveling to Minneapolis or live anywhere near there, I highly recommend that you stop into The Fiber Studio and browse. Also, the owner is a super sweet and knowledgeable lady to talk with, and her prices are very reasonable. I ended up with two large bags of roving that weighed just under four pounds! I plan to go back there when I'm up that way again in December as a vendor at the No Coast Craft-o-rama. I can't wait to browse and buy some more!

Also, The Fiber Studio has an Etsy shop so stop in there and browse. It will be worth your time!

A little peak at my home based fiber art studio and some organization tips for your own arts and crafts work space

I thought it would be interesting to share this photo today. It is of my wool stash along with some of my other felting supplies. It is just a portion of one of my walls in my home-based fiber art studio. Last December, my parents helped my husband and I renovate our basement into a work area for my felting obsession. (All paid for by my Etsy shop earnings! Yay!) We converted about one-third of our basement area into a comfortable space for all my fiber art and other craft supplies. I also have plenty of room to create and leave ongoing projects out as I work on them. Before I had my basement studio, I used a tiny dining room area on our main level. Needless to say, I feel very blessed to have a much larger space now with room for everything and room to work too.

In the photo, you can see how I've organized most of my wool roving and yarns. I actually use closet organizers that hang from a rod which is fastened to the ceiling. The square bin closet organizers float freely a few feet away from a side wall. This way, there is room behind them to walk, clean, and store other things. Also, I think using the cloth and plastic closet organizers are ideal for storing roving and yarn as well as other lightweight arts and crafts supplies. I can easily see what colors and kinds of wool that I have in stock, and I can clean and rearrange very easily with the open faced cubbies.

You can't really see it very well in the photo, but I have a four foot work table sitting in front of the right two closet organizers. This way, I can sit and work on designs with ready access to all my roving choices. Behind the work table, I have shelving to store beads, jewelry findings, tools, etc., that I need access to easily when creating. With my roving storage, work table, and additional shelving all in one central location, I have access to almost everything that I need when designing and creating. As a feltmaker, you do need a water area as well. For this, I have a wet area set up in a separate section of my basement studio along with a large six foot table to work on. I keep my wet felting area apart from my dry studio area, but it is just on the other side of a wall so it is not very far to go. I also have one other sectioned off area for picture taking and storage. Technically, my studio space has three segments, each with walls separating them. There are still many things that I'd like to do for my work area to be completely to my satisfaction, but I am very thankful to have a nice area of my very own to work and conduct business.

Perhaps you also have a well organized area for your arts and crafts endeavors. Or, maybe your "studio" space is merely the kitchen table or a desk with some storage space. I think the key to utilizing and enjoying your work space is in organization. This doesn't necessarily mean keeping it clean and tidy, but rather setting it up in a systematic way for your purposes. Below are some (hopefully) helpful tips to get you on the right path to organization for your work space.

Organizing Your Studio Space

1. Keep in mind what your purpose is. When designing the layout for your arts and crafts work area, no matter what its size, always remember your purpose. Hopefully, your purpose is to create. With this in mind, think about the placement of your most important supplies and tools. Can you easily access them? Are they where you can see your choices of materials?

2. Make all things important easily accessible. You must admit that there are some supplies, tools, etc., that just aren't as important as others. Perhaps there are supplies that you don't need access to every day, but there are going to be supplies that you do need access to on a daily basis or each time you create. Be sure to make these supplies clearly available to you. It will save you time and effort searching for them later.

3. Be sure to have a clear work space. When my work space was our tiny dining room area, I never seemed to have one open place to work. All the table tops and shelving were full of stuff. I often times ended up taking my project to our living room and taking over in there as well. Now that I have definite clear work table, I see its great value! Don't set up an obstacle for your creativity by not having an open place to comfortably create. Even if your space is terribly limited, make it a priority to have a small area that is always clear and open for you to begin a new project or continue an old one. Designate a work space area for yourself.

4. Store your supplies with care and thoughtfulness. My mother is an extremely organized and clean person. She always taught me to care for my belongings so that they would last a life time. I hope that I've taken this attitude into my crafting as well. Many of you, as I do myself, spend quite a lot on supplies and tools for your arts and crafts. Therefore, it is important to store and care for you supplies properly. Choose the right type of storage for your chosen art or craft. Then regularly check on your supplies to clean, organize, and care for them.

5. Put a personal touch on your studio. Regardless of how well organized your work space is, if it doesn't feel like your little artistic safe haven where you can be free to create, then you will probably not accomplish much. This is why you should put a personal touch on it! In my own studio space, I have things that make it feel comfortable and inspirational. For instance, I keep a rocking chair in it. It is not just any rocking chair, but it is the 30+ year old rocking chair that my mom and dad rocked me in as a baby. I know it is very sentimental, but it is really the only very personal item that I have in my studio space. I like to sit in it and rock when I'm feeling uninspired.

Do you need some visual motivation and ideas for your studio?
Visit these Flickr groups for photos of craft rooms and studio spaces:
Craft Rooms
My Crafting Room (private - must join to see photos)
Art Studio
Artist's Studios

Handspun mini skeins of yarn

Well, I'm slowly learning to use my new drop spindle. I still can't actually drop the spindle consistently to spin, but I have managed to make some lovely mini skeins of wool yarn. I ordinarily resort to the "park and draft" method of spinning with my drop spindle. If you're not familiar with it, it is where you build up the twist on your fiber, then park the spindle, or sit it stationary, while you draft the fiber out, or pull the fiber out as the twist spreads up it. It is much slower than actually dropping the spindle. I compare it to using training wheels, but it does get the job done and produce some nice quality mini skeins of yarn.

Anyway, I just wanted to share some of my little yarn skeins. They are only 5 - 15 yards each. Really not enough to knit or crochet with, but I think that they will make lovely embellishments or add-ins on felted items. I've also listed some matching yarn and bead kits in my Etsy shop for others to use for embellishment, sewing, crafting, felting, etc., etc., so please check it out.

My mystery spinning wheel . . .

My parents were at a flea market about a month ago and came across this antique, used spinning wheel. They've always been very supportive of my artistic endeavors and knew that I have been wanting a wheel. Of course, I really thought that it would be a year or two before that happened because I had planned to save up for a new spinning wheel, but the loving parents that they are, they went ahead and surprised me with this unusual antique wheel. Now I have to figure out what to do with it and what kind of wheel it is.


I've looked up info on wheel styles in books and on the internet to find the style of wheel that it is. The closest thing that I've found is a Country Craftsman, but the mother-of-all looks very different from that on one of those wheels. The flyer area also looks like that found on a large antique Great Wheel and not more modern spinning wheel designs. I've also asked my local fiber supply shop owner, PJ, at Cottage Fiber, to see what info she might know. She thinks it is a hybrid wheel made from pieces of two other wheels and perhaps made in Canada due to its style. From what I can gather, it is either a modified saxony wheel, entirely home made wheel, or combination of two wheels put together. There aren't any maker's markings that I can find on it for identification. This wheel is a mystery to me . . .


I would certainly appreciate any help in figuring out this wheel. Please post a comment or contact me via my website if you might know any info about my mystery spinning wheel. I'd also be happy to know the titles of any good books on the subject or website links that I could research. Although I'd really like to be able to use my new (old) spinning wheel some day, for now it looks really wonderful as a decoration for my living room.

Yummy Wool Roving from Bath, Maine

It is yet another post about a fiber excursion during my Maine vacation, but it is certainly worth your attention if you love yarns, wool, roving, or anything fiber. My husband and I drove to Bath, Maine, on an outing one day. We visited the Maine Maritime Museum which was well worth the time. I also wanted to stop by Halcyon Yarns, which I had thought was just a small, local shop.

We had almost given up on finding it when we spotted the small sign for it on our way out of town. It was in a building complex and didn't look like much from the outside with no real storefront that I could see, but it was quite a surprise on the inside! It had yarns, roving, and fiber supplies from floor to ceiling - and a very high ceiling I might add. There was everything a fiber lover could ever want or need. I wish that I was able to shop a little longer there. Although, I did manage to sign up for their mailing list, get a free catalog, and buy a few ounces of roving (as seen in the photo). If you are anywhere near Bath, Maine, and a fiber lover, it is worth a trip to visit this place, or visit their website and order a catalog.