Ewetopia will be closed Saturday Sept. 27th

The shop will be closed Saturday September 27th due to my wedding! I am very sorry for the inconvenience, I hope you see this before you make a trip! Be sure to check back here for pictures of the wedding dress in action!

7 days to go!

Well it's now 7 days until the big day... Do I feel ready? Well no, but at least the dress is finished! Or I can pass it off as finished (it still needs a clasp for the back underskirt), can anyone say....safety pin?! I have finally finished the shrug, which I had planned all along on staying true to the pattern "Lacy Hug-Me-Tight" shrug from the book Knit 2 Together by Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark. But alas, I couldn't resist the urge to change something about it, so after starting the lacy border I decided that I did not want to attach it afterwards (this concept goes back to the skirt and how I started it over after deciding I did not want to seam lace, or purl...), instead I picked up a numerous amount of stitches and used the pattern I used for the skirt. This worked well, and I think it will match better then a whole new lace pattern.

I have also been fretting about shoes.... all summer.... So to appease my feet and to finish off this outfit I went two doors down to Center Stage and bought a very comfortable pair of light beige sandals that work out perfectly! I have a mohair/silk very airy veil started, but I'm not sure if I will finish it or decide against it. What do you all think?

Estes Vest

Even before the fall issue of Interweave Knits was out I was already dreaming about this vest from a sneak preview on the wonderful "Knitting Daily" blog by Interweave Press. I even ordered yarn from Berroco with the pattern in mind. As soon as the fall issue arrived I casted on, it didn't matter that I had 15 projects waiting to be finished, this was a priority. I am now 3/4 finished with the back and am still loving the pattern, it keeps you busy, while giving you breaks during some rows, plus with the bulky yarn and US #9 needles it goes fast! I love seeing progress, especially after a project like "the dress"...

It's not only the pattern that I love, but it's also the yarn. Berroco's brand new bulky weight of their popular Ultra Alpaca called Cuzco is a soft, silky, 50% Alpaca/50% Wool in a 2-ply is perfect for this pattern. It will be warm, soft, and it shows off the cables impeccably!

I'll keep you updated on the progress of this, but if you're interested in learning cables, we'll be having a class on this project Oct. 22, 29 & Nov 5 and 12 from 6-8pm. Cables are simple, they just look really complicated ;)

I'm finally able to Dye!

No matter how you put it, it sounds morbid. It is exciting though, for the past couple months I have been too nauseated with morning sickness to work with the dye pots, but now equipped with open doors and a mask I am back to work and just in the nick-o-time for the WI Sheep and Wool Festival. The past week i have been busy dyeing up everything white in the shop and even sent in a quick order for back up yarn! Think lots of beautiful dyed mohair, mountains of our special pre-balled sock yarns and much more! Yesterday was a big blues and greens day after being oddly pre-occupied with reds, purples and pinks. I am hoping after this month I will have the time to start some natural dyed sock yarns and maybe an organic worsted weight line much like our popular Bam-bino yarns.

Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival

One week from now Ewetopia will be it's second appearance at the WI Sheep and Wool Festival in Jefferson, WI. If you're a fiber artist or just starting out in the fiber crafts world I urge you to go to this great festival to check out the classes, vendors, animals, dog trials, and much more! While you're there check out Ewetopia's booth, we have been busy dying lots of new colors of sock yarns and much more, which may never be seen in the shop!
http://www.wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com/

New Needle Felting Kits

We've had people ask for needle felting kits, and yesterday when I was ordering I came across these little guys! They are adorable, even down to their egg carton packaging. Unlike other needle felting kits I have found, these are unique in that they come with a core "egg" already felted, hence the genius egg carton idea I suppose! We have sheep, bunnies and pigs coming in we hope by early September.

Living Crafts Magazine is Here!

We have decided to carry Living Crafts Magazine, it is full of wonderful fiber crafts directed toward children and parents. The fall issue is very exciting indeed, with patterns for felt crowns, gnome hats, wet felted pumpkins, a beautiful lace cardigan by well-known knitting designer Annie Modesitt, and a lovely hedgehog story and hedgehog family needle felting instructions by a fiber artist who many in the waldorf community have taken classes from - Suzanne Down. There is also a great article about making buttons from branches which I am now itching to try out!

Ewetopia is now testing out some new crafting mediums, of course sticking to our love for natural fibers, we found a source for some beautiful earthy hued thick 100% wool felt fabric. This will be perfect for felted crowns, felt gnomes, and as a canvas for needle felted paintings!