Ravelry Giveaway Week of DEC 7

Join up at The Ravelry Page for a change to win!

December Blog Giveaway/Ravelry Giveaway

I have 2 Giveaways happening right now.  This first is a giveaway on this blog.  Comment on this blog post to win a skein of Sparkle Jolly Twinkle Jingley on my Paparazzi DK base.  

100g/230 yd 

This yarn is self striping and will work up crazy quick because it's a DK.

The drawing for this skein will happen on Dec 7, 2015.

And also a giveaway on my Ravelry Page for a skein of Captain Tight Pants and a copy of the pattern Mal-Wear by Shannon Sanchez Designs.

List ALL The Things

Right now, dear reader, I am working on getting my website updated and getting all the items from my stock uploaded and available for sale.  I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving time.

We had my parents over and between the food they brought and the food that I prepared, there was a feast for all.  It was quite yummy.  I made a turkey, 2 pumpkin pies, rolls, and cranberry sauce.  From a box we did the stuffing and gravy-though we did use turkey stock for the liquid instead of water, so we fancied it up a little anyway.  My mom brought scalloped potatoes and the best store bought pumpkin pie I've ever had.  My dad and stepmom brought deviled eggs, broccoli rice casserole, sweet potatoes, and 2 more pies.  So we had plenty of pie!  Everything went together nicely and we all had a lovely time.  Ray got a 21 lb turkey, so we sent some home with the parental units and still have plenty in the fridge.

My secret to moist turkey every time?  Reynolds brand turkey bags.  I have tons of compliments on my turkey every time and all I do is season it, put it in the bag, put it in the oven, and ignore it.  It hasn't failed me yet!

 And the best thing about Thanksgiving?  Thanksgiving Bowl the next day!

PS-I am being driven crazy by the new way that the photos are displayed due to the latest update, so it's a miracle at all that I get photos in here.  I have a hard enough time blogging regularly without adding one more issue to the mix!

Of Kid N Ewe, Periscope, and a Ravelry Giveaway

Hey guys!  Kid N Ewe has come and gone and I had lots of fun hanging with friends and meeting new people.

Here is what I started with.

    About 2 hours later, this is what I had.

 I tried to make my booth inviting from both angles.

 Most things had quirky signs.

 I really like that little shelf.  I think I am gonna get more for the next event.

 I added carabiners for purchase so that people could upgrade their bags and make them clippy.

 This is Sherlock. He belongs to my host and is very sweet.

 This is a goat awaiting his shearing at the show.

Now today is Monday.  Monday I have made my dye day.  On todays list District 12 and I am Groot.  I also have a couple of things that I am gonna dye tomorrow because I am also trying to reorganize and clean, so I've been doing that today as well.

 And here, dear friends, is where we reach the giveaway part of the blog.  This giveaway is hosted on my Ravelry Group.

And, exciting news goose!  I have joined Twitter and Periscope.  You can find me there as @BrazenStitchery.

Sorry for the brevity of the blog today, I have a long list of things that I still want to get done today.

Looking Forward to Kid N Ewe 2015!

I am really looking forward to coming out to Kid N Ewe this weekend.  Not only will it be a weekend spent with people that I like to hang out and talk with, but it is also the debut of running my own booth.  Katie of The Barbed Dragon and I were bursting at the seams of the last booth we did together so we decided that it was time to get individual booths.  I have been stressed out that I do not have 'enough' but after my count last night I think I will be just fine.  I dyed over 130 fresh skeins(which added to the previous skeins makes 230), have 60 braids of fiber, and 86 bags.

Here's all the 'fresh' skeins labeled up and ready for their final count.

Here is You'll Shoot Your Eye Out self striping.  Available on Paparazzi and Duet Sock and Paparazzi and Interlude DK.  

 Here are the fiber bins all packed up and ready to go.  I did 10 color ways on 3 different bases, and it was really neat being how each base took the color.

And here is O, my Chief Bag Stringer hard at work putting the drawstrings in my small Anything Goes Bags.

I will have a couple of specials at the show.  If you show proof of purchase from Little Monkey Stitch N Spin or Inskein Yarns that you purchased one of their patterns that features The Companion, Cyber Queen, or Captain Tight Pants, then you get 10% off of that color way.

Other specials will happen throughout the weekend.

Also,  Exciting News! I will have items from one of my very favorite local shepherds Jules of Lazy Pie Farms.  She has given me permission to sell her items in my booth.  So come and see what she sends with me.  Trust me, it'll be good!

Hope to see some of ya'll at the show!

She's done it again....

Well, I went off and ran away from blogging again.  I just have such a hard time carving out a few minutes to sit and do this as often as I'd like.  PLUS, the new OS on my computer has made finding the photos that I want to add to the blog a challenge, so I feel a bit like my mother must at any time she sits at the computer.  Befuddled and confused and 'but I don't know what I'm even looking at!!'

Here's a quick shot of the last event that I did at Jacobs Reward Farm.  It was a lovely day and so relaxing.  I also really liked the way that I displayed the shawls-overturned IKEA boxes and then a basket of the yarn in the sample on top.  I thought it added a nice touch to the booth.

Right now, I am frantically preparing for Kid N Ewe Nov 13-15-so just 10 days away.  I feel equal parts prepared and ready to go screaming over the edge.  I am almost done with my variegated and tonal color ways and have some self striping that I'd like to get done to bring.  Plus, sewing sewing sewing.  I have a new bag design, but I'm just not sure how much I like it-I will have a friend look it over and let me know if its a stud or a dud.

Well, there is my 15 minute timer for 'blog time'.  I am actually pretty pleasantly surprised that I was able to tap out a pretty respectable length blog in only 15 minutes, though at least half of that time was spent struggling and grumbling with uploading a photo.

I'm off to watch Who with the 13 yo while I put him to work for Brazen.

Weekending/Sept 22, 2015 The Stitches Texas Edition

 I spent Stitches Texas Weekend hanging out with the awesome ladies of Inskein Yarns (based in San Antonio).  Pictured below is me in the middle, Shannon, the brain of Inskein, and Kim, the seamstress of KCS Pockets To Go. Not pictured are Jill, the Gal Friday, and Katie of The Barbed Dragon.  It was a fun weekend filled with fibery fun and geeking out over the big names that were there.  I'm not gonna name drop, but one of those names was seen fondling one of my yarns and my heart is all a flutter from that slight brush with Fiber Fame.

I had a pretty hefty display in the booth. (this was before The Barbed Dragon was added)

I was also featured in the Threads and Ewe booth.  She's a new yarn shop that will be carrying Brazen Yarn.

So, I have a few skeins to add to the website.  And I pinky swear that will start happening tonight, promise promise!

And, I'm writing my first pattern with a new color way that I've dyed up called Dia De Los Muertos.

I've got another go round of it on the needles now to playground with the size of it.  I'll post it on the blog when its all finalized.

Brazen Friday August 21, 2015

Today is the beginning of the DFW Yarn Crawl and I am going to have a small trunk show at JenningStreet Yarns in downtown Fort Worth.  I haven't been able to dye up to much 'fresh yarn' since I dyed all the things for the Houston Fiber Fest and had to wait on yarn to come in so that I could dye something other than my hair.  I don't think too many people would buy my hair, so I had to wait.  I was able to dye up several skeins in the shop exclusive color JSYarnista on 4 different bases, and I will be able to dye up more through the crawl, and bring them up to the shop.

Now I'm off to quickly label the new yarn and go to the shop.  I hope to see some familiar faces and meet new ones!

Workin' It/Weekending August 20, 2015

So, right now my week is a little 'off'.  Now that I have a full time job that does not have a traditional weekend, I tend to work all Sat and Sun and my weekend is Tues/Wed.

So, hence the combo post.  And, I wasn't here yesterday, got in at 10 last night, so even though I had some vague notion of blogging last night, I wouldn't have been very coherent with it.  So hence the combined blog.  First up...

Weekending:
This past 'weekend' for me was spent with one of the people I love most in the world, Roiana.  Roiana  is one of the founding members of the knitting group that I joined 7 years ago.  She has since moved to the wilds of Tennessee and is working on living her dream of being a shepherd and independent business lady.  She specializes in tatting cottons and silks and her colors are beautimus.  And, butterflies love her, so that makes her extra awesome.

 I went to visit her and we went to the Tennessee Aquarium where we had a lovely time looking at the fish.  They have a 'petting' aquarium with stingrays and a small shark.  They also had a 'river' building and a 'ocean' building.  I think the boys liked the ocean building best, because, Hello!  Sharks AND Cuttle Fish!

And this is the boys playing the next day in her back yard.  Yes, it's just as idyllic as it looks, you can ask my sunburned face and arms about that!  I just did not want to go in.  It was lovely wading and skipping stones and watching the kids catch crawfish and TRY to catch minnows.

We had such a lovely time.  This is the one thing about having the full time job that makes it worth it to me.  Twice in the last month I have gotten to go visit people that I love.


And Now, Workin' It:

So I started the second sock and work half heartedly on it while on the plane.  There was surprisingly little time to knit while I was in Tennessee, but that's okay!  I got to hang out with the sheepies.

I got to the beginning of the heel flap, but didn't knit too much on the plane ride home because I was in middle seat and felt a little uncomfortable moving my arms too much since we were packed in like sardines.

Brazen Friday August 14, 2015

So, this week has been a supplies ordering week.  I have ordered fun things like yarn, but I've also ordered shop and booth supplies.

And I ordered an Addi Express Knitter King size.

(this one is not mine, but a photo from the web)

I am envisioning quick hats, scarves, and dishcloths.  Some for gifts, and some to expand what I offer in my booth so that I can have a few FO's for the tag a long friend that accompanies crafters to the shows that I participate in.  I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of this box with hope that it is everything I want it to be.

Next up, Brazen Appearance wise, I am doing a trunk show at JenningStreet Yarns in Fort Worth.  I still need to iron out the exact days since I am having trouble getting all the days I want to get off at the FT job, but I am gonna keep fighting for them.  This will be during the DFW Yarn Crawl.  I am looking forward to this since I had such a good time doing this last year.

Well, on to work on the website which is on my to do list right now.  I hope y'all have a great weekend filled with yarnie fun!

Workin' It Wednesday August 12, 2015

This week I am resuming my normal blog schedule of 2-4 Blogs per week as part of my healing process.  

Last week, on my way to Vermont to visit my Sis in Law and her family, I finished the last few rounds of my shop sample socks using District 12 in my Harmony Halfie skein.  I also used a new product that I am offering called H&T Skeins.  It's a mini skein of yarn with 80 yd of a sw merino/nylon.  I had enough left over from that skein so I am going to...

 Use it for the toes on this next pair of socks that I am knitting with commercial sock yarn.  I started this sock on the plane to Vermont, worked it through my short visit, and then was picking up the heel sts when my needle broke.  So, I tucked it in my knitting bag and proceeded to drowse of several times with my mouth hanging open.  I am sure it was VERY attractive.

I am just using a very basic pattern from Getting Started Knitting Socks by Ann Budd.  This was my first sock knitting book and bay far is the most used.  I find this book to be an invaluable resource 6 years in to my sock knitting life.  It not only has clear and concise examples and instructions on the infrastructure of knitting a sock, it has some lovely patterns as well.

Peeking Out

You my dear reader, may have noticed that I been an absentee dyer lately.  I sometimes deal with stress by hobbiting myself away inside myself.  And this year has been a doozy.  Last year, right after Kid N Ewe fiber fest Ray and I found out that we were going to have another baby.  We were surprised and overjoyed to discover this especially since there had been no other pregnancies since O and we figured that our baby making days were over.  However, 2 days later when I went to the doctor, I found out that my hormone levels were really wrong.

So, I went to google.  Where I learned way TOO much about progesterone and hcg levels required to maintain pregnancy.  And mine were low.  Not ridiculously crazy low, but low enough to be worrisome.  I had a sonogram, and there she was.  My tiny little grain of rice with her heartbeat going like it should.  Then I went in to see the doctor and he started talking D&C and sometimes these things happen and blah blah blah.  I said 'Wait a minute!  There's a heartbeat!' he was all, 'Oh!'.  I think he never really looked at my chart and just saw what he expected to see.

So he sent me off and scheduled another sonogram for the next week.  This was the beginning of my weekly sonograms.  I went weekly, dreading every appointment, never getting a due date, hormone levels never being good enough to support a good pregnancy, supplementing with prescription progesterone.  And every week it was the same.  Dread the appointment, go in to the sonogram room, have the tech find the baby, and hear the heart beat with joy and fear and amazement every week.  I heard her heartbeat 5 times over the next month and a half and begged her to fight and get big and strong so that I could meet her.  And yet every week, I came home without a due date, with a new bandaid from the blood test.

We defied the odds, even the doctor was saying that maybe it could be a viable pregnancy.  But on Jan 30, I was out on a walk with the boys and I felt something go wrong.  New Years Eve, the spotting and cramping intensified, and I spent most of the night curled up around myself begging for the pain to stop, not even able to do much more than moan in pain.  I have never felt physical pain quite like it.  It was amazing in its intensity.  Then, a few days later, while making a middle of the night trip to the bathroom, I passed the pregnancy.  Just like that, flushed away with all the waste.  I was about 11 weeks into my pregnancy.

And No.  I did not tell.  Because I couldn't handle the 'whole world' knowing when I wasn't even sure that the pregnancy would progress past those first few weeks.

And so.  I've watched other friends grow large with baby and give birth all in the last few months and it has been hard.  Because I am equal parts happy for them but also jealous and sad.  Because I should be under slept and over worked and smelling those new baby smells and kissing a soft and sweet head.  But I'm not.  I am sitting at my computer with tears rolling down my face.  Healing.  Slowly healing.  And peeking out of my shell, looking around the world, and maybe coming back to myself again.

KANG Prep is underway!

I am doing all those last minute things that I need to do to get all prepped for the Kang Houston Fiber Fest this weekend.  I have about 40 more skeins to dye and errands to run in hopes to changing the booth around a bit.  I was not able to make any new bags for this show, I haven't found the time management skills needed to be able to sit at my sewing machine in several months.  I think the last time I did any sewing was for the Yellow Rose Fiber Fest, so bags are looking kind of sparse, but there are some cool fabrics left to buy.

I plan on finding the time to sew again so that I can have some cool designs/fabrics available at the DFW Yarn Crawl.  This year I will be set up in the JenningStreet Yarns shop on the south side of Fort Worth.   I am gonna try to have one dedicated day a week for all things Brazen, and that way each week I will set goals and keep creating for the shop so that I don't find myself having to dye 100 skeins of yarn in a week!  And then also fall short on the bag side.  So, If I dye 8-16 skeins a week, and make 4-8 bags a week, thats up to 64 skeins dyed and 32 bags sewn per month on the outside of my goal.  This way, I'll always have a good show stock on hand with out having to run around the last few days before a show.

Plans for this show for me to just be in person there on the Friday of this show, due to work and family obligations, I can only be there one day.  But never fear, all the pretties stay for the entire show.  I hope to see some familiar faces and meet lots of new ones!

The Amazing Disappearing Stacey

Hi, gang.  I have gone and disappeared again for a while.  2015 has been an uphill battle from the beginning for me, so I apologize to you, my one loyal reader, that I went off the deep end again.

I now have a full time job, luckily I am able to work from home, but it has been a huge adjustment and study in how to mange time.

I have made a decision regarding my business for now.  Brazen Stitchery as a dyer and bag maker will be available only at shows, via special order, and in person at InSkein Yarns in San Antonio and JenningStreet Yarns in Fort Worth.  I just do not have the time to maintain a healthy online store at this season in my life.  If there's something you want to special order, let me know and I will set up the dye pots just for you.

The February Giveaway Post

Hey gang!  This months giveaway is another bright one to chase away those winter blues.  We've had bona fide winter weather 5 days in a row in my area of Texas-sleet for two days and snow three days in a row.  I am pretty happy about it because we so rarely get this kind of weather and snow never stays around for too long.  But I know that a great many of the folks in the Northeast are OVER. IT.

This months yarn is called Punky Monkey and is on my Paparazzi base.  438 yd/100g/75% SW Merino, 20% Nylon, 5% Stellina.  So bright and fun and sparkly to boot.

To enter, just comment on this post-Please leave your ravelry ID or email address in your comment so that if you win, I can get in touch with you.

But wait!  There's more!

If you want an extra entry you can share this blog or my Website on social media and/or follow Brazen Stitchery on Facebook, Instagram, or Ravelry.

Winner will be chosen via a random number generator on March 8, 2015.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

Workin' It Wednesday February 25

Hello gang!  I know I have been absent lately but 2015 has been kicking my tail feather personally and I have been doing some behind the scenes work at ye olde shop.  I went and hung out with some super fun folks down in San Antonio for Valentines Day so the first half of the month was spent doing that, and since I've been back, I have been working on building a personal website for Brazen Stitchery.

Swing by the Website and let me know what you think.

I have been knitting away on a new color way of mine called 'Luck O' The Irish'.  Right now it is available at Inskein Yarns in San Antonio and JenningStreet Yarns in Fort Worth.  I will be putting a custom dye listing for it up on the website on Friday.

I am trying my hand at afterthought heels on this pair.  There's always something new to learn in the knit sphere, and I'm pretty excited about learning this skill.  I have many skeins of sock yarn languishing in the stash-Brazen and commercial.

I am almost to the point where I am going to start knitting the ribbing part of the cuff, and then it's not too long and I'll go back and knit the heel.  I'll let you guys know how it goes.

On Friday's blog, I will start Freebie Friday.  This will be a last Friday of the month giveaway hosted here on the blog.  So, keep an eye out-I haven't yet decided if it's going to be a bag or yarn.

So, what have you been working on this week?

New Website is UP!!

Hello gang!  I've been absent lately because I've been working of getting a website together for the shop.

Swing by and let me know what you think of it.

Brazen Stitchery

The January Giveaway Post

Hello!  And welcome to the January giveaway post.

Now I figure that much of North America is under the grey cold skies of winter right now.  So, I chose the yarn this month with a mind to bringing some color back into your life.

This yarn is on my 3 ply base and is 100% SW Merino and 490 yds.  It is a fabulously soft and drapey yarn.

So, here's Eat Crayons, the January giveaway.

  All you have to do to enter this giveaway is leave a comment on THIS blog post.  Yes!  It's that easy.  Winner will be chosen February 1, 2015.

I also just finished a shop update over at Brazen Stitchery.  Full sized and mini skeins are now in the shop.

Good luck to the entrants and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Yellow Rose 2015 Purchases

You know, I didn't really need to buy anything.  My house is all akimbo with the very beginnings of a craft reorganization so I sort of have everything every where.  And this is where I don't tell you that I still have my Christmas Tree up...the ornaments are down so at least theres been progress.

But, there I was.  At a yarn and fiber festival.  And feeling pretty raw emotionally.  So, a few things had to come home with me.

First things first.  I recently became the latest Jamberry Nail Junkie.  I went to a friends house in early November for a party and I. Was. Hooked.  Which is good because I bought a couple of sheets at Kid n' Ewe.  I just became a consultant too-So if you too want to have fabulous nails, let me know and I'll hook you up with some sass.  Anyways, a fellow Jamberry consultant was at Yellow Rose-she's my grand-sponser of sorts, and she had some custom made Doctor Who Jams-so I had to get them.

 And there was a vendor there doing her first ever show, and she had some fabulous yarn.  So I HAD to support the newbie.  You can find her at Undead Yarn-She has an etsy shop and a podcast that you should check out.  Hopefully we will vend together again in the future.

 And there was also a LYS that had this fabulous yarn from Yarn Carnival on one of my favorite bases.  I plan on making a big soft shawl with this yarn.

 And, I was lent a loom by some really kind local weavers-that I haven't even touched yet.  And across the aisle from me was a booth that was a Saori style weaving booth.  So I got a shuttle and some bobbins because I didn't think I had one.  But, I got home to find that the people HAD given me one of those too, so maybe it was unnecessary, But I will use it.

So there.  That is what I bought at Yellow Rose 2015.  I plan on curtailing my yarn purchases for a while until I have 10 completed projects under my belt.  So, I guess that means I better get to work!

Weekending January 19, 2015

I haven't struggled too much yet with having to write the new year down.  Maybe because I don't actually write what year I'm in too terribly much?

You guys.  Yooooou Guuuuuuys.  I made a mistake.  Ugh.  I drank a cup of the Newmans Own Keurig coffee and while it was delicious, I am feeling really rough because i have given up caffeine.  I decided to splurge and have a cup and now I am feeling really yucky.  ButlookhowfastIcantype!!!!!
WheeEEEeeeEEEeee!  And exclamation marks are soooo FUUUUNNNN!!!!

Lately I have been dealing with some hard emotional times (like I'm really struggling for sure).  I had to soldier on to prepare for Yellow Rose but since I've been home I have been thisclose to being a basket case.  I wish I were one of those people that compulsively cleaned and forgot to eat when I am struggling but instead I am the kind of person thats all 'Sure I like more (insert junk food here)!!  I'll have to eat it over the sink or on a napkin, because there are no clean dishes in pants that I've worn 2 days in a row!!!  And brushing my hair?  I'm so over it.  That's so 2014!'

So, on to my weekend.  I worked Saturday at the yarn shop and then I spent yesterday in sweat pants lying prone and watching movies.  Oh.  My.  Bob.  Cutthroat Island Though?  I really is a as bad as everyone says it is.  I don't know what was worse-The acting, the writing, or the casting.  But woo.  I did think the story was the best part and that it actually had potential to be a better movie with a different cast or director.

And, It was time to switch out my Jamberry wraps since it had been two weeks.  I decided to go with a random design-So each nail has a different wrap.  And I think it is delightfully chaotic!

I did French tips on the pinkie(Je Suis Charlie!), ombre on the ring finger, TARDIS on the middle, painted polka dots on the pointer, and stitched away on the thumb.

Ah, sweet mother of God.  I am actually starting to come down from my caffeine high.  Look!  I can type all normal again!!!!  Though exclamation marks are still GREAT!!!!!!

My goals this week are to finish a knit project, finish spinning bobbin 2 of a three ply I started forever ago, and start to get the house back in order.  I also need to start prepping and dyeing self striping for the trunk show that I am doing at Inskein Yarns over V-Day.

I hope this blog post finds you well and that you aren't struggling to come down from a caffeine high like I am.


Oh!  I almost forgot!  I have been featured on the Undead Yarns podcast.  I am in episode 37.  She and I spent a lot of time chatting and admiring each others work.

Which also reminds me, I need to do a blog about what I bought at the show and show off what I bought from her.

Weekending: The Yellow Rose 2015 Edition

This past weekend, I vended at the Yellow Rose Fiber Producers Festival in Seguin, TX.  Seguin was such a cute little town-with a historic down town and surrounded by historic houses.  We had a good time and met some new people and chatted with some folks that we've met before.

The festival is not usually in January-it's usually in the spring, but there was a scheduling conflict and the only weekend that the Seguin convention center had available was this past weekend-so instead of not holding the show at all, the organizers decided that to have a show at a wonky time is better than not having a show at all.  And yes, the crowds were not huge, but that could also be because there was some weather events happening in the area that made people want to stick close to home.  We still had a good time, and met lots of people, and the attendees were in a buying mood, so while this wasn't fiscally our best show to date, it was not our worst either.  And I think we did pretty well for our first year there AND icy weather!

Katie from The Barbed Dragon and I are definitely looking forward to vending at this show in April 2016.

Here's a little collage of our weekend.

 And here's my Franken Blanket that I've been working on since 2012.  I worked on here a little at the show and at the hotel.

And I have a question for you, dear reader.  What knitting podcasts are you fans of?  I haven't ever been a regular podcast listener, so I am interested in maybe becoming one.  Post what you like about your favorite podcasts in the comment section below.