Spring is here....finally!

Well, I have been kept very busy with school this last month and haven't done much except mull over and jot down ideas. Last night I was going to start a new batch of infinity scarves, but decided that the saris I was going to use would just not work. The "art silk" (ie synthetic) saris just won't give me the drape that I want. The purple sari gave me nice body and shape, but the ivory ones have too much embroidery and are quite stiff. I am now on the hunt for vintage pure silk saris, which should have a beautiful drape. The honey is off to work out of town for the week, giving me some self-indulgent me-time to put into the shop. Tonight after Easter dinner at my sister's down the road I'll be creating and posting some removable stitch markers; I made a set for myself last week when I was attempting to finish an Ishbel (Ysolda Teague) shawl that has been two years in the  making. The removable markers allowed me to mark my mistakes in the row when I found them so that I could fix them later. Also tonight I'll be designing a new knitting pattern, and will be selling the finished project in the shop. More to come on that process and product later.

Happy Easter!

Shop updates

Well, the hunny was off working on getting the trailer hitch ready for the truck, so I took the time to make three new sets of markers, and was able to try out some of my new ideas for the photography. I used scrapbooking paper for the backgrounds which allowed me to use different colours to set off the stitch markers, and and tried some different angles. I think they came out better than the first set of photos I did. Today I'm heading to town to pick up some thread and hope to get more scarves sewn this weekend.

To do list

This weekend I'll be doing some more sewing and beading, and definitely working on my photography skills, trying to take more attractive photos for the etsy site. I came up with a few ideas last night, mostly about angles and backgrounds. I'll also be working on some of the knitting patterns I'm going to design and perhaps getting started on some products. I've receive a lot of positive feedback on the etsy site, which is encouraging! Now I would really like to get a few more items listed so it doesn't look so bare.

Beginnings

I've been mulling an idea over in my head for a few years now, desiring to once again run my own business but wanting total control over the time invested. At first I was leaning towards a brick-and-mortar shop, focused on items related to my passions: gardening, knitting, reading, travel, and pretty things in general. I spent hours writing in my little notebook lists of what makes me happy, what I want out of life, and what I would do in this pipe-dream store of mine when I won the lottery and could afford to open it. A couple of years, many pages, and a few revelations (kijiji! etsy! local craft fairs!) later, I realized that venues had opened up online and locally that would allow me to create this dream, in a risk-free format what would give me the independence and creative license I desired. Some more brainstorming, research, and experimenting lead to the opening of Roses & Purls, and I look forward to adding on to this simple beginning and to hopefully watch it blossom.

Why this?

My grandmother taught me to knit when I was about 5, and my mom taught me to sew in elementary school and I have been coming up with "bid ideas" ever since. Combine that with a love of all things pretty and sparkly, and especially of stones (I'm one of those people who cannot go home from the beach without my pockets full), and a love of Indian textiles, and we have the basis for my first two items: a set of gemstone and crystal stitch markers, designed to be pretty but fun to mix and match based on the traditional "meanings" of the stones. The first set of scarves, in a dusty purple colour, are truly eco-friendly-upcycled: they are cut from the sari I wore to my graduation party after finishing my undergraduate degrees.