Posts

Is Bio Nylon The Future of Design

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  In my quest for the best sustainable fibers for my fabrics and yarns, I have been reading much hype about Bio Nylon Fiber. So much hype, in fact, that I had to try it out for myself. So what is Bio Nylon? Basically, Nylon-6 is made of crude oil that produces  the molecule caprolactam; Bio Nylon is created by fermenting plant sugars that produce  caprolactam which is turned into biodegradable nylon, which breaks down in our landfills within five years. You can read more about this process  HERE. I wanted to see how easy it is to work with Bio Nylon and is it a good blending source for wool fiber. I purchased four Bio Nylon colors but only used two in this experiment. I didn't use my drum carder but instead used my blending board for this process. First, I blended beige Bio Nylon and white wool, then I blended white wool and pink Bio Nylon.     Blending the two fibers actually worked pretty well. Spinning the fibers together took a moment to get used to. Though Bio Nylon fiber feel
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Should You Buy A No Show Thru Paper Sketch Book

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  I've been working on my new book as well as my Spring 2022 collectiion. One of my biggest challenges is finding sketch paper that works well with the mediums I prefer to work with. Handmade watercolors are my favorite but COPIC Markers have been my GO-TO recently because I can refill the markers when they run out of ink. One of the biggest issues I have with COPIC is the bleed thru rate of the markers on paper. I've tried expensive mix media paper, marker paper, and watercolor paper but the bleed thru still continued. Finally I looked up Cresent Rendr No Show Thru Paper.   I read mixed reviews about the Cresent Rendr Sketch book. One of the issues artists seem to have with the Rendr sketch book is the vividness of the markers on the page. The other issue artists seem to have is how many layer they can use with the Cresent sketch book. One thing you should know is like most artists sketch books, the Cresent sketch book favors some markers and paint brands over other. If you
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How To Create An Extra Room In Your Home or Office

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  In 2020, during the Pandemic peak, everyone was redecorating their homes and trying to find new workspaces in the middle of all the mayhem. I was working on a new retail studio and moving art supplies out of my home studio. Fast forward to 2021, I have been amazed by all the room make-overs I have seen and how inventive people have been in finding rooms in their homes where there wasn't any room before. As I was sorting through recycled packing supplies, I realized that my closets were under-utilized. I looked up pictures of closets turned into extra rooms, and I thought this would be an amazing challenge. What I didn't know was how much work this project would be! My first challenge was to take the measurements of the space. I don't know why but for some reason, I underestimated how big these closets were. The closets are 10 feet tall and 9 feet wide, the total size of my entire walls. Once I took the measurements, I had to take everything out of the closets and sort wha
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How To Host A Business Retreat In A Single Member Company

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  Summer is almost upon us. June has arrived, and most people are thinking about vacations and the summer sun. Others are thinking about the health of their companies mid-year, and it's time to do some major planning for the future of the business. For single-member companies, you're left wondering, "should I host a business retreat and have a meeting with myself?" Short answer, yes you should! It might sound silly to plan a meeting with yourself, but it's not. In fact, it's important for the future of your company. As a single-member company, you may also think you're the only paid person on your team, but this is also NOT true. As a company, you are paying web hosts, content creators, manufactures, and office building landlords to help grow your business. Their performance, how much you pay them, and whether your business relationships are working should all be decided at your work retreat or at least reviewed at your work retreat.  So, how should you pl
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Our Final Knitastic Pattern Has Arrived

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  Good Day My Creative Thinkers, The day has finally arrived! The final installment of the KNITASTIC COLLECTION series for 2021 is finally here. Being back this series was so much work but so much fun. The last pattern to debut in this collection is a pair of casual knit booties. This Collar and Pom Pom knit slipper is perfect for home relaxation. Spending the weekend with your favorite book and a pair of cozy booties is the perfect way to spend any day in full chill mode.  This pattern is currently available in digital PDF in our  ONLINE SHOP  or you can find it on  ETSY.  Our patterns will also be available in paperback form in the next few months. Happy Knitting,
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New Inspo and New Book Project

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  Happy Friday, My Creative Thinkers, I just received a new form of inspiration in the studio this week. It's an authentic Indian Book Charkha, and it's been a long dream to own one. It's also part of research for the new book I've been working on for the past few months. Documenting years of work is daunting, but I have been up to the challenge. We've also been undergoing internal changes in the company to make us a more resilient brand with sustainable values that will carry us into another two decades. Thankfully we have teamed up with some very good people, and together things are moving us in a positive direction.  If you didn't know, the book charkha was instrumental in helping India become self-reliant and overcome British rule. In a time of gentrification and country division, this message means more to me than any massage anyone wants to convince me of at the moment. The Pandemic has been hard for some, but for me, it has been a time to place great care
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KNIT PROJECT TOTE BAG KNITASTIC COLLECTION

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  Hello My Creative Thinkers, It's time for another pattern from our 'KNITASTIC COLLECTION.' I know I'm biased, but I simply love this pattern. I've struggled to find a tote that can carry my yarns while I knit and crochet for years. Finally, I've come up with a pattern that solves that problem, and I'm sharing that pattern with you all today. Lightweight and cozy, this pattern will fit your wrist perfectly while carrying around your most prized projects. This bag is 13 x 8 and made with SAJATA-E FOR D2BD handspun yarns. To get your hands on our new pattern, simply go to our  ONLINE SHOP  or our  ETSY SHOP  and download the pattern today.
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