This past weekend was spent, mostly in my booth, at the Royal Alpaca Challenge. It was great fun to spend time with new and old alpaca friends while entertaining new and old customers and knitting club friends, as well. I met many new people who, I hope, will continue to be in love with my patterns and my yarns long after the end of this show. I certainly took time to coo over the too-cute-for-words alpaca in the pens in the arena, but didn't have my wits about me, apparently, and ended up taking no pictures of the animals this year at all. Some friends were disappointed with the showing of their animals, some were thrilled, and some were over the moon! I confess the photos of the fiber room were an afterthought, as I had forgotten my camera, so they lack the afternoon crowds and I had to take them on my Iphone.
Now that this last show of the year for me is over, it's time to concentrate on dying some new sock yarns for the upcoming holiday season. It's also time to start planning for 2014.
In 2014 there will be a few changes around here. The name of my company will change, for one. Zibeline Knits will, effective January 1st, 2014, become Cedar Hill Yarns. This coincides with the name of the farm (Cedar Hill Farm) that we are in the process of establishing. Nothing about my yarns and fibers will change except the labels and the shop name. The fun thing is that my Honey and I are currently in negotiations for the opening of a yarn shop. It will likely be located on the farm, but since we're just a side step off of a major interstate, that probably won't be an issue. We also intend to offer farm-related products, like beeswax-based lip balms and body butters and fiber, as well as spinning and maybe quilting supplies. There isn't a craft store within 50 miles of us, and I know that the women of my new knitting group aren't the only ones who have yarny needs. Since we also plan to sell fruits and veggies at the farmers' markets in our area, those would be available at the store, too. On the horizon is also the raising of sheep and a twin set of alpaca, so there will be plenty of fiber available from our very own pastures.
So far I've set up the blog and the email for the farm/yarn shop (cedarhillyarns@gmail.com), and that leaves the web domain and the licensing to take care of. There will still be an Etsy shop that offers my hand paints, patterns, and roving. It will just have a new name. If you follow me on FB or Twitter, you'll get a link to the new Etsy shop and FB page in January. I hope you will follow me over to the new digs.
The first show I'll be attending, then, will probably be the Souther Select alpaca show near Sevierville, TN. We'll see how the new year begins before deciding for sure. I'm also hoping to attend the Festival of Alabama Fiber Arts in Montgomery, Alabama at the end of April, but I'm on the waiting list so you never know.
And that's how my first week of November is beginning … full of dreams and expectations for the months ahead.
Now that this last show of the year for me is over, it's time to concentrate on dying some new sock yarns for the upcoming holiday season. It's also time to start planning for 2014.
In 2014 there will be a few changes around here. The name of my company will change, for one. Zibeline Knits will, effective January 1st, 2014, become Cedar Hill Yarns. This coincides with the name of the farm (Cedar Hill Farm) that we are in the process of establishing. Nothing about my yarns and fibers will change except the labels and the shop name. The fun thing is that my Honey and I are currently in negotiations for the opening of a yarn shop. It will likely be located on the farm, but since we're just a side step off of a major interstate, that probably won't be an issue. We also intend to offer farm-related products, like beeswax-based lip balms and body butters and fiber, as well as spinning and maybe quilting supplies. There isn't a craft store within 50 miles of us, and I know that the women of my new knitting group aren't the only ones who have yarny needs. Since we also plan to sell fruits and veggies at the farmers' markets in our area, those would be available at the store, too. On the horizon is also the raising of sheep and a twin set of alpaca, so there will be plenty of fiber available from our very own pastures.
So far I've set up the blog and the email for the farm/yarn shop (cedarhillyarns@gmail.com), and that leaves the web domain and the licensing to take care of. There will still be an Etsy shop that offers my hand paints, patterns, and roving. It will just have a new name. If you follow me on FB or Twitter, you'll get a link to the new Etsy shop and FB page in January. I hope you will follow me over to the new digs.
The first show I'll be attending, then, will probably be the Souther Select alpaca show near Sevierville, TN. We'll see how the new year begins before deciding for sure. I'm also hoping to attend the Festival of Alabama Fiber Arts in Montgomery, Alabama at the end of April, but I'm on the waiting list so you never know.
And that's how my first week of November is beginning … full of dreams and expectations for the months ahead.
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