The Spinner's Cottage and The Grainary, Together Online!

With our upcoming 26th Annual Christmas Open House at The Grainary, I've decided that it might be a nice thing to share the whole event with our online friends for a change!

In the past, I've tried to keep, the online shop, The Spinner's Cottage, simply fibery things. However, the name of the shop is such, because I was anxious to open my store and couldn't think of anything else at the time, so I simply used my blog name. In fact, the first listed items were stitch markers and jewelry.

At the time, my mom was listing the fiber in her Etsy and I did not want to repeat. The Spinner's Cottage was originally started as my blog to share what was happening around my house and share crafty things. It quickly turned into a blog about fibery goodness and I failed to post about anything else.

In the future I may be changing the name of the Etsy, but meanwhile, for our open house, I'm going to try to list everything handcrafted that we carry in our brick and mortar store, The Grainary.

Since this event is happening in a week, I will do my best to get everything listed in time, but it will be a lot of work, especially since I am still making new items for this event, as well as needing to decorate and do other necessary things.

I've been asked what our Open House is about. It's about introducing new items that we've been working on, has lots of Christmas decorations, and of course, refreshments.

In my rural area, there are a handful of shops that hold their Christmas Open Houses on Thanksgiving weekend. It's been a tradition around here for years. For those of you local, please come in and see what we have to offer. For those of you online only, visit the etsy, www.thespinnerscottage.etsy.com and see if there is something you can find to gift this year.

We realize that not all knitters are looking for fibery goods to give as gifts, but we have them if you are looking.

In fact, The Grainary was started as a stained glass shop. Mom does the glass.

 I started doing porcelain pins back then, in 1989, and from there we added floral, primitives, handwovens, beaded items, knit/spin items.

We both enjoy doing lots of things, aside from fiber and glass, so we run with that and try new things and dabble with old favorites. I still enjoy getting my hands dirty with the clay,

 

 

mom still enjoys painting stuff.

So, I listed a few of my necklaces in the shop last night and will try to add some glass and such over the weekend.

We still have some new items to finish that will be introduced this year and lots of staple items that I will be photographing. I'm not sure how long I will keep these items in the Etsy, maybe until they expire. Maybe this will become the norm for it, I'm not sure at this point. What I do know, is the online presence will be changing and I will be hard at work this winter to make that happen.

Also, if you're visiting us in person next weekend, please take time to stop in at my aunt's darling little shop down the road, The Quilting Shanty.
She also works very hard to bring you darling gifts for yourself or a friend! She's just 500' down the road from us! (And she serves the best Cherry Bon Bons, ever!)

 

 

Here are some of the things you will find in the shop and soon the Etsy.

Slumped Bottles that mom makes. These are great for cheese/snack plates and she also makes some that are great for dips! Can also be used as spoon holders!

 

 

 

So, whether you can make it to the shop in person next weekend, or are shopping online, you're sure to find something you like.

 

 

 

 

Until next time,

 

~Vickie

 

 

 



Kromski, Yarn Discovery Tour and Autumn Fiber Festival

I must apologize dear readers. I've been a bad blogger. I've abandoned you for nearly a year. If anyone is still reading this, here are some updates, long overdue!

As you know, The Grainary, the brick and mortar store that houses The Spinner's Cottage, became a Kromski dealer about a year ago. As you also know, I have a long standing love affair with Kromski products.

This month, as a tribute to our customers, Kromski is offering 4 lbs. of Polish Merino wool with every wheel purchase made. This is an outstanding time to order your wheel, if you've been contemplating a Kromski.

I currently have in house, the Minstrel (Romeo), the Fantasia and the Prelude.

You've seen plenty of photos of Romeo, so let me show you the new darling of the shop.

The Prelude has a very small footprint, old world charm and spins like a dream! This wheel is certainly suitable for re-enactments, with it's lovely turnings, or travel with it's light weight at only 9 lbs!

I already own a Minstrel and a Fantasia, so my next personal wheel will certainly be The Prelude.

You are invited to stop by the shop and take any of them for a test drive, or look us up at The Autumn Fiber Festival on Oct. 17th at the Ashland County Fairgrounds, Ashland, Ohio.

We will also have at least one Harp Forte with us, as well. In case you are looking for a Rigid Heddle Loom, I can tell you from experience, this is a lovely little loom. Being a rug weaver and used to heavy floor looms, I was skeptical about a rigid heddle loom, but this one melted all of that skepticism away.
I sat down to test my first one, a 16" and became quite attached. I made this scarf on her.

Along with the Kromski products, I will also have the usual line up of lovely fluff, project bags, stitch markers, progress keepers, orifice hooks, shawl pins, drop spindles and learn to spin kits, new to the shop WIP bags, and a small selection of hand dyed yarn.

Last month marked the 8th annual Yarn Discovery Tour and we were on it for the first time. It was a wonderful experience. We met a lot of new friends and saw some old friends as well.

For those of you who don't know about YDT, it is a yarn hop of N/E Ohio Fiber shops. Each shop offers a basket of goodies worth $100. This was our offering this year, won by a lovely lady from Nevada, OH.

Each shop also offers a free pattern to our guests. Here's ours. One of my new designs, an infinity scarf, crocheted with my new pencil yarn.

This pattern can be found, free, on Ravelry.

We'd like to thank all of you who took time out of your busy schedules to visit with us during the tour and we hope you had as much fun as we did!

Also, the pattern for Witches Brew is back in the Etsy or can be purchased in print at The Grainary.

 

 

This is a simple TP hat with room in the tip for a sachet to ward off eerie odors! It's a fun and quick project that will add to your seasonal décor.

 

We have started the meet ups again on Sat.'s noon-4. Bring your wheel, needles, or hook and join us for some good company and a little stitching!

If you need directions, contact me through FB or Ravelry. We are also now on Twitter and Instagram!

Until next time,
~Vickie