Podcast Episode 30: Show Notes!

All the everything from the Fiber & Fox Podcast Episode 30:

An utter lack of designing, a giveaway winner, STICKERS, and a whole bunch of socks.

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ADMIN:

Hey there! I’m Bella, the artist formerly known as Bella’s Custom Crochets. I’ve rebranded- welcome to Fiber & Fox! It’s been a huge journey getting to this point and I am so excited to be here!

In celebration of the rebrand, as well as hitting 2K subscribers on YouTube AND the launch of my first pattern under the Fiber & Fox brand, we did did a giveaway last episode- winner will be announced in this episode!

DESIGNS:

Okay, it is a bit shameful to even announce myself as a crochet designer right now, cause it sure looks like I am not designing much. But the interesting bit about running a small business is you usually wear a lot of behind the scenes, unfun admin hats. Mostly, I have spent the last couple weeks updating ALL the posts on the blog and all the Pinterest images that went with them to reflect the new business name. So go ahead, pin your lil hearts out!

But hopefully by the next episode I will have some new design content for you! I did however create a video last week around my the spring/summer patterns in my design line, if you’re looking for some warm weather crochet inspiration! You can catch that one here!

FOs:

With all the computer work and rebrand stuff, I have not really had the brain space or time for even “selfish” projects, other than really small and really repetitive: enter all the SOCKS. It has been really socky over here. I’ve been building up my box of socks for 2021 (you can check out all the socks I knit in 2020 in this video!)

I finished up what I was calling my “Kettle Corn Socks”- no pattern, but pretty simple if you want to replicate! Both colors are scraps of Laine and Lotus “Meteor Shower” & “Salted Carmel” left over from other projects. I am sure something similar out there exists, but I am working with 64 sts on a US size 1. 2×2 rib cuff, a knit row, 4 rows of purl 2 knit 2, a knit row and then reversing the rib by knitting 2 and purling 2. I love the texture!

Then, I needed even MORE mindless, so here entered the VANILLA socks. I gathered up all my rainbow-y fingering weight scraps, and made a pair of super stripey, extra long scrappy vanilla socks. Anything striped always goes SO FAST. I knocked out both of these in like 8 days and they are wayyyy longer than my usual socks! And these were extra easy to complete because instead of sewing in ALL THOSE ENDS I used the “Weavin’ Stephen” method by Stephen West where you kind of catch and trap your yarn ends as you go, (theoretically) securing them so you don’t have to weave in anything but the starting and ending tails! I don’t think I executed it super well, and I feel like it might be more effective in non-superwash, more grabby yarns, but overall I am please that I didn’t have to individually deal with all those ends when I cast off the socks!

The ONLY crochet I have done since like Easter (WHAUUUUT!? Who am I?) has been working on Face Scrubby rounds that will be part of a mother’s day gift pack for all the mothers at our church. A crochet small group I am part of has been cranking out load of these (I think I am at like 70 now?). They are super simple, its a free pattern WITH a video, and I can get one done, ends in all, in about 5 minutes. So if you’re looking for a mother’s day or even a teacher gift these are quick and easy and super cute! There’s loads of version out there but we are using but these are the Cotton Crochet Face Scrubbies by Cosy Rosie – free on her blog and with a complete video on her YouTube channel.

WIPS:

Yes. More socks. I cast on another pair, and I have a lot of mixed feeling regarding these. At this point I am finishing them just cause I need something to work on. They are the Tessellar Socks by Eweknit.###### Good pattern, just not sure I love the yarn/stitch combo and fit is looking iffy too! I am working them in Paton’s Kroy in the color Coal and Premier Serenity Sock in the color Chili using my Hiya Hiya flyers in a US 1.5 (affiliate links).

AQURIINGS:

STICKERS! Guys, I feel like I have arrived. I have logo sticker. Frankly I want to plaster all the ones I ordered all over my stuff and share none of them with you, but…that’s rude and not very monetarily helpful to my business. So. You can now find a limited number of the new Fiber & Fox logo stickers in my Etsy shop. I only ordered a small batch this round, but if stickers are something you guys are into I’d be happy to order up some more!

Whooops, I acquired some thangs. Like kinda a lot of things. Last weekend was Local Yarn Store Day, and I stopped by my fave lys, Ewe and You for their event. My stash is now to the point where it is taunting me and stressing me out, so I need to get back to designing ASAP. I only gave a sneak peek of what these yarns and goodies were in the podcast, as I will have a vlog coming out soon with full details on the whole LYS day experience! You can catch last year’s LYS day vlog here on my channel! I’m hoping to have the new vlog up next Friday!

GIVEAWAY!

So we’ve hit over 2,000 subscribers on YouTube, I’ve rebranded, and I’ve launched an adorable wall hanging pattern, AND I got Fiber & Fox stickers. This is all cause for some celebration! The winner is getting a digital PDF copy of the Dandelion Drops Wall Hanging, the yarn I used to make the original sample, 2 coordinating stickers from Block21 Prints , AND a new Fiber & Fox logo sticker. I announced the winner in the episode, so go make sure to watch and see if it was YOU!

That’s it! Thanks for hanging out with me and sticking it out through this whole rebrand transition! I promise, I’ll get to some designing soon- I MUST! See you in Episode 31!