Reviewing Bernat Baby Sport Weight Yarn

I am using Bernat Baby Sport yarn for the first time to crochet a small baby blanket. I have fallen in love with Bernat baby yarn. In the past, I had always associated Bernat with chunky and super bulky yarns. So I am very surprised at how much I like this baby yarn.

This Bernat Baby Sport yarn is a multi-color yarn. I am using the "Tiny Tulips" color (pinks, whites, and a small bit of green). I guess that it would be called a variegated yarn. The pops of color are small sections and are all separated by white. The color changes are subtle and do not leave one color ending mid-row with the next color beginning. 

Specifications:

• Light Weight, 3 weight
• 100% Acrylic
• 8.5 oz/240 g
• 718 yds/656 m
• Recommended US 6/4 mm knitting needles
• Recommended US G/6/4mm crochet hook

Personal Thoughts about Bernat Baby Sport Yarn

I knew I wanted to crochet a small gift for a friend's new grandbaby girl. But I hadn't bought the yarn yet. I knew what pattern I wanted to use (a mitered corner granny square), that I wanted to make a small baby afghan (car seat or strollers cover size), and I wanted subtle pink. Caron Simply Soft is one of my very favorite yarns because, in my opinion, it is a very light 4 weight. It is very soft and comes in a large variety of colors. But I had been working with pink Simply Soft on a large project and wanted a change.

While wandering through a local Wal-Mart for my monthly shopping I went through the yarn aisle, as I always do, just being nosey. And I saw this Bernat Baby sport in this very light pink. I scooped up 3 skeins (only needing one skein for my small project) and here I am now, telling you about this fantastic yarn.

Working with the Bernat baby Sport yarn has been a pleasure. This yarn does not split while working with it. The colors are subtle and sweet. An additional bonus was there was NO YARN BARF!  The starting tails on each of the 3 skeins were easily found, barely hidden inside of the skein. 

Left: I pulled the tail out a bit
Right: there the tail is... barely tucked inside and so easy to find!

I've taken photos of my granny square stitch pattern to show how the colorway works in the granny square clusters.

Bernat Tiny Tulips colorway in granny clusters

I had chosen the granny square pattern so that the blanket would be more breathable. But my next projects using this yarn will be in single stitch or half-double because I am loving how the color falls with those two stitches. 

Color swatch: half double crochet on top
single crochet on bottom

I think this yarn will make wonderful infant and children's hats. I'm looking forward to beginning those projects.

Additional Information:

I am having difficulty finding this exact skein of yarn (8.5 oz skein size and Tiny Tulips color) while shopping online but I am very please to find other colorways available; solids, ombres, and variegated on Amazon and the Yarnspirations website.

Yarnspirations offers Bernat Sport Weight yarns.

Amazon offers Bernat Sport Weight yarns as well as many other brands of yarns.

Side Note: The three "local" Wal-Mart stores have the most pitifully small yarn section which seems strange since I buy a lot of yarn by impulse, and in several skeins at a time. I am very aware that I am not the only yarn lover who is puzzled by the small selection of yarn they carry. If anyone in the Wal-Mart administration happens to be reading this... I (we) wish you would carry a larger section of yarn.

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Scrapbook Paper in Paperbacks, Review

I have been designing scrapbook paper and selling it in paperback books. Recently, I purchased two different types of this scrapbook paper; one in black and white book and one in color. This is my review.

The paper weight/thickness:

To the touch, the paper used in the colored paperback book has a smoother texture, and is slightly thicker than the paper in the black and white book. I took a photo of the two books edge to edge, and you can see a difference. The paper used in the book with colored paper is printed with premium color on white paper. The black and white image books did not specify white paper, though the color is white, just a different texture.

Visibility of images through the paper:

With both types of books, I could see some images, or parts of images show through to the other side of the paper. For instance, they were more noticeable if the image on the reverse side was black. But not so much if the image was black and you were looking through say a dark red color. The colors showed up less than the black, and it did make a difference whether the top was printed with color rather than a space of white.

Would either of these be an issue when creating scrapbooks?

For my taste, I would say not much. If the creator was however very detailed oriented, then they might want to consider a different option such as actual cardstock for their backgrounds and embellishments for their scrapbooking creations. Otherwise, I would say to go with one of these books that have more color than white. See the next section below for clarification.

Here are some sample creations:

The creation on the left is the one that my daughter made. She used a black pattern butterfly design printed on white. With the coloring done on top of the image, one does not even notice that black butterflies were printed on the back side of this page.

I made the creation on the right. If you look at the lower left butterfly and the one in the middle of the white area, you may notice some dark lines underneath that weren't colored in in any way. I didn't color over that area, and there is some light shadows of black showing through from the other side.

Below is a section of colored hearts that have different colored hearts on the reverse side of the paper. The hearts on the reverse side of the paper don't show through.

Overall, I would say to consider what it is the creator person will be making. If you like the images in the books, choose one with very little if any white showing throughout the images if you are concerned about anything showing through. Keep in mind that if coloring over the images, that will probably take care of the issue.

What should I color any images with?

Colored pencils work great, and without a lot of pressure, the image on the reverse side still looks great. We used Liquitex Value Series which is also rated to be highly blendable. That brand was not showing on Amazon. Another brand that I recommend is Prismacolor.

The brush pens that I used on my butterflies look very vibrant and I love the look. However, I could tell where it was colored in on the reverse side of the paper. It didn't actually bleed through, color wise, it was just noticeable. But if you are using it as scrapbook paper anyway, that shouldn't be an issue, as the reverse side of where that image will no longer be needed.

For this project, I used Dual brush Pens by Tombow. They are water-based, blendable, and acid free. They have a brush tip on one end, which gets into the tiny areas great. The other end has a fine tip which is great for drawing and writing. There are quite a few sets to choose from for Tombow.

If you are inspired to do some scrapbooking with either of these scrapbook paper options; they are on Amazon.

Hearts Scrapbook Paper

Black and White Butterfly Scrapbook Paper

On a side note, we tried using an old glue stick. It had turned to gel! Yes, it was very old. The double sided tape worked though.

Happy creating. Hope I explained everything clearly. If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

Cheryl Paton

You can find more Scrapbook Paper in paperbacks, by category, on my blog: https://artonproducts.blogspot.com/2024/03/cheryl-paton-scrapbook-paper.html

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Reviewing Fast, Easy, and Beautiful Crochet Hats with Premier Puzzle Yarn

I have always thought Premier Puzzle Yarn was a beautiful yarn and I have used it occasionally to crochet throws. Premier Puzzle is a 5 weight yarn. I typically prefer 4 weight yarns for crocheted hats. But I recently gave this chunkier yarn a try with a Bag-O-Day crochet hat pattern and I couldn't be more thrilled. If you are looking to make an easy crocheted hat, in a beautiful colorway, this pattern and yarn combination might be exactly what you are looking for.

Premier Puzzle Yarn

Premier Puzzle yarn is advertised on the Premier Website as: "soft, washable, bulky weight acrylic in spectacular colors...  Each ball is made with 4 coordinating colors that combine in ever-changing, softly blended stripes".

• It comes in 35 colors (at this time)
• 100% Acrylic
• 200g/7 oz - 300m/328yds
• #5 bulky weight
• machine washable (cold-permanent press, tumble dry with low heat)

While looking up the specifications for the familiar Premier Puzzle gradient yarns, I only just learned that they also now make Puzzle "Solids" and Puzzle "Shimmers". Such exciting news !!! 

Bag-O-Day Crochet Pattern

Bag-O-Day is one of my favorite crochet tutorial YouTube channels. She goes slowly, is easy to follow, and she is always reassuring. During the tutorials, she often gives tips about making things larger or smaller, which I find to be very helpful. Even if she says something such as "to make this hat smaller, leave off this last increase row and continue with 50 stitches instead of 60".  Okay, that quote was loosely paraphrased. But it is similar to many of the tips she gives.

I chose this particular hat pattern, Easy Crochet - Bag O Day Crochet Tutorial #686, because I had found my Premier Puzzle chunky yarn and needed a pattern made for chunky yarn. Once I started the pattern, I realized that the pattern and yarn were perfect for each other.

This Easy Crochet #686 pattern is a continuous round pattern. Meaning, each row does NOT have the slip stitch join on each row - which often leaves a visible seam. In this pattern, you continue crocheting around until you have the length you want.

This pattern is also a half-double crochet stitch (HDC). I love using HDC because it builds the piece more quickly than rows of single crochet (SC) and is more tightly woven (small gaps for cold air to move through) than double crochet (DC). I understand, if you don't crochet, this all sounds like gibberish. But hopefully, it will make sense to those who do crochet.

And, for those who are beginning crochet, I think this is a very easy hat pattern for beginners to create. 

Personal Thoughts

Personally, I think a lot of chunky yarns produce hats that just look too bulky. This is only my opinion of course. And I'm not really a person who wears hats to begin with; unless the brutal cold forces me too. Recently, I've been attempting to make a pile of hats in children's and adult sizes, to offer to the children at work.  But I am a slow crocheter. And I didn't have anywhere near the 45 hats that I wanted. So I thought I'd try a chunky yarn (5 weight) pattern - which would take less time to complete. I just happened to have 2 different colors of Premier Puzzle in storage.  I dug those out of storage. I ended up whipping up one hat in just a couple of hours for me (blazingly fast for my normal speed). And the blue and red stripes that occurred were perfect! Because of the gradient, I should be able to make several hats from one skein and each hat should be striped differently.

Easy Adjustments

The first two hats I made are for large adult heads. Or people, like me, who have large heads and thick hair. By the way, did you know that most teenagers and older children have adult-sized heads when it comes to hats? So many of the hats I'm creating are considered adult-sized. To make some of these Premier Puzzle yarn hats for the smaller children, I'm simply leaving off the last row of increases. That will make a hat that fits a little tighter and should fit most of our younger students.

Thinking Ahead for Next Year

When I found my Premier Puzzle yarn in storage totes (untouched following my last move), I also found two skeins of "velvet" yarn.  I found a green Premier Parfait yarn and a silver Bernat Crushed Velvet yarn.  I made a hat using those two yarns with this Bag-O-Day pattern. I created the most luxurious hat.  The resulting size is too larger. I'll have to remember to downsize it. BUT, using greens, reds, and whites will make PERFECT holiday hats for the kids next year! 

Where I Find My Yarns

I often buy my yarns from JoAnn, Amazon.  Also, for in-person touch tests and color selections, I always am able to find 2 to 3 colors of Premier Puzzle at my local WalMart. 

The Premier Yarns Shop on Amazon 

JoAnn.com 

Easy Crochet - Bag O Day Crochet Tutorial #686

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November, A Great Time to Pursue a New Hobby!

 For most of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are definitely getting shorter and the nights a lot longer.  Well that's what everyone says, but it's not really true.  The days are all still 24 hours long, it's just that when it gets dark at 5 p.m. the day seems that much shorter.

So what are you going to do now that you have more time indoors rather than out of doors?

Might I suggest it's a great time to take up a new hobby, or revive a hobby that you haven't done in a long time?

I'm personally taking up my knitting needles.  Why?  Well, let me tell you!  My mother who you have heard about in other reviews, was a knitter extraordinaire!  She could whip up a sweater in less than a week!  I'm talking about sweaters that had intricate patterns or several yarn/color changes and with long sleeves.  

The only problem was that her knitting was so fast, that neither my sister or I could keep up with her and she would get frustrated by our lack of dexterity!  Whenever we started a project, she would end up finishing it for us.  While we loved that (because we got a sweater faster), it did nothing to help us with our learning skills.  So it was a mixed blessing.

Actually, I feel kind of bad because I could have seen that she was slipping into dementia had I paid more attention to what was happening between her needles!  But that is another whole story!

Now I know that I will never have another sweater made by my mother, so I have to take up the hobby if I ever want another beautiful cardigan or pullover in my wardrobe. Oh I know the basics and remember them well, but I also want something that has a little pizzazz added! So now I am trolling You Tube channels to find the help and knitting circles at Senior's Centers for some added comaraderie.

For absolute beginners there are several channels to help you begin.  This is one that I watched and liked and you might like it as well from Frock and Fern!

If you can't stand listening to someone giving instructions, you can also buy books to show you with bright well done pictures so that you can move faster or slower depending on how you are enjoying this new experience.  Here are some great books and leaflets to help you along.

Knitting for Beginners Amazon Page!

You will find everything you need to know to start this new hobby and if you are a Prime Subscriber, you get next day delivery too!  

For myself, I know I will take up the knitting and keep at it, but if you are not sure that this is a hobby for you, you can go to your local Salvation Army/Good Will store and I'm sure you will find yarn and needles there for next to nothing.  If you don't enjoy this hobby you can donate it back to the same place you purchased it.  Nothing lost, just a little of your time.

I know I get lots of inspiration here on RTR (www.reviewthisreviews.com) especially from some of our contributors who make the most fantastic hand knitted and crocheted items. You can find all kinds of beautiful hand made goodies just check out ReviewThisCrafts.com

While I will take up the knitting, there is lots on these pages to help you decide what you are going to do with your extra indoor time now that it is here!  Happy Indoor Crafting Time for everyone!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing The Joy And Creativity Of Flower Pressing

 

I have wanted a hobby for some time that I can pursue during the winter and that is creative. 

Most of the year I prefer being outdoors and active, gardening, long nature walks, countryside and beach walks. However in the depths of winter and to be honest as I get older i have felt the need for something I can do that is indoors in the depths of a cold, wet winter and that is creative, but that still relates to my love of nature. 

I wanted to pursue something useful and make something. I truly admire those who can knit and crochet and make clothes but while I can do basic mending I have never been so successful at those crafts. I like art and drawing but it is not something I am especially good at. I would love to learn pottery but it is not something I can do at home.   

So I was watching a gardening programme and there was a lady who was gathering flowers from her garden for flower pressing! Suddenly it hit me, I could do that! 

Flower pressing is a lovely, traditional craft that allows us to gather and  preserve the beauty of flowers and leaves from Spring to Autumn which can then be made into decorative or artistic pieces at any time, but especially for me in winter.

So the Flower pressing journey for me started this summer. 

Selecting Flowers

 The first step in flower pressing is selecting the right flowers. I had to do some research on this as I needed to know which flowers were suitable for flower pressing. 

We need to look for blooms that are not too succulent. The reason is that they press well when their moisture is taken out quickly.

 So I learned that all Roses and daffodils are excellent choices due to their thinner petals. Luckily I have a garden full of roses in summer though I missed the daffodils this time i can pick those in Spring. 

Then it was a case of looking for flowers with thinner petals and I found that Aquilegia, Poppies and Forget Me Nots were perfect and with learning and a little trial and error I found a lovely selection from our garden.

 

 

 I made a decision early on that I would only pick flowers form my garden. We are losing so many wildflowers from the wild so fast that I do not want to contribute to their loss , so I never pick any wildflowers. I only pick the flowers that I grow and I always leave a lot to set seed for next year and for wildlife. 

 

 When to Pick Flowers

 I read that for the best results it is preferable to pick flowers when it is a dry day after the dew has evaporated from the flowers , so about mid morning. The worst time is after it has been raining when the flowers are wet and should be avoided. 

 

How To Preparing Flowers for Pressing

It is ideal to prepare the flowers by blotting them with tissue paper carefully in order to remove any moisture. Although I have to say that in my excitement to get going I often forgot to do this step and the flowers were just fine, but for best results I would advise it. 

The Flower Pressing Process

I remembered as a child I used to press flowers with my Mum. We used to arrange the flowers with paper and place between the covers of a heavy book like a National Geographic hardback copy. However now we can buy specific flower presses and once my husband realised I was interested in this hobby, he thoughtfully bought me a flower press for my Birthday! I was so happy with this beautiful gift! 

I simply placed the flowers carefully and not overlapping onto the paper in the Flower press and placed another sheet of the absorbent paper over it and repeated until the whole book was full. Then gentle and carefully tightened the screws

I always used to think you needed a huge weight for the process to work but it turns out you only need a gentle pressure.

This Happinit Flower Press is really lovely with great reviews and can dry smal petals quite quickly

 Happinit Large Flower Press Kit, 6 Layers 11" x7" Even Pressure Flower Pressed DIY Arts, Flower Pressing KitCheck Price

 

The Waiting Game, Drying and Storing Flowers

We need to have some patience as the drying process takes time, up to 3 or 4 weeks ideally though you can get away with 2 weeks, or with some flower presses and small petals you can manage a few days.

The flower press needs to be placed in a warm dry place indoors. It is advised to check on the flowers every day or every few days, however due to family bereavement I did not check for several weeks and they were just fine.

I think ideally I need at least two flower presses so that I can have some drying and some to work with. I like this Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press

 Aboofx Extra Large Flower Press Kit, 11" x 11" 10 Layers Wooden Flower Pressing Kit with Storage BagCheck Price

 

So I have now reached the stage where I have all my beautiful pressed flowers! In the coming year I will have the whole season of flowers so even more to work with.  I am very much still learning what work and what doesn't but I am finding it a very satisfying hobby. The next step is finding out what I can create with the pressed flowers. 

Creating With Pressed Flowers

I am thinking of using the pressed flowers in several different ways. First to make a piece of art that I can hang on the wall or if good enough give as a gift. 

I could make cards from some of the flowers. I could explore how to add flowers to plain glass vases, though I am not sure how I could then wash them. 

Perhaps some of the more crafty people reading this could give me some more ideas.   

  

If you are or you know someone who loves flowers, nature and gardening a gift of a flower press would be a beautiful present. A Flower Press can be an excellent gift for an adult or a child.

I have found flower pressing to be a lovely way to still feel connected with nature even in winter. 

I love the process of collecting them and pressing them and now I can see them all again and work creatively with them which is a beautiful hobby that brings me joy.  

More Reviews By Raintree Annie

Read More Gardening Articles

Essential Wildlife Gardening Gifts

Diary Of A Wild Country Garden

Reviewing Restoring A Metal Garden Swing Seat

Crafts & DIY Reviews By Contributors On Review This Reviews

Product Reviews By Contributors On Review This Reviews

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Introducing Shepherd's Wool Yarn by Stonehedge Fiber Mill

My first experience with hanks of Shepherd's Wool is that this yarn is extremely soft, beautifully colored, and easy to work up. I am thrilled about my choice of yarn color and the mill that spun it. I could not have made a better choice of my first handspun wools for my first crochet cardigan project. 

I recently went to my first Fiber Festival and purchased handspun yarns with the plan to crochet a sweater for myself. Previously, I hadn't had the confidence to attempt crocheting a sweater. Especially, with more expensive handspun fiber yarns. I've decided to jump right in. I researched an easy cardigan crochet pattern and the various vendors that were going to be at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival. I had chosen the yarns from two vendors and only  had to choose the yarn colors and weights while at the festival. 

I had recently reviewed the Companion Fiber yarn that I purchased during that adventure. Today, I will tell you about the Shepherd's Wool from Stonehedge Fiber Mill, Michigan. 

I had gone to the festival with a plan of purchasing yarn from two specific shops. I first bought the hand dyed yarns at Companion Fiber then made my way to the Stonehedge Fiber Mill booth to choose the neutral colors that will make up the majority of my cardigan.

The Yarn: Shepherd's Wool

This yarn is so luxurious that I find myself touching the skein just to give it an extra squeeze. 

• Sport weight (2 weight)
• 2.5 ozs - 230 yards 
• Worsted Spun Fine Wool ("merino top")
• Hand Wash - do not agitate
• colors - granite and black

The website speaks more about "merino top" and that the way this yarn has been spun creates a yarn that is smooth, almost shiny in appearance, and creates wonderful stitch definition in your projects. I do not yet understand the different levels of yarn and what type of spinning creates what quality of yarn, but I have experiences that this yarn has a gorgeous look and does great a wonderful stitch definition. The way the yarn is spun, it looks like two different colored strands to me, it gives a depth of color in my project that I don't get with many other yarns. 

I purchased the neutral colors of yarn (black and grey) from Stonehedge Fiber Mill. 

The Mill: Stonehedge Fiber Mill, Michigan USA

This family owned and operated mill provides services such as carding, fiber spinning, and fiber evaluation (Please check their site for updates on the availability of these services. The site currently states that they are not accepting new items for services due to their backlog.)

They also offer handmade yarns, batting, and roving from their own flock. 

The Stonehedge Fiber Mill booth was filled with their yarns in various weights, a gorgeous colorful skein that is called Stonehedge Crazy yarn, T-shirts, and the most gorgeous handmade stuffed sheep, alpaca, and other animals. Deb had made the wonderful stuffed animals. Even though she had many customers, she took the time to help me make decisions about the best color and weight of yarn to work with the yarn I had purchased at Companion Fiber. 

The Stonehedge Fiber Mill is located in the northern portion of lower Michigan (on the Traverse City and Petosky side of the state). If you are not local to that area, and are not able to visit the mill shop in person, they do online orders. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Reviewing Beginner Rock Tumbling Supplies

I have always loved interesting stones and fossils. I always thought polished rocks are gorgeous. But I have never tried polishing (or tumbling) rocks at home, until now. My first batch of tumbled rocks have gone through the cycles and while they aren't as shiny and smooth as the polished rocks found at souvenir shops, they are very pretty. And it was a fun adventure. Had I known that it was this easy, I would have begun long ago.

I had recently begun fossil and rock hunting again because my grandson was sending me photos of interesting rocks. Geodes were my favorite to find as a child in the Midwest. But it doesn't seem that geodes occur naturally where I live now in West Virginia. In my research about local rocks, I was seeing gorgeous photos of polished rocks that people in the rock hounding groups were sharing. I decided to purchase a rock tumbler.

Coincidentally, I learned that a child at work also has a great interest in rocks. I told him that we could learn how to polish rocks together. He is delighted with finding rocks, giving them to me, then having them returned clean and shiny. 

I've done this first two batches of polished rocks with a tumbler and with a set of polishing grit. Of course, there are many more products that could be purchased. But I had fun results with just this small amount of items. We are learning that some rocks polish and some do not. Some stay approximately the same size and become shiny and others quickly wear away to nothing or crumble apart. Beginning to identify rocks is becoming a part of this process.

Rock Tumbler

I chose the Central Machine rock tumbler from Harbor Freight Tools. I knew NOTHING about rock tumblers when I went shopping that day. But it turns out that I'm very pleased with my purchase. 

Central Machine tumbler from Harbor Freight:

• dual drum, 6 lb capacity
• low speed and quiet
• barrels are rubberized to reduce noise
• fan-cooled, V-belt driven
• can be used with all types of polish media (ceramic, glass, resins, and nut shells)

You can find rock tumblers on Amazon. There are unknown brands and brands from companies such as National Geographic rock tumblers and kits for children. There are also rock polishers that work by using vibration. I would recommend the National Geographic tumbler and kit for kids, even thought it is a smaller, single tumbler because it comes with everything needed to try tumbling once; including some rough stones. Great for a one-time adventure in a classroom or with a person who isn't sure they are very interested in tumbling rocks. You can find that National Geographic kit here. 

One of the reasons that I'm happy about my Central Machine purchase is the dual drums. Tumbling rocks takes a long time; weeks or more. With dual drums I am able to run two sets of rocks at different stages of polishing at the same time. 

If you do not have a Harbor Freight store near you, there are many rock tumblers available on Amazon.

Polishing Grit

I chose the grit set because I saw the labels on one of the rock polishing channels that was most helpful to me on youtube. 

Polly Plastics rock tumbling kit was the brand she was using so it was the brand I ordered from Amazon. The kit came with 5 separate containers. They included:

• Step 1 Coarse grit
• Step 2 Medium grit
• Step 3 Pre-polish fine grit
• Step 4 Final Polish (Aluminum Oxide)
• container of 1 1/2 lbs of Ceramic Media (used to cushion and protect the rocks during tumbling at different stages).

While I had watched a variety of tutorials on rock tumbling, and everyone seems to have slightly different preferences, the Polly Plastics kit also comes with step-by-step instructions for their set. 

If you have ever wondered about tumbling rocks I hope you give it a try. I wish I would have started my rock tumbling adventures years ago. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Introducing Companion Fiber Yarn Company

There is a young lady in West Virginia who hand dyes natural fiber yarns in colors that celebrate the natural beauty of the area. I learned about her when  I was researching the vendors that planned on attending the Shenandoah Fiber Festival 2024.  As soon as I saw her colorways during my internet browsing, I knew that I wanted to find her booth first and find out if her yarn hanks pass the touch test.

Caitlin Moran and the Companion Fiber Company

Caitlin is the creator and owner of Companion Fiber Company. Her website describes that she loves nature and the West Virginia countryside. As a farmer, she uses companion planting (intentionally planting vegetables and flowers next to each other because they benefit each other) and that is the significance of her yarn shop name.

Companion Fiber company began in 2018. The merino yarn (in several different weights) is a natural fiber that is dyed in small dye lots by hand. Caitlin chooses the colorways from the inspiration of the land and plants around her.

In her shop, she offers

• Roving in Merino or Variegated BFL (bluefaced Leicester wool)
• Yarn hanks of Merino in fingerling, DK, Worsted weights, Super Bulky
• Fingerling weight/sock yarn in 80% merino/20% nylon
• At select shows, she offers hand-knitted plush animals (the hedgehogs were adorable!)

Shenandoah Fiber Festival

The 19th annual Shenandoah Fiber Festival in Berryville, VA is the first festival I have ever attended that focuses on natural fiber arts. The natural fibers coming from sheep, goats, alpaca, and rabbit. (those were the animals I saw anyway). The festival included fleece judging and plenty of animals to see and learn about. 

Because I had seen her colorway decisions, I made a beeline to her booth first. I was leaning toward 2 different colors as they appeared online for a natural-fiber sweater that I plan to make for myself. I want pops of color of her yarns in a field of neutral black, gray, or brown. Once I found her booth, I realized that it was going to be more difficult than I thought to choose one colorway. The hanks were visually pleasing. And oh so soft to the touch! Historically, I haven't been a fan of wool and natural fibers because I remember them as being scratchy. Her hanks are so incredibly soft. I wanted to wrap myself in the sample lap afghan she had draped in her chair. Caitlin was very helpful as I tried to decide between worsted weight and DK. (I chose DK because of the drape and feel of that beautiful lap afghan!)

I did choose a hank of Bakerton Quarry, which I had my eye on when I saw it on her social media. I'm not familiar with Bakerton Quarry. It must be a gorgeous place. The colorway personally reminds me of the Eastern Bluebirds that live here. I also chose Juniper. Frankly, at her booth, I wanted hanks in all of her colors. They are such vibrant colors and her color combinations really do parallel nature in this area. 

The only wish I have for her shop is that she include more neutral and almost "solid" colors of blacks, greys and browns. But that wasn't a deal-breaker as I went to another booth for the neutral, base color for my future sweater. 

I cannot begin to tell you how in love I am with Companion Fiber yarns. 

Bakerton Quarry and Juniper colorways

Companion Fiber Social Media: 

Website Companion Fiber

Companion Fiber Facebook

Companion Fiber Instagram

Local Fiber Festivals and Shows - On her webpage, Caitlin lists the shows that she plans on attending. In the list, I notice towns as far north as State College, PA and as far south as Baltimore, Md. And plenty of shows in VA, WV, and MD. If you can't find her at a show or festival, I hope you take a quick peek at her page. 

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Reviewing Wool Ease Fair Isle Yarn by Lion Brand

I have crocheted for many decades but only recently have begun purchasing natural fiber yarns (wool and alpaca) for my projects. I was very excited to find the Fair Isle colorway by Lion Brand and have crocheted a hat that I'm very pleased with. My project ideas for this specific yarn is already a long list. 

Isn't Fair Isle Just the Name of a Colorway?

Yes and no. It is the name of this Lion Brand skein because it is a self-striping or self-pooling skein of yarn intended to create patterns that appear similar to the original style of Fair Isle - but without using two strands of yarn at a time while knitting. I chose the Fair Isle (self-striping) skein in the colorway Pink Mushroom. There are other color choices in the Fair Isle style of yarn.

Historically, Fair Isle is a knitting technique that is worked holding two strands of yarn, separately, at a time. The technique results in colors that create repeated shapes across the work. These shapes often are "OXO" shapes or simple geometric shapes. It was named Fair Isle after one of the Shetland Islands and reportedly became more popular after the Prince of Wales wore a Fair Isle sweater. I have always admired these designs but hadn't known previously that it was a specific knitting technique.

Wool Ease Fair Isle Yarn by Lion Brand

The Wool Ease Fair Isle yarn is meant to pool into patterns. This happens much more easily when knitting since the shapes are better formed in the "v" stitches that occur in knitting. Unfortunately, I have not yet learned how to knit.  But I still loved the colors offered in these skeins. And I'm looking to make more projects with natural fibers and that have the thicker, "wool" appearance. I bought one skein, worked up a hat, and immediately ordered more skeins.

Specifics:

• 80% Acrylic, 20% wool blend
• weight size 4 (worsted)
• 5.3 oz/348 yd
• machine wash gentle, tumble dry low
• Size 8 knitting needles/size J crochet hook

This Wool Ease yarn is a great way to start using a natural fiber blend, but isn't as expensive as a full natural fiber skein. And because it is a blend, it does not have to be handwashed.

I was attracted to the colorways. Many variegated yarns are extremely bold and bright colors.  I know that bright colors are the preferred choice of many people. But I prefer subdued colors. The Wool Ease Fair Isle offers the gentle colors that I like. 

I crocheted a hat, knowing that I would not get the exact patterns that someone knitting would achieve. But I was focused on the gentle colors. I was very pleasantly surprised when my hat turned out with pleasing stripes and flecks. And bonus, I have enough yarn in this skein to make another 1 - 2 hats!

As I was creating my hat, I was excitedly listing all of the projects that would be beautiful in this yarn; mittens, fingerless gloves, scarves, stuffed animals (wouldn't bunnies and elephants be beautiful in this color?!). This yarn is not as soft as the Eddie Bauer Wool-Paca yarn I recently purchased. But that's okay. While the Wool Ease Fair Isle is not as soft, it is not itchy due to amount of acrylic yarn in the blend. It is very thick and "cushiony".

The skein labels picture a finished project with repeating shapes. It states, "to create projects pictured here, visit Lionbrand.com.  With an internet search, you can also find reviews of this yarn, some projects, and examples of Fair Isle projects using 2 strands of yarn instead of the ease of using this one strand of Wool Ease. 

Related Links:

Be sure to visit the Lion Brand official site for more information and patterns. 

I often buy my yarn online at Joann Fabric and Crafts now that I don't live near any good yarn stores. I take advantage of their really good sales.

 If you prefer Amazon Prime due to saving the shipping costs, just do a search for "Yarn" and many options pop up; including Lion Brand yarn.

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Reviewing Nelsonwood Crochet Hooks

I have just recently received my first handcrafted ergonomic crochet hooks from Nelsonwood and I'm so excited to show them to you. Nelsonwood crochet hooks are handmade, primarily wooden, hooks that are as much pieces of art as they are functional tools for crochet. No two Nelsonwood items could ever be identical, so every hook is a custom artpiece that only you possess.  They feel so velvety smooth that I just want to pet mine, like a calming fidget. Do you think I'm being dramatic?  I would have thought so too had I read this prior to touching and seeing my first Nelsonwood hooks. 

Crochet is a fiber art in which items are made using yarn and a hook. Crocheted items can be functional (hats, socks, blankets), unique art pieces and heirlooms (doilies, christening gowns), or fun (shaped pillows, amigurumi, stuffed animals, and costumes).  

I enjoy crochet very much and am astounded at some of the intricate art I see crocheters producing. I am a moderately skilled crocheter but my retirement dream is to spend plenty of time sitting on the deck and learning to crochet intricate doily tablecloths, mosaic blankets, and beautiful wearables.  

Many crocheters have their favorite brand or style of crochet hooks (and yarns, but that's an entirely different maze of rabbit holes to go down). I recently saw a crochet youtube tutorial in which the artist showed her Nelsoonwood hook. I was so astounded by how beautiful it was that I went directly to the website. It wasn't long after that I ordered my first Nelsoonwood hook.

Nelsonwood 

Bryan Tyler Nelson is the Texas wood artist of Nelsonwood. He handcrafts beautiful wooden items with a focus on bowls and crochet hooks. And the selection of woods and base/body parts seems endless.

You choose the components to each hook you order at Nelsonwood.

Hook.  Most importantly to me, you are able to choose a wooden hook or a metal hook. My favorite hook over the years has been the Boye brand. So I select that option and the size hook. 

Base (body). This is the largest part of the hook. Where you hand holds onto. You can choose one of the many woods listed (with a vast variety of colors and grains) or you can choose one of the AlumiLite designs. AlumiLite is a "Proprietary Casting Urethane". It is very strong, stronger than Acrylic and will not break or chip. 

Exotic Wood Ends. Whether you choose a wooden or AlumiLite base, you will then choose an exatic wood for the ends (for example, the far end of the hook and the piece between the base and the metal crochet hook on my custom Nelsonwood hook.)

My next order will be a hook with the AlumiLite base. There are so many options.  There are some styles that have feathers or dried flowers inside. With the clear AlumiLite, it looks like they are floating. 

All handcrafted items, that aren't created first then are "ready to ship" take slightly longer to receive after ordering. The site states that it typically takes between 4-5 weeks for the hook to be created and shipped. That is reasonable for a custom, handmade item. I feel that mine arrived in the 3 to 4 week time frame. (Frankly, I only usually check my post office box weekly. And my Nelsonwood hooks arrived a week sooner than I had anticipated). 

Nelsonwood orders can be made on Nelsonwood.net

Nelsonwood can also be found on Facebook and Instagram. 

Personal Thoughts

As I can begin to see retirement age approaching, my hands seem to be retiring before the rest of me. I find myself wondering if days filled with working with my hands/fingers will be a realistic goal. This is the primary reason I hurried to order this ergonomic hook option.  I also would like to be able to surround myself with a few nice, possibly heirloom, items here and there. 

I did find the ordering page a bit confusing. Part of that was 1) I rarely read directions and just try to race through and 2) there are so many options that I had a very hard time making decisions. The good news is that Bryan has included a step-by-step "how to order" page that was extremely helpful (once I chose to look at directions!)

These hooks are pricey. I am not at all saying they are over-priced. Like all handmade items and works of art, the price is higher than mass-produced items. In fact, for what they are, the Nelsonwood custom crochet hooks are very reasonably priced. A younger me would not have been able to pay this price. Fortunately, the older me is able to splurge on some gifts to me. And, is it really a splurge if the ergonomic shape will help me continue crochet well into my retirement?

I tend to use only a range of 4 hook sizes; F, G, H, and I. So I have plans to buy Nelsonwood hooks in those four sizes. And the next will be one of those gorgeous AlumiLite bases. Probably one with the combination of flowers and fathers. 

Personal Thoughts About Stereotypes

I'm rattling on about being an older woman and am looking forward to crocheting during my retirement. That is me personally. In no way do I want to continue the myth that crochet is a hobby that is only for old ladies. 

There are many males (adult and younger) who are passionate about crochet and who are extremely talented. I am so very thankful for these folks who are sharing their passion and talent on social media.

I have worked with at-risk and special needs children for decades. I often offer crochet as a way for these children to have a hobby, develop skills (physical and emotional), have an outlet for their amazing creativity and so on. Unfortunately, over the decades, most males and many young female children were hesitant to try; citing "that's for old women". 

I am thrilled that so many people, of such a wide range of age, gender, race, and culture are sharing their crochet passion with others. And am especially thrilled that males are showing their talent on social media. 

Thank you for that. 

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Reviewing Renovating Old Pine Furniture Project

 

This review covers an easy DIY project to renovate old unremarkable furniture into something to grace our homes and fit with existing decor. 

In our case we wanted a new dining table and chairs but the only ones we could find to fit our space and circular were very expensive. We did however find a lovely circular table and four chairs that were perfect for our needs and very comfortable at a very good price, but the issue was that they were a quite horrible orange pine colour.

I am not usually an advocate of painting wood. If it is beautiful oak, mahogony, rosewood or reclaimed wood I will not paint it. 

However orange pine with a shiny finish is just not to us all that beautiful and did not fit in with the rest of our decor ideas for the dining room. 

I am not deterred by a minor issue like this and we really liked the style and comfort of this dining set. So we bought the dining set and went about cleaning, sanding and painting. 

Here I will tell you what we did with the chairs. 

Step One Sanding Down Pine Chair

First it was important to sand down the wood. It had a shiny surface to it and I did not think even the best paint would go on well over such a shiny surface. 

With some furniture paints they declare that you do not need to sand down first so it is always best to  check the instructions and perhaps do a patch test to make sure if you need to sand or not. 

So we sanded it with a fine sandpaper until all the shiny orange paint was no more! 

It is important to do this step carefully and take your time as skimping on this preparation will affect the whole project.

I don't have a workshop or anywhere to do this kind of work so for me it was a case of clearing a room and laying down dust sheets and working on the floor. Of course a work table or ideally a workshop would be wonderful but this project is perfectly possible with none of this.  

Step Two Cleaning The Chair

Next I cleaned the whole chair including the seat cushion and back.

The wood was cleaned with sugar soap and the chair with an upholstery cleaner. There is no real skill to this, all this took was time and following the cleaning instructions.

Then we left it all to dry.

Step Three Masking Tape 

With a project like this it is important to use masking tape to mask off all the areas that you do not want to paint. I do find this step rather boring but it is necessary. 

It is worth spending a little time over this as it is a lot more difficult to remove paint from where you do not want it than to simply mask it off beforehand and does make the painting process easier. 

Step Four Painting The Wood. 

After laying down sheets I set about painting the whole chair. 

It needed to be done in two steps so that I could reach the whole wooden parts of the chair. So involved the chair standing up and laying down to reach it all. 

As I had two chairs on the go at the same time this was possible to do without wasting time. 

We chose a light grey colour. It did take two coats to cover the wood. I would always recommend two coats. A darker colour may have covered the wood more thoroughly with one coat but I always think two coats gives better coverage and longevity.

Furniture Paint. 

We used Rust Oleum Satin Finish Furniture Paint. It says on the tin it is a superior satin silky finish in slate grey.

I found that this paint went on very well and smoothly. I found it a really good paint to use.  It did not have an overpowering smell and did not give me a headache as many paints do. It went on well although was a little drippy, so it was essential to have sheets down. It is necessary to stir it well before starting to paint. 

The clean up is so easy as it is water based so it is just a case of wiping off most of the excess paint then washing in water. 

If I had a workspace I might have used a Rustoleum furniture spray paint which may have speeded things up. However I was doing this project in winter in our dining room so a spray paint would not have been a good idea in these circumstances. 

Any good furniture paint can be used, just choose the finish, application method and colour you like. I tend to go for water based and low odour for ease of use in the home and clean up afterwards. 

Due to the space and how intricate some of the work was I used a small paintbrush and I think this was a good idea so that there was more precision.

After the first coat the finish did not look all that good but I always expect this. 

I left it to dry thoroughly then applied a second coat and this is where the magic happens as the pine disappeared and the beautiful slate grey colour saturated the wood. I an no expert but I think the finish, even in the more difficult intricate parts is pretty good. 

The four chairs took me two days to do at a fairly relaxed pace with lots of coffee breaks! It is a straightforward project that anyone could do really. All it takes is time and patience and a few basic painting skills. 

The Supplies You Need For This Furniture Project

Furniture Paint or Rustoleum paint 

Sandpaper 

A small paintbrush

Masking Tape

Old sheets, dust sheets or anything you have to protect the floor

We think it was a worthwhile project and we now have a lovely dining set at a fraction of the price. 

If we ever get fed up of the colour  or go for a different scheme, it will be very easy to change with a light sanding and a coat of new paint.

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