new website

hello!

remember when i said that i got a new computer?
well i have been putting that iMac to great use! starting with redoing my website!
i still need to figure out how to assign it to my base URL because it is now located at www.rawfishdesigns.com/rawfish_designs which seems unnecessarily long....
but since i've already hotlinked it for you- want to check it out?
i would adore some feedback on the layout and vibe.

since the holidays are right around the corner, i wanted to spiffy up my end of the internet a bit, starting with the new site! the new site has a blog built into it, but no forum for comments, and that's a bit sad. so i haven't decided yet if i want to move my blog over there, at least fully. maybe i'll keep both?

anyway, i realized that the yarns that make me the most happy are ONE OF A KIND. and that even though sometimes i really think about rawfish as a business, i'm most happy when i'm focused on it as an ART. some of you might have heard me blabbing about my interntal dialouge over on www.twitter.com/rawfish but i really want to take some time to start developing the yarn as art. really focus on teaching myself new techniques and becoming an inventor...

the new site should help with invention also, since i can now record videos on the new computer and immediately publish them live to the internet to a "tutorials" page (still in the works) or something like that. i was also considering that maybe the blog layout be entitled "experiments" and i could post specifically when i developing or playing with a facet of the yarn.
instead of here- where it's everyday life + recipes + etsy finds + spinning + biz talk...
that one will be more like a dedicated yarn journal??...

anyway, a lot of it is STILL UP IN THE AIR. which is why i would really really really love to hear from all of you out there about feedback for the site. what you would like to see happen in this new forum. and anything else that is on your mind.

in fact, LET'S DO A GIVEAWAY. please comment below (click on "love notes") about the new website or anything that i mentioned in this blog post and i will use a random # generator to pick a winner when the comments hit #50... okay? :) you can pick your prize- fiber or yarn or knit- and you'll get a surprise in the category of your choice!

so that's what i've been working on this past week.
can't wait to pick your brains via the comments!
much fibery love,
laila

hello again

oh golly, i did it again.
fell off the face of the internet.
4 days since i last tweeted!
almost 2-3 weeks since my last blog!
what happened to me?

welllllllll first, i went to camp pluckyfluff! a crazy art yarn spin camp that also had an awesome batt workshop with loop!lexi, aka pluckyfluff, demos art yarn techniques in upstate NY!

one of the yarns i spun at camp! this one i called "pink moon" and it uses the translucent mohair technique! :)

the loop studio is INCREDIBLE! talk about an inspiring workspace!! squeeeee & mmm!

steph, aka loop, cranking batts in her beeeeeautiful studio space!

then i went to rhinebeck aka new york sheep and wool festival where i bought a fleece and hung out with joyce & steph (loop) and laura (indigonightowl)!

me, hugging my cormo/rambo cross fleece that i scooped up at the fest!
i will have dyed locks of this yum fleece for sale soon!

then! if a crazy fiber filled weekend wasn't awesome enough, when i returned julie (yoursecretadmiral) invited me to come spin LIVE at the etsylabs on the 26th! i did a virtual lab demonstration as well as a live show of my spinning talents!

what it looked like to viewers of the virtual labs! chat + video + classroom :)

don't worry if you missed it, because most recently, my dad gifted me a brand new mac computer! so now i have webcam capabilities and will be able to start documenting new techniques that i will be experimenting with.

me, spinning at the etsylabs!

also, fiber batt clubs (already shipped!) and novelty art yarn clubs (shipping this week!) have really been rolling! i have 3 members for each currently, and my limit is 5- so if you were hankering for a fiber fixxx, sign up before the spots are all filled!!

one lucky novelty art yarn clubber will be getting the yarn i spun during the etsy labs demonstration! shown above

i have sooooo many new things to list and photograph... a slew of new yarns 10-20, almost 4lbs of washed, dyed cormo/rambo fleece, as well as merino/targhee locks, and i will be making new gift sets with needles and holiday yarns!

wooo. i really need an extra set of hands!

if you want to see more pictures from the awesome woolventure i've been having- please check out my flickr photostream!

xoxo! laila

my creative customers #2

hello my darlings!

i'm back again with another installment featuring my creative customers!
this time is the ever lovely danika of spinswim who is being featured.

danika is a new member of my fiber batt club and her first shipment was october's "ghosts in the night sky" batts, but without knowing what secret goodies were going to be shipped to her- she also nabbed a mohair roving called "silver lining" from my etsy shop.

the "silver lining" hand-dyed mohair roving happened to coordinate perfectly with the batts!

when the batts & roving arrived at her house, spinswim sent me such a lovely convo. i just had to share a snippet....

"I just wanted to tell you that I love the fiber! I really appreciate that the batt is not in expected traditional colors for Autumn or Halloween...I love the colors you chose."

danika used them together & spun up this lovely yarn:

isn't that so fun?? i love seeing what my products turn into!

thanks so much for sharing, danika! :)

hope you all enjoyed a peek into the club batts & yarns. i will be sharing my version of the "ghosts in the night sky" batts spun up soon! it's already spun & set the twist, i just need to photograph the final yarn. :D

xoxo, laila

p.s. t-minus ONE DAY til camp pluckyfluff!! soooooooo excited!!

exploring color on flickr = reds

flowers & bows by thecatspajamas on flickr

my latest yarn "mulled cider"

temari 50, monochromatic spindle by wklager on flickr


rose carnival by eliza1946 on flickr

lynna ruffled nuno felted scarf by kneek on flickr


hope you enjoyed my colorful picks!
xo, laila

*just click on any of the pictures to be taken to their flickr page & each pic is copyright the name listed BENEATH it*

we're spinning gold!

must be the season: the color palette of rich fields of wheat and hazy sunshine, and fresh baked apple pies. golden slumbers fill your eyes.

my best buddy rachel-marie of knittydirtygirl's handmade plaque (i just love the warmth in this photo- above)

my inspiration binder (above) and anthropologie's june catalog (below)

i love these adorable bunting flags and the storefront from textileID blog! (below)

my hand-crocheted talisman neckwarmer modeled by my good pal kate! (below)

i have stacks of magazine and a bunch of folders created on my computer all dedicated to inspirations. i have yarn inspirations, and apartment dreams, and display ideas... so many folders, and so many ideas. i decided to share a look into what tickles my fancy.

i hope you enjoyed my golden textured picks!

xo, laila

interviewed by mireio!

hello my dears!

sorry i fell off the face of the earth for a bit. over on the ravelry boards we had a bit of a scare since registration for camp pluckyfluff NY was low, so there was a chance it was going to get canceled. now, i have been peeing my pants with excitement over this camp since i first heard about it over a year ago! pluckyfluff aka lexi boeger, author of intertwined, is every art yarn spinner's idol! so needless to say, i was miserable at the thought my chance was going down the drain. but woo, mood swing is over, since a few more spinners signed up and the class is going to happen!! (thank freaking goodness!!!!)

so back to our regularly scheduled updates!
i will be daily blogging again starting tomorrow (er, today?).

but until my next new content-filled post, you can check out my interview!
wende, of mireio, who does the "best of etsy" posts on twitter every wednesday at 1pm - recently mentioned my yarn on her blog. if that wasn't sweet enough, she followed it up by asking for a sneak peek into the life of rawfish (and she did a great job editing my writing too!).

so without further ado, go check out my interview! and be sure to take advantage of the DISCOUNT i'm offering on yarn also! (p.s. the discount details are in the interview, haha)

xo, laila

p.s. i'm in the midst of writing a SECOND interview/essay and it would help me a great deal if you mentioned why you love SPINNING, HALLOWEEN, and/or FALL in the "love notes." thanks m'dears!! :D

fiber batt club! + new fall knits!

hello dearies!

jesse & i had a relaxing weekend after all the buzzzzzzz of the past two (birthday & dad visiting)! we finally cleaned our house a bit & spent our two days off just soaking up some sunshine and eating brunch! haha, we went out for eggs two day in a row. i guess you can tell what our favorite foods are... :)

saturday, i spent some much needed time with my dyepots! so now i have some fresh colors all whipped up to surprise my batt club members with next week! :D speaking of the batt clubs, i have TWO more spots open, so grab a spot while you can. right now, my max is only 5 members. i have 3 currently in the club. i signed on to etsy today to find out a clubber member, who's 3 month membership had just ended, had purchased another 3 months. isn't that so sweet?! i mean, talk about total verification of the hard work you put into things. :) she didn't even want to go one month without her rawfish batts, hehe! :D
also, the clubs are a great way to get your fiber batt fixx at a discounted rate. some fiberistas clubs cost the same per ounce as the "in-shop" batts. my clubbers get ~ $1 off per oz. which adds up fast! :) plus, the clubs have member exclusive fibers & colors, and it is fun to follow along and talk with other clubbers about that month's treats on the fiber club ravelry thread*!


anyway, tomorrow is the official first day of autumn!

are you excited for fall? i really am!
i got ready for the chill by having a fun photoshoot with my gal pals yesterday! & listing FOUR new wearables today in the etsy shop! :D
i listed my universe freeform crochet purse, patchoulli tam hat, uliver tulliver's headdress and a talisman cowl! YAY!

hope you all are having an awesome MONDAY!
i'm off to etsylab's craft night tonight! we are making/sewing eco-bags tonight! :)

xo, laila