Jan
January Newsletter
Image courtesy of Imperial Yarn
We also have several new Louet wheels at the shop, a Louet drum carder, and a new Mach 2 in stock. All available for rental or purchase. Take them for a spin and pick out a Valentine’s Day Gift early!
Learn to love fiber craft:
We’ve added more classes for February and March! Learn the basics or move to the next level, we have classes for everyone. Register now so you can ensure your space in one of these fun intimate workshops…
Saturday 1.23 Learn to Nuno Felt a Great Neck warmer - 2 spaces left
Nuno felted fabric can be used for a variety of projects including quilt squares, scarf making, jewelry, mittens or apparel. The beginning nuno felt class is a great starting point for learning how to make flat felt fabric. $40 pp
Saturday 1.30 Beginning Knitting - 3 spaces left
You’ll learn how to cast on stitches, knit, and purl as well as some simple stitch patterns that work well for scarves. Make a hand knit scarf to keep warm on these rainy days! $26 pp
Saturday 1.30 Fix-It Clinic
Bring your knitting and crochet problems in for diagnosis and first aid. Our resident knitting and crochet expert can help you start a new project, untangle an old one, or learn a new skill. $26 pp
Monday 2.01 FREE Fiber Club Nigh at The Old Jerusalem Cafe
Join us at our montly hangout the Old Jerusalem Cafe! Drop in and bring a fiber craft of your choice to work on. Now meeting on the first Monday of every month. FREE
Tuesday 2.02 DIY Sweethat knit or crochet
Know the basics of either knitting or crochet and want some expert help with making that first hat? Sign up for the Sweethat class! Class meets on two Tuesday evenings. $52 pp
Saturday 02.06 KTTG #6: Survey of Knitted Lace – 4 spaces left
Interested in lace knitting but scared? With the guidance of Kira you will be able to tackle a variety of patterns by learning how to read them and confidently take on those new lace patterns.
Tuesday 3.02 Beginning Crochet
In this two-part class you’ll learn the basic stitches while making a cute stuffed bunny and also start a crocheted scarf. Class meets on two Tuesday evenings. $52 pp
Saturday 3.06 KTTG #7: Understanding and Correcting Knitting Mistakes
Learn how recognize and fix many common knitting mistakes and avoid making them in the first place. This class will make you more confident when trying new techniques! $26 pp
Saturday 3.06 Intermediate Knitting
Bring your knitting to the next level with this skills workshop designed to move you from a beginning knitter to an intermediate knitter.
Sunday 3.07 Spinning on a Drop Spindle
Ever wondered how yarn is made? In this class you will be given a brief overview of spinning and what can be spun. You will work up to spinning with a drop spindle. All supplies included. $40 pp
Saturday 3.13 Learn to Weave with a Cricket Loom - 3 spaces left
We sold out so quick for our first section we brought it back for March! This class will teach the basics of weaving with a table top rigid heddle loom. Registration includes a brand new cricket loom and instruction. $210
Saturday 3.20 Needle Felted Bird
Needlefelting, an exciting and easy dry felting method. You get to pick from a rainbow of colors to make your bird. $16 pp
Every month we will be giving you a closer look at our Artist Community. The studio carries products from artists and designers we love and we hope to share some of their story with you. This month we feature Kira Dulaney of Kira K Designs. Kira is a Bay Area resident who learned the basics of crochet around age three and knitting around five. She studied theatrical costume design and worked as a costume designer in and around San Francisco for several years. Her research in historical clothing is a strong influence in her design sense, and many of her patterns reference styles from the 1920s through the 1960s….read more
Jan
Meet the Artist: Kira K Designs
Kira Dulaney first learned the basics of crochet around age three and knitting around five. Her attention soon moved to cross stitch, sewing, and other crafty pursuits, then she re-taught herself to knit while in college. She studied theatrical costume design and worked as a costume designer in and around San Francisco for several years. The research she has done in historical clothing is a strong influence on her design sense, and many Kira K Designs patterns reference styles from the 1920s through the 1960s. Her designs tend toward garments with clean lines and intriguing details that are interesting to knit and easy to wear. Kira is also a great teacher! So lets learn a little bit more about Kira in this fun interview:
How long have you been running your fiberarts business and what inspired you to do this for a living?
I started self-publishing patterns in early 2007, so it’s been almost three years now. I’d been designing patterns for most of my own knitting and crochet projects for a couple years and people were always asking me for the patterns, but of course I changed things as I went and didn’t take any notes. Eventually I decided to write my patterns down and try selling them. I started very small and slow and learned about the business side of things as I went. I’ve been teaching classes on knitting and crochet for about 5 years now, and starting teaching sewing classes one year ago.
What part of your work do you enjoy the most?
I love when all the elements of a design come together. I’m always making notes about different shapes, stitches, and yarns that I’d like to try, and eventually a silhouette, stitch pattern, and yarn all click together into a cohesive design.
What part of your work do you enjoy the least?
I have really high standards for myself, and I’m devastated whenever errata is found in one of my patterns. I know that it’s natural to have a small mistake here or there, but I still feel terrible about it.
What styles, artists, designers do you find more inspiring and why?
I used to work in theater designing and building costumes, and styles from the 1920s through the 1960s have a big influence on me. I don’t do straight reproduction work, but many of the silhouettes and details from that time find their way into my designs. I really don’t follow fashion that much, but I always keep an eye out for interesting styles that I see on the street.
Being self-employed can be hard to maintain motivation. What do you do to keep the creativity flowing in your everyday work?
Time is more of a problem for me than motivation. There is always so much to do and even though knitting is a necessary part of my work, it sometimes feels lazy to sit and knit for hours.
What blogs/magazines/books do you like to read?
I really only follow the blogs of friends, because it can take too much time keeping up with lots of different blogs. I read Spin-Off magazine and also Bitch and Bust. I like Neil Gaiman’s novels, and lately I’ve been reading non-fiction by Sarah Vowell and Mary Roach.
Do you have any hobbies other then fiberarts?
I love to cook and bake, especially when I can share the results with a table full of friends.
Anything new on the horizon for your business?
I have patterns in the spring 2010 issues of Tension Magazine and Interweave Crochet. I’ve recently starting working with a distributor, so my self-published patterns should be showing up in many more yarn shops across the country soon.
Jan
Fig Preserves
Disclaimer: I am not by any stretch of the imagination a food blogger….that aside I hope you enjoy our tiny adventures in cooking!
2 pounds firm ripe figs (makes sure they are as fresh and unblemished as possible)
2.5 cups granulated
1 cup water
Directions:
Wash the figs thoroughly in a large pot or bowl of cool tap water. Drain well then wash again. Drain well and trim off stems. Combine all ingredients in a quart stainless steel saucepan.
Bring to boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling. There should be some yellowish foam from the surface of the mixture and you should try to skim it off. (Note: I didn’t see much myself and barely skimmed it much.) This will take about 10 minutes to do as the yellow foam continues to develop. A less dense purple foam may also develop; this does not require skimming. Reduce heat to med. and cook about 30-40 minutes, stirring and scraping the pan bottom occasionally so mixture will not scorch. Skim any additional foam as it develops. By the end of the cooking time, the mixture should be very thick and most if not all of the figs should be reduced to a puree. Cool it off and put in the fridge or eat.
It’s so so yummy on toasted bread with caramelized red onions and even a little goat cheese….now how easy was that?
Dec
Holiday Shopping at Urban Fauna Studio and Handspun Revolution Gallery Show
Thanks to everyone who came to the annual Holiday Party! We had a great time seeing you, crafting, knitting, felting, sewing and eating yummy homemade treats! We are truly grateful to have the gift of community, YOU make our holidays worth celebrating! Michael of www.michaeljeong.com generously offered to take photos of the event. Click here to view a photo album of the party. If you have any additional photos to share please upload them to our Flickr Group. We look forward to celebrating with you next year!
GIFT GUIDE FOR THE FIBER LOVER: $30 AND UNDER
We know there are few days left in the holiday season. If you need to get last minute items for the fiber lover in your life….or the soon-to-be fiber enthusiast, consider coming by the shop during our special extended hours! At the shop right now we have:
Luxury Handspun Yarn Sampler by Irene Andersson of Sweden. Each mini skein is approximately 5.5 yards. Ten skeins total, each a different combination of fibers (silk, mohair, angora, rare wool varieties, etc…). Meticulously hand dyed in a rainbow of colorways, handspun and labeled. $20 ea box
THE REVOLUTION HAS STARTED….UFS Is Here to Help!
************* IN SHOP COUPON *****************
Extended Holiday Hours This Week
Monday 11 – 7PM
Tuesday 11 – 7PM
Wednesday 11 – 7PM
Dec
Everlasting Woodland Terrarium Winner!
And the winner is….
Comment #5!
Rena contact us and let us know how you would like to collect your kit! Thanks to everyone who played along!
Dec
December Newsletter
It’s hard to believe our year is almost over. We’ve got a lot in store for December to help bring out the maker in you! From no-loom weaving to adorable amigurumi stuffed animals, you know these gift making skills will come in handy in the coming weeks!
Craft Workshops
KTTG #4: Survey of Knitted Cables
Cables add a wonderful depth to knitting, as well as making the knitted fabric thicker and warmer. In this class we will try a variety of cables moving from simple rope cables to travelling cables and twisted stitches. We will also go over how to read cable patterns in both written and charted form. $25
Learn To Card Weave Saturday – December 19th 2009
Card weaving has been used since ancient times to create intricately patterned, strong belts and bands. All that’s required is yarn, a set of weaving cards, a couple of C-clamps and a table to clamp them to. And no looms required! $120
Learn To Crochet @ Bazaar Bizarre SF Dec 12th & 13th ** SPECIAL GUEST **
We’re very excited to have crochet expert Barbara Iachini teach a class at the upcoming Bazaar Bizarre! After some DIY shopping, why not sit down for a fun lesson to get you started on crochet! In this beginner class you will learn the basics, enough to make a simple cute pair of fingerless gloves/ wrist warmers. All materials and tools will be provided for you to complete your project! $25 (includes two hours AND materials)
after you’ve mastered basic crochet you can enroll in…..
Amigurumi Stuffed Animal Class Sunday Dec. 20th** SPECIAL GUEST **
Narumi Ogawa is a crochet designer and the owner of Mr.Funky. In her three hour class you will learn to make two different animals (Hare and Bear) with just a few modifications of one pattern. Limited space and for a limited time, take this fun class today! The class includes a copy of Mr. Funky’s Super Crochet Wonderful, all the tools and materials to make one doll. Class: $55
Urban Fauna Studio is throwing a neighorhood holiday party and you are invited! Click here for details…register today as space is limited!
Blog Giveaways, Stash and Burn and Clothing Tag Exchange
We were recently interviewed by the awesome Jenny and Nicole of the Stash and Burn Podcast. They’re giving away a $25 gift certificate for our store on their Rav group & Blog. Pop on over and leave a comment and be sure to listen to their podcast for all the best in local knitting and fiber talk! http://www.stashandburn.com/
We also have a great collaboration with local indie crafter Lea Redmond of Leafcutter Designs . Lea is a fellow fiber lover. She had a request for a clothes tag that crafters and sheep-raisers could sew into their handmade woolen items. So here it is:
The distribution of these tags is a non-commercial project so we’re only asking you to pay for the cost of the tags and packaging. Come by the shop starting this Friday Dec. 4th and pick a set of 5 tags up for only $1.00. Perfect gift for your knitty friends or to sew into your next handmade gift!
In celebration of the recent tutorial my buddy Katy Kristen and I wrote for Craftzine’s Super Craft Kidz column, UFS is giving away an Everlasting Terrarium Kit to one lucky comment on our blog. Pop on over to our Blog before Dec. 5th for a chance to win!
CRAFT FAIRS – Shop Handmade For The Holidays
Fogbelt Studio Holiday Fair Shop this curated local art and craft show in a charming studio setting. 17 years and going strong! December 4 – 5 – 6 * Friday – 12pm to 8pm * Saturday – 10am to 6pm * Sunday – 12pm to 6pm ** refreshments ** daily door prizes ** 2528 – 25th Avenue (between Ulloa & Vicente) San Francisco CA 94116
Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco
Come out and see what we’ve been working on all year long. The Bazaar Bizarre is a local showcase of 120+ Vendors * FREE Craft Workshops * Raffles * Food * Music and More!
Saturday December 12th 2009 12:00 PM – 6:00PM
Sunday December 13th 2009 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
San Francisco County Fair Building Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
$2.00 Per Adult ~ 12 & Under FREE
50% of Addmission Fees Go To Charity
Nov
Everlasting Woodland Terrarium Giveaway
My buddy Katy Kristen and I have created a class and kit to make an adorable woolly woodland terrarium scene. It was featured on Craftzine’s Super Crafty Kidz column!
We’re GIVING AWAY one of our kits to one lucky reader! Leave a blog comment here about why you think this terrarium kit would be an ideal craft project for you and we’ll enter your name in a raffle for this kit. The winner will be announced on Dec 5th.
Nov
Brimmed Beanie Pattern
Urban Fauna Studio teamed up with our fiber friend Juliene Ford of www.stitchify.com to present this cute Brimmed Beanie pattern using our fine wool yarn hand dyed by Mary Jane’s Attic (our in house dye company). Click the image below or this link to download the pattern from the Craftzine site!
Nov
3-D Knitter’s Gift Tag
Check out this fun and easy tutorial we wrote for Craftzine! You can make an adorable knitter’s gift tag with some of your left over yarn scraps….those little bits of sock yarn are perfect for this project! Read the full article here.
Nov
Doing Green Business
We told you about our Green Business Certification in the summer. A few weeks ago, San Francisco’s Dept of the Environment threw a party to celebrate this year’s awardees. The event was held at the War Memorial Building in the Green Room. It was a gorgeous fall evening.
We attended a green marketing seminar with green business marketing experts, and networked with some great local businesses.
It was humbling to be included among some of the long standing SF Small Businesses such as our local Co-Op Other Avneues, Bi-Rite Market, The Green Zebra, RAG Co-Op, and the The Tides Foundations to name a few. It was a very proud moment to see Blas go up on stage and accept our certificate. Even the certificate holders were 100% recycled, made from pallets, reclaimed glass and paper. We got a tote bag full of green supplies, books and organic gourmet truffles (yum!). All in all, the Green Business Program has helped us become better small business owners and socially responsible citizens!
images taken by Orange Photography
