Black Friday through Cyber Monday Deals

Several sales going on here at Longhorn Prairie. 

Longhorn Prairie Fiber Arts

Black Friday sale 3013

You may not know that Longhorn Prairie operates under 2 different etsy shops.  Sales are happening in both. Details below.

 

40% off patterns on Ravelry

• http://www.ravelry.com/designers/april-hubbard (starts 12:01am 11/29, ends midnight 12/2) Discount is automatic, no coupon code needed.
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

20% off storewide on etsy (longhornprairie) This is my main shop and most of the items in listed are either my own crochet patterns or items made from my patterns.

• coupon code: BLACKFRIDAY20 www.longhornprairie.etsy.com ends 12/2

10% off cross stitch & embroidery kits on etsy (longhornprairie2) Sale does NOT apply to crocheted items in this shop.

This is my other etsy shop where I sell craft kits as well as finished crocheted items made using patterns from other designers.

• coupon code: NEEDLEART10 https://www.etsy.com/shop/LonghornPrairie2?section_id=14603601 ends 12/2

Spinnin' it Prairie Style! (Introducing Handspun Yarn by Longhorn Prairie)

Spinnin' it Longhorn Prairie Style!

So I have a fascination with all things fiber arts. (more like an addiction) 
Lately I have taken up spinning yarn. Before learning to spin my own yarn I had never felt merino wool. Who knew wool could be so soft? I think I'm in love. I was fortunate enough to find a local shop who can supply all of my fiber needs. www.mohairandmore.com just happens to be in the next town over from me.
Do I have a spinning wheel? Nope, can't afford one yet so until then I am spinning with this beautiful hand turned drop spindle I got from spindler's cottage on etsy.
Here is my spindle:

I have been spinning 4 oz of yarn onto the spindle in one shot. I could probably fit 6 oz but it really starts to get heavy so I stop at 4 oz.

And here are some of the yarns I have spun:

Salmon colored worsted weight merino wool, chartreuse colored merino and multi-colored purple merino & tussah silk.

This thick & thin made a really cool looking knitted headwrap.

This was my first spin. Not bad for a beginner.

The headband I made from my first handspun yarn.

~ The FREE pattern for this headband can be found here on Ravelry.

I even tried my hand at dying my own:

Hand dyed fushia colored highland Peruvian wool drying in my kitchen.

This is just a tiny peek at what has been going on here on the prairie lately. I also have a few more crochet patterns published since my last blog post. But I'll save that for another post on another day.

Handspun yarn is now available in my etsy shop and on facebook. I add new yarns as I finish them so expect more to come.

Mermaid on the Prairie???

So I wanted my own version of the very popular Mermaid Newborn  photo prop outfit. So I designed my own. I wanted clearly defined scales on the tail and I felt the need to do something a little different with the tail fin to make it my own. In order to get the 3d effect of scales on the tail I designed it to be made from the top down (waist down.) A rarely used technique is used to make a stretchy waist. The fin is an oddity in itself....straight from the circus that is my own mind. lol  
The tail is a cocoon (or sack) that baby's legs go in. It fits up to baby's waist. And it wouldn't be complete without the headband and bikini top. 

Right now the pattern is only written for newborn size. It can stretch up to a few months. (I may sit down sometime soon and crunch the numbers to come up with some larger sizes.) 
The pattern can be found in my ravelry shop and my etsy shop.

Another thing I have started is my new youtube channel: LonghornPrairie. But so far, as of this writing, I only have one video posted. It is a tutorial on how to work the special stitch that is used in the waist and fin of the tail. It is 'unlisted' so only those who have purchased the pattern can get the link for the video. Full customer support is offered with all of my crochet patterns.

Because it seems weird to me to have my own mermaid design for sale and also be selling one that I make from another person's pattern I have stopped offering the other mermaid set that I have been selling for the past year or so. It is a wonderful design and I am grateful to Brindy Rae for allowing me to purchase that pattern from her. The profits from the many finished sets that I have made & sold have helped my family get the bills paid.
I also make and sell the finished mermaid set for those who don't crochet. That can also be found here in my etsy shop.
I hope to have some more professional looking photos with a model soon.