you're my idol

click the pic above to read the hello craft interview with karida of neighborhood fiber co. she's their craft idol this week. and she's ours all of the time.

silk stalkings

neighborhood fiber co's scrumptious new penthouse silk fingering has hit the virtual shelves! you can get yourself a skein (or two...or three...or more...) of this gorgeous stuff from her webstore. 500 yards of 100% silk in a fingering weight, just think of the stunning shawls that can be made from just one skein!

along with the new yarn launch, there are some new colors to consider.

gwynn oak

mount vernon

easterwood

to infinity!

the dipped infinity cowl by laura chao of cosmicpluto knits! is a hit in knitting circles worldwide. she describes it as the perfect way to use up leftover bits of sock yarn and that is completely true. but what if you aren't a sock knitter? what if your stash isn't stocked with scraps of the right spectrum?

fear not! neighborhood fiber co. is coming to your rescue with cute little kits all containing just the right amount of yarn to whip up this nifty knit. check out the photo above to see a sample knit with nfc's studio sock yarn.

there are three kits: warms, cools and purples. the kits contain the yarn and the cowl pattern and they are available for purchase through the neighborhood online shop. check out the color combos below and get your kit-knit on:

full spectrum

get a load of these gorgeous yarns! this is neighborhood fiber co luxury worsted, an incredible merino/cashmere/nylon blend. super soft and ultra vibrant and available for sale online. there's no limit to the lovely things that you can make with this yarn...just one skein could make an awesome accessory, a choose a couple for a scarf or shawl or indulge in a sweater quantity. this chickadee is dreaming of snuggling under a dc neighborhood hued luxury worsted blanket.

hi neighbor!

this week i'll be helping friend and fabulously talented craftswoman karida of neighborhood fiber co. get her webstore off the ground. she's an independent dyer of all yarns bright and beautiful. and she names her super saturated colorways after communities in towns that she's lived in.

nfc is some of my favorite wool to work with...and it pops up in all sorts of chickadee projects. here are a couple of recently stitched pieces made with this sublime stuff:

pattern: kerrera (by gudrun johnston)

yarn: neighborhood fiber co. studio worsted (shaw)

pattern: scroll lace scarf (by ysolda teague)

yarn: neighborhood fiber co. maisonette DK (hampden)

pretty soon you'll be able to snap this stuff up from the comfort of your own couch. stay tuned for webstore updates from the neighborhood. in the meantime, you can see it for yourself on the shelves of fibre space in alexandria.

sneak peek!

here's a little look at what this chickadee will be contributing to the fiercegrrl fund. when it hits the auction block you'll be the first to know!

in the meantime, keep up with the goings on over at the blog. as of this writing, over $1000 has been raised for nicole. thank you to everyone who has contributed. and don't forget about the other ways to get involved, including the national ovarian cancer coalition walk to break the silence on ovarian cancer. learn more on the fiercegrrl friend page!

and now for something totally awesome

the second annual hello craft summit of awesome is heading west! this year they are holding their fun and informative craft conference in portland, oregon. pack your bags!

don't you forget about me

this is a pretty slow time of the year at chickadee central. there won't be any shows to speak of until spring rolls around. but there are two cool places to shop for chickadee creations and they are as close as a click. find just what you are looking for in the little shop of chickadee on etsy:

or at the home of eco-friendly craft online, cosa verde.

february freebees!

many of us in the mid-atlantic region are on the verge of a serious meltdown. the recent onslaught of snow has left us cooped up in our condos, huddled in our houses and unable to leave our apartments. with more of the white stuff in the forecast, it seems like we'll never see signs of spring. but don't despair! lovers of the painstakingly handcrafted, nostalgic and overwhelmingly cute can rejoice! oh meaghan is coming to the rescue with a week-long giveaway of delightful designs from her online shop, oh ginger.

need something to chase away the chill and usher in some spring fever? look no further than the first offering of the week. two of her very creative and clever cubicle art pieces ought to wake up that joyful sleeping giant in your snowbound soul. bright, cheery and lovingly hand-stitched, they can be yours for the price of FREE! visit her website every day this week and simply add your two cents to the bottom of the post for a chance to win.

(all images a la ohmeaghan.com)

enough about me...

...let's talk about what some of my crafty friends have been up to lately. you've already met the amazing gaggle of panguins that pang of pretty little fings put together. now let's see what that crafty gypsy who calls herself dandelion blu has gotten into.

the dandelion blu dungeon workshop is in full swing preparing for the american craft council show at the end of the month. quite an honor, and she certainly deserves it. take a look at some of the new pieces she is working on for the show. they are stunning!

check her out, along with some other amazing indie crafters, in the alt craft section of this year's acc show. and be sure to visit her blog to see what will come out of her studio next.


and oh ginger has a brand new webpage to share with everyone. she's synthesized her three other web log ventures (queering domesticity, heirloom tomato, and call me ashby) into one. now you are just one click away from the online home of everything meaghan:

above are some awesome new brooches that she's created. congrats to her on the new crafting and the dotcom! can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

double feature!

oh my goodness me, there's a little chickadee featured on the front page of cosa verde!



thanks guys!

shine a light

check out the feature on this old chickadee over at how to reuse it creatively, a blog filled to the brim with ideas for making everything old new again. the author, lauren usher, is a eco-crafter extraordinaire with stores on both etsy and cosa verde stocked with her recycled earth purses. she was kind enough to ask a few questions of yours truly and post them up on her site. thanks lauren!! click the image below to see the full interview:

be sure to check out lauren's art and earth purses on etsy and cosa verde. and tune into her blog for tips on living and crafting with kindness.

gift giving

great big thanks to friend and fantastic crafter katie of moonlight bindery. she's included chickadee wanderlust wallets in her last minute shopping guide!

there they are, alongside some other awesome products from herban lifestyle and see katie sew (a different katie).

you can find the wanderlust wallets in the little shop of chickadee and at the holiday booty market this weekend. katie and her magnificent handbound notebooks, journals and photo albums will be there too! if the weather outside is too frightful, you can also shop moonlight bindery online. here's a peek at some of the creative and impeccably crafted pieces you'll find there:

honorable mention

this chickadee was written up in we love dc's holiday gift guide! looky here:

thanks tiffany!

can you feel the love

meaghan over at queering domesticity has put together the sweetest post on little old me. it is part of a series of write-ups on crafters participating in her jolly holiday giveaway (the results are now posted). i can't thank her enough for her support and her kind words about this chickadee. in fact, i'm speechless. so you'll have to click on the image below to read all of the lovely things that she has written.

it's easy being green

this chickadee has joined the green team!

cosa verde is an internet showplace for crafters with an eco-conscience. they feature work made with sustainable practices and recycled ingredients. for each shop that opens on their site, they plant ten trees through trees for the future and donate a portion of their fees to charity.

it warms my winterized heart to be a part of their kind community. you can check out cosa chickadee by clicking here. while you are there, take a minute to peruse their offerings. they have great gift guides to help with your holiday shopping and have assembled a lovely vendor line-up.

giveitaway giveitaway giveitaway now

you've seen the image over in the sidebar, now it is time to find out what all of the fuss is about! friend and patron saint of craft, oh ginger, is hosting a holiday giveaway that features some really fantastic and creative creators. click over to her blog for more details and while you are there, check out the list of featured crafters. consider buying your holiday gifts from people who put them together one stitch, one toggle, or one screenprint at a time. this chickadee is happy to be a part of the pack and has contributed a cute little craft apron to santa ginger's sack. just one little comment can win you this crafter's little helper:


and it is always the poor, tireless hostess who doesn't get a seat at her own table. have you seen what oh ginger has been up to lately? not only is she blogging and organizing this holly jolly giveaway, she's also crafting up a storm herself and preparing for several upcoming area shows. click on over to her shop too where you'll find all sorts of things both fancy and schmancy. here's a sample:


and grab your woolens and brave the first cold snap of the season to come on out to silver spring and support us this weekend. oh ginger also has a booth at the holiday shop and stroll. she's sharing with fellow contest contributor prettylittlefings. ohprettylittleginger is going to be filled to the splitting seams with cuteness and charm.

washington dc, it's paradise to me...

it is the people doing something real...like friends morgan hungerford, nilay lawson and their merry band of panda head pranksters. they're at it again with issue number five of their fabulous online magazine highlighting what's hot in dc fashion, photography, music and art. please join this chickadee in congratulating the gang as they celebrate their first birthday, one whole year of greatness. our little panda's all growns up...

photo: joshua cogan
from issue five of panda head mag

peanut gallery

the vendor gallery for crafty bastards 2009 is up! check out the talented group of guys and gals who'll be there with this chickadee and dandelion blu on october 3rd. here's the chickadee contribution:

treasure trove

oh ginger has put together an etsy treasury made up of her favorite handmade mart items. this chickadee made the cut! our very first treasury appearance. thank you ginger!

click on the photo for more information about specific items or crafters!