WC Mercantile

Friday, June 15, 2012

10 and a Half Reasons I Love
Dyeing Classes at WC Mercantile by Jo Poindexter

11. It's fun!
Students laugh and brag. You're so proud you show your work to strangers.
22. Everyone at W.C. Mercantile is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.
At W. C. Mercantile, you can purchase the supplies you need to work at home.

33. Big investment not needed.
It doesn't take a lot of supplies or a big investment to get a great result. (Until you go nuts and decide to convert your garage to a state of the art dye shed.)

44. Some students develop a crush on the teacher.
Loretta Eaton (L-0-R-E-TT-A E-A-T-O-N) teaches the class.

55. You can do this at home.
You can go home, use what you learn, and get a great result.

66. You learn to be safe.
You'll learn to handle the chemicals safely in class and at home.

77. It's about the color.
You learn how to use the dyes, but really it's about the color.

88. It releases your creativity.
The class includes exercises to increase your creativity (or, for the creativity
challenged -- how to recognize that you really do have some).

99. You can look pitiful.
If you're good at this, Loretta will give you hints.

110. Encouragement is free.
WC Mercantile and Loretta are encouraging and foster sharing.

111. Everyone's welcome.
You are welcome no matter what your skill level. Everyone learns something new.

112. Critiques are offered lovingly.
Loretta and Stephanie will constructively criticize, even the work you do later at home.

113. Color - Color - Color
You learn to mix and use dyes to get different, more vibrant colors.

10¹/₂. The yarn or fiber you take home will be beautiful.

Ok -- so this is actually 13 1/2. Delete 3 that don't apply to you and you'll have 10 1/2.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Fair Isle Valentine Mitts

Fair Isle Valenitne is the February Knit Kit. The pattern is included in the kit, but if you would like the pattern alone, you can buy it on Ravelry. You'll be smitten!

Ritratto Weaving Kit

The Ritratto Scarf is a beauty! Check out the kit here.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Shelter Island Hat Knit Kit

Shelter Island Hat Knit Kit

This month's Knit Kit is this lovely Cable Hat in Coast. Colors are Sunlight, Sea Grass and Wistera.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Weaving Kits!

Tempo Weaving Kit

Perfect for weaving on any size loom, including the Cricket Loom, our weaving kits include a 2 oz. cone of Zephyr Wool & Silk yarn for warp and two skeins of Tempo yarn for weft. Sample shown in plain weave. Kits come in an array of colors!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Felted Soaps...Good, Clean, Fun!

Making felted soaps is fun and easy.

Supplies needed: Wool Batt from WC Mercantile

Soap

Warm/Hot water

Towels

Step 1. Make two strips of wool batt to match the width and height of your soap.

Step 2. Wrap soap in one direction.

Step 3. Wrap soap in opposite direction.

This is a picture of a fully wraped soap.

Step 4. Get the wool and soap very wet.

Step 6. Rub soap in your hands...a lot!

Your soap in finished when the wool is nice and tight around the soap.

ENJOY!!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

"World's Softest Yarn" Batt

We are batting up a blend our friend Robin calls "the Batt for World's Softest Yarn." Robin is heading up Spin Along, which will start in September. We are selling these batts undyed and thought it would be a neat part of the Spin Along to also Dye Along.

Blend: Superfine Merino, Baby Camel Down, Tussah Silk, Texas Grown Kid Mohair (by Mom's goats), Baby Suri Alpaca.

Once we get this one underway, we may make this a series with different blends. Feel free to join us and after you spin up this blend you might suggest another blend, your idea for the "WORLD'S SOFTEST YARN Batt!"

Friday, August 12, 2011

Needle Felting a Pin Cushion

Materials used: Corriedale Wool, Student Punch Needle, Lamb Creamer

Other types of items that can be turned into a pin cushion. If your container is wider at the opening than the bottom (like the Swan in the picture), you may need to glue your felted wool into place.