The ‘Blogs and Links DGY Loves’ Category...
Way more cool than me
January 31, 2011
Hi friends!
I hope you had a fabulous weekend! I am almost finished with a hat made out of Parisian Confection Wool Yarn.
But I wanted to share with you a cool website, that is way more cool than me. Let me preface this by saying that I love looking at fashion and design websites because they inspire me to make cool new yarns blends along with up-and-coming designs that we can all incorporate into our lives. So this cool new website is: Ice Cream and Pizza (click me).
Check out today’s post… yum YSL nail color. Did you see the shine on that?
And if you want to be even cooler than that, “Like” the facebook page for Ice Cream and Pizza so you can get updates! Click here to do that!
Insprired yet?!
xoxo
Nicole
The town of Cardigan receives a giant knitted present
January 6, 2011
Hi friends,
Gotta love twitter. Amidst people updating about silly things sometimes you get lucky and find cool articles like this one I would like to pass on to you.
Please enjoy!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12123866
Xoxo,
Nicole
Loving vintage inspired crafting.
November 22, 2010
The most enjoyable gift I ever made was for my mom. And believe or not, it didn’t require yarn! I think, deep down I’m a glitter and glue girl. But one year my budget was really tight and I wanted to make a present for my mommy. When she was in her 20′s long before I was a twinkle in her eye
she lived in Brussels for a little bit. I wanted to remind her of that romantic time and Brussels is a place where time seems to stand still.
So, I called my wonderful mother-in-law up (Sue)…yes, we actaully get along really well and I said “Sue, do you have any vintage postcards from Brussels?” “But of course!”. Sue sent them to me and I made a montage with these wonderful vintage postcards, some lace, some fake jewelry all in a shadow box. It was awesome… and it was cheap!
As I sit here and think about holiday presents and crafting, I wanted to make sure I send you to Sue’s Etsy store where you too can get any vintage postcard under the sun. And if you don’t see a particular category there, message her. I bet she has it!
So let’s support a fellow Etsian and you can get a great project underway for that someone special. Her etsy store is: http://www.etsy.com/shop/suzisnowflake531
Here is a mere sampling of what you’ll find!
An Oldie but a Goodie: Mandala Time-Lapse Video
October 22, 2010
Go here to check it out. Just sit back and enjoy the video:
Namaste Darn Good Yarners!
Happy Friday!
~Nicole
Environmental Benefits of Hemp
October 18, 2010
Looking for some great benefits of hemp? I found this wonderful article where you can read all about it: http://www.natural-environment.com/blog/2008/01/31/environmental-benefits-of-hemp/
The quick take-away:
- Fast and robust growth
- No herbicides/pesticides required
- Suppresses weeds
- Improves soil structure
- Hemp produces lots of oxygen
- Cleans up pollution
Ready to buy some hemp or nettle yarn? Click on this link
Free book on google
September 1, 2010
I was just browsing around and wanted to share this free book with you. http://books.google.com/books?id=HOIbad8IQAUC&lpg=PA38&ots=i9U3Ad6gJg&dq=nepal%20handspinners&pg=PA44#v=onepage&q=nepal%20handspinners&f=false
It’s called Teach Yourself Visually Handspinning By Judith MacKenzie McCuin
Enjoy!
Need some fiber? Try our premium silk thurms! Click Here
Soak Wash is here!
August 19, 2010
Video loading:)
Yes, so many of the items we make should only be hand washed.
But I just found the perfect detergent that doesn’t require rinsing!
No rinse. Really? Yup.
Introducing Soak. Soak is modern care for fine fibers. This rinse-free formulation is perfect for washing your hand-made Darn Good Yarn items, laciest lingerie, your softest sweaters, swimwear, workout gear, hand-made quilts and even baby clothes. Soak is gentle and deliciously scented with fabric-friendly ingredients that revitalize fibers so they look great and last longer.
We have four scents available in 425mL/ 14oz bottles. You’ll get 80+ washes from them!
Citrus has the delicious smell of “fresh-squeezed clean”.
Aquae is a “purely elemental” scent that’s like a breath of fresh sea air.
Scentless keeps your hand-washables (and sensitive skin) completely fragrance-free. Just a fresh and ultra-clear way to take care of the fine fibers you care about most.
Flora is a lovely spring fragrance that will make you “stop and smell the fibers”
If you’d like a free sample with your order, just let me know!
How to Use:
For hand-washing, pour 1 teaspoon into one gallon of cool water. Soak item for 15 minutes then gently squeeze out water. No need to rinse. Lay knit items flat to dry. Wash sets (like lingerie) together. Some colour may bleed into the water- don’t worry; this won’t harm your garment.
Test fabric for color-fastness before washing.
Soak is also ideal for machine washing- including High Efficiency Machines. Use the delicate cycle and measure Soak based on your machine’s instructions. You can either use or skip the rinse cycle, depending on what you are washing. Measure Soak by individual machine guidelines
If you’re anything like the Soak staffers, you probably aren’t going to get your measuring spoon out to do the laundry. Our general rule is one capful (or squeeze) on the 14oz bottle or two capfuls on the 4oz bottle for a gallon (sink full) of water. Make sure there’s enough room for water to move around and cover the garment while it Soaks.
No rinse. Really? Yup.
No rinse means that the product is a low-suds liquid. When you soak your items, the dirt and detergent comes out in the water and what is left in the item evaporates. When you squeeze out the water, you are left with a hint of fragrance that dissipates over time. You can rinse if you want. Rinsing does not affect how Soak cleans. It just removes the fragrance.
No rinse means less agitation for fibers. It is easier on garments and makes them last longer. It also uses less water which is good for the planet.
Groovy Green Livin
August 10, 2010
So, the easiest thing is to of course watch the video (at the bottom..give it a second or two to load)… I think I’m addicted to my webcam.
But, I need to share this awesome new website with all of you Darn Good Yarn-ers! My dad’s cousin Lori just launched this site Groovy Green Livin 
Groovy Green Livin is dedicated to providing an honest and credible setting for sharing green ideas, thoughts and other useful tips and trends relating to living a greener lifestyle. A healthy, organic lifestyle not only applies to what we put into our bodies but also to what we put on our bodies. Groovy Green Livin hopes to show their readers that embracing this lifestyle doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Simple, small changes in your life can lead to a non-toxic, healthier lifestyle and a greener planet.
Groovy Green Livin provides green living consultations for businesses, schools, and homes throughout the Greater Boston area (online or telephone services are also available) and inspiration for living a greener life through the Groovy Green Livin Blog and Website.
Lori rocks doesn’t she?! Check out her shop too by clicking here!
Gotta love Twitter
August 4, 2010
Have you followed me on Twitter yet?
You should! http://www.twitter.com/darngoodyarn
I love going through in the morning when I wake up and see what’s up in the craft world. My routine is check a handful of stocks, (btw CNBC is reporting that bacon-pork bellies- in the past month has gone from $100ish to $109ish) Gross. Then I read the paper, then check facebook, then I scan through Twitter for a bit.
But no, I’m not going to talk about pork bellies this morning though. I wanted to share this great blog I ran across via a twitter buddy urbanknitfit. I think you’ll really love her… and she’s in Maine! http://tiptoethrough.blogspot.com/

I’m nosey and I always like to read to the about because you get an idea of what you can expect in a blog. abigail:
I’m the knitter of Urban Knitfits and an MFA graduate. I sell my knitting, art, and home goods through my 3 etsy shops! I grew up hearing “oh well you could make that!” from my mother in response to almost anything. This blog is a recording of my creative adventures.
Check out a lovely pic from her blog from a recent post: Click on it to visit the blog
















