Awww... shucks...

Thanks to you all for the kind words and comments on my recovery and C*EYE*BER Fibers!
I love what I do and I really hope it shows!

The winner of the Friday Fiber fix is:
Elizabeth from LIZZARDIEKnits!

Email me with your address for your prize.

We could use some submissions to the review as well. If your a YARNIE, or FIBERY RELATED business/artist you can email me for more info!

Happy Weekend folks!

And we are back!

ETA: Mama is out of surgery and doing well. She thanks you all for your kind well wishes!
She will be taking some time to heal but will be back for friday's draw...keep the comments coming!

Good Morning Yarn Lovers!
I have hijacked the Mobtown Review!
Mama E is currently having some intensive oral surgery on her pearly whites! She is just fine and will be recouping for the rest of the week.
However, I (Michelle) have taken over control of the Mobtown Review this week.

This week I will be reviewing a yarn that we all know and love, a yarn that without my hijacking of the blog would never be featured here...and that's not ok! This is the yarn that brought us all together here.

C*EYE*BER Fiber Yarns!

We all know that Mama E creates beautiful yarns. So let's have a look at her newest line of colourways.

The Elements Series is broken down into: Earth, Air, Fire, Water.
Brimstone
This series ranges from the soft and subtle "air" yarns to the strong and vicious "hell fire"

In addition to the the Elements series is the "For the Boys" series!
Criminy Jckets
These yarns were designed for the man in your life. So many times we are searching for a yarn that our men will be proud to wear. This series is for them!

And last, but certainly not least is the Fall subtle solid series
There is not one of these colours that I don't absolutely LOVE! These yarns are perfect for working in patterns or just simply to watch your favorite colours unfold in soft and subtle shifts.
Every season Mama E will be changing the colourways to reflect Mother Nature's colours! I can't wait to see what is in store for Winter.

C*EYE*BER Fiber yarns are clearly inspired by Nature and all that is beautiful in it.

These stunning yarns can be found mostly at your Local Yarn shop. Simply check the blog sidebar to see all of the fine retailers that carry C*EYE*BER Fiber yarns. If there is not a store near you maybe suggest to you LYS that they will want to check out these colourful yarns!

As The Sweet Sheep is the only online retailer for Mama E's yarns I am happy to pass on a 10% off coupon to all of the Mobtown Junkies...simply use the coupon code: mob

You can also get a skein of your very own for FREE just by leaving a comment! Mama E will be drawing a name on Friday of one lucky winner....go to it!

Service Interruption

Hey Everyone,

We regret to inform you that there will be a temporary REVIEW interruption.

We will resume our regularly scheduled program next Wednesday. (No worries... I am cooking up some good stuff!)

Slow Movin'... Winners Here!

This is a slow moving Friday. Winter is on my doorstep in Charm City.. and knitting for the holidays is in full swing!

The winner of Laura's Unique Sheepiness is:

Nichole from Saving Nine

The winner of the Linky Dink Contest is:

Devin from Evil Tuesdays

Email me with your address to claim your prizes!

Question for the Junkies of Mobtown:


What do you think about including indie designers in the review? Would you want to see more than just hand-painted fiber?

Leave a comment with your thoughts... Have a great weekend!

When Sheep are Unique..

I am struck at how quickly Wednesdays come. I never recognized "hump"day as anything special before the Mobtown Review. Now... it makes me jitter with excitement.

May I present to you, fair Junkies of Mobtown, the Unique Sheep.

Artist 009: Laura Bullins, The Unique Sheep

photo by Jody Scofield

Autumn in the City
Silk Twist Fingering

I can not think of anything more reminiscent of fall. This yarn is so soft and lucious I may need to knit myself some socks!

Laura uses a group approach when designing her colorways. Her main inspiration comes from "Life! Corny, I know, but it’s true. If you pay attention, our world is full of unique color combinations. Color in life is complex and I think that that is reflected in my yarns—I use lots of shades and tones, sometimes combining many different colors into one skein and other times focusing on the nuances of a single color. In order to share my sources of inspiration with my customers, I post photos with every color way on my website. You can be part of the process by submitting a photograph of your own in one of my Photo Contests. Whenever its time to create new colors I invite my customers to submit photos that inspire them and relate to the season or theme."

Hearth Fire
Simply Socks

I want to curl up with my knitting and sit by that fire. Laura sees subtle nuances in how value and tone play together. She really has captured the feeling of fireside magic.

Laura says she has "always truly had a NEED to create. I also enjoy the time in the quiet of my studio, surrounded by yarn and color. Doesn’t that sound like heaven? It is to me!"

Laura is offering a free gift with every purchase to you Junkies! Just mention that you found her on the review!

And the Junkie of the Week is:

Barb from Barb Knits

Go check out her AMAZING assortment of Halloween cakes. I think the EYEBALL and the Pumpkin are truly awesome!

Remember to Keep Linkin'. Drawing for the Linky Dink Contest is on Friday.
OK guys... ready? set? Comment!

And the Winner Is...

Kathy

Go over and say congratulations to your winning Mobster!!

More stuff this week:


Remember the link lovin contest!... steal the Mobtown Button and put the Linky Dink on your sidebar! Then email me here.

One winner will be randomly chosen next Friday!!! Go Linky dink now!

Rise and Shine... I have Sheep For You

Sheep have got to be a knitter's favorite animal. They are cute, mostly serene (until shearing day), and evoke warm, fuzzy, feelings all the way around. (Unless you are allergic! Then they feel itchy and evoke the heebie jeebies... I digress)


Welcome, one and all, to the land of the Painted Sheep.




Artist 008: Kris Gonzales, The Painted Sheep

photo by Jody Scofield

Jewels
100% Superwash Wool

Kris has a lush hand with color. The Jewels colorway reads in very subtle tonal shifts ( oohhh... look at Mama getting fancy with her critique!) and feels like it could be successfully knit in a multitude of sock patterns.

Simply put.. beautiful and subtle tonal shifts make for good hand-painted socks.

I was stunned, in the best possible way, when I reached in Kris's sample package of joy and pulled out this:

photo by Jody Scofield

Pine Meadow
100% Blue Faced Leicester

I think... this just may never leave me. Look at those colors! It is 100% Blue Faced Leicester. Again with the lush colors. And BFL is a JOY to spin. A complete joy to spin.

I asked Kris when she started to dabble in the dark side (aka dyeing fiber).

She said:

" I did a little here and there until 2006, when I took a class with Lynne Vogel at Harrisville Designs. That's when I really fell hard for it. The Painted Sheep was actually "born" in that class - I left with a plan to start a business selling my handpainted yarn and roving - it was that inspiring."

Can we talk about learning from Lynne in person? (One can only dream....)

Kris finds her inspiration from "nature - I love to take the colors that I see in the world around me and translate them onto fiber. Many of my colorways are inspired by a favorite place or something in my garden."

She also says "love to play with color and fiber! I feel like I'm at my most creative when I'm playing with color and fiber. I am constantly amazed at what can come from something as simple as some wool and a little dye and how many different directions it can be taken in."

Amen, sister. Amen.

Crayons
100% Superwash Wool

Kris is kind enough to offer this skein if yarn as your prize this week folks!

She is also offering You Junkies 15% off your total purchase in her Etsy store or website. For Etsy, put "Mobtown Review" in the buyer notes to seller and wait for her to send an adjusted total. For the website, use the contact me link to tell me what items you wish to purchase, provide the code "Mobtown Review" and she will do an invoice with the adjusted total.

Junkie of the Week:

Sarah from PotterKnitter!
Go check out her mommy and me matching socks! They are so cute! Her kid isn't bad either! ;)

Update:
There will be one winner this week. I am still trying to creatively think up a solution to the multiple prize conumdrum. Bear with me folks...it'll be worth your while!

C'mon y'all ... leave your comment at the beep... 3...2...1... BEEEEEEEEEP!