I try not to have favourites. I don’t want the other mugs or bowls or buttons to be envious or feel unloved. Everything has a function, even if that function is to be put in the “Bad Day Box” for a future aggression-relieving smashing session. Some pots may be more attractive to look at and definitely feel nicer to hold but I can’t openly declare one better than another in front of the others. Maybe a button is a little off but that’s what makes handmade items so special and unique, right? Sometimes you can see our fingerprints in our work, and you can see clearly that our hands are making everything that you see in our online shop, at the markets we attend, and in the gifts that we give. Everything is beautiful in its own way. All of these reasons are why I snuck these mugs into the house, far from the others, to tell them how much I adore them. I fawned over them. I cooed at them as if they were baby animals. They thrill me. This experiment has been a complete and total success. Ribbed for my pleasure, indeed. We worked hard to make these knitted mugs, and they are 100% handmade here in our studio. They feature my own knitting that was molded for the slabs (and yes, I wish I’d blocked that sample a bit more aggressively). Dishwasher and microwave safe too! We will have this newly released mug at the Calgary Fibre Arts Fair in northwest Calgary on November 12 & 13 from 9am-5pm at the Triwood Community Center. Selection is limited so if you’d like something ribbed for your pleasure, come early and see us at our booth! Jason, myself, and Cheryl will be there to assist and either hook you up, or comfort you if we are sold out. I hope we see you there!

Jay packed this kiln TIGHT. Calgary Fibre Arts Fair starts Sat morn and we can’t stop until we have full shelves for our fibre-loving friends. Glazing starts tomorrow afternoon once these cool down from their peak of 900C at around midnight tonight!

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the buttons that came out of the latest kiln firing. This batch was heavy on square beauties since I was completely out of square stock. There are hundreds of unique buttons, but I can’t help but show off some of what I’m packaging up tonight! My favourite glaze combination, this time on swirly squares: For those, like me, that like some fancy added to their knitting, crochet, and sewing projects: My newest glaze which proves again that taking a chance on a new glaze can be a wonderful decision. These are so full of depth and gloss: A lovely group of serene glaze colours that complement the great textures: If you’re in Calgary and you love shiny things, come see these in person Oct 7 or Nov 17! I have many sets of 2-5 that are great for cowls as the chill of autumn reminds us that it’s time to get the needles and hooks going to get our projects ready for the first snowfall. I’m going back to packaging handmade buttons and getting them prepared to find their new homes. Have a great night!    

In just under two weeks, we’ll be setting up our wares at The Fibre Shindig in Calgary for their one day sale, and then we gear up for the November 7 Calgary Fibre Arts Fair. Calgary buttons, there shall be! The studio has been a bustle of activity as Jason, Jill, and I turn clay into shiny beauties for our yarny friends. After over a year off for me, the steady activity is welcome. Yesterday morning, Jason fired up a kiln that was stacked to the top with buttons. Last night, the kiln reached temperature, and I popped the plugs to take a peek inside. Doesn’t the kiln look beautiful in the evening light, peep holes glowing red from the molten ware inside?  It’s a sight that brings me so much joy. Glazing is my least favourite part of this process since it means painting each little button with several coats of glaze on top and sides, meticulous and monotonous work. The kiln firing means that glazing is finished, and I’m hours away from seeing the results of my labour. We’ll unload the glazed buttons tonight, but I won’t have much time to admire them before it’s time to reload the kiln with whiskey tumblers, Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, and diz. The kiln is working hard for us this month, and I love her for it. Who’d have thunk that this old girl could keep up? While I wait for glazed beauties to emerge for sorting and packaging, I’m working on booth setup and display so that I can bring MORE to the sales. Jason is spending his time between babysitting the kiln, making perfectly balanced whiskey tumblers, and building pegboard spinner displays for our wares. As we were drawing up schematics for the spinners, our 1″ x 1″ gridded whiteboard sheet that we have for gaming came in super handy for planning the perfect setup. Being gaming nerds aligns nicely with our clay love. Time is ticking down! I’ll post some sneak peeks photos when we unload the kiln tomorrow. Stay tuned!  

325 buttons are on shelves, waiting for their turn in the kiln. Final count = 460 buttons loaded in the kiln, although, to be honest, I started to lose count after 325 during the marathon glazing sessions on the weekend. I could use a hand massage…