Tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m a fiber artist who knits and spins, and I also dye my own yarn and wool roving.

The name The Yellow Hobbit comes from the fact that I’m a Tolkien fan, and I consider myself to be a hobbit because I’m really short (I’m 4′11″). Being a hobbit is much more fun than just being short. I started going by this nickname my freshman year of college, and it stuck. So I figured that it would be a good name for my store as well.

Where can we find you?
I mainly sell on Etsy. My store is here: http://theyellowhobbit.etsy.com. I have a blog where I’ll often post pictures of things I’ve created: http://knitterofshinythingsknits.blogspot.com/

What first got you interested in your craft?
I’ve always been rather crafty. I used to do a lot of beading, but when I got to college, I made friends with people who knitted in class. Wanting a portable craft that I could also do in class, I asked my mother to teach me how to knit when I went home for winter break. I picked it up quickly, and by the time I got back to school, I was an avid knitter.

The spinning came along my senior year of college. A friend and I had been going to a weekly knitting circle which was held at a local yarn store, and one night a woman was spinning. I asked her if I could try it, and she said sure and handed me the spindle and gave me brief instructions as to what to do. I started spinning with the spindle, and it worked! It also happened to be the week of my birthday, and the friend who was with me at the knitting circle then gave me a drop spindle and roving as a birthday present. I was quickly addicted, and I got a wheel as a graduation present from my parents.

The dyeing came about a few years later. I had a friend who had an alpaca farm, which wasn’t doing too well and she wanted to go out of the business after her husband died. She had previously sent her fleeces to a fiber mill to be processed, but that was really expensive, so she asked if I would be interested in spinning up her fleeces for her. I said yes and set up my Etsy shop for the purpose of selling the yarn that I made. I decided that I should also get into dyeing, so that I could make prettier yarn. And while I was dyeing the yarn I decided to get into dyeing roving as well.

It turns out that dyeing yarn and roving is actually a lot of fun, and I really enjoy doing it.

Please describe your creative process.
I usually dye roving in big batches. Since I’m also a full-time student, I usually only dye things every couple of weeks. I don’t usually plan out in advance what colors I’m going to dye with; lately, the process has been to look at my big desk full of roving, and ask myself “what colors are missing?” I like having a complete rainbow, so I’ll fill it in. Sometimes I get ideas of color combinations that I think are really pretty, and I’ll do those. And every so often I’ll think of a witty name for a roving, and then dye something to match the name. But usually the naming comes after the dyeing.

I spin much more often than I dye. If I’m at home I’ll use my wheel. Conveniently, there is a television in the same room as the wheel, so often I’ll watch something while spinning. When I’m out of the house, I’ll either spin on my drop spindle or knit, depending on what I feel like doing.

Apart from creating things, what do you do?
I’m a master’s student at the Simmons Graduate School for Library and Information Science, so that takes up a lot of my time. (I’m concentrating in archival management, and am hoping to work in a museum once I graduate.) In terms of fun things, I’m really into gaming (role playing games, strategy games, etc.). I’m a huge nerd, and am into Science Fiction and Fantasy. I’m also in an a cappella group at MIT. I live in a hippie commune with 5 other 20-somethings. Most of us are crafty, and one of my housemates actually has her own jewelry studio in the basement. It’s a fun life.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Spinning is fun and addictive. You get to work with really soft fiber, and create really beautiful yarn. I would highly encourage anyone who is interested to try it.

My name is Mary and I am a very busy lady. I am the Director of a community museum which brings a lot of stress into my life, yet gives me the opportunity to be creative. I have one daughter who is away at University studying to be a teacher for handicap children. I live in the small community that I was born in and share my life with my best friend, 4 adopted cats and a little dog called Rosie.

I have always love to make things and as a child, I was considered very different from my four sisters and three brothers because I traveled around with a pen and pencil drawing everybody that I knew. I also learned to knit and sew when I was very young. Throughout my life, I was never bored for there was always something to make and I learned to do just about all the crafts there is, from quilting,wood carving, painting, stitchery and so much more. I have often said that I would have to live until I am 95 to be able to do all that I want to do, and maybe that is what has kept me young at heart.

These days with my heavy work schedule, I have had to cut back on my many craft projects and so I knit at the end of my days. Knitting does not require a lot of equipment, space or mess and it is relaxing. I love colour and I have a large supply of wool. I always pick up extra yarn on my shopping trips to to the city just in case I run out, but I do not think that will ever happen. I have set up a quiet place to knit in my office at the back of my house. I watch movies or keep up to date with what is happening on Etsy as I knit. As soon as I finish one pair of slippers, I am thinking about the next pair and what colour to knit them. I feel like a kid with a big box of crayons as I look at my yarn stash. It’s wonderful and one of the simple pleasures of life. I am grateful to have been given the ability to enjoy this creative process for it has been a source of comfort through the hard times in my life.

I set up my Etsy shop as an outlet for my creations and I love it. It is addictive but I tell myself that I could be doing something worst than playing with yarn and needles. You can find my shop at http://maggiesraggedyinn.etsy.com. You can also follow my blog at http://maggiesraggedyinn.blogspot.com.

Like so many others I hope one day to be able to spend more time creating and building up my little business. It has always been my dream to write stories, make things and work from home. Maybe someday I will find a way but for now I have to help my daughter get through school and so I will satisfy my creative needs trying to fill my Etsy shop with felted slippers, dolls and my barn cats!

Sizes: Children’s S (M, L, Adult); Circumference 16 (17, 18, 20)”

Materials:
Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice (100% acrylic)
MC: 50g of Navy
A: 50g of Scarlet
B: 50g of Mustard
C: 50g of Dusty Blue
US 8 (5.0mm) knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
18 stitches + 26 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) while working in stockinette stitch

The pattern is knit flat and uses Intarsia method of color work. There is a separate chart for each of the sizes.

$5.00 – A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Autism Society

Here is a link to the pattern in Ravelry.

At first, I wasn’t sure that I liked the idea that I could not touch and feel the yarn on my own. I had to stand behind the counter and just wonder about the yarn. But my mind started to quickly think up what I could create with the yarn based on the color. When it was my turn with the associate, I was more prepared with ideas and actually had a purpose in mind for the yarn (which is uncommon for me!). I ended up digging through a few different skeins before I decided on only five skeins. The yarn was much less expensive than here, but *sigh* I just didn’t have enough room in my suitcase.

Patterns – You can find thousands of free and low-cost patterns. The search is extremely handy if you are trying to find something specific. You are able to search by type of garment, yarn, or even skill level. When you find a pattern you like, you can add it to your favorite list, so you can easily find it again when you are ready to start the project. Also, within the patterns section, you can view other people’s pictures of their projects in process or finished product using that pattern. This always gives me a better idea of what kind of yarn I would like to use in my own project.

Yarns – Similar to the patterns section in that you can view items made with a specific yarn. I recently bought a yarn that I wasn’t sure if it would stripe or be specks of color. So, I looked it up on Ravelry and found hundreds of finished projects using that yarn. Also, in the yarns section, you can catalogue your yarns. It is a good way to inventory your yarns and keep track of what is hidden within your stash. You can destash your stash to make room for new yarns too!

Projects – Here is where you keep track of projects you have started, finished, and frogged. You can add pictures, note what yarn was used, and what size needle or hook the pattern took. There is a spot for start and end date so you can see how long the project took.

Forums – There is a forum group for just about everything, from your Local Yarn Store (LYS) to Knit-a-longs (KAL). There are groups dedicated to specific patterns so if you get stuck on a pattern, there is someone who can help you out.

I encourage you to head over to Ravelry to see what a great resource it is to all knitters, crocheters, and weavers.

Afghans for Afghans
Afghans for Afghans is a humanitarian and educational people-to-people project that sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and garments to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan.

American Sewing Guild – Giving Back
The American Sewing Guild has a National Community Service program where each year they choose a cause to “give back to.” This year, 2009, ASG is sewing standard size pillow cases for Albuquerque’s Ronald McDonald House.

Angels for Hope
This organization sends crocheted angels to severely injured and/or chronically ill people, as well as their caregivers, or just someone that needs hope – as a tangible reminder that they are not alone, that others care, and that you are remembered in their thoughts and prayers.

Binky Patrol
A binky is a homemade blanket that can be sewn, knitted, crocheted or quilted. This organization distributes blankets to children in need of comfort across the country.

Bundles of Love
Bundles of Love is an all volunteer non-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Minnesota to help infants and their families. Thier ultimate goal – that no family in Minnesota who needs clothing and bedding for their newborn, correctly sized clothing for premature infant, comfort items for their hospitalized infant, or bereavement items for a lost infant – will be without these items.

Caps for Kids
Providing needy children with cozy hats to keep them warm is what Caps for Kids is all about. Nearly one million caps, along with other children’s accessories, have been knitted and crocheted by volunteers since the program began. The hats are given to non-profit, non denominational agencies in the communities of the donors.

Care Wear
Care Wear is a nationwide group of volunteers who knit, crochet, and/or sew, providing handmade baby items to hospitals. All Care Wear items are given free to infants, children and their parents.

Chemo Caps
Chemo Caps is a group of knitters that donate their time by making hand-knit caps for cancer patients in hospital oncology units and hospice.

CitizenSam
Citizen S.A.M. is composed of volunteers who desire to support our Armed Forces and help preserve our precious freedom. Many programs to particpate in including: Helmet Liners for the Troops, Quilts for the Wounded, and Letters of Support.

CUREchief
Their mission is to give CUREchiefs away to those who are undergoing treatment for cancer. Their goal is to allow every cancer patient worldwide to have a CUREchief.

Dolly Hugs
Dolly Hugs is designed to “hug” the child that holds her. Her arms will wrap around the child’s neck and her face will press against the child’s cheek, bestowing a little kiss.

The Hugs Project
The Hugs Project is committed to improving life for our dedicated U.S. Military. Their mission is to place a “hug” (cooling necktie) around the neck of every American living in the Middle East.

Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness, Inc.
Their goal is to create positive and inspirational homemade cards for children with life-threatening illnesses. They also hope to inspire others to establish chapters in their hometowns.

Newborns in Need
NIN is a charity organized to take care of sick and needy babies and their families; and in cases of crisis, to help where help is needed.
There are many ways you can help this worldwide organization, everything from making items for newborns to encouraging school and community groups to make things.

Operation Teddy Bear
Donate crosstitched squares, chosen from their list of themes. Squares are made into different items and money raised from these items are donated to a specific charity.

Project Linus
We are a non-profit organization that makes hand-made blankets and quilts. These are then distributed to children of all ages in need.

Snuggles Project
This popular project was created to give comfort and security to shelter animals as they await their new homes.

Stitches from the Heart
Stitches from the Heart is a non-profit organization that sends handmade clothing, blankets, and love to premature babies all across the nation. They also have a senior program that helps seniors help others by donating yarn and supplies.

Teddies for Tragedies
This organization provides teddy bears to children in need all over the world.

Touching Little Lives
Their mission is to touch the lives of needy premature and newborn infants in Ohio, to do all that they can to give them, free of any charge, the necessities that every newborn needs.

Wrap Them in Love
Their Mission is to collect donated quilts and distribute them to children around the world so, they can be wrapped in the love of a quilt.