Author: Zoe B

April 16, 2014

Saying Goodbye

Hello everyone! It is with a sad face and a heavy heart that I conclude my time at The Twisted Purl.

I started my journey last November as the company’s very first intern. Being a company’s first anything is a really big responsibility. Although there are no metaphorical shoes to fill, when it comes to any sort of job there is a lot of pressure to be the best you can be. Whether it is being the best at felting soaps, or the most fluent and enjoyable blogger, you always seek to impress your boss with your skill and willingness to work.

During my time at The Twisted Purl, I followed an eight session program that Cyndi planned out in order to ensure that I was able to learn how to start and run a business, how to blog and use social media in a professional setting, and of course how to make her products. Each week we focused on a different product or technique. I started off learning how to care for and use all of the machines and tools around the studio, and I learned terminology unique to the fiber world such as “drop spindle” and “carded batt”. After I began to feel comfortable with in the studio, I was introduced to the online world of her business. Cyndi showed me how to run her Etsy shop, how to successfully post on her social media sites, and most importantly how to be an engaging blogger. Her insight and encouragement about Etsy led me to open my own shop, and her professional and fun social media tips led me to become a more well rounded user of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Cyndi also told me all of the countries that have shops where her soaps and yarn are sold, and described to me the founding and growing of her business from a tiny idea to a flourishing company. During my sessions, I had two absolute favorite experiences: The first was dying natural white fiber to any shade I wanted. It reminded me of tie-dying when I was a kid. I also loved getting to go on a field trip to the store in search of glitter and texture to make my very own yarn.

I’m so thankful for my experience at The Twisted Purl. Even though I don’t plan on running my own fiber creations business, I do plan on using a lot of the skills I learned at the internship to benefit me in my future career endeavors. The introduction to blogging, the social media tips, and the general “how-to” on running a business are invaluable tools that I am sure to use in my future career. Having an internship is a huge step towards being prepared for life after college, and I am so glad to have made this step with Cyndi. Maybe you guys will hear from me on this blog again. I’m already hoping I can help out when times get crazy this Christmas! I’m sure I won’t ever forget my wonderful, educational, creative, and life-changing experience at The Twisted Purl. Thank you everybody.

Zoe

April 11, 2014

Spring Time in the Studio

Hi Everybody!

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the studio, but this week I was back! Between being sick, Spring break, allergies, and bad weather, I’ve barely been in the studio! And sadly, this coming Tuesday is my last day with The Twisted Purl. 🙁 It’s been a great experience, and next week you will hear my closing remarks about my experience.

This week in the studio, I helped make soaps! I made carded batt after carded batt. . .I think I made 25. That is way more than I’ve ever made in one sitting! I made them pretty quickly as I caught up with Cyndi. I talked about TV shows with her, as well as her family, and what is soon to come with The Twisted Purl.

Here are several of the carded batts I made. Lots of Spring colors and rainbow batts!

Daisy sure was happy to see me! (And happy to have me around to throw her ball)

These were my favorite carded batts. I took these solid colors of bright fiber and added in white to make some really pretty pastel soaps.

They look like skittles!

And here are aaaaall of the finished soaps. Lots of solid colors as well as rainbows and naturals!

Next week I’ll conclude my wonderful internship experience.

Until then!

ZoeB

March 13, 2014

Felting Soaps!

Hey Everyone! This week has gone by soooo quickly, but it has been a full one in the Twisted Purl studio! On Tuesday, I had a pretty simple day in the studio. Cyndi was getting ready for the Raspberry Pi Bake-Off, and was busy programming her creature, so I helped her by making some carded batts. She needed Spring colors, which as you all know is quite difficult for me. I think these are my best happy carded batts so far!

Here is Cyndi working on her Pi. (And probably giving herself a headache.)

I love looking at all of them lined up on the counter.

There are lots of bright pinks and yellows going on in these. They are super bright, which was a lot easier to handle with the weather outside being so beautiful.

This Thursday I finally got to meet Kate! We didn’t have much time to talk because we got straight to work learning how to make felted soaps! Although we both knew the ins and outs of labeling and packaging, and even knew how the soaps were made, we had never made them ourselves. Cyndi is a felted soap pro. She told us about the science experiment that was figuring out how to make the felted soaps the best way possible. After trying many different methods, she discovered the ultimate way to felt soaps. (Which is why hers are the best ever.) She passed her knowledge on to Kate and me, and we were able to practice together. I’m excited to see how the soaps we made turned out. Next week we get to learn how to make some designs on felted soaps! Wow! Here are some of the soaps as we were making them.

The last two yellow ones are my favorite. (One made by Kate and one made by me.) They remind me of little popcorns! Or golden eggs!

Until next week!

Zoe B.

March 7, 2014

Back to Basics: Labeling and Knitting

Hey Guys! My week at The Twisted Purl was pretty short due to some more bad weather around these parts. It is supposed to warm up next week. I’m just hoping it will finally turn into Spring like it has in the studio. I went back to my roots at The Twisted Purl by helping with the labeling and packaging of Spring time soaps. All of the colors are so happy, and most of the soaps that was labeled are already on their way to stores around the world. Here are some photos of all of the soaps on the table. Cyndi had arranged some of them into this cute heart shape before I even arrived.

When we were all done labeling, I looked into the bucket we had been depositing the labeled soaps into, and it was overflowing. Cyndi said she wished she could just keep that bucketful for when Christmas hits next year, since she can barely make soaps as fast as people order them around the holidays!

After finishing up with the soaps, Cyndi helped me remember how to knit. Granted, I’ve never been a good knitter. I’ve always had my mom to start and stop for me, and I’ve only ever made very simple scarves with very even and machine made yarn. I had to learn again on the yarn I made myself, which for those of you who read my last post know, the yarn was very uneven and crazy. Some parts of the little splotch I knitted are very nice looking, some are too thick, and some are so thin that they are curling up on themselves. Here is the finished product. I think it looks like a really ugly bow-tie, or maybe even a strand of DNA.

But this little corner of my creation actually looks decent! The yarn here was some of the later stuff I made, so I had gotten a little bit more consistent when it comes to using a drop spindle.

I hope everyone has a good week! I’m going to be hoping for more Spring weather so that next week in the studio will be a very long and full one!

Until then,

Zoe B.

February 27, 2014

Stop, Drop, and Draft

Hey Everyone!

This week at the Twisted Purl studio was really fun. I started my spinning journey with my head held somewhat high, even though I knew that I was going to be in for a good struggle. When I arrived at the studio, I helped Cyndi make some carded batts to be turned into Spring time felted soaps. I always struggle with her requests for these kinds of colors, because I tend to be attracted to greens, dark blues, deep purples, browns, and blacks. Here are the carded batts that I ended up making. (Excluding the pink one, that one is waaaaay too bright to have been made by me 🙂 ) Pay close attention to the one on the top of the stack, which I worked extra hard on keeping happy and seasonal.

After finishing up with my carded batts, it was time to learn how to spin. Cyndi taught me on a drop spindle first, since it is much easier to control and think about as opposed to the larger, more complicated spinning wheel. Cyndi has demonstrated several times how a drop spindle works, and each time she makes it look very easy and speedy. Two seconds into my first attempt and the spindle was on the floor, and Cyndi was shouting “Drop!” She likes to think it is called a drop spindle because it drops all of the time, even though it’s really just because it moves closer to the ground as you draft more and more fiber. I continued drafting fiber, making “yarn,” and giggling while Cyndi yelled drop over and over. Can you guys tell which one I made and which one Cyndi made? Hint: Mine is the most creative one. Here is also a photo of me modeling my beautiful creation. (I told Cyndi I was sure this yarn would sell instantly. 🙂 NOT!)

I’m practicing intermittently as I type this post. I’m getting a little bit better. I am mostly actually spinning the fibers now, instead of just wrapping them around the drop spindle. Next week, if I am good enough at the drop spindle, I’ll get to try my hand at the spinning wheel. I’m going to look like such a pro just sitting there, I’m so sure. 🙂 Here is the stage I’m to in my house.

It’s starting to look so much better! This experience of learning how to spin just makes me appreciate what Cyndi does so much more. It’s hard work! And she is able to do it while watching TV and holding a conversation. Impressive!

See you guys next week!

Zoe B.