Etsy Review: woodenbuttons

I love to troll the web for goodies (ahem) and I thought I would share some of the lovely Etsy shops I've come across lately. Today I'm happy to write about woodenbuttons, an Estonian business that crafts charming buttons out of European woods.

What to Love:

• amazing woods... apple tree, rowan tree, Siberian pea shrub. Some of these have grain like I've never seen before.
• buttons in range of sizes (0.8 to 2.2 in), including some of the largest on Etsy!
• reasonable prices.
• buttons are sold in sets... so you have enough coordinating buttons for a project.
• what you see is what you get. I love listings where the pictures aren't just representative.
• each is one of a kind, slightly irregular in color and shape. Gives a natural, simple feel.
• smooth edges.
• a variety of shapes... toggle, round, triangular.
• pre-oiled and ready to use.
• friendly service (I convo-ed, Valdur got right back to me)

What to know:

• This is a relatively new shop (as of this writing 12 sales, 100% positive feedback).
• It may take 2-3 weeks for your buttons to arrive in North America.
• I have made one purchase from this shop. I have no other connection with it ;)

Enabling

Just a quick note to say that my friend Paula has opened a very classy etsy shop, where she sells her art and illustrations. You must check out the Alphabirdybet. My favorite letter is "C" :)

Wheel In the Sky Keeps on Turnin'...

Some very kind folks over in Ravelry's "Spinning Knitters" group are helping me get my wheel figured out (thanks so much!) but it's going to be a while before I can get the repairs done to get it going... so somewhere I got the notion to try spinning with a drop spindle in the meantime. I didn't know much about this type of spinning so I had fun poking around the internet trying to figure out all the lingo (high whorl, low whorl, Turkish?). I ended up at Spunky Eclectic's intro page. Her explanations where so helpful and straight-forward that I ended up buying her recommended beginner's spindle, Cascade's "Little Si." I was very impressed with her service! My spindle came superfast, and she wrapped it in some fun teal and purple top that I have been using to learn.

The first attempts - for your amusement :) It has gotten better (um, I think), but it is still thick and thin and I'm using the "inchworm" or "park and draft" method where I stop the spindle and hold it still while I try to figure out how to draft the fiber. I think I did actually spin for about 2 seconds today (and I mean that literally). But spinning is REALLY addictive. That's why you hear people saying things like "I've been spinning for a year now, and in the last 4 months I finally started getting a usable product." Somehow the process is so meditative that it sweeps away the fixation with product.

I also got a little bit of ammo: Spunky Eclectic's basic wool blend and a top from Flawful that reminds me of koi. I was tempted to hide the Flawful cuz I want to buy most of her stuff as soon as I have the money and I don't want any competition for the one of a kind fiber goodness - but really, it's better to spread the love around right? (And don't be buyin' the "Mild Child" before I can, okay? It would be perfect for a BSJ, which is what got me started on this in the beginning.)

For anyone who is interested, there are some great video tutorials for learning to spin with the drop spindle here and here.

This project is waiting in the wings. I won't start it until I have finished Orangina. And I won't finish Orangina until I have one of those days where I feel like I have the ability to focus totally without the potential for emotional breakdowns. We must only seam in the right state of mind. Here's hoping that that day comes soon...