store | Laura Chau

an important announcement

July 5, 2010

Applicable only to my Canadian customers – as you all know, we pay a lot of tax. Unfortunately I’m going to have to start collecting it from you too! As of July 1 (okay, actually as of July 5), 2010, pattern sales will have sales tax added for Canadian customers only.

The rates are: British Columbia 12%; Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador 13%; Nova Scotia 15%; and everywhere else in Canada 5% GST.

These taxes should be added when you go through the Paypal checkout. For sales from all other places, no tax (the price you see is what you get). I’m currently going through all the pattern pages to add a note about this so you don’t get any surprises!

Enough of the tax talk, how about some knitting?

My cashmere cabled scarf grows! It’s probably about halfway done (I’m in the second skein) and I still love knitting it. This month I have a deadline project looming, so I’m not sure how much love this scarf will get – but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to release the pattern in August for a jump start on autumn knitting!

ready for the world

June 2, 2008

I’ve now listed a couple of scarves on my Etsy shop! Have at it! There’s lots more to come, I think – the weaving is just so fun, and I love to see how the yarn works up into woven fabric. I sort of fear what saying this will do – but if you have a particular colour family and size in mind, email me and we’ll see what we can work out!

Since I don’t really have much else, I think it’s time for a (rare around here) meme that’s been going around.

1. What was I doing ten years ago?
Let’s see…I was 13 (yep), just finishing grade eight. I guess since it’s June, we were mostly goofing off for the end of the year, watching the World Cup in class since my teacher was big on soccer, signing yearbooks, that kind of thing. I was excited to graduate middle school and nervous about going on to the big high school! I had a great group of friends and we mostly stayed together even through high school (gaining people along the way). I still see them once in a while now. Something I don’t miss: a group of bullies.

2. What are five things on my to-do list today?
List stuff on Etsy (already done), finish the front bands of my cashmere sweater, straighten up my room, weave another scarf, eat agnolotti for dinner.

3. Snacks I enjoy:
What the heck don’t I enjoy?! I’ve been eating lots of toast with melted aged cheddar and tomato; anything sweet or chocolate really, leftover supper food, deviled eggs, fresh homebaked bread and butter. Man, I love carbs.

4. Places I’ve Lived:
Toronto, Ontario. I’ve lived in the same room all my life, people. Time for a change sometime soon (realistically not for awhile).

Where would I LIKE to live?
Downtown Toronto, in some fantastical house that might not exist for my forseeable budget, with a bright airy studio/office space and a gorgeous kitchen. I certainly can’t see myself actually living anywhere other than here, but I’d love extended visits to Vancouver, Montreal, maybe NYC, London.

5. Things I’d do if I was a billionaire:
Tough one. Build a house in the country with tons of vegetable garden and sheep; build houses for my parents and sisters; travel; establish a couple of scholarship funds; try to use the money to do some good for the environment, farmers, children, and society in general. How’s that for broad?

score o’ the day

May 31, 2008

Whew, I’m pooped. I spent a couple hours this afternoon working on my veggie garden, which this year is mostly going to be containers. I have to wait until my mum comes back from her vacation so I don’t dig anything up that she’s going to be mad about in the garden proper! I need to clear space for (some of) my zucchini and tomato plants, and while there’s lot of real estate, there’s also lots of very large weedy plants. I did manage to transplant some herbs and things outside, as well as direct seeding some beans and spinach.

And now my arms are all wobbly from lugging bags of soil around. Perfect time to fill you all in on the Textile Museum sale!

It pretty much looked like this:

Crowded! I got there right about 11am, and there were a LOT of people there already. It was madness. There were two tents plus a rather large area right in front of the entrance to the Textile Museum (which I didn’t get any photos of).

This year the yarn got its own tent (the last photo above). The tubs on the tables inside were being refilled as things were bought, but I didn’t really feel like hanging around too long to try and score something good. There was a lot of not great (but very cheap) yarns in there to wade through.

But I managed to score a wee bit of yarn anyway, since Julia gifted me with a skein of red Jaggerspun that she’d bought. And then there was my one big score –

An adjustable dressform! I was standing right at the table when the women behind it were hoisting her up, took a look at the bust dial (to make sure that it was big enough for me) and then pounced right away. Seriously, where else will you get one in this great condition for $25?

I haven’t actually set the measurements properly yet, but close enough for now. And she’s already being pressed into service.

Maybe now I can actually sew some dresses and the like that’ll fit properly!

One more thing, today – a sneak preview of the woven scarves I’ve been working on.

My name on Etsy is cosmicpluto, but there’s nothing up there at the moment – don’t worry, I’ll be announcing here when I put stuff up for sale!