This week’s Featured Buyer is Jessica Marshall Forbes, a knitter who’s been blogging since 2004. You may also know her as the founder of Ravelry.com, the knitting and crochet community website founded by Jessica and her husband Casey last year. Ravelry has taken the fiber world by storm and grown to over 180,000 users and 2.8 million page views per day. Today Jessica is going to share some of her favorite knit and crochet items on Etsy!
I am really excited to talk about my favorite Etsy shops on The Storque! I am a big fan of buying handmade, being a knitter and crocheter myself. Also, Etsy shop owners are wonderful Ravelry participants: many advertise on the site, feeding Ravelers’ bottomless appetite for handmade knit and crochet related items. Independent knit and crochet designers, local yarn stores and other small craft businesses are a huge part of what makes Ravelry so fun and rewarding for us.
There are so many amazing shops on Etsy for knit and crochet, so it was so difficult to choose things to include. I have met so many great crafters through Ravelry and here are some of my favorites!
I am totally addicted to splityarn’s pouches. I use them to hold my scissors and stitch markers when I am on the road, and use the longer pouches to hold my crochet hooks. Beware: once you start with her pouches, you can’t stop!
My dad always told me you should send thank you cards and I like to find pretty, handmade ones on Etsy! My two favorite shops for yarn-themed cards are Maryse’s and Fricknotes. They both feature colorful cards with really amazing photography!
Just like other knitters and crocheters, I am always on the look out for a new bag to carry around my projects. I have a large purse that I use every day and, without a project bag to protect my work, it can be very easy for something to unravel as I go through my day. (Nightmare!) This lace keeper by julipbags will keep everything safe from harm!
I am loving the knitting clutches by persnickityknits! No reason that our knitting bags can’t be stylish as well as functional. This red one caught my eye but she also has them in more neutral colors.
For tinier projects and knitting in line at the post office, I love the wristlet bags from SewBendy. This one with the little bird is awesome!
I also dabble in hand spinning. Butterflygirldesigns‘ spindles are definitely on my wishlist! They are so gorgeous and functional! She also has lovely batts and rovings.
For yarns and rovings for spinning, the sky is definitely the limit on Etsy! You could spend a year’s salary easily. I picked out a few that I have my eye on.
I am a sucker for blue, green and brown and this Bluefaced Leicester by Squoosh is definitely pushing all my buttons! She also has lovely handspun and hand dyed yarns.
Denise at BlueHandsFibers does really amazing things with color. I am leaning toward fall tones right now; I love her bulky Harvest merino.
More on the fall-ish theme: I like this neutral, but not too boring, sock yarn from CapistranoFiberArts.
CapistranoFiberArts also dyes up some mean green and blue, which is what got me hooked on her in the first place! Mmmm yummy!
I was lucky enough to score some handspun yarn from Juliespins‘ shop this week. It is really incredible. (If you can get your hands on some!) She doesn’t have any in her shop currently, as they sell so quickly, but she does do custom handspun and has some really lovely rovings. She is lovely to work with!
I recently discovered Guttersnipe’s shop. She has yarns that are just really fun, especially with the cowl craze going on right now. I love the colors in Earthsea, which is a bulky superwash merino.
Also, just for fun, I like these resin keychains from Debbie at McYarnpants. She also has a ton of other goods made from vintage knitting and crochet magazines, including cards.
There are lots of shops on Etsy that have stitch markers. I like Pookeh’s shop because she always has some fun ones!
When she’s not knitting, Jessica crochets, spins, takes pictures, rides her Vespa, gardens, and buys necklaces from Etsy sellers like there’s no tomorrow. She lives in Boston with her husband and 2-year old Boston Terrier, Bob, who loves to get his picture taken. When he’s not posing for photos, Bob works as mascot for Ravelry.com.
Looking for more on knitting and crocheting? Look no further! For more shopping ideas, our Featured Buyers series is quite impressive! Do some digging, my friend!
58 comments
Sign in to add your ownJoannasPhotography says:
Oh! great article! How nice to see frecklegirl on Etsy!
3 years ago
shoofly says:
yay for ravelry!
3 years ago
notmoira says:
This is awesome! So many beautiful things from these sellers!
3 years ago
blondechicken says:
Yay! I love seeing Jessica's picks - Ravelry is the best thing for knitters since the invention of circulars!
3 years ago
mmmfiber says:
Thanks for the great article! Go Fiber!
3 years ago
smcdesigns says:
Thank you! Those yarns are gorgeous ...
3 years ago
rainydaygoods says:
you have impeccable taste, m'dear! :) great post! off to heart some shops...
3 years ago
Hatdiva says:
I love the dogtag necklace. Here's an eco frienly option for project bags. Re-use the zipper bags bedding comes in! I have a bunch of favorite handspun lurking about in a couple of those clear bags. Not that Etsy doesn't have good project bags, just a fun oddball re-use tip.
3 years ago
pookeh says:
i srsly don't know how i lived without ravelry. so cool to see jess as a featured buyer! :) and thanks for the stitch market mention! i iz famous. ;)
3 years ago
littlepurls says:
So great! Love the picks and thanks so much for Ravelry!
3 years ago
CubistLiterature says:
I like Ravelry. =)
3 years ago
LGordon555 says:
I love Jess, LOVE Ravelry and loved this piece. THANKS!
3 years ago
bubblegirlknits says:
Yay, I LOVE Ravelry!! I believe that is where I first read about Etsy.
3 years ago
LieblingDesigns says:
I'm so ditching my boring rubber stitch markers now. Thanks for the article! Off to hang out at Ravelry!
3 years ago
sillylittlelady says:
Oh wow! All of this is so fantastic I am drooling! Definitely going to check out all these shops right now and fill my craving :)
3 years ago
elizabethwren says:
I always love to see new knit items. Thanks for this fantastic article!
3 years ago
littlegiggles says:
dkKnits.etsy.com has a great shop. i dont know how to make my own yard but if i did id start with that shop! lol.
3 years ago
urbancheek says:
Great article! I love the featured buyers!
3 years ago
Emmakat says:
Yay Ravelry! I'm obsessed with it!
3 years ago
maryse says:
thanks chica!
3 years ago
dogties says:
What fun colorful items. Simply Amazing
3 years ago
notayarnsnob says:
Great interview, Jess! Your picks are good ones! : )
3 years ago
AnnieDesign says:
I loooooove Ravelry!! Thank you Jess for a great interview!
3 years ago
CaperChris says:
Great shout out to Ravelry!
3 years ago
Failli says:
yay! Loved the article! Can you tell us more about the scarf Jess is wearing? Pattern, yarn used, etc.?
3 years ago
adorkable1 says:
I love yarn, this was a fun read!
3 years ago
adorkable1 says:
I only pushed the button once, I swear... :)
3 years ago
splityarn says:
Jess has the best taste! Yay!
3 years ago
jonquilmom says:
Oh... I LOVE that birdie bag!! I agree about Splityarn's baggies... my little mushroom one gets serious use. I also LOVE Ravelry! (zzwhitejd)
3 years ago
fritzl says:
These are great! Yay, Ravelry!
3 years ago
mullishmuse says:
that was really fun, those card...my goodness yum.
3 years ago
JessMF says:
Failli, the scarf is my 2nd Queen Anne lace scarf (crocheted)- it is made from Noro Taiyo. There's more info on my Ravelry page for this project: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/frecklegirl/queen-annes-lace-scarf-2 :) Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone! I am glad you liked my little post.
3 years ago
olivebrown says:
great yarn picks! ...i really need to drop by ravelry, i've heard so much about it. also, good to know about the advertising...
3 years ago
ohmay says:
wooot.....love Ravelry!!!!
3 years ago
peanutga11ery1 says:
awesome! But just what I don't need--more fab stuff to buy from fellow ravelers! Well at least I can make up my wish list for the holidays!
3 years ago
wiyomu says:
cool stuff!
3 years ago
nairnfindlay says:
Yay! I love Jess's style so this post has been inspirational. Thanks Etsy, and thanks Jess for taking the time to do this :) (Blottedcopybook from Ravelry)
3 years ago
ElementsbyJulie says:
What wonderful shops! Gorgeous photos, colors and textures!
3 years ago
Snowberrylime says:
Great picks! Thanks for bringing us ravelry. :)
3 years ago
HomemadeZen says:
lovely!
3 years ago
uncharted says:
i love that keychain...
3 years ago
autumnsarrival says:
Ravelry is an amazing place I am so proud to be a member of! Absolutely LOVE the fantastic yarns Jess chose (and the artists behind all the hard spinning work!!) & the bird bag is just awesome! Great interview- good to see Jess here!!
3 years ago
hodgepodgefarm says:
oh, yummy fiber finds! i usually try not to look, as i'll get into trouble...
3 years ago
Craftyfrogmom12 says:
The Split Yarn's zipper pouches are just too cute! Long live Jess, Casey and Bob!!!!
3 years ago
DistressingDelilah says:
I love those little cards..they are sweet!
3 years ago
pamelasusan says:
great picks!!
3 years ago
SewBendy says:
Jess! We are so flattered that you dig our bags - we love making them and were just tickled to see one of them here. Thanks!!
3 years ago
BethToddCreatz says:
Love you Casey and Jess and of course Bob!!! Go Ravelry!!! Awesome article!
3 years ago
juliehammondart says:
I'm a seasonal yarnphile. (not sure if that's a real word) I love to look at it and think about it's possibilities but that's usually as far as it gets, a possibility that is. On another note... I can't believe you have a vespa. So jealous. Very cool article! You are adorable!
3 years ago
phydeaux says:
Ravelry's awesome, looove Bob, what a treat to see Jessica on the Storque and to enjoy her picks!!!
3 years ago
FruitOfMyHands says:
Thanks for the article. I'm fairly new to Etsy and I enjoyed seeing all the folks that are knitting and crocheting.
3 years ago
handmade says:
so glad i caught this! yay for ravelry!
3 years ago
CrazyHorseNativeWear says:
Great article! Capistrano fiber arts! acn' ta wait to check out their stuff. Thanks girl.
3 years ago
ThePaintedTiger says:
Ravelry and Etsy....made for each other! Thanks for contributing to the Storque, Jess!
3 years ago
gardenologykc says:
Hey - thanks for sharing the great article. Thanks for the tip on Ravelry - super cool!
3 years ago
learntoknit says:
I would love to be able to make my own yarn! Thanks for this fantastic article! www.learnto-knit.com
3 years ago
Federicaknits says:
I love Ravelry and it is great to hear about Jessica's preferences in terms of handmade accessories, bags and yarns that you can find in Etsy's shops!
2 years ago