What Mustard Made

Time for a keeping it real messy background selfie! This is real life 🥳 You can't tell, but my hair is tied up in a ponytail. Alright, it's a messy one, but WOW 😱 Nearly eight months of growth from being shaved almost to my scalp, I can't believe this is where I'm at?! In the past, I'd have been to the hairdressers every six weeks to get it restyled as it grew out, and it seemed like it took forever. Because it did. Because we were *cutting it off*, every single time. If I'd just left it to GROW... 🤦‍♀️😅 Doesn't take nearly as long when you actually don't cut it off 🤣 Who knew?! 🤷‍♀️😁 I'm busy all weekend dyeing and packing (so much packing), this includes basically everything outstanding apart from anything from the last few days. Bear with me while I work through it all 🌈💕❤️ #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram #FibreDyer (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLv7y1ArQkG/?igshid=1pi0dnu4inl85

Evening!! Quick update re my neon advent - there are about a third left, at this very moment there are 18 x 4ply and 43 x DK remaining ❤️🌈❤️ You can pay up front or in instalments, it's all super flexible with every (nearly) payment method that you can imagine🥳 I now have four working days left at the office... I seriously cannot WAIT to be able to complete a task in one go, and be able to pick it up first thing the very next day if I don't get it finished, for every single WMM day of my life going forwards 😝 I'm sick of doing jobs in pieces (like skeining up and packing up these minis). You're not going to know what to do with yourselves when I'm organised and on time with fulfilling your orders 🤣❤️ #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLr5OfFLuM5/?igshid=1b698lfe4dx0n

Throwback to this beautiful Lumina: Peacock sock and the fantastic stitch marker by @whitneymarieanderson 🥳❤️ I need to finish this sock, but all of my sock WIPs got put down and forgotten about 🙄 I am feeling stressed to absolute shit with my office job. I think because my body and mind know that in just over a week I won't have to deal with any more of the relentless crap that I usually deal with, every *single* query or request is making me angry, anxious, and generally stressed out 🙄🤦‍♀️🤮😑 The next ten days will be much hard work to get past. But then, freedom 🥳🌈💕❤️ #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram #MicroStripingYarn #SockKnittersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLoO7kGLCY5/?igshid=1lgrmi8qf16z9

This is my favourite order I've packed today. It's just cute and beautifully simple ❤️ I do love all the glitter and jazz, but sometimes 'plain' is perfect 👌 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #StitchMarkers (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLmaoCXrtF0/?igshid=38u20zk3ibz6

Bert Mohair and undyed 4ply 🌈💕 I'm excited to see how this develops. I always knew Bert Mohair was delicious held double, especially with undyed (or semi-solid dark) yarn, but I've never actually made anything myself with it yet! This is the beginning of a Pick N Mix Vest by @ponderandply 🙌 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram #NeonMohair (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLkdNRarW7e/?igshid=lkzgtshl4b6v

These little chaps (search for Peeky Bunnies on my website) are available in abundance! I'm a teeny bit surprised they haven't been more popular and can only assume that they're not being seen or found 🤗❤️ Thank you so much for all of your support yesterday. I am feeling extremely loved and supported and respected and a hell of a lot more confident in myself and my business today (you always know you shouldn't let that one irrelevant comment get to you, but sometimes it just really does 🤦‍♀️), and I can't tell you how much it means. When you're in a doubt spiral, call out to our community to help you out of it 🤗🤗🤗 It's a beautiful strong community full of beautiful supportive people, and I'm really grateful to be part of it 🥰🌈💕 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #StitchMarkers (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLjUeQnL264/?igshid=79hls1foks1t

Had a little wobble today because of a stupid negative comment on my Advent ad on FB; a really rude question about the price of the advent for the amount of yarn you will receive. I posted in my stories about it, and I thought I was done, but I'm not! Not quite. To anyone who thinks any creative indie biz is 'overcharging' (in your opinion) - trust me, they really won't be 👌 Re my Advent - you have no idea how much devastatingly beautiful effort is going to go into this (and every single other thing I do for you, actually). You will receive twenty-four painstakingly crafted neon colourways. Twenty-four *completely different* ones. I will have spent time developing them (lots of planning, test dyeing, failures, redyeing etc.), then dyed the final skeins, mini-d them into 10g teeny mini skeins, popped each one into a tiny kraft pillow box, applied pretty number stickers, and popped in goodness knows what other additional extras that you're not aware of that will bring me great joy to know you'll appreciate as you open your Advents through December. The time and materials certainly aren't free. The electricity I'll use along the way isn't free. The WiFi isn't free. The water isn't free. The pillow boxes aren't free. The time I'm also spending setting up the instalment plans isn't free, for those who want to take advantage (thank you, *please* continue to do so, it brings me joy! I love using my accounting software, genuinely, I am honestly not joking! 😃). The accounting software *itself* isn't free. If you don't know how much something is costing an indie biz to create (nobody does except that biz owner, to be clear - I don't know how much other dyers are spending developing their products, and they have no idea about mine! *Only the biz owner knows* 👌) then you have no cause to comment on that biz's post declaring that something is extortionate. For £65, you will receive the result of months of hard work, a beautiful set of minis (some of which will be one of a kinds), all created by hand by me, packed by me, designed by me. I think it's worth it. 🌈 Mini rant over. Advents are still available on preorder on my website ❤️ #WhatMustardMade (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLhbxojLpRS/?igshid=fwxcl6wahh7p

Can't remember when I started knitting this... April? May? Who knows. Decided it's time to put my big girl knitting pants on and complete it. My Granny Go Round Jumper is on the naughty step (frogged) as it was teeny tiny - I knew I should have gone up another hook size and/or garment size, but thought I could get away with making my size in the prescribed hook and block it out to size a bit. Ain't no way that's happening...! 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️ This is why I don't make crochet garments. It is *so* frustrating when you crochet as tightly as I do, as I never ever ever get gauge and I get frustrated working out what adjustments to make (don't tell me to just learn to crochet more loosely 😐 I have crocheted this way for 20 years 😂). I'd wanted to make a fitted cropped Granny Go Round to go under my dungarees, but I might just have to do a loose one so I don't have to worry about it being too small. So, back to knitting we go! After this, I've got a @ponderandply Pick N Mix Vest lined up, in plain 4ply with Bert Mohair 👌 Not entirely sure how to do my gauge swatch without either ruining the mohair, or frogging it back with my teeth gritted the whole way - tips, knitters? Can I manage to salvage a gauge swatch with mohair held double? ❤️ Oh, and this is Bert: Embrace! From before I started accidentally using the wrong blue dye for a spell 😅 But I eventually realised, and I've switched back to the correct recipe now, so all future Bert: Embraces look like this again 😁 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLfSX-NLAIY/?igshid=nab3y1ixkjzc

Here's your colour hit for the day! I got a little distracted mid-packing by glitter and sparkles 💕 Hazards of being a big massive magpie. Can we please talk about those Chunky Multicoloured Glitter Cabochons...?!? 🙊🌈 Thanks, new camera 👌📸 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #StitchMarkers (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLeOehPLcww/?igshid=1q66vn7ozcyd5

Keto fans... I made the perfect pancakes last night! And this morning for breakfast too... 🥰🥞 I used @martinaslajerova 's chaffle recipe to make the batter - use her savoury recipe with one tsp erythritol in, and I also added some cheesecake flavoured sucralose drops to the batter 💕 I'll try the next batch without the sucralose as I don't think it needs it 🤔 Fry in coconut oil. Serve with lemon juice, erythritol, and knobs of salted butter 🧈 (Chaffle recipe available on her website.) This is now a staple keto meal for me, it was blimmin' delicious 😋 I love chaffles as a vehicle for bacon or burgers (or both together 🤷‍♀️) to get into my mouth, but I've never found myself fussed on sweet desserty chaffles. Now I don't need to be! 😃 Serve with a coffee blended with 20g salted butter 👌 I put salted butter in everything now 🧈 Even my hot chocolate 🧈 I'll do another post about that soon, as I have perfected keto hot chocolate now in my opinion 😂🥳 (Please no comments about my diet - I've been eating ketogenically for nearly three years, as advised by my Neurologist 🙌 Keto is my life saver for my wonky brain, and I've never been healthier generally than I am on keto.) #WhatMustardMade #KnittersOfInstagram #CrochetersOfInstagram #KetoLife #KetoPancakes #KetoersOfInstagram #KetoWayOfLife #ILoveSaltedButter #LurpackGetInMyBelly #ChafflesBatter (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLYzi7sr_ZL/?igshid=1ao940py0exwe

Oh hi! 👋 So, remember the snow dyeing I did last week? That was an age ago, right?! 😅 The first two pics are the results ❤️👌🌨️ I'll be making them into 20g minis, two bundle choices (brights and darks), four minis in each, both available in 4ply and DK, shown here in the full 4ply 100g skeins (that sure was a mouthful). As there will only be twenty bundles available, I won't be telling my email subscribers as there are 1,000 of you and I can't cope the idea of with a mad scramble for limited edition snow yarns 🤦‍♀️🌈🤣 I don't think Insta or FB show that many of you my posts, so I'll just let you know on here when they're ready, I can cope with that 👌🤗 I'm aiming for Friday or Saturday release! But don't shoot me if I'm late, it's a mad struggle to keep to any sort of up to date-ness at the mo. I can't wait to be full time on this...! 🥳🙊 Eight working days to go till we say bye to the office job... Two and a half weeks 🥰 Other pics are some fun I had yesterday while twisting, and skeining minis 🥳 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLXN3ttLlA2/?igshid=n65j8ned7um

A little #GrannyGoRoundJumper update for you. Pattern by @iron_lamb ❤️🌈💕 Using a plain undyed skein, plus some of my Lumina: Mustard, alternated 💛 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLVFPgerzeP/?igshid=1ovl651nwy7dc

Hey beans in my phone! 😘 My weekend was a dark one, but I've made it through to the other side 🥳 My neck pain is still there, but it's not as pronounced. Keto really helps with this particular symptom, so I'm trying my best to be a good little keto-er 🥰🧀🥓🥩🍳🧈🧂☕ I was worried about the amount of orders I have to catch up on after not being able to do much over for the past few days, but after creating a couple of joyous pivot tables this morning, I'm happy it's all doable 🙌 I recently decided to get a bridge camera (second hand, score 💷👌🥰) to up my product photography game. My phone camera has mostly been fine, but it struggles in certain lighting conditions, and there's a colourway I dyed recently which it just *cannot* take a good pic of; the mix of dark and neon together just blows its mind 😝 So I realised there's no downside to getting a digital camera - it'll improve ALL of my yarn pics, not just the new difficult one! I'll be replacing the listing pics for yarns over the next couple of months 🌈 They're not *not* representative at the moment, but it'll be nice for them to have a bit more detail to them. This pic is of some Berts that I was playing around with earlier. Please don't mock any massively amateur focus etc you see in future 🤣 I have much to learn 🥰 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLT46vdLn6s/?igshid=yrcih49iflc5

Okay, mood is officially lifted, I've finally decided to start a #GrannyGoRoundJumper this evening, and it is life ❤️🌈❤️ Yarn is a plain undyed skein alternated with Lumina: Mustard. Not sure if I'll do the whole thing this way, I might switch to different Luminas along the way 🥰 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLSYj3_LNR-/?igshid=ob9v4trg5yrm

I have 100% forgotten to promote that today is the last day to purchase this month's Clubs! There are two Clubs - there's Bert, a speckled gorgeous neon mess, and Lumina, a bright neon micro-striping rainbow 🌈 Both have different parts that I change each month, while keeping some parts the same, to create different Bert and Lumina variants each month. Available in 4ply, DK and Aran BFL Superwash, in 100g, 50g, 20g and 10g. If you'd like to subscribe to try the Club for more than one month, there's a 10% subscription discount 💕 I know I probably think this every month, but this month's Clubs will be super special 😅🥳🌈❤️ I'm just waiting to go to bed, now. I'm a bit sick of myself today tbh... 🤣🤦‍♀️🙄 Neck pain, range of motion is dreadful (I'm stuck like I've been whiplashed 🤦‍♀️), and I've had massive procrastination going on because there's not much I can comfortably get done. The top thing I accomplished today was twisting twenty skeins this morning 👌 Tomorrow better be better, as I have a tonne to pack up and post, as the damn snow should have shifted so we should be able to safely get out of our street now 🙌🥳💕 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLSGhndrHWC/?igshid=52x82k7h08nu

Neons are just so much fun 😝 This has turned into a weird little half- pity party, half- chat about my health. Don't read on if you're not interested, honestly 😅👌 I am truly suffering with my neck today 😩 I can get a really painful gnarly knotty gritty pinchy neck/shoulder area as part of my migraine condition. I know it's a bad flare up when it affects my range of head motion, and right now I can barely look left to right, or up and down 😅 This has increased recently as the Nortriptyline I stopped taking a few weeks ago (long story, side effects just had to go 👌) used to keep this away - I guess I should probably be grateful this is practically the only pain I get, as I don't get migraine pain (occasional headaches, but nowhere near what I imagine a migraine to feel like, unless I actually have a superhuman tolerance for pain 💪😂). It's all relative though, really, and just because it could be worse, doesn't actually make it feel any better for me 🤷‍♀️❤️ I'm prescribing myself a couple of hours in bed this afternoon with my TENS machine, a scalding hot water bottle, meditation, and audiobook 👌 Trying not to take painkillers, as they increase my migraine symptoms if I take them regularly, and I can end up with a massive flare up of brain fog... It's just one big wonderful roller-coaster 🎢🙄🤣 But neons around me definitely make things a whole lot more bearable 🥳💕🥰 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLO8cIaL9F_/?igshid=p9t48g0koxze

Please enjoy these mildly crap photos of my favourite part of the morning so far - Bert: Rise on Aran BFL 👌 I do believe Bert: Rise may be my favourite out of all of my colourways 🙊 #WhatMustardMade #WeMakeYarn #yarnologist #Neon4Life #CrochetersOfInstagram #KnittersOfInstagram #CraftersOfInstagram #MakersOfInstagram #MakersGonnaMake #YarniesOfInstagram #Yarnies #Yarnstagram #IndieDyedYarn #IndieDyersOfInstagram (at Ryton, Tyne and Wear) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLOjS0MrSoN/?igshid=1o7u1w72gtwc5