December's Fibernista Ms. Tei Batson of Fierce Threadz

Graphic Angst

I had the opportunity of interviewing Tei Batson of  Fierce Threadz. Her collection is akin to Carolignia Herrera in the fashion world. Ms Batson creates lovely designs for the fierce woman in mine. Her designs are daring ,sexy and well hand crafted. Buyers will find that she uses premium yarns and only the best accoutrements to complement her designs. Please Join me in welcoming Ms. Batson to the Fibernista of the Month Family.... Below you will find her interview and a few scoop pics of her designs..

Tei can you tell us about yourself, how we can contact you and let us know where we can check out your beautiful weork? Also, tell us what makes your products different than anyone else?

I started writing poetry at age 4...I know, you're wondering what in the world does poetry have to do with crocheting...lol. if you would just bare with me for a lil bit, you'll see what I mean. Poetry came naturally to me...like breathing. Words slipped in, under & around my imagination. Coiling themselves into beautiful symmetry that begged to be spoken. Kind of the way yarn loops & curls around the hook as the kook slides in, under & around creating masterpieces of design. See? Crochet is how I express my poetry in a tactile form.

 Tei, tell us how you started on your journey of doing what you love, and tell us about  any experience or education which helped you along the way

The first time that my nana put a hook in my hand, I was 6. To be honest, she put it there more so to keep me out of her hair than to really teach me to crochet..lol. I had already began hand sewing at age 5 & designing clothes for my Barbie dolls, it wasn't a far stretch for me to turn that hook & yarn into a skirt for my doll. Once I realized that I could make a fabric that I could work with...OH BOY! I was crocheting with everything that I could get my hands on. I never used patterns when I was young. The thrill was in designing my own as I went. 

Smoke and Mirrors

By the time I was 12, I was selling my designs to fellow students & a few teachers in middle school. Headbands, skirts & chain necklaces were my specialties. High school brought about a new type of creativity, fueled by all the latest fashions & wanting to stand out from the crowd. I designed clothes for friends, family & scarves for a few teachers. Being a military brat & living all over the world helped broaden my sense of design awareness. I was amazed at how women from different countries would put their own spin on how they wore a simple clothing article ...like a scarf. These observations led me to add versatility into the pieces that I designed.Over the years, I slowly but surely gained clients, a few at a time, from all over the world due to my travels. I did impromptu showings of my latest designs online via webcam on yahoo for people to purchase.  But it was not until my clients began requesting that I make FIERCE THREADZ an online presence, did I think to do so..

 Your name is Fierce Threadz - Who or what is fierceness, who is the brand modeled after and why? How did you get inspired with that name.

 How did I come up with the name? Actually a friend used to always call me fierce. They said I dressed fierce & walked fierce, so I simply added that to THREADZ & Voila.....my designs finally had a name!  Fierce Threadz is the baby birthed from those years of frogging, sweat & tears...lol. 

 Tei can you tell us how we can contact you and let us know where we can check out your beautiful weork? Also, tell us what makes your products different than anyone else.

My clothing is meant to make women feel absolutely beautiful & comfortable in their own skin. My designs are for the woman who wants something different. The woman who loves haute couture, but wants it a lil more wearable, a tad bit funked up with a drizzle of poetic soul. The FIERCE THREADZ woman is confident & bold. She IS every woman..

5. What do you see in the near Future for FT? What would you like the public to take from what you are putting out? 

I see FIERCE THREADZ as a well known brand & showing at Fashion Week in NY no later than 2014. I also have plans to work with underprivileged girls & young women who are interested in fashion design.

You can find FIERCE THREADZ at www.fiercethreadz.etsy.com & https://www.facebook.com/FierceThreadz.1

Thank you Tei for your interview with HDU , and wlecome to the Fibernista of the Month Family... Love your work !

Natrually New

Naturally New

Hi My lovelies,


I know i have not been doing much posting lately and for that I truly apologize. I got a new computer and have been learning how to work it and transferring  important stuff from my old to the new one. There have been a lot of changes with House of Harte Designs Unlimited. So in the next coming weeks I will be  updating you on all the BIG changes with my business.


Now for those of you who are on my facebook, You know that i recently unveiled my hair. I finally took the knots out literally. My hair is longer on tip than in the back but I am okay with that.  Thanks to my Pastors wife she gave me some fabulous tips on how to keep my natural hair up. Over Thanksgiving I actually decided to flat iron it and i used a rich African oil to seal in the shine and protect it from the heat. I do not do this often so normally if I am home i just let it do its thing and run a come through it. Tried wrapping silk scarfs don't stay on my head, Tried wrapping still ends up poofy by morning and i have to warm iron it all over again. So my solution is when at home i put as little heat as possible on it and run a comb through it to keep it from getting tangled. I am still new to all of this so i will definitely keep you updated. But in the mean time here is a recent pic of me that was taken the day after Thanksgiving Happy Holidays all. Oh by the way, next month This blog will have Fibernista Extraordinare  Tei Batson of Fierce Threadz as our designer of the month. I am really excited to feature her and her work. She is COOOOOOOLD let me tell you with a hook. her designs are just AMAZING. She is a wonderful mentor, tells it like it is and i truly love her dearly as a sister so be sure to look for that interview.

Angel Bee Yarns

Hi Lovlies,

I just wanted to drop in and tell you about the new addition to the House of Harte Designs Unlimited Family. Anyone who has talked to me for any length of time knows that I am IN LOVE with YARN. Well my dream has always been to be yarn shop boutique owner who can play with yarns all day long. Well the first step to my accomplishing that has happened. I have an online yarn shop in partnership with Ice Yarns.

The great things about these yarns are they are beautiful and uber affordable. Not cheap but affordable and yes there is a difference. So for all of you who adore yarns as much as i do be sure to get on over to the store and by a pak or two. Click here for the shoppe. Also the yarn comes in paks of 4/6/8 ball increments for one affordable price.

Here are just a sample of the many yarns that we offer . They are also some of my favorites.

Posh N Pretty

Stormland

Smores

Woodland

What's New With Love

Hi all,  I just wanted to update everyone on what is going on with House of Harte and me and future plans for the this blog and brand. For those of you who don't know I recently self published my first crochet pattern for the flower flapper hat that is featured both on my site and social media platforms. It is also featured on website and it is for sale. The response to the pattern has been fabulous and I would like to thank everyone who purchased for their support. There will be other pattern released in the near future but I want to do them right.

Currently i am working on resetting up knit and sip it will aire every other Sunday so that means the 2nd and 4th sundays of the month  it will aire on Youtube so tune in and please rate, subscribe and comment.

Also i have a few items i need to get out for my CAL's on crochetville, and  I am also a member of Etsy Artist of Color. In addition to that i am still collorating with my hubby to be (Jin) of Phareo Dynasty for his postive multi cultural (Blasian ) Graphic tees. So please support,support you can follow him on FACEBOOK by typing Phareo Dynasty also he has a blog and i will provide a link in the side bar for all to go on over and take a look. For now that is all.

Love Tawnya 

Sick N Knit

I was here on Tuesday and had the sniffles and it quickly spiraled out of control. Ended up staying home for two days ( count em two days) it is very hard for me to stay home all day without the internet:( however) I did continue to work on my $5 in paris sweater. it is turning out beautifully and I promise to post some progress pics tomorrow. i love the mix of dusty green and periwinkle and bits of turuoise mixed with dusty plums i think it will be my fav sweater of all time. Not to mention my first knit (big) project. Os very excited.

Any way while i was sick, my kind neighbor sent me some cornbread and great nothern beans. YUMMY! it not only filled my soul but also warmed my heart ( They like me , they really like me).

Wednesday was the hardest day because i did not get to meet up with my dear friend Ms. Carole. Ms Carole is an awesome knitter who inspires me with her love any knitting beautiful. She makes the most awesome handwarmers can we say GORGEOUS! and she has the most beautiful family. I am really lucky to get to knit with her on Wednesdays and Sometimes Fridays. She is knitting some very adorable Browns Mittens for her son and showed me a beautiful Hello Kitty hat for her daughter. SHE Is amazing.

Well, that is all for now i have to get back to knitting that sweater. until next time lovlies

Gettin Married!

Okay by now many of you know that I am engaged to Phareo Dynasty Owner/Founder Jin Li. Our wedding date is set for July 28th 2012. Many of you already know that a lot of my wedding will featured knit or crochet items that i created especially for my wedding. I truly feel that weddings that have an element of handcraftedness are the most beautiful and sentimental. While I 'can't disclose too many details just yet about the dress ( you will just have to wait and see) there are other elements that I am more than willing and able to share like this beautiful Weddinghan that friends of mine on Crochetville are creating squares and once i have the alloted number of squares i will join them and display at our wedding.Here is a lil peak at what  I have so far.

Weddinghan Red and Lavender Thank you to all the ladies who are sending squares

Some other Details that are not neccessarily knit or crochet related are the bridesmaides dresses I am making them  and decided to use the Convertible Wrap Dress  in a stretch satin they could wear again.
It is really easy to put together and i am really just elated to do these for everyone. This one is from Ashley Stewart but Iam making them and here are just a few of the ways they can be tied. I love the color but their's will be Lavender.

Knitopia

Okay a littel under a month ago i refound the world of knitting when My dear friend Ms Carole gave me a beautiful knit shrug that was made out of Lion Brand Amazing  Yarn in Glacier Bay. This shrug has needless to say been worn constantly. It is supprising light and warm all at the same time. Well ... it  reignited my love for knitting because i started knitting washcloths again. I needed a new facecloth and thought a handmade one would do just the trick. The one I created for my self is in shades of blue and i love it. I made one of these a year ago when i first learned to really knit and it GOT it. Now I have taken on my first BIG kniting Project. The $5 in Paris Sweater that uses Carons Simply soft.

My mom gave me three of her circulars and i just started the sweater yesterday. Of Course with Ms Carole's help. She is a awesome knitter. She helped me cast on and i have been knitting since yesterday of course not non stop. I had to sleep some time right?

Well I have about half and inch to an inch of more ribbing to do on this easy top down raglan. Oh and what is the yarn ask , that  I am using? Lion Brand Amazing in Glacier Bay for ribbing it is so pretty. and for the body Classic Elite Fresco in Hazy Purple. No pics yet but in the mean time here is a pic of my wash cloth I completed last month.

Happi Stitchin

Tawnya

Shady Blues Washcloth for ME:)