Natalie interviewed me!
Natalie from Namaste Farms invited me to be interviewed on her podcast just before Christmas. Apart from the unpleasant experience of hearing my own voice (do I really sound like that?), it was a lot fun to be a part of. If you wish to have a listen too, visit Natalie at Namaste Farms or more directly, find the podcast on Blog Talk Radio.
As I mentioned in the interview, I am always impressed by people using their initiative to build enterprises around their own uniqueness and/or way of doing things and Natalie is a great example of this. Kudos there my friend!
Until next time
Andrew
The Aura Toolkit App
The Aura Toolkit app for Windows Phone 7 has just been published to the Marketplace (Windows Phone Marketplace). This has been a project I have been experimenting with for quite a while and am very excited to have it available finally. As a quick disclaimer, this post contains some of my own opinion so bear this mind as you read on.
The main feature of the Aura Toolkit is the wizard that allows you to select Bobbin Drive and Flyer Drive ratios (by touch) and then it auto-magically can calculate the draw and twist per inch for yarn. It also has a selection of recipes as well as ratios and dimensions of the Aura. It uses the very cool Panorama control as well as some other neat bits I have found or made. The best bit to share is the price...
FREE!
Here are a couple of screenshots
Aura Toolkit Intro
Aura Toolkit Tools
Aura Toolkit Wizard
If you have a Windows Phone and would like download it, look in "Tools and Productivity" in the Marketplace.
The question that I am sure is going to come next is "Where is the iOS/Android version?". Well, <opinion>Microsoft has excellent tools, resources and online support. I find WP7 to be very elegant and innovative and produce quality apps in a short time. Also, it is easier to get an app noticed in the Marketplace as WP7 is 'on the up'. I am very excited to see what the Nokia phones are going to look like which are going to be coming out before the end of the year and I also suspect the integration with Windows 8 (middle of next year) is going to be pretty special too. From what I understand iOS has a steep learning curve. Android does not have hardware standards and multiple versions of the software so making sure the app runs reliably everywhere is not easy. It will be WP7 only for a while unless I fancy some new challenges.</opinion>
So there you have it. Download it, review it, rate it, make suggestions (I already have some ideas for a newer version). It will remain free because we want to support Majacraft spinners and give you fun tools to help in your creativity.
You can get it here Aura Toolkit
Until next time.
Andy
The Price Rise.
If you are not already aware, we have issued a price rise that is effective from October 01. In the interests of making sure you know as much of the details around this - because it is a large price rise compared to anything we have done previously - I wanted to offer this background.
The first obvious issue is the volatility of the exchange rate, particularly the New Zealand dollar against the American dollar. Since I have been working at Majacraft I have observed fluctuations between 58 and 89 cents - nearly 50% change in value. This makes it very difficult for our dealers to run profitable businesses. For example (and this is a hypothetical number), if the exchange rate increases by 10% from the time we set the prices and a dealer margin is 10% then dealer actually sells a product for nothing, that is $0.00. The dealer's margin would in effect be wiped out. As a brief aside, the NZ/US exchange rate has varied by approximately 10% over the last 10 days. Our dealers are an integral part of Majacraft and therefore it is essential that we look after them as best we can. They cannot run their businesses and pay their bills without making a little profit on the products they sell. So, the first part of the price rise that you have observed is about Majacraft looking after dealers.
The second part of the price rise is an increase in our wholesale price to dealers. Majacraft relies on about 50 suppliers of goods and services to create a wheel who have their own businesses to keep going. Every month, we receive notification from at least one of these suppliers, "due to ... we are raising our prices of ... by 2%/4%/5%/10%". It often does not seem a great deal at the time and because we have wanted to make our wheels as affordable to everybody as we possibly could, Majacraft has absorbed these increases and tried to improve the way we do things to offset them. However, recently we have had a detailed investigation into the cost of producing Majacraft products and it was sobering. The little increases that have been going on for years have actually put us in a position where in some cases it is costing us to create products. In addition, due to our own high standards and customer expectation, we are taking much longer, using better components and doing a superior job to what we did even as recently as 12 months ago. Just like you, we have families and mortgages that need taking care of. If Majacraft does not make a profit we cannot take care of our responsibilities or invest in developing exciting new fiber tools for you.
As a user of Majacraft products you will unfortunately directly feel the effects of this price rise. When I say unfortunately, I sincerely mean it. It is Majacraft's ideal that we create the best products we can for the most affordable price possible and it is with great reluctance and reservation that we have carried this out. I often smile when I meet people that come to visit our workshop because the most common response is along the lines of "is that it?". Many people expect Majacraft to be a mega factory with a huge workforce churning wheels out by the 100 (and swimming in vats of cash! 
). In truth, we are actually only 9 people - and not all full time - working out of Owen and Glynis' converted farm implement shed working as hard as we can to make a living. Probably very similar to yourself. As you would hope to be paid a fair wage for your days labour, and have a job to go to next week too, we hope for these things too and raising the prices as we have done has been a necessity to achieve this.
I have noticed that some people have commented that because of the cost, our wheels are likely to be out of their reach now. For this I am very sorry as I would prefer everybody be able to have the opportunity to experience what we create if they choose. I personally believe that Majacraft wheels are excellent value for money. I am intimately aware of the time and care taken in the making of each product, the high quality (and consequently expensive) components that are used as well as the excellent service and guarantee given. We do not want to compromise any of these areas and diminish or minimise what we offer you. I am very grateful for your support so far because I actually love being a part of enabling people to create beautiful things with their own hands. It is indeed deeply satisfying.
I hope this explanation has given you some insight into what is involved in Majacraft and the reasoning behind the price increase.
Sincerely
Andrew (on behalf of Majacraft)
Maryland – finally!
What an amazing event the Maryland Sheep and Wool Show is. And we aren’t the only ones who think that judging by the huge crowds that attend.
For us it is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with some of our excellent team of dealers, as well as to meet many who use our products and also to renew contact with friends.
Maryland
Our lovely friends, Larry and Therese, were kind enough to pick us up from the airport after the long flight from New Zealand and to take us in for the night, including feeding us a beautiful meal at around 11pm! The next day Larry gave us a guided tour of Washington DC including a visit to Mt Vernon which was a great treat. He then dropped us off at our hotel in Columbia where a message was waiting from friends Dave and Christine who wanted to pick us up and take us for an excursion next day.
This was a fascinating day where we visited their friends in Amish country. An invitation to an Amish family property and lunch at a local Amish restaurant gave us a small insight in to the lives of the people.
Mount Vernon
Lexi Boeger of Pluckyfluff had asked us to attend the show and give her support with her first booth. She intended to give free lessons and thought some assistance would be useful. At the end of the Sunday she estimated she had taught sixty children to spin! And that is not counting the adults who were keen to learn not only to spin, but also to spin art yarns.
Lexi teaching
Over the two days we were glad to spend some time with our other dealers and see the exciting things they had for sale. It is always lovely to meet up with people who, although we feel we know them, are often a faceless name.
Looking at the yarns and fibres on offer I find it interesting that different countries seem to favour different colours – our trips to India have shown us what bright and vivid colours show to advantage in their climate. The same colours brought back to NZ just look garish. The vibrant colours we like here do not look the same in the soft landscape of England where heathery muted shades look superb.
Following our time in Maryland we flew to California where we travelled briefly to the Northern California Handweavers conference and then visited Yosemite National Park which was astoundingly lovely with apparently the best waterfalls for 50 years! Our thanks to Jenny and Alex for their superb guiding skills, making sure that we saw all the highlights including a bear!
Yosemite National Park
Back in Placerville we lunched with the delightful Lisa and Rod Souza and were so impressed both with her new book and her beautiful studio in a rural area near the town. A tour of their favourite wineries in the region was an extra treat.
Owen and Glynis dining out
Next on our list was a visit to meet with Alden Amos and Stephanie Gaustad. A meeting of minds! Their hospitality was great and we really enjoyed the few hours we spent in their company.
Alden Amos in his workshop
On our last day, Jenny videoed Owen and Lexi for an introductory DVD to the Aura. This was fun, right down to Pixel and Atom giving us a bell to ring for when they could return to the room we were using!
Our lovely friends, Sue and Greg Boeger, were wonderful hosts (again) and for that we thank both them and Lexi who is so enthusiastic and inventive in her ideas for the spinning community.
Glynis
Next gen Rose
The elves have been busy at Majacraft. This week (actually last week as I type this), we have shipped the next generation of our Rose spinning wheels. While they are still obviously a Rose to look at, very little has not been inspected thoroughly and tweaked, modified and improved where we can. Rob and I have spent a lot of time trying to make the lines as smooth and elegant as possible so that hopefully it creates a very romantic look.
The new Rose
Glynis testing the new Rose
To help with building this romantic wheel, we commissioned a local artist, Sharon O'Callaghan to redesign the Rose motif. We are absolutely chuffed (= very, very happy ) with the design she has come up with and it now is laser engraved on the handle and Rose carrier. She has been very helpful and inspirational for us to work with.
Tauranga artist Sharon O'Callaghan
Sharon does not have a great deal of art on the internet however many of her paintings are displayed around Tauranga. If you wish to contact her then write to us and we will happily forward your her details to you.
Frog model by Sharon O'Callaghan
Keep an eye out for the new Roses amongst your friends and spinning groups and let us know what you think.
Some of the modifications in the Rose:
- Smoother head design
- JCB bolts used in the handle
- New Rose motif
- 10mm stainless steel shaft on the drive axle
- New base design
- New pedal design
- JCB bolts in the base
- Majacraft stainless steel hinges
- Low profile handle nut
The full description appears on our web site in the Wheels section. Until next time...
Andy
Majacraft Magic Camp 2011
WOW! What a fantastic time we had at our recent Majacraft Magic Camp. As we have done previously, we held it at Keswick Conference Centre right on the lake side at Rotorua. The weekend was very busy, starting on the Friday morning and continuing until Sunday afternoon. The comments we have had since include – “the best camp I have ever been to”, “I had a wonderful time” and many more equally enthusiastic.
We were very fortunate to have a great line up of tutors who were unstinting with their time and expertise.
Heather Dunn who talked and demonstrated Fabulous Fleece.
Mandie Chandler enlightened many with her innovative ways with a carder for her Walk on the Wild Side batts.
Carding during Mandie Chandler's class
Flore Vallery Radot who lent some Parisienne flair with her beautiful yarns.
Flore teaching during her class
Jessicah Win, taking her first workshop(! ) and showing the many ways you can spin space dyed fibre to get different results.
Heather Kearins showed us not to be afraid of rabbits!
Genny Stevens, who encouraged us to cut up our knitting – Eek Steek.
Beth and Kevin Hansen who gave us a talk in the evening about spinners and sailors, as well as showing us their lovely little e-spinner.
Kevin Hansen of Hansen Crafts
Leilani Rickard showed us the use of flax and wool from a modern Maori perspective.
Keswick fed us very well and often, we had a happy hour each evening, and we had lovely walks in the morning before starting classes. A thoroughly enjoyable time for everyone. A specially big thanks must go to my sisters, Anita Thorpe and Pam Collier who spent their weekend in the kitchen doing our dishes, setting tables and serving up food. It was much appreciated.
Thank you to all who attended and especially to our wonderful tutors, we couldn’t have done it without youJ
Here are some photos taken at the camp – you can see how much fun it was!
Experimenting during Mandie Chandlers carding class
During the weekend, Owen made a small trip out to a local conservation trust, Wingspan, that is saving New Zealand's endangered falcons. Here are some photos from the afternoon visit.
Travis Light and a New Zealand falcon
New Zealand falcon
Glynis
Is this a royal endorsement?
Hello again!
Look what we received earlier this week. I know it is not a royal endorsement but ... wow!
The Duchess of Cornwall using a Majacraft Little Gem
I wonder if she would be available for a promotional tour? If you wish to read the full article on the UK's Daily Mail web site, then visit here
Until next time
Andy
Tokyo!
Very long time no write!
We have been crazy busy at Majacraft for the last couple of months and it has been a very exciting time. Things are just about under control again so I have finally had an opportunity to post again. Amongst other things that have been going on, Glynis (Mum) and I went to the Tokyo spinning party. It was a wonderful experience for me and we had a great time. Yuka, Vincent, Tae, Reiko and Katie were very gracious and generous hosts for us both and to be honest, we would have struggled without their help.
We arrived late Tuesday evening and took a bus to our hotel at Shinjuku. For the next day or so we had an opportunity to look around. We took the obligatory trip to Akihabara (Electric Town) as well as visiting the park at Shinjuku and the Mori Art Museum.
Shinjuku Park
Akihabara in a typhoon
On the day we visited Akihabara, there was torrential rain. The water was deep in the street and very heavy. Our friends later told us that it was not just a rain shower but in fact a typhoon!
Tokyo from the Mori Art Museum building
Our dealer, Yuka Aoshima of Kakara Woolworks invited us to visit her home at Saitama and we shared a fantastic meal with Yuka, Vincent, Tae and Reiko at an All-You-Can-Eat pizza restaurant.
Dinner with Tae, Yuka, Vincent, Andrew, Glynis
On Saturday we set up the stand with Reiko, Tae and Katie. Yuka is very pregnant and coming to the show would not have been practical. The days of the show were quite long when the temperature was much warmer than what we were accustomed to after coming from the New Zealand Winter. We met many special friends and were able to teach many people to spin on the Majacraft spinning wheels. As I mentioned earlier, Tae, Reiko and Katie were wonderful and a lot of fun to work with.
Glynis, Tae and Reiko on the Kakara stand
Among the many people we met, Tatsuya Jota who is the grandson of the inventor of Saori Weaving spent a little time talking with us. You can see his web site here www.jota28.com
Tatsuya and Glynis
On our last day in Japan, we got up very early to visit the fish market at Tsukiji where Tuna (and every other fish imaginable). It was altogether an amazing experience. The final icing on the cake was a trip on a high speed train (not the Shinkansen - I love trains!) to the airport. I know this post sounds full of superlatives but it really was as good as I have made it sound. The people we met and spent time with made a great trip so much better. Thank you Yuka, Tae, Reiko and Katie.
Until next time
Andy
Hackle-berry Finn
We now make hackles!
After quite a few requests for them we have found some space to build them. I am really pleased with how they turned out. We have again used Baz's great idea of bonding the pins into the hackle base using resin - it makes all the pins perfectly straight and aligned. They have an excellent cover to go over the pins so nothing gets pricked unnecessarily . I am also very pleased with the new clamps we have made for the hackle. Using our 'Selection of Cleverness' again, we did things like drill the holes as slight angles so the hackle is held more firmly onto tables. The clamp block is covered with rubber that helps hold the hackle tighter while protecting your table. The hackle has tiny rubber feet for the same reason.
Double Row Hackle Set
You might also notice the steps at the end of the hackle. They have been provided as a place to clamp the hackle with 'F' clamps if you prefer these to the Majacraft ones. As a nice little finishing touch, we laser engraved Majacraft on to the hackle base.
You can find the page on the main part of the web site here.
Until next time
Andy
The Aura-gle has landed
Well here it is, the games and teases are finally over and our 18 month long project has been liberated into the wilds. Our new wheel the Aura has been overwhelmingly well received and we have been really excited by how much people are enjoying it. I spoke to Dad (Owen) this afternoon and he was just buzzing about their trip to the US. He said they had been made to feel so welcome by all they had met and were very grateful for the genorosity they had been shown.
If you are interested, Rob and I were interviewed by Granny G and she has posted the podcast of the interview on her web site (www.grannygcrafts.com). I have listened it through and was really pleased how it came out. I tend to be my own worst critic and usually don't like the way I sound recorded (I think I sound like I am talking through my nose or something!) but Genny must have done some audio magic as I thought it was great.
Hopefully Mum and Dad will have some Maryland photos I can share with you when they return on Saturday. Until next time...
Keep cool 'til after school.
Andy