Awesome Thursday: December 29, 2011

Happy Thursday, everyone! I started these posts a while back to gather some great things that are going on in my life. 

• I had my final Christmas gathering yesterday. It was mostly uneventful, which is a good thing.
• I picked up a new tool today for my business. Once I get that started, I will post about it.
• I received some pretty good gifts for the holidays. Mostly gift cards, which I always appreciate.
• I officially booked my art show at Phog. I have a musician booked to play the opening reception, which will be on my birthday. You can find more information about that Here.
• I am offering 15% off in my Etsy shop until the end of the month with the coupon code RentIsDue15

Life is good. I am kind of sleepy after all these events, so I think I will go take a nap now.

A Very Merry Christmas!

Click through for source

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!
This year has been so up and down for me, but overall, I would like to think it was mostly good. I started my Etsy shop, I quit my job to knit full time, I went to Iceland, I acquired my knitting machines (more on these soon, hopefully!) and so many more amazing things have happened.
I hope 2011 was a good year for all of you, and I hope 2012 is even better.
I have many Christmas festivities coming up, and I am incredibly excited to see some of my relatives.
I have lots of things planned for 2012 and I can't wait to share them with you!

Awesome Thursday: December 22, 2011

Happy Thursday everyone! I started this weekly post a little while back. Its purpose is to be as positive as possible about what's gone on in my life for the previous week.

• I sold a shawl and a cowl to a friend of mine. She seemed super happy with them, which is nice because one of them is a gift.
• I worked at Trinkets, Treasures and the Truly Unique a couple days ago, and again today. It was nice to get out of the house and be surrounded by crafty things for inspiration.
• I was an extra for my friend Crissi's music video. It's a fantastic song, and the video is going to be absolutely phenomenal. I will definitely share it here when it is finished.
• I have an open schedule for the holidays, so I will be able to go to tall the festivities between my families and Ricks.
• Rick and I went for lunch with his friends yesterday at the Vietnamese place we go to often. The food was excellent, and the company was great.
• We saw Girl With The Dragon Tattoo yesterday, and I really enjoyed it. I may watch the original versions of The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest just so I can see them sooner. I was also thinking about reading the books.
• I am offering 15% off in my Etsy shop until the end of the month with the coupon code RentIsDue15

What has been awesome for all of you this week?

My updates will probably be sparse from now till the new year. So I will wish all of you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy new Year!

Advertiser Round Up! December 2011

Eslin of DualChocolate has listed some beautiful accessories in her shop. And she is offering 10% off in using the code XOCO101! 








Nancy of N.Fallon Design Studio is knitting away on some gorgeous heart brooches. We are members of Blogging Business Artisans, and have been giving each other encouraging words all month.










Kathryn is busy planning her wedding, and keeping her Etsy Shop stocked. She and I were set up side by side at a craft show at the beginning of December, and she has some beautiful pieces.










Rachael from TreeTalker has had a rough month, but is still making beautiful artwork. Her studio flooded and her car has been giving her issues, but she is soldiering on.









Robyn from Minimalist Knitter is spending time with her adorable son Owen, and putting some beautiful accessories in her shop.

Progress on the Purple and Cream Shawl

Back at the beginning of the month, I posted about the shawl I was starting for myself. I set it down for a little while to work on other projects, but I picked it back up tonight due to boredom. I have SO MUCH YARN but nothing is calling to me.

This is where I'm at so far. It will definitely need blocking when I am finished. I am loving this yarn, though. It's super soft, slightly thick and thin, and the colours are amazing. I would love to work with more handspun in the future.
I favourited a bunch of patterns on Ravelry tonight for my next projects. I still have some nicer yarns that I will be using for projects for myself. Other than Richard, I don't really have anyone in my circle who would appreciate hand knits. Most of the people who do would just purchase them from me before I even have the chance of giving one to them. Oh well, more hand knits for me!
Tomorrow, I am working at Trinkets, Treasures and the Truly Unique all day. I have a bunch of knitting lined up, and some knitting podcasts to listen to, as well. I am super excited for this.
What are all of you fine folks up to these days?

How Much Would You Pay?

I just finished knitting a matching scarf and fingerless glove set. Currently, I'm debating knitting a matching hat. I'm not sure how much I would charge for a set like this.
-The scarf is about 6 feel long, including fringe.
-The gloves cover just past the wrist.
-The hat would be slightly slouchy.

How much would you pay for such a set? I charge about $20 -25 for a similar scarf, and my hats are $25-30. How much should the set for all three accessories be?

Awesome Thursday: December 15, 2011

It's Thursday! A few weeks back, I started an Awesome Thursday post series. Basically, I just post about awesome things going on in my life.

• I spent today with my parents shopping in Michigan. Picked up some groceries and some things I had shipped to a friend of the family to save on shipping costs.
• Started an awesome scarf with some of the cones of yarn I have (I will post a photo of it soon!)
• Started working on a press release for Trinkets, Treasures and the Truly Unique, the shop I currently have stock in. I'll hopefully finish that tonight.
• I got all my Christmas shopping done. I still haven't gotten anything for Rick yet, but I will probably combine his Christmas and Birthday gift into one.
• I renewed a few items in my Etsy shop. I've gotten quite a few views on them, too.
• Taught some Girl Guides how to use Knifty Knitters. That went better than I expected.
• Got most of the laundry done. I will be finishing that tomorrow, probably.

What sorts of awesome things have been going on in your lives this week?

Vote For Me On Heartsy!

I have submitted my shop to Heartsy again. I figure, this time of year is when my items are more likely to sell, anyway.
If you would be so kind as to vote for me, it would be greatly appreciated!
I would really love to be accepted. I really want to make it to 150 sales in 2012, and I know this would help!

Have any of you been featured on Heartsy? How did that help your shop?

Hello, Nancy!

Please welcome my newest sponsor, Nancy! She is absolutely lovely, and knits some fantastic items!


Tell me about yourself!
My name is Nancy, and I am the creator/ owner of N. Fallon Design Studio. I make a line of hand knit bags and purses, and little note cards too! I live and work out of our row house in Baltimore, MD with my 2 furry feline friends and my mister.

How did you start hand making?
My father's side of the family is very creative; he is a furniture builder and my aunt is a painter and art teacher. I've always been exposed to art and making and learned to appreciate both the quality of handmade items and experience a drive to make myself as a child. Once I went to college I decided to study sculpture & textiles, and earned a degree in teaching as well. But it wasn't until after several years of teaching art that I realized the impulse to create full time was being neglected. So September of 2008 I opened my etsy shop and that's where my second life began!

Where do you sell, both online and elsewhere.
My online shop is NFall2rt
This holiday season I started selling at craft shows. A goal for this year is to get my line into some brick & mortar shops around Baltimore!

What do you do other than create?
I love nature. I grew up in a valley surrounded by the Shenandoah mountains and can never seem to get enough of them. I go hiking and camping quite frequently during the spring, summer, and fall, and occasionally during the winter as well! Additionally, my fiancée and I love cooking. He almost went to culinary school, but went into another field instead. Even still he's retained his passion for cooking and passed it on to me. I find that it's just another medium for creativity.
It's great having a loved one interested in cooking.
What does your workspace look like?
We live in a row house in Baltimore with an open floor plan, so my studio is wedged between the front sitting area and the kitchen. Since it's right when people walk in, I have to keep it a bit on the neat side. I am very fortunate to have a giant Ikea wardrobe with deep drawers and shelves to store my inventory and materials. I've also got a long table for sewing and blogging. Next to that is my drafting table, which is mostly used for spreading out pieces waiting for linings and fabric cutting these days.
I wish my space was as tidy as this. Hopefully one day it will happen.

What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?
My most indispensable tool is a pair of size 7 bamboo knitting needles. I typically use worsted weight yarn for my bags and purses, so I use these needles almost daily!
I love working with bamboo needles as well!

Etsy ~ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Flickr ~ Pinterest

Welcome, Nancy!

The newest KNK sponsor is Nancy Fallon of nfall2rt on Etsy. I absolutely adore her shop. She has the cutest little knit pouches. She also sells notecards and jewelry.

She is how I found out about the BBArtisans Etsy team, which is a fantastic team.

Go and take a look at her shop. You will certainly find something you love.

Awesome Thursday: December 8, 2011

I missed last week's post, but only because I forgot to set an alarm for it! I'm quite forgetful...
Anyway, every Thursday, I will post about awesome things going on in my life over the past week. Here goes...

• I did extraordinarily well at the craft shows
• I sold a few items to Rick's mom, which is always greatly appreciated
• I made $10 for amazon on SwagBucks (That is a referral link, if you are interested in signing up)
• I started knitting my gorgeous shawl
• I bought my parents Christmas gift, just have my brother and Rick to buy for now
• I'm about to leave for lunch at a sweet bar/bistro with a friend

What are your awesome things this week?

Time to Upgrade My Tools!

I have been knitting since December 2001. For the most part, my knitting needles have been metal or plastic, bought cheaply from whatever store had them. I have a couple pairs of bamboo needles, but that's it. I want to start knitting items on circular needles that require shorter lengths than the 20 some-odd inches most of mine are. I've found some awesome hat patterns that I want to knit, but I hate using double points. I understand how to do the magic loop, and I want to use that method to get some new types of items made.

Here is my problem:
What brand of interchangeable needles should I go with? This is going to be an investment that I want to keep using until my old age, so I want something that can last that long.
I'm going to post in the Ravelry forums about this, and hopefully get some good feedback. In the mean time, tell me about your favourite knitting needles, interchangeable or not.

A Little Knitting For Myself

Last night, I started knitting a shawl for myself. My Boneyard Shawl is great, but I want some variety! I am using two skeins of hand spun that I purchased at Art In The Park this past summer.
I wound them, by hand, in balls roughly the size of grape fruits. The purple is such a lovely colour, and it will be striped with the creamy natural.
I'm doing a basic triangle shawl from the centre out, in stockinette stitch. Nothing too fancy. I tried to find a pattern to use, but nothing fit my criteria. I needed something that is mindless enough to do while reading blogs, striped/colour working to use both of these skeins, and roughly worsted weight.
I will post progress photos as the shawl grows.
Stay tuned!

Say Hello to Eslin!

Please welcome my newest sponsor, Eslin, of dualchocolate.

Tell me about yourself!
I am an ecclectic bilingual artist with a Fine Art background, a family of artists and highly skilled individuals. I am driven by curiosity, and have chosen to use: needles, yarn, hooks, books, pens and pans to give form to memories inspired by natural, life by the sea, colors and chocolate. Everything comes together in each and every dualchocolate's creation.

How did you start hand making?
My serious handmaking journey, I will say that started by curiousity and curiosity has remain a constant variable in everything I make.
The flexibility of stitches to experiment with colors and textures, gives me endless possibilities for interpreting and giving a useful strucuture to the memories I keep.

Where do you sell, both online and elsewhere?
I mainly offer my projects on online marketplace platforms such as Etsy and Artesanio. Although I do strongly believe in the one on one, close and personal experience which as no substitute, that is why I've started to so show my projects to indie and eco friendly local shops.

What do you do other than create?
I am a fulltime woman that said, I also do everything Etsy: team, treasuries and keeping up with those everyday changes. This last one is a constant challenge that keeps your mind at the edge of madness and creativity.

What does your workspace look like?
My home studio looks like a remodelation In progress, and here you won't find a sign appologizing for the inconvenience or the random location of my tools, yarns, projects and books.
My space is my territory. I do have a well sketch and thoroughly plan of what my near-future workspace/ home studio has to look like!!!! In the meantime this odd conner has and will continue to witness wonders!
That sounds a lot like my work space!

What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?
Creativity and my memories, and coming in second place will be my full knitting kit

Anything else?
There's always so many things you want to cramm when talking about your passion but I will be brief and invite everyone to sample dualchocolate with an additional sweet and exclusive 10% discount
To get the 10% discount, use the code XOCO101!

Etsy ~ Artesanio ~ Twitter ~ Newsletter ~ Blog

The Made In Windsor Shows!

On Friday night, and Saturday during the day, I took part in two awesome Made In Windsor shows.
The Friday show was at a bar, which was really fun. I sold a ton! I had a financial goal to reach between the two shows, and I blew past it in the first one. I am so happy about this.

I sold both of these awesome items at the first show!
Saturday was equally exciting. There were a TON of people, and nearly all left with an armload of stuff from the various vendors.

Overall, it was a really good weekend.


Don't forget to check out my sponsors!

I'm happy to welcome my newest sponsor, Eslin of Dual Chocolate! You can find some gorgeous crochet and paper goods in the Dual Chocolate shop.

Say Hello To Robyn!

Welcome Robyn! She is the second sponsor for the month, and quite a wonderful lady.

Tell me about yourself!

My name is robyn, and I'm a minimalist knitter! I believe you can have a fabulous and fulfilling craft-based life, and still own less than the average American. I believe you can knit your way to a better world with less than a room full of yarn and supplies. And I believe more and more knitters are looking for a new way to live and love their craft!
There definitely are times I really wish I could get my knitting supplies down to what fits in my knitting basket. I am so jealous of Robyn's ability to do this!

How did you start hand making?

I learned to knit at 19 from a co-worker, and fell instantly in love! I've been inundating friends and family with hand-knits ever since, and began knitting for charity shortly thereafter.

Where do you sell, both online and elsewhere.

On Etsy!

What do you do other than create?

I stay home with our son Owen, and i love to read trashy fiction, both YA and for grown-ups.

What does your workspace look like?

Right now, my workspace is all over the house! I knit and crochet in spare moments, so I have a project in the living room, one in our office upstairs, and even one in the diaper bag for when we travel.

What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?

My Gussy bag! i use it to store my most used knitting needles, my most used crochet hook, and all my knitting notions. it fits in the diaper bag or my knitting bag, and looks gorgeous!

Blog ~ Shop ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Thanks Robyn! Make sure you check out her charity knitting project! And take a look at her little peanut, Owen, on the blog.

Say Hello To Rachael!

Happy December, everyone! This is my first sponsor spotlight, and I am a little nervous! Rachael is absolutely lovely, so she is definitely going to start this off on the right foot.

Tell me about yourself!

My name is Rachael "TreeTalker" Caringella. I currently live in Utah with my two doggies and my boyfriend. I always say "One is stinky, one is hairy, and one has a biiiggg nose." It's my little joke. Ever since I was little I have always loved nature. I really did talk to trees, and I still do! I am currently settled into a little itty bitty apartment in Utah, though I make no plans to stay in Utah, I'm growing quite fond of this area. I am inspired by nature, trees, Fairy Tales, mushrooms, cemeteries, dreams, antique bottles, tarot cards and palm reading, acorns, tea sets, tiny mammals, fairy rings, old photographs, ghost stories, small collectibles and paper flowers, gift boxes, and other various containers

How did you start hand making?

I've been making art since before I can remember, I just always knew that was what I wanted to do, and I would be lost without it. I studied art in college for two years before dropping out and trying to make it on my own. I'm still very happy with my decision to leave school. Aside from painting I also own a little hat shop where I make and sell animal hats and pixie hats, as well as other beanies of course.
Rachael's hats are super cute! 

Where do you sell, both online and elsewhere?

I sell online mostly, though I have sold some stuff to friends out of my house. This spring I will be sending 20 paintings to a show in Georgia, where they will be up for sale. I would love to do a craft show one day.. I just need to gain the courage first!
I can relate! Craft shows can be nerve-wracking. Nearly every show I do, I freak out and assume I won't sell anything, and that all my knits are terrible. I've slowly been getting better. 

What do you do other than create?

I love to explore and go on little adventures. I take my doggies on a walk with a camera in hand. I love taking photos. I hardly ever have time to just sit and do nothing. I'm hardly ever board because I stay so busy.

What does your workspace look like?

It's currently a small corner of the house, gated from the animals. It is often very messy. But it works for now. Every day that I paint, I wheel out my portable studio and take up half the living room.

What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?

I would normally say a paintbrush, but since discovering my love for mixed media, I can paint with just about anything and like the results!

Anything else?

Hmm I love to be happy, and inspire others to be happy!

Blog ~ Art Shop ~ Knitwear Shop ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr 

Thanks Rachael! I will be posting the responses to my questions from all my sponsors in the first few days every month. Stay tuned for Minimalist Knitter!

A Tiny Hat And Scarf

Here it is, the tiny hat and scarf set!
I have three sets like this in the shop right now, and I will try to have more after the shows on the weekend.
There are a few new items in the shop, a couple in each section, just about. I will be adding more as I have the chance. It can be tedious and time consuming to add all these items. I have been running out of adjectives to use to describe the new listings. Do you ever feel like that? There must be some rule somewhere that says you can only say the word "nice" or "purple" so many times in a day. I've tried using the thesaurus, but I am still stuck on the same words over and over again.

What do you to find better ways to describe your item?

Teeny Tiny Scarf

This scarf is part of my current knitting obsession. It's only an inch and a smidgen wide, by about 20 inches long. This is the first one I've made, and I will attempt to make at least 15 of them before Friday's show. There will hopefully be many more than that. They are part one of a two piece set. I will try to get a few listed in the shop this week, with better photos of course.
I didn't do any specials for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I was too busy this weekend to keep track of that stuff, and I am kind of kicking myself for it. I don't know if I would have even gotten any sales, but I'm sure just the increase in traffic would have been beneficial.
I am slowly working on goals I have for 2012. Sales, traffic, productivity and so on. I am going to be running this business like a real business.

A Successful Weekend

This weekend, I spent the majority at a craft show for LeeLee hats. I brought a few of my things with me to sell at the table, and surprisingly, I sold quite a bit! I only had a few hats and my earrings, but I am really happy. I have an order for a neck warmer to match a hat I sold, so I am making that right now.
I also received my first payment from Trinkets, Treasures & The Truly Unique. I sold three items a few days ago, and I am really happy with that.
I will soon be working on the advertiser posts for December, and there are still a couple spaces available!

Awesome Thursday: November 24, 2011

Today will be the first post in a weekly series of posts where I post about awesome things going on in my life. It is a bit of a spin on the Very Good Things posts I used to do. I will be starting to post more frequently, as I now have more time nearly every day.

Here goes:

• I finally brought my items into Doin' The Louvre. Really hoping some of them sell.
• I started a new, non-knitting project last night. I will have them available at my craft shows, and I will also be listing some in the Etsy shop. Photos are forthcoming.
• I finally picked up a table for my knitting machines and craft shows. It will be the same table for now, but I am really excited.
• I'm almost done an order for my mom. 
• Room rearranging that is about to happen. Literally, I am finishing this post and going to do that with Rick. I will have an actual office space, and we will be getting a second desk in the future so we both have our own workspaces!

So much excitement here.

What's going on in your life that is awesome?

New Earrings!

Last week, I took some time to sort out some of the buttons I have for earring making. I work best when I do things in batches. Sort all the earrings, pair all the earrings, add all the posts, add all the backs etc etc.

This is about 25 pairs that I did today. On the other half of my work surface is another 30 or so pairs. The only reason I didn't finish these is because the smell of the adhesive was making my nose itch. I plan on finishing up the buttons I have sorted tomorrow.

I have three places I will be stocking earrings. The first is Trinkets and Treasures. I want to make sure I have a good variety there. The second is the Etsy shop. The earrings have been getting a lot of traffic lately, and I want to get some more pairs up there for the people doing their holiday shopping. The last place I will have earrings ready for is my two upcoming craft shows.

I am trying to keep my craft show and my Etsy stock as separate as possible. I am so afraid that I will sell a one of a kind pair of earrings in two places at the same time.

What are all of you up to these days?

Another Advertiser!

I just got the confirmation from Robyn, of Minimalist Knitter, that she would like to advertise for a full year!
I love this blog. And I am not exaggerating when I say this, nor am I saying this because she is advertising with me. I truly love this blog. Robyn has amazing patterns, a great Etsy shop, and an adorable baby.
She is also on a mission to knit 10 000 items for charity in her lifetime! This is such a fantastic, inspiring goal. I love following her progress on this project.

There are still two ad spaces available! Check out the information here if you are interested!

Hats, Hats, and More Hats!

Rick and I are out at his parents for a few days. I brought lots of yarn and my loom and I've been working on hats. I've finished four so far, and I'm working on a fifth. I'm hoping to have 6 done before we head home this afternoon.


I've decided that I will be bringing hats to Doin' The Louvre at Artcite. I'm trying to get several hats made of a few colours due to the submission rules. I'm allowed to have 10 different items, but I can have several of each. I also have more hats to bring to Trinkets, Treasures & Truly Unique.
All in all, I'm keeping myself busy and productive. I'm so excited about working for myself. I'm still figuring out exactly what I have to sell each month to cover my expenses.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Some Fantastic News

Recently, I quit my "real" job. I was unhappy with the way I was being treated, and it was ruining my relationship with those close to me. I am currently unemployed for the first time in about 6 years. This doesn't sound like a long time, but when you take into consideration that I am only 22, that's a good chunk of my life.

While I am "unemployed," I plan on officially starting my business. Registering, tax numbers, receipts and all that jazz. This is a huge step for me, and will definitely be an adventure. I'm not super organized, so that will be a hurdle I will have to overcome. I'm lucky that Rick's income can cover many of our household expenses while I get my business off the ground. I am also very lucky that he is helping me get everything started. He is my photographer, critic, and motivator. He also helps me make decisions as far as yarn colours, styles, and patterns. I really wouldn't be able to do this without him.

If any of you have any tips for me while I am starting on this new journey, please feel free to share them! I am always open to advice!

Culture Shock Jewelry

Please give a warm welcome to Culture Shock Jewelry!
Kathryn is a local friend, we've done a couple craft shows together in the past, and her stuff is BEAUTIFUL! Seriously, I have to hold myself back to keep from purchasing nearly everything on her table. I am really considering treating myself to the two bracelets in the ad photo. She also does earrings, rings, and necklaces.
She also has a tumblr blog where she posts beautiful items that inspire her.
Take a look at her shop, and say hello!

Don't forget, there are still a couple spaces left! Just $2 to advertise for a whole month! The rest of November is included if you advertise for December, so you're really getting nearly a month and a half!

Blogging Business Artisans

In the time I have been on Etsy, I have joined and left several teams. Whether it's because I am too busy to keep up with their requirements, or I just don't feel like I fit in with them, there is often something that just doesn't mesh well. Blogging Business Artisans seems to be the opposite. I applied to them, and was accepted just a few hours later.

There are some fantastic artisans on this team. With under 25 members, it's a nice small team, where I am sure we will all get to know each other very well.
Here are a couple of my favourite items from some of the shops:


This is Nelly Bunny, made by MissMillificent. I don't know what it is about these creepy dolls that I find so appealing, but I love them all! Truth be told, it was hard to pick just one photo to post on here. Athena has several other dolls available, and they are priced between $20 and $160. She ships worldwide, and you have the option to purchase shipping insurance. For a work of art like these, I'd be willing to pay a couple extra dollars.

I love seeing other knitters hand made goods all over Etsy. This is one of Nancy's knit pouches. All of her zipper pouches are knit by hand, and have a hand-sewn lining put it, and a zipper. I have been seeing a lot of this blue/turquoise colour around lately, so I had to pick this one. You can find the rest of her goodies at nfall2rt.
Another fun fact: I've been following her blog for a while, and it's how I heard of this wonderful team.


I will be sharing more items from the team in the near future.
Don't forget, I still have ad space available!

The First Advertiser!

As soon as I'd posted the last update, I tweeted to a few fellow Etsians that I had ad space available. The first lovely lady to respond was Rachael of Talk2TheTrees.
I was really hoping she'd respond, because I absolutely adore her stuff! She knits and crochets, and paints, as well. Rachael has two shops on Etsy, one for yarn works, and one for her art. She also has adorable pups that I would let kiss me until the end of time.

I forgot to mention it in the original post, but advertising for the rest of November is free! Two dollars for a month and a half of advertising? You really can't afford not to! You pay now, and as soon as I get the ad and payment, your ad goes up, I write a post like this about you and your shop/blog, and your ad will remain on my blog till the end of December.

Advertise with Knit, Nicole, Knit!

I have decided to offer advertising on my Knit, Nicole, Knit! blog for a very affordable price. The first two people to contact me will get one year for just $10! The ad will go up immediately, and will stay until December 1, 2012. There will be three other spaces available for $2 per month. I am starting this low because I don't have an incredible amount of traffic, but it is definitely increasing. If I find that my traffic has risen a lot, I will raise my rates a slight amount.

With this price, you will have a 200x200 space in the sidebar at the left for the duration of the month. You will have one post with a personal/shop profile, and the option for me to host a giveaway for you. Coupon codes are also allowed, and encouraged! In addition, I will tweet about your shop/blog to my 350+ followers, and post about you on my Facebook page for my 400+ fans to see. I will also share this on my Tumblr to the 170+ followers. Lastly, if you are advertising a handmade shop on Etsy, I will share some of your items on I Love Etsy! for the 275+ followers to see.

If you are interested, contact me at nicole@knitnicoleknit.com .

A Beautiful Treasury!

Have you ever been featured in a Treasury so beautiful, you just had to tell someone? I was adding all the treasuries I was in to a page on my blog, but I just couldn't keep up anymore. I am still saving screenshots of all of them, though.

This one was made by the Etsy Team Leader in the Treasury Titans team. I love the colours, and the chosen items are beautiful.

If you could, go and "heart" that treasury. I would love to be featured on the front page!

A Knitting Machine, I Am

The last few days, I have been knitting more than usual. I've finished several hats, which is quite good. A friend may be buying some hats form me at a wholesale price for his clothing line. This could be amazing! His shirts sell quite well, and having my hats there would be great for both of us.
Once I get the "Okay" from him, I will be making two or three hats in each of a handful of colours. Another person will sew his custom tags on them as they are ordered from the store. I think this will be the best way for everyone involved. If I need hats, I will have them on hand and he won't have to worry about keeping a large amount of stock anywhere.

I've started using some of the yarn I received. The amount used so far has barely scratched the surface of what I have. There are about 4 large garbage bags full right now. I want to get that down to three before the New Year. That will include all the other yarn I have that isn't currently in my storage system. I guess this is a variation on my Knit The Stash challenge. Perhaps 2012 will be the stash busting year?

Lastly, I have added several items to my Etsy shop this past week. I am going to be photographing some scarves this week, hopefully. I want to have a good variety of items in the shop. I am not sure how many total items I should have, though. I don't like it when shops have more than about 8 pages of all different things for sale. I lose interest about halfway through.

What do you think is the ideal number of items in a shop?

New items in the shop! And other exciting news!

I have been editing photos like crazy today! I finally have enough done to add them to my shop!
It's mostly cowls for now, but I will be adding some later tonight, and more tomorrow. I plan on adding a few everyday, in different sections, so I can increase my visibility.
Have a look around! These are the first few. There will be many more to come!

The other exciting news is that I am in a new store! It opens up on Monday. It's called Trinkets, Treasures & the Truly Unique. As soon as I have a link to the Facebook page, I will link it here.

Why Knit The Stash Is Over

Last week, I posted saying that my Knit The Stash challenge was over. I did have a good reason for this. Actually, 5 good reasons.
This isn't a very good photo, but it's four of the five GIANT garbage bags full of yarn I have received.
And, there is more to come. A lot of it is from companies that are no longer in existence, from what my Ravelry search tells me.
Somehow, my mom was connected with a woman who can no longer knit. She is in her 80s, and I believe she is moving into a nursing home.
There are bags upon bags of various yarns. From 100% cotton, to 10% angora, some mohair, a couple with cashmere, and so many more. I can't believe this! I will be passing a lot of it on to LeeLee hats, but I am keeping some for myself. I can't wait to see what else will be coming!
Also, from the same woman, I may be getting a knitting machine. Or two. I am hoping I will be able to afford them both, but I am not sure about that. I may ask my parents to purchase them for me, and pay them back. If they have all the parts, and are in good condition, I will definitely have to think about it seriously.

In other news, I finished my second baby blanket! The shower is this Sunday, so I now have plenty of time to work on other projects. More on those soon!

A Tall Order

Sunday was the Market at The House. I had a table that my friend, Sue, was running for me as I had to work in the restaurant. I did really poorly, I am assuming because I couldn't be at my own table. No fault to Sue, who is an amazing jewelry maker, I blame it fully on not being able to talk to potential customers.

I am making some changes in the way my life is heading. I haven't been putting myself first for a long time, and I am suffering because of it. Not only have I been suffering, but so have the people I love. My relationships with many people are falling apart, and I can't stand it anymore.

In other, more exciting news, I have an order for one hat from a relative, and one from a friend. The friend might be ordering several more hats for his clothing line in the near future!! Fingers crossed for that!

Knit The Stash Is Over

I have to give in, I have to give up, I have to fold. There is no nice way of putting it, there is no way I will make any noticeable progress on the stash, more than I have done now. I will still be knitting like crazy, but I am about to have a setback to dwarf all other set backs. More details will come as it unfolds, and I don't want to spoil anything yet.
Regardless, I've knit quite a few things as part of this challenge. I think I will make some knitting goals for 2012, and hopefully make a dent in my stash that way.
Sorry to be so vague, I promise to shed some light soon!

Monday Update

Super busy day today, and I almost forgot to post!! I've been knitting like a crazy person, and I've busted out the Knifty Knitters again. I've finished a couple hats, and I'm working on another. All the ones I have so far ate one colour, and the current is grey and pink.


Excuse the poor lighting, I'm at work.
I'm hoping to have a total of 10 hats by Sunday. Only time will tell if I can reach that.
I will post an update for Knit The Stash soon!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Three Steps Back

Always the way with me, I start making progress, and I set myself back.
I finished up that neck warmer, and a purple scarf. So two items made. Neither of them finished the skeins, though. I probably have enough yarn left for one more item from each of them.
Now, the steps back. Michael's had some of the yarn I use on sale for a decent price. I picked up three skeins total. This "knit the stash" thing is hard! Especially considering I have so many shows coming up. I would really like to stay within my stash, but selection is really getting limited. Once all the shows are done, I will crack down and knit away at the stash. Bit by bit, I can make it through, I know it.

In other awesome news, I was asked by a woman I know through craft shows if I'd like to sell in the store she is opening soon. I plan on having a few winter wear for her before the holidays, Then, throughout the year, I will have button earrings, and a few small knitted things.

I have three craft show days coming up, possibly two more, the store to knit for, and my Etsy shop. This is going to keep me busy!

The Handmade Gift and Shopping Guide

This morning, Rick and I were photographing items to put in the Etsy shop. I logged into Etsy to check the prices of a few items, and I noticed a convo that I hadn't read. I opened it up, and I just about screamed, I was so excited. It was a note from Gilliauna, saying she featured an item from my shop on her blog! I've seen the blog several times before, and i'm sure many of you have, as well.
Take a look for yourself here.
I'm so happy that I am getting some media coverage in different places. I know that local coverage is helping my sales. I have had a few people contact me recently because they saw something I made in the paper or on a blog, and they purchase from me in person.

Over all, I am definitely improving all around. Rick and I are going to be photographing all of my items in the next few days, I'll start posting items, and of course, keep knitting more.

I've finished one scarf and one neck warmer in the past couple days. That finished up two balls of yarn. I started on another neck warmer, as well. This brings me to nearly 50 items made, and I am almost even with my skeins in vs skeins out/used.

Fashion Show Follow Up

While I was at the F is for Fashion Show, I talked with my friend Josh. He writes for The Lance, the weekly newspaper at the local university. He interviewed me for an article he was writing, and I just picked up the paper and read it.
Here is a portion of it:

In addition to the dresses in Shkreli’s Dilly Daisy line, Friday’s show featured andal-lopez, Denial, Never Hopeless, Rejected, Something Clever, That’s Sew Sarah and Nicole Drouillard’s Knit, Nicole, Knit! line.

Drouillard has been knitting and sewing since the age of 10, but “F is for Fashion” was her first fashion show.

“I have scarves and neck warmers and cowls,” Drouillard said of her contribution to the show. “I also have hats, but none of the girls are wearing them because they all have fancy hair.”

Drouillard has been active within Windsor’s art circles and has sold her garments at craft shows and art sales for the last eight years. Now, Drouillard is looking to turn knitting into a full-time gig.

“I’ve been working the math out for it, figuring out how much I’d have to make and if it’s worth it,” Drouillard said. The business aspect can be foreboding, especially in the face of cheaper alternatives.

“People can go to Wal-Mart and pay $5 for a knitted hat. I hand-make a knitted hat and I charge $25. Each piece probably takes me two hours, and the yarn costs at least $5, so I’d be making about $10 an hour. And what I charge doesn’t even cover promotional costs, or fees to get into shows. It’s the math that’s hard, but I definitely want to. I know of a lot of people that are doing it and doing it really well.”

For Drouillard, being part of the show is necessary to satisfy her ambitions.

“I have seen a few people here that I do know through other events, but I’m seeing a lot of people who I’ve never met before. So I hope I can find … stores to sell in or other fashion activities to take part in.”

The ability to network is a major draw for all the designers, no matter how successful. Besides the business aspect to networking, the fashion show provides an opportunity for designers to admire each other’s work.

 The rest of the article can be read here.

Monday Update?

Happy Monday! Like I mentioned last week, I won't be doing the self portrait posts anymore. I look grumpy in the photos most of the time.
So I think I will be doing Monday Update type posts, where I fill you folks in on what I've been up to for the past little while.
I finished up the purple/plum scarf, and that used up the rest of the skein. I also made a brown Homespun scarf. I still have enough of that skein for at least one more. Just a few minutes ago, I finished up a spring time scarf. It's a simple drop stitch pattern that makes it nice and airy.

This weekend was the craft show in Kingsville. I sold a few items. I didn't sell nearly enough to call knitting a part time job, but I did make my goal. I am starting to track what sells, when it sells, and for how much. I am sure certain items and colours will sell better, and I want to be sure I am aware. I've been sporadically doing this since I started doing craft shows, but I really need to stay on top of things.
This is more or less how my space was set up for the weekend. We had 6x6 spaces, so I set the table along the side. I am very happy I had the wall behind me to hang my shawls and cowls from. They really drew people in to look at them. I only wish I'd sold more of them.
That wood fence looking thing belongs to the woman who was next to me (also named Nicole). She had some awesome wooden holiday decorations, all hand painted, or hand carved. It was excellent. She was super nice, and her two sons and I talked during most of the show. It was really nice having people nearby I could hang out with during the quiet times.
Overall, I had a good time at this show. I don't think I will do it again, though, as many of the other vendors were selling yard sale type items, or reselling mass produced garbage. It's almost insulting having people who do such things set up at a Craft Show.

Craft Show Progress

Knitting like a crazy person is paying off. I've finished three scarves in the past couple days. They are all made out of Homespun. Olive green, a nice coral-y orange and a really cool variegated blue. That finished up two skeins.
I've also started on a purple/plum Homespun scarf. This one will likely finish up this skein, as well.

I am starting my inventory list right now. I hope this isn't as overwhelming as it was last time I did it!

See me on A Wild Tonic and Minimalist Knitter!

I have been featured on two blogs this month! You should go check them out, and leave a comment!

A Wild Tonic

Minimalist Knitter

Self Portrait Monday: October 10, 2011

Happy Monday! And Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadians. We don't have anything big planned for this weekend. Saturday night, we went to Rick's brother, and future sister-in-law's house for dinner. Tonight, we are going to his parents.

I just noticed how unhappy I look in most of my self portrait posts... I think I might stop taking them, and replace the Monday post with something else.
I am currently working on the Homespun scarf I started last night. I should finish off the skein today.

I need to make an inventory list soon. I don't want to have to scramble in the couple weeks before a craft show to make up more stock. I will be able to quickly see how many of each style of item I have, the colours and price. I might include the cost/amount/type of yarn used in each one, and the date completed if I want to really get fancy.

Do any of you keep inventory lists for your products?