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?

Fashion Show Recap, and Production Progress

The show went well Friday night. I got a lot of great feedback, and met some new people. I had about a dozen pieces in the show, and they were all well received. A few people told me after that the scarves and shawls were their favourite items in the whole show. Unfortunately, I didn't sell anything, but I am ok with that. I did tell a lot of people about the upcoming shows, so hopefully I see some of them there.
I've been trying to work on scarves the past couple days. I noticed I don't have as many scarves as I do neck warmers. I want to find a good balance. Plus, scarves are a little easier to pay attention to when I am doing other things.

I finished one pink scarf, and used the remainder of a skein of Homespun. Starting on another scarf immediately.

Confidence

Lately, I have really been thinking about turning knitting, and creating as a whole, into a full time job. I don't have the focus or time, currently, to be able to promote and create as much as I'd like to. I know if I had a set schedule from week to week, I could better use my time to create, photograph, list and promote.
What is making me think of this more now, than usual is what has happened in the past couple days.

Without any sort of effort on my part, I've sold four pairs. Two of them were to a woman that has purchased some in the past. The other two were pure luck. I had all my earrings with me in a large bag, so that the first woman could pick the ones she wanted. When I met the second, we talked about handmade, and knitting, and then I said I made earrings. Immediately, she asked to see some. I said I had them with me, out of pure coincidence. She went through them quickly and pulled out two pairs and purchased them immediately. I was floored, and incredibly excited! This woman, who I'd never met, liked my things! And we weren't in a shopping environment!
These two purchases really gave me a boost of confidence.

Lately, I've also been included in several treasuries. I've been keeping track of them here, if you want to check them out. Many of them were made by members of a treasury team I am a part of. But  others are from people who happened to come across my items in some way. If I could list more items, I'm sure I could get into more treasuries, and in time, get more hearts, and more sales.
I really want to make a full time living from this. I just need an extra push.

Self Portrait Monday: October 3, 2011

It's almost the end of Monday, and I am just now having a chance to blog. It's been a busy day today, with some errands to run, some cleaning to do around the house, and now I am at work. It's quiet now, so I have a chance to do a quick update.

I'm still working on the second baby blanket. I can crank it out pretty quickly, because it's just straight garter stitch. The only problem is that it's starting to get heavy. I have to tuck it under my arm, or knit with my hands close to my lap, otherwise, my wrists get tired really fast.
This Friday is the Fashion show, and I am really excited for that.
Rick comes back from his vacation tomorrow. We are possibly going to pick up a Kobo reader each in the next few days.
Life is great!!
How are all of you doing?