2009 - A Reflection

As the year comes to an end, I wanted to thank everyone for being so very supportive while I get Eterknitty Designs off the ground. While I only launched in November, these last two months have been far more successful than I could have imagined. That is wholly because of all of you. 

Thank you so much! I hope you all have a very happy and healthy new year! 

Warmest wishes, - J

Pink Net Scarf

Lastly, but not leastly, here is the most recent incarnation of the Net Scarf, which is quickly becoming a classic.  For this scarf, I used a light pink with contrasting black netting.  The pink is a wool/acrylic blend, which is warm and cozy.

Muppet Gift Set

This gift set includes a beanie and net scarf.  I used a purple mohair/acryclic/nylon blend which is too soft to be believe.  The contrasting black on the scarf is a black crochet thread and for the hat, I used a wool/acrylic blend.  I used smaller needles for the net scarf than I have in the past.  This makes the stitches finer and a little more delicate, while still achieving the net feel.  The hat has a brim using the "muppet" yarn from the scarf, while the crown is knit using a more sedate black yarn in a basic stockinette stitch.

Little Boy Gift Set

This adorable set is comprised of a hat and scarf.  It was made for a 18 month old little boy.  I used a navy blue and light grey wool/acrylic blend which can be machine washed for easy care.  The scarf is knit using a stockinette stitch with contrasting stripes in garter stitch, giving it an interesting texture.

Little Girl Gift Set

This adorable set is comprised of a hat and scarf.  It was made for a 4 year old little girl.  I used a heather pink and light grey wool/acrylic blend which can be machine washed for easy care.  The scarf is knit using a rib stitch with contrasting stripes in garter stitch, giving it an interesting texture.

Christmas Orders Completed!

I finished the Christmas orders last night.  I am so thrilled with how they turned out.  And, I have a bunch of new photos to show off.  I will list them in the next posts.

Get in touch with me soon if you are interested in ordering something for Valentine's Day.  Why not get your sweetheart something warm and snuggly (or a little naughty).  I will stop accepting Valentine's orders on 1/15/10.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Dragging...

Today has been a very, very long day.  I was up late last night working on orders.  I have one more hat to make before Wednesday and then I am taking a well-deserved day off.  My hands need the break. 

My next 5 projects:
1. Purple & Black Muppet Beanie
2. Scarf with Sleeves (aka Sceeve)
3. Baby Booty and Hat set
4. Ear Warmer
5. Motorcycle Hood
+ some belated Christmas gifts, which I can not mention at the moment.

I have started taking orders for Valentine's Day.  I had friend from high school contact me today about some items she would like made.  I am looking forward to talking more to her about the ideas and nailing something down.

Tonight, I will be working on that hat and hanging out with Raven and my dear friend Kaimi who I see very rarely.  I am very much looking forward to it.

I hope everyone survives the last few days before Christmas.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Today has been a very nice day

Raven and I had a great day today.  He had the day off, so he slept in and then around noon we went to brunch at this fantastic cafe near our place.  Portage Bay Cafe is this great little place that does uses all organic, fair trade ingredients from as many local sources as possible.  They have an awesome vegan selection and are great about working with food allergies.  It was very nice to have a sit down breakfast just the two of us.  We haven't done that in a very long time.

After brunch, we went to Fred Meyer's to pick up some ingredients for baking cookies.  There was a local radio station out front, collecting toys for the Salvation Army.  One of the radio personalities was a guy who was on a show that my mom used to watch every afternoon, so I got his autograph for her.  We also picked up a couple of gift requests.  We got a couple of toy trucks for a 1-2 year old boy, and some Megablocks for a 2 year old girl.  I couldn't resist picking up stuffed Bernie and Cookie Monster dolls.

We went home and started baking cookies.  I am making 8 dozen molasses gingersnap cookies from an old family recipe.  One of my family traditions growing up was baking cookies and watching Christmas movies.  I decided today was the perfect day to do that.  While making the first batch, my little $15.00 hand mixer burnt out, and so back out we went to find a stand mixer that would be up to the job.  I looked at some websites and decided to try a couple of different stores.  The first store was sold out, and the sales person was extremely rude.  He informed me that I should have called the store first before coming in.  I really didn't appreciate being lectured after being told that they didn't have what I was looking for.  So we went to the next store.  They did have the mixer we needed, but were also very busy.  Most of the patrons were rude, pushy and didn't seem to have any manners.  It made me very happy to come home.

Now I am back to baking, and am watching Sleepless in Seattle.  Not totally a Christmas movie, but kind of. At the very least, it is a good movie to bake to.  I am going to teach Raven how to make these cookies so that he can help next year.  Then, back to knitting.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Christmas

I can't believe it is already the last weekend before Christmas.  I am right on schedule to finish my large order this weekend, although it is definitely going to be a busy weekend.  I have to finish knitting, bake 4 batches of Ginger Snap cookies, wrap presents and I have a couple of holiday parties to attend.  Oh!  I also have to try to beat this cold before Wednesday.  I am recruiting my jolly Christmas elf, Raven to assist me.

My favorite webmonkey, Gryph, has been hard at work making the site even better.  I am so lucky to have him helping me.

I have a new Facebook page as well.  Come check it out and become a fan!  Eterknitty Designs Facebook Page.  There is a section for reviews, and I have a discussion board going about ideas for new designs.  Come give me your feedback.

Back to work for me.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Updates

Last night was dedicated to finishing work.  I completed the knitting on one of the little kid scarves I am working on and then I moved on to weaving in all of the ends.  I also did the finishing work for a pair of spats a friend of mine ordered.  They came out awesome.  I can't wait until he sees them today.  Here are some pictures as a sneak preview:

This is another version of the spats. For this pair, I used a rust colored wool/acrylic blend. They may not be as fuzzy as the first pair, but they are definitely still warm and cozy!

I will be working more on Christmas orders and am hoping to be finished by the end of this weekend.  I will post more photos as soon as I can. 

Warmest wishes,

- J

Help Needed

I would love to get some testimonials from happy customers to post on my site.  If any of you would be so kind to take a few minutes and write a short paragraph about my work, I would be very grateful.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Productive Day

Today has been incredibly productive so far.  I got an email from my grandmother saying that my cousin was interested in placing an order.  I called my cousin and found out that she is actually interested in doing a wholesale venture with me for a baby boutique in Atlanta.  She also makes crafts and sells her work to this boutique.  She was thinking that I could create some unique baby pieces and maybe sell them there as well.  She is going to send me all of the info and we will see what happens.  I am really excited about this possibility.

I also got an email from a co-worker looking for website advice for a friend of his.  His friend is trying to set up a site for Martial Arts classes, but has no web coding experience (just like me) and wanted to know how to get started.  I pointed him in the direction of Google Sites.  I used this service for my first site, which was a great way to get things out there.  I am no longer using Google Sites, but it was super user friendly and easy to get started with.

Now back to my Christmas orders.  I have one of the kids hats finished and am about halfway done with one of the matching scarves.  I am really happy with how they are turning out so far.  I will be taking photos and posting them as soon as all of the orders are completed.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Cream/Brown Net Scarf

This is another variation of the Net Scarf. I used a cream wool that has flecks of brown and black in it for the thick stripes, and a chocolate brown crochet thread for the netting. It is warm and cozy and extremely natural looking.

Gold Mohair/Metallic Scarf

This scarf is knit with a mohair/metallic acrylic blend yarn. It has a color variegation ranging from to chocolate brown with shades of orange and rust. I knit it using a climbing rib technique, which gives it a great texture. It is warm, but also light.

Blue Mohair Metallic Scarf

This scarf is knit with a mohair/metallic acrylic blend yarn. It has a color variegation ranging from a very pale blue to black. I knit it in a lace stitch, which doesn't translate well in photos, but looks fantastic when held up against the light.

Photos!

I have finally had time to upload my photos of my most recent projects.  Check out the next three posts to see the pics!

Warmest wishes,
- J

Fortuitous Meeting

A friend of mine owed me a coffee, so Thursday morning I walked over to the local Starbucks and while waiting for my coffee, I had a very interesting conversation with the barista.  I mentioned Eterknitty Designs (sieze any opportunity for free marketing!!) and I was telling her about some of the designs I have made, and some of the projects that are in the pipes.  I specifically mentioned some of the ideas I have for pet clothes and toys.  She mentioned that a co-worker of hers was starting a business selling gift baskets for pets.  She thought it would be a brilliant idea to include some handmade toys/clothes in the gift baskets.  I gave her my contact info and she is going to pass it along to her co-worker.  I hope that we can get together and come up with an idea to link our products.  I think it would be fantastic to be included in something like that.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Warmest wishes,
- J

The New Site is Launched!

Check out www.eterknittydesigns.com.  It is new improved.  Very much thanks to my favorite webmonkey Gryph, who did an excellent job making the site more dynamic. 

We will continue making improvements in the coming months.  This blog will be embedded on the site soon.  I am hoping to take some photos this weekend, which I will be posting as soon as possible, and I am working on a Knitting Education page which I am very excited about.  I will include information on various kind of stitches (hopefully with photos), as well as info on different fiber types. 

Warmest wishes,
- J

Christmas Orders

I am officially booked up for Christmas.  I can not accept any more orders that need to be completed before Christmas.  However, if anyone would like place an order for after the holidays I would be happy to oblige.  You can find my contact info at www.eterknittydesigns.com.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Thanksgiving

I hope that everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving last week. We definitely did. We spent the holiday with our families in Everson, WA. My husband's sister and her husband were visiting from KT and we were able to spend a little bit of time with them. We left Seattle after work on Wednesday evening and arrived at my mother-in-law's house with enough time to visit before bed. On Thanksgiving, my parents came over and we all had dinner together. I am very thankful that our families get along so well and we can all celebrate the holidays together. I was also able to work on some orders and was happily surprised at how much I was able to accomplish.

Thursday night, we left Everson after dinner and came back home. A few hours later, I was in line at Target for some Black Friday madness. I found a great deal on a camera that I needed for the business. Surprisingly enough, the lines weren't awful. Having worked retail as a teenager, I was dreading the crowds, but Target wasn't really all that busy. I picked up the camera and some other essentials and went home to sleep.

Saturday was spent wandering around Seattle with the in-laws. We had a great time exploring Pike's Place Market and I got some great ideas for projects. Keep your eyes out for more info as I work on designing new things. We ended the day with dinner at Rockbottom before heading back to our place. All in all, it was a great day and it was really nice spending time with everyone. It was a great break from normal day to day life, but now I am getting back in the swing of things. I am working on some really cool mohair scarves, which I should have photos of soon.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Exciting Order

I just got a very exciting order. Someone at work saw a hat that I made and wanted one for himself. He actually said, "I need to talk to you about knitting. I saw John's hat and am totally jealous." This is the first time that I have had someone see another person's completed work and ask me to make something for them. I am very excited about it.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Changes

I am very excited to announce that www.eterknittydesigns.com is about to get a new look. My wonderful friend Gryph has been helping me redesign the site. He has done an excellent job and I am so thankful for all of his help and great advice. There are just a few more tweaks to make and then the new site will go live.

I will also be taking more photos over the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out for the new designs. I hope you love them as much as I do.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Holidays

I just received several new orders for the holidays. I am really excited to start on these projects. I will be making a pair of spats for my good friend Barret, three scarves for my boss, a scarf with sleeves for my wonderful and very supportive friend Michelle, as well as a few items I can't mention. I have a feeling I am going to be knitting non-stop from now until Christmas. If you are interested in placing an order for a gift for the holidays, please let me know soon. I am running out of time to make things.

I just finished a couple of new hat orders and will be working on some new designs. I am going to be making some mittens soon, which I think will be fantastic. I also have several new arm warmer/gauntlet designs and I am working on coming up with a design for fishnet thigh-high spats. I will let you know how that design progresses. I finished the mohair shrug that I mentioned in my last post. It looks fantastic. I am really excited about it. I also just finished my favorite scarf to date. It has stripes of a beautiful burgundy chunky wool and black crochet thread. I can't wait to take photos and post them for everyone to see.

I have many other new projects in the works. I will let tell you all about them as I complete them.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Current Projects

It has been a long time since I updated. I have been very busy working on the site and on more projects. I have some great things in the pipes. I am working on a really cool metallic mohair cocoon shrug. It is stretchy and soft and the colors are amazing. It would look excellent with a pair of jeans, or you could dress it up and wear it to a special event. I am also working on a beautiful braided cowl. It is made with a gorgeous deep purple satin blend. I am about a quarter of the way through it and I am really excited about how it is turning out. I will be making another scarf with sleeves and will be taking photos of it as soon as I am finished. I also have a pair of thigh-high spats that I will be making, as well as a pair of socks. There are some great things in the works. I can't wait to finish them so I can show them off.

I am also very happy to announce that there are photos up in the project gallery now. Keep in mind that these are just a few examples of things I have made. I am not limited to the items that are in the gallery. I should be getting some pictures of a baby set that I made (includes a hat, booties, and a sweater) as well as a hat and scarf set I made for my friend's 18 month old daughter. I will post them as soon as I can.

I have another meeting with my friend Gryph this week. I am looking forward to it. He always comes up with some great "kniticisms". I will be posting them so we can all enjoy them.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Coming Soon!

I am very happy to announce that not only will I be posting photos of my projects to the site within the next week or so, but that my very talented photographer friend, Anna White, has consented to take the photos for me. She is an incredible photographer, and I am honored that she has agreed to help me out.

Keep an eye out for the photos!!

Warmest wishes,

- J

Full Day of Knitting

I woke up this morning at 10:00 am and began my new weekend morning routine; stumble out of bed, put on a pot of coffee, find something entertaining on TV and begin knitting. Today was exceptionally productive. I finished a scarf and hat set for an 18 month old (disgustingly cute!), and then made a hat for her father. I also perused my favorite yarn store in Seattle with a good friend of mine who is just getting into knitting.

This evening, while working on the above mentioned projects and teaching my friend some techniques, something happened that totally made my day. My friend's mom stopped by for a visit and saw one of my designs. She absolutely loved it and spent the next half hour gushing over it. It was so nice to receive such genuinely enthusiastic praise for one of my creations.

I am getting so excited about launching Eterknitty Designs. I have gotten so much support from my friends and family, and from my customers. Looking over my project log today, I realized that I have been asked to make 16 projects since 10/24/09. It is so heartwarming that people want to own my creations.

I am currently working on creating my logo, which I hope to unveil soon. I will also be posting some photos of my work on the site over the next couple of weeks. Before I can do that though, I need to get some volunteers to model for me. I would love some photos of everyday people wearing my designs so that I can include them on the site. If you are interested, please email me.

I think it is time to give the hands a break for a while. Off to bed with me.

Warmest wishes,

- J

How it all Started

Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my Grandma Wolf. There were no other kids around, and while I enjoyed helping my grandma with her cooking and other projects, I got very bored very easily. My grandma, being an ingenious woman, figured out how to keep me quiet and occupied; she taught me to knit.

I have been knitting for 19 years now. Mostly, I have been making clothing and gifts for my friends and family. Recently I was showing a hat that I had made to a co-worker who asked me why I haven't been selling my work. Over the course of the next couple of days, two more co-workers asked the same question. An idea was born. Why not take something I love to do and make a little money at it? I started researching methods of selling my handy-work. In exploring my options, I realized that conventional methods of selling hand-made goods are flawed. Items are made ahead of time and then either sold at craft fairs, or resold through boutiques, making the prices prohibitive. Besides, every customer is different. A better option is to make items tailored to each individual customer. While this could take longer, there is nothing like having a custom item made just for you.

I started bringing pieces that I had already made to work and talking to people about them. All of a sudden, I had 14 orders waiting to be filled and Eterknitty Designs was created.

I want to thank all of the people who prodded me to get this business going. You are all my inspiration. I also want to thank everyone who placed initial orders with me. I hope that you enjoy your items and know that they are knit with love.

Warmest wishes,
- J

Posting a picture

Great looking Spats, eh?

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