Thursday 31 May 2012

[Insert Clever Name Here]


This is why I've been slow to update around here. It's a LOT of commission and a little of my own knitting. I won't go into detail about it all. Suffice to say I am overwhelmed at the minute and I keep promising commission customers that if they come in in a month of so it'll be fine but the problem with this batch of madness is that I kept saying to customers 'come in after my holiday' and they all bloody did!!! Not complaining just tired...

I will say that I am dead pleased with the teddy bear's face!!!!

Anyway, I've got a blog planned about steeking. This second attempt at steeking went a whole lot better than the first and I thought I'd talk you through what I did. But I will stress that doing something two times does not an expert make. Anyway - look forward to that.

I did say somewhere in the last few posts that the shop is slow because of summer and I guess it was but around the time when we had our first blast of proper summer last year (or was that, only blast??) I started taking note of extreme weather like snow or torrential rain to see what effect is had on sales and I've been able to work out that we're actually up still! Isn't that brilliant? I get the feeling that we're actually creating a sustainable business here. Crossed fingers.

On that note I did an interview on BBC Radio Nottingham on Monday and an unfathomable time of day (8am or so...) about 'young entrepreneurs'.  It was only three minutes long but I got myself in a lather about it and had to knit throughout to stop me murdering somebody. Urgh. But I think it went quite well. If you fancy listening, click here for a link and pop to 2:12 or so. If you're bored whilst listening to it, try counting all of the 'yes's I said - I think that was nerves too...

Aaaaaaaand finally, WE GOT SOME NEW COLOURS IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've put them all up on the website so I'll list them here.

We're finally up to date with the Cottonsoft DK! The colours we've managed to add are the white, sky blue, cherry and ecru. I'm dead pleased because when the rep came in with this yarn I fell in love like you wouldn't believe (it's literally as soft as a baby's bum) so I ordered every colour but only five turned up and I must admit they weren't my favourite colours out of the range. But every other yarn shop owner obviously had the same idea as me so the best colours have been out of stock. Anyway, I was in the right place at the right time t'other day (or rather on the right phone at the right time) and managed to order just as the shipment had reached them. Aren't I lucky?! I must stress though that I suspect we'll still have difficulty getting a hold of the colours so if you want it - get it...

Jazz came in the other day and said she thought it was like the Rowan Pima Cotton but softer. I've no idea, Rowan doesn't hold much weight with me so their yarns come and go and generally pass me by but Jazz used to be a Rowan addict (she's been mostly converted now) so she knows her stuff. I did a cardigan ages ago in a pima cotton (I think it was Mirasol) and I LOVE that cardigan - have worn it loads - and it looks a bit shabby now so I was thinking that maybe I could reknit it? But I'm not sure if I could cope with not having it in yellow. Here's my best friend Masa expertly modelling:


I'm sure you'll agree that her outfit is expertly put together. 

Before I move on let me do one more little link to the King Cole Cottonsoft DK (to get it up the rankings you see). 

And then we have just one lovely little colour in the Smooth DK and it is the most delicious shade of purple you've ever seen. Seriously, I've never seen a more saturated colour - it sort of hurts your eyes but not in a horrible way. Difficult to explain. Apparently this colour has always been available (it's in the shade card that I've had since this time last year anyway...) but I'd just missed it and I don't know why because I love love love a good purple. Good job King Cole. 

Then - and this will be a shock - we've got three new colours in the Seriously Chunky. I've been absolutely amazed at how well it's been selling throughout this little heatwave. Literally amazed. There are a couple more colours in the range to collect but I just couldn't bring myself to go over budget to get a superchunky in the week leading up to June. So I got the three colours that are most likely to sell based on what you like in other yarns and I'll add the others as we go. Amazed I was!

I realise I said that that was 'finally' but actually, I have one more photo to show you that I completely forgot about. Let me introduce you to Lesley the Swan: 


In all honesty, I've no idea what his/her name is but I thought Lesley was as good as any... It's a gorgeous prop (I guess - it's not an actor) from the Theatre Design section of the Student's Final Show. Isn't he/she great!? We fell in love... 

Right, I'm off because there's a big box of yarn to sort out and I'm guessing it's Patons (and maybe some Regia... if it all turns out like I want...). 

Love Eleanor. :)

P.s. There's a hideous drunk Russian man at the door and he won't leave. Save me? Haha. 






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