For Everything There Is A Season

2015 New Design... Double Cable In Ivory

This time of year I find myself reflecting.  Reflecting on my business over the past 12 months... what worked and what Not. So. Much.  Most years, when the holidays are over, I am desperately in need of some slow down time and spend the majority of my knitting time catching up and re-stocking all those beautiful hand knits that are no longer ready-to-ship... and this year is no different.  I always get a little nervous when over 50% of my shop is not ready-to-ship inventory.  But, then as winter becomes spring and spring becomes summer, I focus so hard on getting my shop stocked for the busy fall & holiday season, that I forget to design and try new stitch combinations and/or color combinations.  I forget how very much I love being creative and the actual process of developing and designing. 

 

Enter custom requests.  Receiving a custom request forces me to use my creative side and work up new patterns and new color combinations for my customers... and my shop!  And, it reminds me of how very much I love playing with yarns, working with fibers and creating through design & color.  This year I was fortunate to have several such requests.   Some of these requests were so much fun to knit that they are in the process of becoming regular hand knits that will be seen in my shop as 2015 New Designs.  One such is an extra wide and extra long double cable design that wraps and drapes beautifully.  Thanks to those of you that trust me to work up something new... I have the best customers!

 

 





Knitting & Blogging... Blogging & Knitting...

 

This time of year sales start to slow down and I am able to catch up on items "not ready to ship" and also work on new designs. This year is not really different, although I am getting more orders from Australia (which I love) since they will soon be entering into their winter.  What IS different is that, although I have seriously neglected this blog, I have begun writing another one.

I had a rather difficult winter and after many doctor visits and endless tests it was determined that I should consider a special food plan. A VERY restrictive food plan.  It is called a Low FODMAP diet and if you are interested, please feel free to join me over at:

www.SimplyCindyAnne.blogspot.com

In between my writings, I will be taking this time to play "catch up" in my shop and brainstorm new pattern ideas for fall! Stay Tuned...

~Cindy

KnitzAndFeltz

Warm... Comfy... Trendy... Fun... 

Cold Winds ~ Hot Cocoa ~ Warm Scarves

As the daily highs here in Wisconsin start to plummet I find myself enjoying hot chocolate, a warm fire and a new soft and cozy scarf...  

I always kid that I would love to move to warmer temperatures.  Especially when the winds really settle in, when the snow makes it virtually impossible to drive, when it is dark when I get up in the morning and dark long before supper each night... But, then who would drink my stash of flavored hot chocolates, my cozy warm fireplace would never get used AND I wouldn't have a reason to wrap a different soft & beautiful scarf around my neck each day!

HATS ~ HATS ~ HATS

As winter leaves us here in Wisconsin *smile* and spring/summer begins to peak its lovely head with warmer weather, tulips and daffodils emerging from the cold ground and flip flops finding their way to the front of the closet... I realize that, unless you are a friend from "Down Under", hand knit scarves are NOT on your mind.  So, its time to devote my attention fully on my photography props - which I LOVE to design and create! I've been selling my popular "Oodles of Noodles" photo prop blankets with fringe for over a year now and I figure its time to expand.  It started with Fringe Newborn Cocoons and most recently the addition of hand knit soft and textured multicolor hats with fringe pom poms.  The yarns I use are incredible... and just plain FUN ~ Enjoy!  

Felted Wool

The thing I love most about felting is the uncertainty. I hand knit wool pieces that start out obnoxiously large and then I shrink them. Each one taking on a unique shape and style. To me wool yarn has a mind of its own when felted. It takes on a personality. When I make my bowls and wine bottle cozies I never quite know exactly how I will end up using them or what I will try to sell them for until after the felting process is complete. What starts out as a wine cozy may shrink down to a point that its personality is more suited as a bowl to hold candies or paper clips. Or maybe it would look great with a plant placed inside or to hold a little girls precious hair clips.

In addition to the personality of the wool, I love to add various textures to incorporate more depth to my items. The colors and combination possibilities are never ending and no two are ever alike! The many eyelash yarns that are available add some fun and silly to the finished piece and make me smile! They become a conversation piece - a feeling of "I want this, this is really fun... what could I use this for?"