How to block a shawl!

Summertime Knitting

            Having taken the last little while away from knitting (gasp) and focusing on my responsibilities at our local theatre I am excited to get back to my lovely world of fibre. To my surprise it has become summer in the last couple of weeks, which begs the question what do you knit in the summer time? Some people just give up knitting, cold turkey, claiming that it is too hot to even consider holding wool! I however have a stronger addiction then that and can feel my fingers beginning to itch for the needles.  The first thing that I do in the summer is switch patterns. I go for shawls mainly, with a few knit animals and other non-wearable knits thrown in for good measure. I don’t want to have a half finished sweater draped over my lap in 30C weather anymore then the next person!

My current lace weight pattern available on Raverly.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rock-island

knitted animals are a fun, small, summer project.

            The next step I take is going with a lighter weight yarn. If you have been trying to work up the courage to use that gorgeous skein of lace weight purchased last December now is the time! Challenge yourself and you will end up with something lovely and light to wear on those long August days because lets be honest it is going to take you until August to finish anything in lace weight!

Trust me, get away from those big bulky wools!

  Next, change fibers! My alpaca and wooly wools go back on the shelf and out come the cottons, silks, bamboos and the linens. It is summer and my articles of clothing need to be able to breathe. Be aware that these fibers have different qualities then wool and will behave differently when knit. These are all heavier fibers that have a lot more drape then most wools. They also tend to stretch out after a long day of wear. This is because the individual fibre strands don’t have the same amount of crimp that wool does. It is the crimp that lets wool keep it shape. You run into this problem using fibres like alpaca as well, don't worry there is an easy fix! Make sure to look at the suggested yarn your pattern is calling for and look specifically for patterns that are designed to be made with cottons etc.



                Merino wool with lots of crimp

                           Tussah silk with zero crimp

The last thing I do is take my knitting outside! I almost always take my knitting everywhere with me and that doesn’t stop in the summer. I throw it in my hiking backpack, my beach bag and the car for road trips. It may be summer and it may be hot outside, but I’m certainly not putting down my needles any time soon.

Mountain top knitting!

Come In We're Open!

During the recent slow period being experienced by all small town retailors, I have been searching for alternative revenue streams. This strange time, after winter holidays but before tourists have taken flight, is hard on small shops of every shape and stripe. I was warned about this time in all of the business blogs, by all of my business mentors and by all of the strangers and acquaintances passing on business advice. The first year is critical to business success and the ability to get the through the slow season is going to make or break you. How do you increase revenue without spending money on new products? This has got to be the most common question among retailors, so here is my plan of action:

Sitting at my computer, looking around the shop things feel stagnant. I don’t actually think that they are to the customer but to me, who spends 8-10 hours a day here, they definitely are. Project #1 is to rearrange the products and create some new displays. This might not actually translate into sales, however I think that it is pretty important to keep customers interested and create a new experience for repeat clients.

In the same vein looking around the shop I realize that I am not doing the best job at highlighting the products that are important to me! These are the products that hopefully distinguish me from other yarn shops in the area! I wanted to start a business that carried products that were local, Canadian and if not either of those things, then ethically and environmentally responsible. So far I have managed to bring a pretty wide selection of such products. From yarns hand dyed in Sicamous, to bags recycled and sewn in Skimikin, to buttons made in Chase and to a Peruvian yarn brand that donates much of its profits to support the school of its shepherds. Currently these products are just mixed in with all of the other products. There is nothing to distinguish them and highlight their qualities to the customer. Travellers are also always looking for souvenirs that are unique to their vacation right? Project #2: create signs to show customers the great and regional qualities of these products.

Koigu Yarns based out of
Ontario

2GoodClayMates buttons made
 in Chase

Felting & Spinning Supplies created by
Skimikin Studios

Our new Sale Wall. Small, but effective. 

Project #3: have a sale. Oh wait! I just had one of those and although it was very helpful, having a sale every 2 weeks is not a solid or sustainable business plan. I didn’t get into the retail business to make it rich, but to create a job for myself that was fulfilling and challenging. I want to make a living, not cheat customers out of a couple of dollars. As a result of that philosophy my prices are pretty much as low as they can be while still paying shipping, rent and keeping the lights on. That being said I still have products that are insisting on hanging around the shop and just aren’t selling. Product sitting on the shelves at their original price is not helping my cash flow situation. Solution, a Sale Wall! Starting this week in the back room I will have shelf full of sale items. These won’t be products that I think are bellow par, just ones that need a little help moving. Perhaps their original price was a little too high or there is only 3 left and no one seems to want to make a baby sweater out of it.

Dishcloths are the perfect, easy, one bag project.

We all know that Salmon Arm is a tourist town. In the summer the town is booming with travellers who are attracted by the lake, the festivals and the good weather, but what are they going to do on those days when the weather sucks or they are stuck travelling in the car? Knitting of course (or crocheting, or felting)! Project #4: create several small projects that are car sized and contained to a single bag. Perhaps even do several versions for kids. I haven’t made any of these up yet but they are in the works and will be unveiled soon

Project bags made & recycled in Tappen by
 As You Like It Custom Sew

   

 So there you have it, my plan of action to get through the slow period and keep the business afloat! I didn’t open a yarn shop thinking that it was going to be an easy ride and I am not thrilled that sales are low right now; but, it is keeping me on my toes and pushing me to create new products and new experiences for my customers.

Mirasol

Alright, alright so it turns out that I am not really going to be able to write once a week after all! There is some definite fear about what people will think about blog posts, which as it turns out, makes it very easy for me to procrastinate the whole thing; but I digress and today I do actually have something to tell you all about. 

Mirasol Display at Intwined Fibre Arts

Mirasol. This is a fantastic yarn company, that is all there is to it. They make beautiful yarns and they have some pretty great business practices too boot. The company began back in 2005 when Kari Hestnes and Per Svendsen made several business trips to Peru and were quite taken by two children (Marisol and Alex) of Alpaca shepherds. They saw how difficult it was for children to attend school and still maintain their connections to their culture and traditional way of life. Long story short (you can read the entire story here) they bought a farm, built a school, picked up Canadian yarn distributer Diamond Yarn as a major supporter and now they create beautiful hand knitting yarns. A percentage of every yarn sale is donated to the Mirasol Project and the school benefits directly. If you are ever feeling guilty about indulging in your yarn addiction pick up some Mirasol and feel really great about helping at least 45 Peruvian kids get and education instead!

So now that we all feel good about this awesome company and the amazing things that they have done lets discuss the fun stuff, the yarn! The yarn lines are always changing, but currently I have 6 different ones in the shop: Akpana (65/25/10 Baby Llama, Merino, Donegal), Miski (100% Baby Llama), Nuna (40/40/20 Merino, Silk, Bamboo sourced Viscose), Paqu Pura (100% Peruvian Alpaca), Sulka (60/20/20 Merino, Silk, Alpaca), and Ushya (100% merino).  I will tell you about a few of my favourites.

Ushya - Chunky weight yarn with braided look

Miski - Aran weight 

                                                                          

Paqu Pura is 100% Peruvian Alpaca, sport weight, single ply and I have got to tell you I love the texture of this yarn. I am basically in love with all alpaca yarns, but this one was one of the first yarns I was shown when setting up shop and I still am drawn to it. It is a single ply and that makes it a bit fragile, so if you are doing a complicated pattern that you might have to rip out a few times this isn’t the yarn for that project.

Hat and Cowl made from Paqu Pura, colour: galapagos

Nuna is new to the shop, though I gather that it is not new to Mirasol. It is another sport weight yarn but this time it is a two-ply, 40% Merino, 40% silk, 20% Bamboo sourced Viscose blend. The shine in this yarn is incredible and between the silk and bamboo it has a wonderful weight to it. I have yet to work with this yarn, but I have seen several finished projects in it and it does have a great drape in its finished projects. I would say you can make almost anything with this yarn, it is soft enough to wear next to your skin and the Merino in it should help any larger garment keep its shape. 

  

So there you have it a brief introduction to a great yarn company, both in its products and its ethics. Come down and check them out in person and I promise you won't be disappointed.