Hats off to James

Here's a clever marketing technique.  James Emslie, the designer behind Sheepish Knitworks at Uptown Yarns in Courtney BC has 7 designs for some very fashionable hats.  When he told me that he had sold  45 patterns (many with yarn, I'm sure) in 32 days, I felt that this must be some sort of record, so I asked him how he did it.

Here's his answer. In fact he sent me a picture.  He said that most of the sales were probably the result of this display.

James just lined up all 7 samples on mannequin heads and created a very dramatic effect.  This display comes close to mass marketing which always works very well. When I worked for a large chain toy store, the display people always insisted on creating "walls" of the same product. This massive abundance of product just seemed to reach out to people and customers would literally "scoop" up the items.

Ironically, it's an example of "less is more." Yes, you have a lot of product; but it is just 1 item and it focuses people's attention on that item.  Try it for scarves or hats or mittens. Re-merchandise an area of your store with a dramatic presentation and see what happens.

James said that people who didn't buy the hat patterns still commented on the effectiveness of the display. Here are all of Sheepish Knitworks designs on Infiknit - ready to order.

Have a great day!

Sights of Summer

I believe the warm weather has finally arrived!! Here is a lovely picture of another of Lynette (Le Tissier)'s painted yarn projects. It's the Baltic Sea stole from Fiber Trends - painted.

It looks like a flower garden or as Lynette's says - a meadow!!  Lynette explains more in her blog post. I think that I might knock off early :) Well I just looked at the clock and it's 5:00pm. Whatever happened to early?

Have a wonderful "summer" evening.!

In Vogue

I thought that I would share this photo with you. It's a picture that was sent to Lynette Meek (Le Tissier Designs) of her winning entry in the Vogue Knitting Live contest last January.  This is the wrap and the model is also wearing the matching shift - albeit over several other layers. More pictures are in the Early Fall issue of Vogue Knitting.

Lynette knit both the shift and the wrap and then painted on the chintz flowers. Le Tissier will be publishing a booklet soon with instructions on how to "paint your knitting" - going were few knitters have gone before.

The picture looks like something from another planet on Star Trek - look where knitting can take you!

May 18, 2011

OK, it's rained for 40 days and I don't have a boat, let alone an Ark. I also happen to have 3 cats not 2 and they are all neutered so I would not even have a ticket onto an Ark in my area should it happen to float by. But I am not going to say that I am SOL (sorta outta luck), because I should be able to find luck at the bottom of the puddle, right? Well maybe if I had a sump-pump.

I decided that I couldn't let the rain "get to me," nor the absence of any communication from Nepal, after I had wired a considerable sum of money to them for products to be shipped. Nor the fact that I have to re-think the transition stitches in the lace shawl Virgo to create a lovely finish...the list goes on.

Anyway, I will be pro active and get rid of the inactive by counting the positives....

1. I am, at least 75% through the 8th shawl in the series of 12 shawls for the signs of the Zodiac - just 4 and 1\4 to go.

2. I won a free ticket in the Lottery last Friday!

3. My weekend sale went very well!!!

4. I sold 150 doll's clothes patterns at the annual knitter's sale in Toronto.

5. There is vendor space available at the K-W Knitter's Fair in September, so I maybe able to get a booth.

6. I called my friend in England, something that I have been meaning to do - just so nice to get caught up!

7. Yesterday, Infiknit had a full house; people in to work; people just dropping in (thank you Meredith).

8. We're driving to Boston this weekend, with the kids - it's amazing what a Red Socks game will do for family relations!

9. The eldest made dinner two nights in a row - Monday - Penne Vodka and Tuesday - Tortillas.

10. My new Queen Anne's Lace Knitting site should be up within the next 24 hours!

Hurray!! I feel better already!

The Mad Hatters

I did say earlier that weddings were all about lace and didn't Kate Middleton look lovely in her lace accented wedding gown! I loved the understated elegance of the whole affair and I loved the fact that there was very little "fuss" made about the fact that Kate is/was a "commoner." I know that she will bring a good deal of common sense (or is that commoner sense) to the flagging monarchy.

The irony is, of course, that the "blue bloods" have always considered themselves a level above the common man by virtue of their breeding. Well tell me where the taste is in these examples of royal sense. Above is Princess Beatrix, cousin to Prince William and daughter of Prince Andrew. Below is Camilla, Prince William's stepmother.



Even if we forget about taste and just consider the element of common courtesy (Can anyone see anything beyond your hat, madam?). Most of the Royals failed at a public show of how much better they are than the commoner.  Fortunately Kate upstaged them all with her "uncommon" sense of taste. She clearly showed that less is more.  I hope she keeps this sense now that she has "married in" with them.

Cable Brimmed hat from Le Tissier

Lace Cap from Fiber Trends

Now for some very tasteful hats: Our Cabled Brimmed hat from Le Tissier Designs is great for summer because of the brim. Knit this in summer yarn that looks looks straw and you'll have something really lovely.

Lace Cap from Fiber Trends is also very pretty. Knit it in a linen for summer. Add some fancy yarn or beads for a very personalized creation!!

Hats off to everyone, though that staged a wonderful wedding - it's amazing what 65,000,000.00 can buy and congratulations to everyone who participated at a distance.  It was a lot of FUN!!!

Now if we could only win at the Olympics!!!

Have a great Day!