Supply Shopping - Getting Started

Last weekend I spent a full day travelling around the city hunting down sewing supplies for One of a Kind. It was a ton of fun!! Then, however, I turned my sewing plans into weekly goals and officially freaked myself out. There is lots to do in the next two months! Anyways--this is the first of several picture posts!

Waiting at the cash while the ladies sort through my zippers...

Seems like enough, right? Haha no.

Guhhhhh.

As soon as I bought this I knew I would have to go back for more.

Got a great deal on this gorgeous floral tapestry!

My first big leather purchase and I couldn't be more excited!

Big News!

Last October I went to an information session regarding the Etsy section for the spring 2014 One of a Kind Show. I applied shortly after thinking, why the heck not? Last week I found out that I got in!!!

Participating in this show has always been a total dream so I am blown away that it's going to happen in just a couple months!

The spring show runs in Toronto from March 26-30. I sent in my contract this week and am up to my ears in planning preparations! Needless to say, I have never done anything on this scale. Since I am taking part in the Etsy section I will have a table as opposed to a booth, which is more up my alley at the moment! I have no idea how much stock to make but I do know that I have to get cracking.

I am afraid my posting here will suffer (as if it hasn't already!) but I will do my best to take as many pictures as I can of my preparations so I can post updates!

SO excited!!

Craft Show Table Displays

Last season I spent a lot of time obsessing over my craft show displays. I thought I was satisfied with my display for my summer show--at the time it was nice, but the more I thought about it, the more unhappy I was. Isn't that always the way with something you create? Once you get some distance you really start seeing the flaws.

- It wasn't shopable: patterns and clutches were just piled on or stuffed in baskets. It looked like STUFF. Not like a display.

- There was no vertical interest: This one I gave myself an out. I was on a budget, and a public transit taker. I had to keep it to a minimum so despite my constant Pinteresting, I just gave up on that one. You know when you're afraid to look into something in case it fails? Yep.

- Blah-ness. Everything kinda melded into one. Nothing about the display stood out. Sure it was cohesive but it has to be exciting as well!

So for my first show last season I made some changes: new styles (More sequins! South American fabrics! Leather!) and a new table cloth to complement these styles. That's about all I changed.

What I found was that if people looked over at my table, they came over and rummaged. However, a lot of people didn't even notice me! I knew then and there to stop mucking around and create a vertical display. To stop piling on all the stuff (but I've made SO MUCH) and focus on showcasing the quality of the items instead of having a table that says "look how much crap I made!"

So. Everything changed. Different baskets. I made display boards. I left things at home (GASP). For the first time I was truly happy with my display! The best part? It worked!

Testing out the display at home.

Vertical interest!

Last-minute button earrings. Seriously, I made these the day before a show.

The final display. So much happier with it!

A close up.

So of course, even though only a month has passed, I am now dreaming up ways to change my display for the next round. I want to expand on the shelving idea. The boards are just fabric-covered foam so I know they won't last me forever. But that's what sketchbooks are for, right? Planning!

Thanks for reading!

DIY Easy Knit Turban Headband

I've been making a lot of headbands lately. I made a bunch as Christmas gifts but then never really stopped! They're just so fun! I had been seeing this style of headband around and thought, "I could make that!"

This is an insanely easy pattern. Spoiler alert! It's stockinette stitch with one cable. It follows a simple formula so whatever yarn or needles you want to use, you can easily amend the instructions.

Here's what I used for mine:

Yarn: Bernat Roving (surprised?) in Plum
Needles: US 13

CO 14

Row 1: P1, K12, P1
Row 2: K1, P12, K1

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you are halfway done your headband.

Best practice is to measure your head first and divide the number by two. For example, I make my headbands 18 inches long so when I got to 9 inches I stopped. (Make sure to stop when you've finished a purling row so you're ready to cable.)

Cable Row 1: P1, cable 12 forward (slip 6 stitches onto your cable needle and hold in front, K6, K6 off your cable needle), P1
Cable Row 2: K1, P12, K1

Continue repeating the original rows 1 and 2 until the headband is long enough to fit comfortably around your head.

Bind off.

Use a yarn needle to seam the ends and weave in the tails.

HOW TO ADAPT IT:

This pattern is easily adaptable so you are free to make this whatever width with whatever yarn you want. It might take a few false starts to get the width right (this pattern took me 3!) but this is such a quick knit it's worth the extra time to make sure it's perfect!

Always cast on an even number of stitches. Subtract 2 for the knit edges and divide that number in 2 for your cable row. For example for thinner yarn:

CO 20

Row 1: P1, K18, P1
Row 2: K1, P18, K1

Cable Row 1: P1, cable 18 forward (slip 9 stitches onto your cable needle and hold in front, K9, K9 off your cable needle) P1
Cable Row 2: K1, P18, K1

Or if you have really thick yarn on really fat needles:

CO 8

Row 1: P1, K6, P1
Row 2: K1, P6, K1

Cable Row 1: P1, cable 6 forward (slip 3 stitches onto your cable needle and hold in front, K3, K3 off your cable needle) P1
Cable Row 2: K1, P6, K1

You get the idea! Any questions, leave a comment below.

Thanks for reading!

New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!

 

I have a few non-businessy resolutions I'd like to share, although truthfully I started on them early because there's no time like the present!

 

I love going on walks. I don't know what I would do without my lunchtime walk with coworkers down our lovely nature trail. However, I don't explore my own goregous neighbourhood as much as I would like. That must change.

I can never decide if I hate cooking or love it. I should love it, since it's creative and productive and involves food. I think it's just extreme laziness that holds me back. I'll need to come up with a strategy to keep me on the wagon with this goal!

I used to read like a maniac but ever since starting to work full-time a few years ago, it's been a struggle to keep up with my growing book piles. I still enjoy reading, of course, but need some motivation to keep at it. So I'm going to do the 50-book challenge for 2014!

I firmly believe there can never be enough hobbies. This year I am going to take advantage of the awesome, crafty city I live in and take as many courses as possible. Screen printing, knitting, drawing, sewing. I'll take them all. Again, it's the concrete motivation that you need sometimes!

I used to be 100% music focused. Playing all the instruments, writing, recording...but now I am so out of touch with this aspect of myself and 2014 is going to turn that around. Because I miss it!

Do you have any resolutions?