Yarn competition: What did I make?

Remember the competition I told you about? Homecrafts sent me a box of yarn with the challenge to design and make something. I wasn't allowed to use any additional resources except for stuffing and wire...so I've been busily working.

I knew that the mottled wool would work as a meerkat, but because it was much thicker than the yarn I generally use I tweaked my pattern and made a new size, shown below with my big 11" kat and the normal 7" size:

I rather like the natural fur effect of the new yarn. I used the black for ears and eyes and tail end, and the plain cream for the highlight in his eyes.

Next I had to decide how to use the other yarns to dress him. I had pirates on my mind - did you see I was part of the Guinness Book of Records Challenge for most pirates on Hastings Beach? So I thought the black red and green would work well as a pirate's outfit. No additional resources - so no earring! 

I liked how the scarf turned out. I wasn't entirely sure how he'd want to wear it, so made a row of ear-sized holes all along the top edge. Once he'd decided where his ears would go, the end of the scarf could pull through one of the other holes and hold it fast. See the jagged edges of his trousers? 

I was very pleased to find I only used half the fur yarn, so of course had to make another meerkat! 

The multi-coloured sari yarn had screamed "coat of many colours" from the start, so here is Joseph Kat:

His coat is quite heavy, sari yarn isn't at all what I'd imagined it to be. It's really quite thick and solid, so I needed quite large needles. The colour blocks are random, some much bigger than others, but I think it works well as Joseph's technicolour dreamcoat!

Now all I have to do is wait to see what the other competitors have created with the same yarns, and discover how the winner will be chosen! 

Thanks for the challenge to Homecrafts!

This is… Yael

who can be discovered at her Etsy shop The Joy of Color
on Twitter: @thejoyofcolor
and on Facebook: Yael on facebook


Favourite colour?

Tough one, I love them all , but if pushed I'll say Blue and Green



Favourite smell?

The smell of a fresh baked Bread, nothing like it to give you an appetite
and I bake a few times a week so I'm in a big problem!

Favourite place?

After my home? Paris is my favorite city, and Portofino Italy is the place to feel the Dolce Vita.



Favourite way to spend your time?

Sitting in a Cafe with my hubby or friends or even just to enjoy the coffee and to look at the people around me.

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

Usually it's the latest, and now I really like (if I may say so) my latest Poppy flowers.



Why?

I love them because although simplified I think they keep the grace and passion of the real ones.

Favourite shop that isn’t yours?

Wow, I have so many, you just have to look at my favourite to see. But one I like a lot is the painter Jessica Torrant



"How I believe" by Jessica Torrant

Why?

It's emotional, I love her abstract painting, the way she uses color.

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

I'm still struggling to find my place, but one thing that I don't apply yet very well is time management, to keep the right balance between creating and marketing. That said I'm still far from finding the right marketing strategy but i'm learning something every day.



Thanks Yael! Don't forget, you can find more from the Joy of Color here:
Etsy shop The Joy of Color
on Twitter: @thejoyofcolor
and on Facebook: Yael on facebook

If you would like to be interviewed on my blog, please get in touch through my shops or website ;-)

This is ... Lauren

a new friend from Etteam!



Favourite colour?

green

Favourite place?

I have been fortunate enough to visit Italy twice, my grandparents were immigrants, so I always wanted to go there. I did not visit the south, where they are from, but got to see Rome and Tuscany.

Favourite sound?

I love music, my mother was a piano teacher.



Favourite way to spend your time?

I really like to sew, and I enjoy time with my family

Favourite item in your shop of all time?

my quilts



Why?

I really like my quilts because each one is different and they are a labor of love. I used to make them as gifts, and now I sell a few here and there.

Favourite shop that isn’t yours?

Apart from Niftyknits, obviously!) WarmnFuzzies

Why?

I think her cathedral window pillows are gorgeous, and she is a friend of mine.

What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far that you’d like to pass on to our readers?

I learned that what I think will sell the best is not always what does. I have learned through trial and error, and still don't really know what people want, but I keep trying.



Niftyknits agrees: That is so true!

Find Lauren here:

www.originalsbylauren.etsy.com
www.originalsbylaurentoo.etsy.com
http://originalsbylauren.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/laurenoriginals

Let's meet...Kitschycoo!

Amanda, owner of Kitschycoo, designs and makes the most amazing children's clothes and writes one of the funniest blogs I've come across. It's enough to make me hunger for grandchildren!

Cats or dogs?

Dogs a million times over. My parents used to breed Himalayan cats when I was growing up and they were more or less evil. Especially in comparison to our lovely dopey golden retriever.

Star Wars or Star Trek?

Neither. I am dorky in many, many ways but not in a Star Wars or Star Trek way. I like sci-fi books though!

Fruit or chocolate?

Fruit during the day, chocolate at night. Fruit during the summer, chocolate during the winter.



Favourite colour?

Hmmm, it changes all the time! If I had to put them in order, I like bright jewel tones the most, then earth tones, and pastels the least. I'm quite into orange at the moment.

Favourite meal?

I could quite happily eat pizza every single day.



City break or weekend in the country?

I grew up in the woods (well, in a house in the woods, not wild!) so I really like city breaks now that I'm older. I'm also an American living in Europe, so your cities are unlike anything we have back home!

Soaps or documentaries?

Definitely documentaries, I can get engrossed in programmes on almost any subject. I just need to know.

Bath or shower?

Having two toddlers, I'll take what I can get! Which means very quick showers with a lot of interruptions...



Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop (or shops) Do you sell anywhere else?

I think it was my sister in law that told me about Etsy and encouraged me to open www.kitschycookids.etsy.com. I was initially overwhelmed by the size and scale of it but I bit the bullet and started listing some of my clothes in Aug 2008. Sales started trickling in so I increased my shop size, but it didn't really take off until Jan 2009 when I started selling the patterns I had designed to make the clothes. I've been a bit shocked by how well my patterns are selling and definitely see this as the direction my business might take.

Etsy works the best for me, but I also have my own website www.kitschycoo.co.uk and a shop on Folksy www.kitschycoo.folksy.com

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?

Probably the orange bird print double breasted coat. It was the first one that I was ridiculously proud of!



What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt (about Etsy) so far?

Find a niche. Because Etsy is so big, the only way to set yourself apart and get sales is to have a differentiator. I knew from posting my coats on forums than people liked them and by researching listings on Etsy that there weren't any other independant (non-vintage) patterns available for toddler coats. So my first coat pattern filled a gap in the market and sold well, and now I have a considerable base of repeat customers buying my other patterns!

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

I don't think so. I think it was good for me personally and as a businesswoman to learn the hard / long way rather than get it 'right' from the start. All the information and knowledge I've picked up along the way will stand me in better stead going forward. I hope.

How do you see your store developing?

I'm definitely considering moving predominantly into pattern making. I need the clothes a little bit though to support my obsession for fabric!

What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

Breaking up fisticuffs between my kids *sigh*.



What’s your top marketing tip for today?

Post in forums, blog, twitter, facebook, myspace...
get yourself out there!

Oh so very true Amanda - thank you for sharing your stunning clothes and even more gorgeous models with us!

Let's have another look at those all important links:

kitschycoo.blogspot.com
www.kitschycoo.co.uk
www.kitschycoo.folksy.com
www.kitschycookids.etsy.com

Let's meet...GocksFrocks

GocksFrocks, owned by Kristen, sells handmade clothing & accessories for kids, women, and the home.



But what about the woman herself? Let's find out...

Cats or dogs?

Dogs - cats too if I were not allergic

Star Wars or Star Trek?

star wars

Fruit or chocolate?

fruit!

Favourite colour?

purple



Favourite meal?

breakfast

City break or weekend in the country?

both please!

Soaps or documentaries?

documentaries

Bath or shower?

shower - only because our tub is too tiny




Now we’ve got you warmed up…

What brought you to Etsy? Tell us about your shop. Do you sell anywhere else?

A friend first told me about etsy & when I checked it out I was smitten - love the creativity here as well as the ease of listing my items. I sell on ebay from time to time and also do a couple of local art shows.

What’s the favourite item you’ve made so far?

hard to pick just one...I think whatever my current project is tends to be my favorite - but I do LOVE working with felted wool anytime



What has been the most useful lesson you’ve learnt so far?

keep listing & adding to your shop
try to capture your items in an original and eye catching manner - my clothesline shots became my signature photos last winter when it was too cold for my daughter to model outside!

If you could start again, is there anything you’d do differently?

be more organized with the business side of it all - receipts, paperwork etc....
also...win the lottery so I could build an amazing studio space full of natural light over our garage!

How do you see your store developing?

branching out with my offerings - I recently added a bit of home dec (log cabin pillow slipcovers) as well as skirts for women.



What have you been doing today that I’ve interrupted?

drinking coffee and catching up on my blog reading

What’s your top marketing tip for today?

try some social networking(twitter, facebook, blog) - spread the love you have for your art to all that you know

Wow! I don't know about you, but I'm staggered by the array of bright colours and patterns - absolutely gorgeous! for more, check out GocksFrocks and Kristen's other store BettysCloset.etsy.com where she sells some of the amazing fabrics she uses in her designs. You can also read more on her blog

Let's meet....TWINKLYSPANGLE!

Time for me to join the merry throng of blog interviewers - and where better to start than with the ever-colourful Katie?



I thought she might be a bit nervous, so I gave her some quickies to start...

Star Wars or Star Trek?

I'm a trekkie - I've never even seen Star Wars but can name all of the captains!

Me too! Wanna see my original series sweatshirt?

Fruit or chocolate?

That isn't a question!

Favourite colour?

Purple

Unbelievable - we were separated at birth. Even my hair is "cyber purple"



City break or weekend in the country?

Right now, a weekend in the country sounds amazing.

I'll go and clear out the spare room then - see you this afternoon?



Soaps or documentaries?

I like all telly, especially those documentaries called "I was born with eight heads"
Oh yes - the ones where her father is married to a girl young enough to be her daughter...no, wait, that's my family.

Now we’ve got you warmed up…here's the difficult ones!

I’ve known you for ages (seems like a lifetime!) as TwinklySpangle, but you’ve recently decided to move shops on Etsy. Why is that? Did the carpets need cleaning?

When I signed up to Etsy I didn't really know what I was doing. I used to craft memory boxes for people as gifts when they had babies, keepsake boxes, so I thought keepsakekatie would be a good name. But, when I rediscovered jewellery making I realised that my usual email address/neopets name (don't ask!)/everything I'd ever signed up to online suited it better, I wanted to change, but I was too scared to bite the bullet.

I've done it now! KeepsakeKatie is still selling. I need to work on the switchover more, I think. I kind of figured since I was twinklyspangle on flickr and twitter, people would be able to find me more easily if I am TwinklySpangle on Etsy.



Where else, apart from Etsy, can we find your spangly goodness?

My Dad, who is a computer whiz, has been desparate for something to sell online for ages and he has taken me under his wing. He has bought and paid for www.twinklyspangle.com which we plan to use as my main selling venue. I also sell on Folksy www.twinklyspangle.folksy.com and have recently been accepted to Lollishops. I haven't started my shop there yet though.

Do you stock all your jewellery in each of your shops, or do you have different ranges for different sites? Why?

I keep my prototypes and one-of-a-kind items for Etsy right now, and my standard range that I can make in batches. I will be moving the unique things over the other site at some point, but I don't want to sell the same item twice in the same day.

Me too! I've only had to panic-knit the once, thankfully!

My intention is to make each shop to look different, to make it worth people visiting them all!

I bought your Meadow bracelet last year, it’s gorgeously girly and I love it.


Your new range is very different (though no less gorgeous). What inspired your change of style? Will you still be making beaded pretties as well?

It's weird - because originally I was obsessed with charm bracelets. The thing is, that some people, especially who live in cold climates, don't wear bracelets, so I knew I had to expand my range if I wanted to make something of it. Let's be honest. It's hard to make a living selling earrings, so I really needed to find something unique.

I unearthed a pack of shrink plastic in my local craft shop, and thought I would give it a go, and now I seem to spend most of my time colouring it in. It works for me because I have recently gone back to work full time. I can sneakily colour in while I'm meant to be working.

Plus, it's something not a lot of people use. I've got some good feedback, people say that they couldn't believe it is shrink plastic when they first look, which I guess is a compliment

Oh wow - what little girl wouldn't want to spend her days colouring in when she grows up?

I’ve rather fallen for your pansy ring, but I don’t wear rings. Are you open to custom orders? For instance, I think your pansies would make a lovely bracelet.



I love the idea of making something especially for someone. I have done a few wholesale orders, which have gone well. I would be totally open to any suggestions.

You're my marketing guru. What’s your top tip for today?

I think everyone is careful about striking a balance between advertising and pushing your name on people. I try to wear at least one thing that I have made a day, and fiddle with it a lot, so that people ask where I got it from. Then I clamp them into a conversation and force some business cards on them. It sounds aggressive, but I have had a number of off-site sales this way.

Guess when I get most compliments? Yep - it's when I'm wearing the Meadow Bracelet! Thanks Katie, I hope you enjoyed answering the questions as much as I did!