Say Hello To The Augustine Throw

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I was so excited when We Are Knitters wanted to collaborate on a blanket pattern. I mean just the thought of all that chunky squishy wool made my heart pitter patter with cozy vibes. I retreated to my cozy corner with this big basket of squishy and started creating.

First I had to decide to Knit or to crochet? It was not an easy choice.

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I have wanted to knit a throw for quite a while as my knitting skills keep expanding. I see so many wonderful inspiring designs on instagram that give me so many ideas. So it was a tough decision. But this blue they sent reminded me so much of the rich tropical ocean like when I was in St. Thomas, that it inspired me to do an open crochet variation of "shells" throw. It inspired me to create something I imagined I would use while on the beach bungalow deck when I was there not too long ago.

Truly making this blanket brought me back to those wonderful breezy nights and ocean waves crashing behind the bungalow.

The yarn worked up so well for this pattern, no frogging involved! It just flowed which is another sign it was meant to be a crochet blanket. I could not be more thrilled with the final outcome.

You can get the free pattern here.

And you can enter below to win all the yarn to make your own! Yup - that is right: We Are Knitters will send you all the yarn you need to make this blanket in the color of your choice. Enter below.

Disclosure: we are knitters sent me this yarn free of charge for the purpose of this pattern collaboration and giveaway. Although this is sponsored content, opinions and review and design are completely my own.

Knit With Us!

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One of the great things about this small business journey and this blog is all the wonderful and talented artisans and makers I have gotten to meet. Mostly meet online, but still we have connected. Some I have had the great fortune to also connect with in person. It really is something amazing when like minded people get together with yarn, creative vibes and snacks to make new memories.

In this spirit, I am so honored to have teamed up with fellow knitter Ali Ford of Ford Explorer Knits to host what we are calling a Stitch Up. What I truly hope will be the first of many in fact. We welcome you to come knit with us and have put together what we think will be a good time full of yarn, community and fun. And yes... snacks! Always snacks!

Presented by one of my favorite small businesses The Yarn Mamas,  (as anyone who follows me on instagram knows), we have put together some pretty cool happenings. Friday eve will start with a super fun We Are Knitters Party featuring their Downtown Snood. I am a huge snood fan, I mean who isn't? And I KNOW my cohort Ali has equal snood love. So join us to make this version from We Are Knitters.

If you can't make the We Are Knitters party, that's ok. Bring your current project and join us for cocktail hour after the We Are Knitters Party. Oh yes... we have a feeling a long night of yarn and laughs will ensue!

Saturday we are keeping the love (and snacks) theme going with the Betta Knit Rib Twist Beanie Workshop Brunch. No we won't start too early but yes we will serve you some yummy food along with some super yummy yarn.

So Come to one event, come for the whole shebang. Whatever works for you. Check out the full event details & register here

 

Customer Service: It Is Ok To Say No

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Next in our customer service series is an important topic: Sometimes we need to say no. It is hard to do. I know. But it is incredibly important. There are many reasons to say no, and developing the ability to do so without guilt and in a professional way is essential for success.

I have invited Molly from Spearmint Spruce to share more on this important topic. I love how Molly handles her small business and her approach to customer service.

Take it away Molly...

As a maker, it is a constant struggle to find balance. To not overload yourself, but also to push and challenge yourself to grow. And who wants to turn down a chance to make some extra money? So I have comprised a little check list to help decide when you can (and probably should) say no! And a few examples to follow.

If you are saying yes to these questions, then it might be time to say no:

1. Will it take away too much time to be with your family and those around you?
2. Will it add unnecessary stress or anxiety to rob you of the joy of making?
3. Will it take more time to figure out than is worth your profit?
4. Do you already feel stretched too think or overloaded?

I know, this is supposed to be a blog post about saying no. However, if you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should absolutely say no to the request. It does not have to be a permanent no, but it should be a no for now. Let me explain a bit why it is important:

Every maker is different - some are students, some are mamas, some are part-time, full-time, any-time makers. Family and those you consider family, should never take a back seat to your business. This life is too short to spend all your time working (no matter how much you enjoy it!) and not enough time with family. The balance is hard, but oh man is it worth it.

If you take on more orders than you have time for, your quality will suffer...either the quality of your product or the quality of your life. If it stresses you out or adds anxiety - say no! You want to enjoy what you do, and if taking on too much robs you of that joy, then it is time to say no. Make notes of how much is too much and be diligent on sticking to that number. The number that still allows your success, but also your enjoyment.

So many times I get asked, "can you make this for me?" and usually the answer is yes. However, unless it is something fairly simple, then the amount of time it will take to figure out how to do it will significantly take away from my profit as well as my time to be working on my specialty items. For so long I was a "jack of all trades, master to none". Basically saying, I could do several things pretty well, but it wasn't until I truly found my niche that I could perfect my items and offer them with great pride. So yes, I can probably make that for you, but it isn't worth it at this point. I would rather point you in the direction of someone who specializes in that product! And we will all be the happier for it!

If you already feel like you have too much on your plate, chances are it is time to say no. If you are stretched too thin, you will break. And that extra order or collaboration will do you no good. Your sanity is more important than anything. The holidays are a time especially when we find it hard to say no. I am in the midst of still trying to remember that it is ok to say no. Even if it is a friend or family member, this is your business - something that you worked hard to build. It is ok to do what is right and healthy for you and your business!

I wish I could say I have arrived -  I have finally figured out how and when to say no every time. Alas, I have not. But I do know how to be more aware and to work harder to have boundaries of when to say yes and when to say no.

I hope you are encouraged to say no when you need to. Get rid of the guilt or that feeling of missed opportunity. You will see growth and success when you are more balanced and are enjoying what you are doing! Happy making, friends!

New Year: Set Goals & Make Plans

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As the New Year ads start running and posts about #resolutions are abound, I thought I would take this moment to share something with you: I am not a fan of New Year Resolutions. Call me cranky, but I am just keeping it real. I am a fan of Goals, I am a fan of Plans. Here is why:

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  1.  I do not believe you need a specific calendar date to give you permission to chase your dreams, follow your passion or make changes in your life. These things should be ongoing. Always growing and always going forward.
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  2.  Thanks to the age of marketing and advertisers, society has been wooed into setting lofty goals we likely won't achieve. Not because we are not able. But because goals require ACTION PLANS & STEPS to be attained. New Year's resolutions has become about setting the lofty goal - but what about the action step?

 As we enter the New Year I want to encourage you to take a beat and do some self examination. Think not just about the things you wish for the New Year, but the things you want to make happen in the New Year. Then think about ways to ACHIEVE the goals. The work you need to do to achieve them. If you ask yourself the tough questions,  I promise you will find the goals and action steps reveal themselves.

While thinking about your goals, make categories. What are your personal goals? What are your business goals for your shop? What are your career goals if you are not a full time maker? Having seperate goals is an essential step.

For many, a small handmade business is more than a job. It is a lifestyle. So it makes sense that personal and professional goals are intertwined. But I encourage you to separate them. I encourage you to find that separate balance that will help you then achieve goals.

Setting goals in categories is key to achieving them. I know this from experience. I shifted to a full time "maker" unexpectedly but found it was in fact the right move. And, since becoming a full time yarnie, running my handmade knitwear & crochet business, I have learned a lot about the need for that balance.

Left: January           Right: December

Left: January           Right: December

Last year I lost 50 lbs as a personal goal and launched this blog and launched my home accessories line as a business goal. Previously I had tried and failed to achieve all three goals. But by separating them and separating what they mean (personal vs. business) I had to make separate action plans and milestones to achieve along the way. Short and long term markers. Evaluations to help me be successful. It also helped me prioritize better.

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Sure there were hiccups and failures along the way. Heck, there was one speed bump (read: epic failure) that cost me money, knocked me to my core and had me curled up in tears for three days. But what it didn't do is stop me. Because failure isn't the end and will happen on the road to success. It is almost is required.

And when that epic failure happened, the beauty is that by separating my goals and giving each its own action plan, the whole boat didn't sink. That failure may have caused a ripple in that category but the others were on track. It also helped when it came time to regroup because I had focus. There was no spillover.

While I know it's hard, I also want to implore you to embrace failure as part of the journey. See it as an opportunity to learn. Grow. Shift. It doesn't mean that you can't or won't achieve your goals. It just means that you may have to do some more work to get there.

So as we enter the New Year, be excited. Be resolute. But also be a planner. Take some time to really think about 2017 and how you can make it one heck of a year! Think about where you want to be in 12 months and what you need to do to get there. Then get going! Happy New Year everyone.