Knit and Plenty

A Wing and A Prayer

Time flies. Been so busy there's not a stitch to report. I think I am actually back to knitting a wash cloth.

Hoping to start some Spring projects some time soon.

Thankfully the real work has been very busy, and that has also given me little time to focus on my other project of Gettin' Knit Together. I've guess I've learned it's pretty hard to support two kids on your own, have a real job and try and launch a product in your basement- AND STILL HAVE TIME TO KNIT ALL THE TIME, FOR GOD SAKE!!

So, the GKT biz is going to have to take another tack. After mustering up the nerve, I pitched it to a notions manufacturer and PRAISE THE LORD - they've agreed to take it over to their corporate headquarters in Japan to check it out. It's winging its way there as we speak. I heard they even bumped the YARN MINDER up to first class! All I can say is "DOMO ARIGATO, MR. ROBATO!"

Who knows, right?

It Just Looks Simple

Can you image how excited I was when i found out that the Gettin' Knit Together Kit was going to be featured in Knit Simple?? There it is - in the Knits+That section. They even call it a 'godsend'. Now, if the gods would just send a few orders, things would feel a lot better. The mag came out right before Christmas and so far, well - let's just say, I don't need a new IBM server yet and no one has called about doing a commercial about me and how FEDEX grew my home-based business. Even though it looks like this venture will never be more than a lark, it's still a kick! I just  hope this doesn't count as my 15-minutes of fame! Maybe I still have 11 or 12 minutes left.

All the news that knit to print.

I'm so excited to report that the GKT Kit has gotten rave reviews in the latest issue of Yarn Market News, the leading industry publication for retail knitting stores. How cool is that??

I met Karin Strom, the editor, while at the CGOA show in King of Prussia - which was definitely the highlight of the weekend!

While the magazine is only available to retailers, it looks like you can sign up for their great E-newsletter with all the latest scoop that your LYS is privvy to. (Of course, you'll need to call yourself a "professional crafter" but that is what you are, isn't it??)

Throw another kit on the barbie!

                                        Drum roll, please.

Gettin' Knit Together Kits are springing up all over the world. For those down under, you can order from Purl Yarns out of New South Wales, Australia. They offer a wonderful selection of luxury yarns and accessories from around the world. I think I'll have to make a delivery, dontcha think?

In Newtown, PA (in Bucks County) there's a great shop in an old restored general store with the greatest name, Knitting to Know Ewe . Diane, the delightful owner, thinks the kits are going to sell like hot cakes.

And the folks at Sit N Knit in West Hartford, CT, are adding the kits to an amazing selection of yarns, patterns and accessories.

  If you happen to be in their neighborhood, or need a crazy excuse to travel across the world, stop by and say hi for me.

A MAGNIFicent Addition - Knitting RULErS!

At last, the Gettin Knit Together kit is 100% complete!  I waited over a month to get these really cool 3X magnifying rulers. Not only are they perfect for measuring gauge, you can't believe how handy it is to be able to actually read a pattern without having to search for reading glasses. I've never been brave enough to knit anything that required a chart, but if you do, this would make it so easy to track the working row, and enlarge the instructions.

So, for all of you who haven't ordered a kit because you kept thinking, "I know sh'es going to add something else, so I'll wait." your wait is over!

Of course, if you did order a kit, your ruler is already in the mail winging its way to you.

Success is to be measured not so much by the position we reach in life as by the obstacles overcome.
Booker T. Washington

Forging Ahead

Call me crazy. Call me impulsive. Call me an ambulance. I've just gone and signed up to have a Gettin Knit Together/Knit and Plenty booth at the Knit and Crochet Show that's being held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in mid-July! It's a 4 day event, filled with tons of classes - and the Marketplace. Looks like there's about 60 - 70 cool vendors - and now ME. They say about 3000 of us fiber folk attend the show - plus now that you know about it, I'm sure you'll be changing all your summer plans to high tail it to Valley Forge. Hey, there's lots of history there, and Sesame Place, and now ME.

Gotta go, ambulance has arrived!

Measured Progress

Don't be frightened. This isn't a picture of the spawning of the eggs of some new sea creatures. Look closer and you'll see, it's just a box of Knit and Plenty tape measures. 1000 of them, actually. Which for me, is pretty terrifying.  I have to say that they really do add even more fun and practicality to the Gettin' Knit Together Kit.

For those who have been with me on this new product adventure since it began, you've been terrific cheerleaders and focus group members. I always want your feedback.

I'm just waiting for one last piece (the magnifying rulers) before launching my first marketing effort to attract more retailers.

How about this idea? If you email me the name of the owner of your local yarn shop, with their contact information - I'll pop a tape measure in the mail to you!

email me at Purl@knitandplenty.com

I'm now into labels.

I know you guys just never get tired of tracking the progress of the Gettin' Knit Together Kit.

Now the Kit includes two more new items: three satin woven cloth labels to sew into sweaters and the cutest white and black sheep pencils.  Gee, I hope this thing takes off, or we'll be having lots of blog contests with label and pencil prizes!

Last week on Stephanie Pearl MacPhee's Yarn Harlot website, she gave the kit a generous feature spot - and two thumbs up. With all her books and book tours and raising teens and knitting, she's really quite an amazing person. (and today's her birthday). Her blog gets like 200 comments a day!! 

Ok - so, here's today's challenge - since my ability to be interesting enough to generate  comments is definitely in question,  say hello, and I'll drop some labels in the mail to you. Nothing like a little bribery, right?

A Pouch of a Different Color

I overheard a woman in a yarn store say to her friend, while holding the Gettin Knit Together Kit:  "It's really cute, but I'm just not a pink person."

Now, I was unaware that there were "pink people" in the world, but I certainly didn't want anyone to think that I was purposely discriminating against blue people, purple people, orange or green people - so I now offer the Gettin' Knit Together Kit in assorted colors.
The original fuscia is now called Fire. Blue is Water, Orange is Sun, Green is Earth - and the Purple, well...it's called RAIN.

Uh oh, did you think the beige, yellow or red people are now going to be up in arms??

Arriving at Grand Central

Knitting Central in Westport, CT, featured in the latest issue of Vogue Knitting, is known in these parts for being a real quality shop so it took me awhile to get my nerve up and get my new Gettin Knit Together Kit project just right to go in and show it to Cynthia, KC's owner. Her shop certainly reflects her impeccable taste. 

Well, today was the day I mustered the courage, and I'm just so thrilled to share the news that SHE LOVES IT! (Mikey! She likes it!!) By the end of the day, it was already listed on her website under a section called Cynthia's Finds.
The whole process has been a process (huh?) and the product continues to evolve. I hope the journey is a little interesting for you to follow - and you'll allow me to digress from my normal blathering to share its progress.

Thanks to the feedback of users and focus groups, it now has a new, larger case with a zipper, provides three Measure Minders to track the sizes of others (for those people who (unlike me) actually knit for someone besides themselves) and it includes three gift cards. And thanks to everyone who helped me on Monday, the back of the Pocket Needle Inventory now has a handy reference called Knitting Know-How that provides emergency instructions for increasing, decreasing, making a buttonhole, making a bobble and the dreaded Kitchener stitch. [On that front: Check out my Kitchener "Sheep Tricks" Tip # 6, and a technique I came up with to never forget how to start it.]

I can't tell you how grateful I am (yes, I can - and I am) for the support of this incredible community. Hey, maybe that's why we call ourselves "knitters." {Ok - that's really corny,  but I'm feeling humble and excited. I'm sure there's some reality on its way!)