What's next?

Well friends - I seem to have exhausted all fabric outlets within a 50 mile radius of my house.  I did the unthinkable and ordered fabric online.  This is a huge gamble!  After all, crafters like me need to fondle the goods, not ogle from afar.  Nevertheless, I was thrilled with this new fabric.  Originally purchased for layering sets, I changed course, and the result is this new bonnet.  I love it!

Look for it soon in my Etsy shop (www.clickknits.etsy.com).

Hello again!

Wow - it's amazing the things you'll find when you google yourself. Apparently I made a feeble attempt at blogging, oh say three years ago? My next step should be updating the look of this page, and scouring my brain for something intelligent AND interesting to blog. Things have changed alot since those crazy days in 2010. At that time, my piece of the prop vendoring pie was fairly large, and I was constantly buried under a pile of needles, yarn, and yes, orders. These days it seems everyone and their dear Aunty May has opened a prop shop. As a result, I find myself with time to: read, pay attention to my children (gasp!), and possibly, but not probably, housework. It's a whole different ballgame. And not so bad at times.

Bowl Cocoon in Teal

Rebekah Stanfill sent me her picture using my bowl cocoon in teal, and I just love how she made the color pop on that blankie of hers. Thanks Rebekah!

This cocoon comes in so many different colors and is knitted in a very soft yet durable acrylic yarn that stands up to a good washing.

Loose Knit Cream Mohair Cocoon

Tracy Perry just sent me these two pictures of my standard loose knit mohair cocoon, only she ordered one in almost every color. In that respect she reminds me of my dad! Whenever he found a shirt or shoes that he liked, he bought one in every color. Tracy does that too. A knitter's favorite kind of customer! And look how lovely these babies look in the brown cocoon, and the blue one. Thank you for sharing Tracy!

Well hey!

Two posts in one day! I guess the sky did fall, and you all can just go ahead and start calling me Chicken Little now.

I've been on Etsy, oh say about a year now? And only TODAY did I find that little tab where people post their appreciation pics of all my knits. Hello! So let me see if I can figure out how to get some of them over here, for you all to see. I've been out of an office environment for about three years, and I've lost that part of my brain that controls technology info.



How about that - I think I did it. Look at this lovely image provided by Kelly Sillaste, using my mohair and silk wrap. What a beautiful baby! Thank you Kelly!

Dear God

I don't understand. You are up there, looking down on me, and I think you must be having a good giggle at my expense. I mean, I KNOW you fully understand that I could use at least 15 more hours in my day, and you have it in your power to make that happen, and yet, it must be amusing to see me running around every single day, looking like a chicken that just had its head cut off.

Take this blog for instance. Who starts a blog, and then only posts about once every six months?? Me, that's who! Thanks a lot, o holy one - I am not laughing with you!

Okay enough whining. I'd like to share these lovely pics from my dear customer Meg Poort in Las Vegas. This first is of a cocoon currently in the shop - I love this image. Thanks Meg! The last two are of a custom set I did for her - a beautiful thick/thin merino wool blankie and hat infused with a few pearls. Sweet baby!

My attempt at a vacation

Well, I thought I would share with you all what it's like for an Etsy knitter to attempt two measly days away from the office. On Friday morning we had all the best intentions to leave the house by 11am for a leisurely drive to Key West, me using the term leisurely in the loosest way possible, considering we have to strap down an unwilling 20 month old and somewhat willing four year old for a three hour drive. Instead of packing the night before (NO - knitting all night again!), I was trying to pack an hour before we left, this with two kids hanging on both legs, AND finish up about five orders AND get them packaged AND attempt to sneak out to the post office when they're not looking. Never combine half filled suitcases with sneaking out on young children even for five minutes - it brings up all sorts of abandonment issues and then there's lots of crying.

At about noon we were still nowhere ready and then I suddenly remembered our poor pup Pepper. Who would take care of him? Luckily, and please take me up on this fantastic recommendation - Miami has a service called Cageless Boarding - where your dog gets to spend the weekend with a fanatical animal lover who showers him with treats and walks and love and a soft bed to sleep in - and no kennel. Love it!

I packed a whole suitcase of supplies just for knitting (how many items can one person possibly knit in two days???) and attempted to knit the whole way down to the Keys. But my youngest in the back was having no part of that, and has proven to us that she is an actual descendent of Houdini - managing to wriggle out of the tightest carseat known to man. So I spent the last hour coming up with the most ridiculous ideas ever to keep her distracted and partially restrained.

On our first night I was so thrilled to be out of my house and in a public place where people actually HAVE FUN I had one too many rummy fruity things and that blew a whole night of knitting. Oh no! So the next morning I sent the kids to the pool with their dad and then worked as fast as humanly possible, knowing full well that he can only handle those two adrenaline junkies for about 20 minutes before he makes up some excuse to bring them back to me. As in, "she told me she needs to go poo poo". Hon, the kid poops in diapers - she's wearing one - what's the problem??? But who can resist the look of sheer desperation in a man's eyes - especially when the welfare of your children is at stake? So that's the end of knitting for the morning.

In the afternoon I threw all caution to the wind and allowed the girls to (gasp) watch Spongebob Square Pants while I snuck in some stitches. Happy to report, that square yellow dude is not half as offensive and horrible as I've imagined him all these years.

In the evening we ate all kinds of things we shouldn't have, like too much shrimp, frozen key lime pie on a stick dipped in chocolate, and retired home with belly aches and only a marginal desire to knit. But little people refused to sleep and a wedding party going on outside our hotel room kept everyone awake until late late late, so another night of knitting was blown.

In short, tomorrow I believe I'll be packing up my suitcase of supplies, as I'm pretty sure no knitting will get done in the car as I wrestle same 20 month old for the ride, and I'll be happy to see my comfy couch, pleasantly organized supplies, and hopefully an early kiddy bedtime so I can get back to the grind. Better luck next time!

Golden Brown Bowl Cocoon

This cocoon is such a great standard, and this particular yarn is so soft, stretchy, easy to wash, and comes in a thousand colors. Lord knows, I've got a room full of it to prove my point.

Leslie Ober shared this pic of her take on this cocoon:



Hillary also shared what she came up with when she had two adorable preemies in the studio:

Surprise Me Hats

I think I've knitted about a thousand Surprise Me hats, and I'm like a bad boyfriend - once they're out the door, I forget what they look like! But occasionally a gracious customer will send me a picture, and then I get all teary eyed (not really) - so here are a couple to look at!

Hillary sent me this one:

Organic Cotton Cocoon with Fluffy Brim

Okay, so the one I have posted in Etsy is the blue organic cotton, with white fluffy brim, but Melissa R. custom ordered the macadamia color with cream brim, and shared her photo with me. How snuggly is this???

Dreaming of Christmas

Just today, my four year old said "I wish it was Christmas", and I thought well, I do too. In fact, it's time to start thinking about Christmas knits. Last month I did some traveling and along the way remortgaged the house (don't tell the husband) to pick up these gorgeous yarns.

When I look at these I think:

dreamy

sparkly

ethereal

magical

All the things that Christmas should be. I started thinking about photographs of babies wrapped in something knitted with these yarns, and sent on a Christmas card to all their loved ones scattered around the globe.

Better get busy. Coming soon to Click Knits on Etsy, so stay tuned :-)

Loose Knit Cream Mohair Cocoon

This lovely mohair cocoon just can't go wrong, and Stacy of Set Free Photography has graciously shared the three pics above. Don't you just want to snuggle that baby?

And here is Melissa R.'s photo of the same cocoon - thank you Melissa!

Pink Newborn Blanket Wrap

My first customer appreciation photo! I'm excited to share this lovely photo from Laura Farris Photography of my pink mohair wrap. Isn't this a lovely shot? Thank you Laura!

Here's another from Gina in California - so sweet!

Welcome!

So seriously, here at Click Knits I have NO TIME for such silliness as blogging, since my every waking moment is taken up with knitting knitting knitting. But recently my wonderful and trusty customers have been sharing their photos with me showing both my knits and their photo skills, so I want to share them. Here. With you.

And in the event the world stops revolving, and I actually have an iota of time to blog, I might share some Click Knits news from time to time.

How about now? Both kids are sleeping (whoa, that's a miracle - shouldn't I be too???), and the house is quiet (another earth shattering miracle).

First, I am partnered with the most fantastic photographer, Laura Brett, who does all the pics you see in my Etsy shop. She's a little freaked out right now after finding a four foot snake on her patio. Get this, her trusty hound Sadie was sleeping in the sun, and the snake came slithering over her dog, who never woke up!

Oops, I'm digressing.

Anyway. Laura and I get together from time to time and exchange new knits and ideas. She rushes around like mad and does her photo thing, and I sit around like an expecting dad and tap my foot impatiently and wait for new pictures of my latest knits. Hurry up Laura!

But this week we were talking about Christmas. Christmas??? That's right folks. It's only June, but those Christmas sessions are booking up fast, which means all you photographers out there are going to be needing nice new shiny props. So this would be the space to watch for any news of upcoming new and exciting Christmas Click Knits!