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January 26, 2007
Sale update
OK - we're all done with fixing the stock numbers on the sale page. Now if anything says sold out that's because it really is not just because the software and I fell out over how much was in stock of each item. Sorry for the confusion, these things are supposed to make life easier - aren't they?
Posted by Kerrie at 04:05 PM | Comments (3)
Lots of bits
Lots of little bits for you today, that's the way my mind is working at the moment!
Firstly, the sale pages will be updated later on today, (check back at around 3pm UK time) with lots of goodies and treats. No sooner had we decided to discontinue our range of banana yarn than we found another 10 kilos of it hiding away so there are lots of lovely colours of that going in the sale pile at very reasonable prices. We'll also be adding more stuff to the sale pages next week.
We have also got 20 out of our 30 standard colours of aran weight silk available in stock right now. That's pretty exciting, don't you think?
We have just 2 spaces left on our Project Spectrum club and we'll be closing the entries as soon as they sell or on Monday morning at the latest. The yarn is all dyed and ready to be posted out next Thursday, it looks gorgeous..
Some changes to our workshop opening times on this page, note that we're no longer going to hold open days. It is always nice to see people though so if you want to pop in any time just email me and we'll work out the details. I had visits from 3 people this week which made a lovely change to the day - it can sometimes get a little lonely dyeing and skeining yarn on your own all day.
Now if you're not already subscribed to our newsletter you should be. Next Wednesday we will be sending out an email to our newsletter list with a coupon code valid for 10% off any purchases made on Thursday - 1st Feb. The code will expire at midnight on Thursday and will ONLY be sent to Newsletter subscribers.
Posted by Kerrie at 11:57 AM | Comments (4)
January 21, 2007
Self Striping sock yarn
A lot of people have emailed me and asked me why the self striping sock yarn is more expensive than the standard sock yarn. The answer to that one is nice and easy to explain, it is all to do with the amount of work that goes into making the yarn.
The undyed sock yarn (wool / nylon) arrives at the shop in 100g skeins. All I need to do is to soak it, mix up the dyes, apply the dyes, cook it, rinse it, dry it, reskein it (maybe), photograph it, label it and post it out when it arrives. (although now that I've written all of that it sounds like an awful lot doesn't it?!)
The undyed BFL sock yarn arrives at the shop in big 2 kilo cones. In order to make the yarn self stripe it has to be wound into BIG cones. Seriously large cones. I like to make them so that they measure 32 foot all the way around - or almost 13 metres. That tends to involve 2 pegs on the slatwall in the shop and me walking backwards and forwards around 30 times to get the right yardage for one skein.
Then I mark out where I want the colour changes to be by tying little pieces of different coloured yarn around the HUGE skein. Then over to the dyepot where each section is dyed a different colour, cooked, rinsed, dried and wound into a more manageable sized skein.
I'm dyeing 4 kilos of self striping tomorrow so I'll try and take some pics then to show you. In the meantime, here are a few links to pics from other bloggers.
Posted by Kerrie at 04:45 PM | Comments (4)
January 18, 2007
New Hat design
Here is another new 1 skein hat, this one was made with 1 50g skein (£9) of the silk / cashmere yarn. You could also use 1 50g skein of the 100% cashmere yarn if you like.
This was designed and knitted in just 1.5 hours in front of a DVD last night, it is a 4 row stitch pattern with just one row containing eyelets, the others are just rib. This makes for a nice and easy pattern to remember, perfect for advanced beginners or someone who wants a nice and quick knit.
Shown in the colour seaweed, here is a close up of the stitch pattern.
Posted by Kerrie at 04:47 PM | Comments (2)
January 17, 2007
New Hat pattern
I will get this on the site later on this evening but here we have a free hat pattern which uses just 1 skein of our handspun camel yarn (£8) , with some left over to make a pompom if you like!
Nice and easy and quick to knit this is a lovely little hat. Brooke has claimed it as hers but asked for one to be knitted in a more girl like colour. Sigh. Maybe I'll just try to redye this one instead!
Posted by Kerrie at 03:15 PM | Comments (1)
January 16, 2007
Temptation
I've been adding lots of patterns and kits to the site this morning.
How do you feel about making one of Stef's gorgeous Orangina lace tops in fingering weight cashmere for just £30? Or one of her One Skein Wonders in Silk for £10 including pattern and yarn?
Maybe you'd prefer to make Icarus out of our laceweight cashmere (pattern and yarn for just £23) or Seraphim from fingering weight cashmere?
Or maybe you are in the mood for beads? We have over 30 Earth Faire Beaded Bracelet kits on the site in some gorgeous colours. The pot luck option gives you a £1 saving if you don't mind what colours you get - they are all gorgeous.
The choices are almost endless and its such fun to browse..
Posted by Kerrie at 10:47 AM | Comments (1)
January 15, 2007
Problems ordering
Is anyone having problems ordering with the shopping cart software? I have had lots of orders through today but have also had 3 emails from people saying that when they have put in their shipping details and try to confirm it keeps looping them back to the same page. I tried with one of my fake accounts and it took me back to the same page the first time and then worked fine the next 4 times (I have now joined the Project Spectrum club 4 times!! Don't worry, I went back and added 4 extra spaces)
If you are having problems can you please leave a comment or email me. If you want to reserve a space on the club I can do that for you and invoice you through Paypal or sort something out. Don't worry.
Posted by Kerrie at 07:47 PM | Comments (5)
To Do this week
I love making lists and thought that I'd share the HipKnits To Do list for this week with you.
- Ship all orders * DONE
- Dye 4 wholesale orders
- Get the Schaeffer yarns on the site
- Dye Custom Orders DONE
- Get the Earth Fairies Bead Bracelets on the site (20 new colours just arrived) DONE
- Get the rest of the sale yarn on the site
- Sort out Project Spectrum page, send out notification and dye yarn * DONE
- Get HipKnits club information on the site * DONE
- Miriam Felton patterns and kits - photo and on site * DONE
- Glampyre patterns and kits - photo and on site *
- Get rest of patterns on the site *
- Wind custom orders into skeins
- Finish photographing yarn DONE
Should keep me busy for a while don't you think? The ones with * next to them are on the list for today and the rest of them as and when I can. A lot of customers have asked for their yarn to be wound into balls which is great, the laceweight cashmere ones will take a while though so they probably won't all be done until mid week.
Posted by Kerrie at 08:39 AM | Comments (6)
January 13, 2007
Project Spectrum
I know that I have mentioned already that I will not be running the clubs this year. (apart from the HipKnits membership club which will continue, I just need to get the page up.) Having the extra time and energy to dedicate to other areas of the business is going to be great and is allowing me to do lots of things, the first one being this :
February / March
Blue, White, Gray
April / May
Green, Yellow, Pink
June / July
Red, Black, Metallics
August / September
Brown, Orange, Purple
So, our first little fun venture of 2007 is going to be a Project Spectrum club. Spaces are limited to 30 people only and yarn will be shipped on the 1st of February, April, June and August. I'm thinking of cashmere sock yarn each month so that we can all have project spectrum inspired socks. What do you think?
The cost for 4 skeins of cashmere sock yarn should be £72. The club will instead run at the lovely reduced price of £50. That is a significant saving and you'll recive some lovely one of a kind colours. The yarn will be posted free of charge, first class or airmail.
I'll be adding a page to the site for this early next week so watch out for it if you're interested in joining. I'll also be sending out an email to the newsletter group at the same time so drop me an email if you'd like to be added. This is pretty exciting, isn't it?
Posted by Kerrie at 08:51 AM | Comments (3)
January 12, 2007
Knitting Clubs
I just had an email conversation with Samantha which reminded me of a plan that I had last year but just never managed to put into practice. If you run a knitting club anywhere in the world, drop me an email with your contact name and address and the approximate number of people you have attending and I'll send you a free HipKnits goodie pack. It will contain yarn, patterns and maybe even some magazines. I'm really excited to have the time to do this, its been something that has been on my mind for a long while.
Posted by Kerrie at 12:35 PM | Comments (5)
Paypal currency
Whoops, thanks for pointing out that the shop was charging you all in USD rather than GBP - good catch Bronte! I have now changed it so that it is correct and during the course of today will refund the payments that came in dollars throughout last night and send you an invoice in GBP instead.
I'm pleased to say that this seems to be the only teething trouble we've had so far - I can't tell you how happy that makes me!
Posted by Kerrie at 07:26 AM | Comments (1)
January 11, 2007
New Shop
Well, it has taken me long enough but the new HipKnits shop site is prety much there.
http://www.hipknits.co.uk/shop.php
There are still a number of images missing from the sale page and we have TONNES more yarn and patterns to get on there over the next couple of days but I just can't wait any longer to show you the new look and some of our new yarns and colours.
We'd love to hear what you think, Happy Shopping!!
Posted by Kerrie at 08:22 PM | Comments (7)
January 09, 2007
Good things come to those who wait
And right now you guys are being so patient with me, I really really appreciate it. The new site is so close to being ready, I'm fighting the temptation to just run out and show you all but I'm being sensible and bug checking as much as I can. There is still a little problem with some of the pictures (and really, that's the most important part of the whole site don't you think?!) but that will be resolved today.
I'm not promising anything but tomorrow or Thursday both look good for the new site to go live. If that doesn't happen for any reason then I have another lovely sale page all ready to go which should keep you going for a little while.
When the site does go live you'll see all this and lots more :
New colours
New yarns
Free patterns with every purchase
Free first class / surface mail postage
We'll for us to wind your yarn into balls at no extra cost!
New competition
10% off day once a month
Regular sale pages
Workshop open day once a month
I can show you a sneak peak at some of our new variegated colours that we'll have on sale though if you're interested?
Posted by Kerrie at 11:56 AM | Comments (6)