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Always Carry Biz Cards

In Advertising, Blog, Updates on November 10, 2009 by admin Tagged: biz cards, business cards, gorilla advertising, gorilla marketing

There is nothing more annoying than to search through your wallet to find no business cards right in the middle of a great conversation about your hat or necklace that you are wearing. Just this week, I have experienced this three times!

I was at the post office and I had one business card to show the clerk to get my mail so when the customer in line right in front of me commented on my crocheted hat, I had nothhing to give to her – a lost connection!

Then, while waiting for my bf at the hospital, I began speaking with a patient there after she asked what I was doing. What a perfect opportunity to show my business card but!!!! eek….. I had no business card to give as I left them all in the car. What a shame.

Then today, I was at the Tax Collector’s office and the clerk saw my note to visit Modern Mouse (in Alameda, CA) and she asked if I was the owner (I am not but I know the owner). We began talking and she told me she was helping her friend fill out a form to consign his artwork there. So what a perfect person to hand my biz card and again a lost connection.

So, the moral of the story is carry a load of business cards where ever you go as you just never know when you will need them.

So what kind of biz cards should you have and where should you get them? Its all up to you. If you only need a couple and quality is not too important, I suggest purchasing the free cards provided on vistaprint.com . I say purchase because you’ll have to pay shipping and that in its self starts adding up. If you need a 1000 or more I highly suggest gotprint.com as they provide quality cards at a very good price. I purchased 1000 one sided business cards for a total of $25.03 (that includes tax and shipping). The quality was great as well – very thick and sturdy and the colors were brilliant.

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Shipping International

In Blog, Updates on November 9, 2009 by admin Tagged: abroad, endicia, endicia.com, international, online postage service, worldwide

As part of a business decision for an online store, one must decide whether to ship internationally. The great things about opening your client base to everyone is the increased number of potential clients and the ability to virtually meet people across the world. These two reasons are my number one reason why I offer international shipping.

Before deciding to ship internationally, I suggest a number of things to consider:

Cost (both cost of shipping and related expenses such as additional time, potential for lost mail, etc.)
Practicality (if you sell small items, its probably practical to send overseas but if you sell large heavy items, it may just cost more to send than the item itself, which often makes it impractical to sell abroad)

It is really exciting to send a package to a country I have never sent before. In fact, I have had the occasion to send packages to countries I did not know even existed.

I’ve also learned (the hard way) how the different countries process mail. For example, when sending to France (I suggest using this precaution all the time), do not use their company or username as the recipient: instead, if the customer fails to provide their name, send them a message or email requesting their full name. In France at least, there are several places where one address is used by many houses so if the name is not recognized, the mail man will not leave it for the residents, which will result in lost mail!

Another tip I suggest is to use the United States Postal Service (USPS) Shipping Assistant when creating labels to adhere onto the packages. The Shipping Assistant will allow you to create both the address label with sender and receiver as well as the customs form that is necessary to ship internationally. This is great so you do not have to go to the post office and spend the time to write on the customs form.

Before the Shipping Assistant, I often had a difficult time determining what was inside the package so that I could write the description and value of the item on the customs form. Often (or rather every time), by the time I get to the post office, the package is sealed along with the packing slip so I would have to guess on the description and value!

In addition to creating a handy shipping label with customs form, if you know the weight of your package, Shipping Assistant will calculate your postage so all you have to do is stick the proper amount of stamps on the package. So, when you arrive at the post office, all you have to do is cut in line and drop off your packages saving you that long wait at the post office.

If you find yourself with many international sales, I suggest purchasing international shipping postage online. The only service that I have found to provide this for First Class International mail is Endicia.com. (If you sign up, please use promotional code 728488 – get one month free.) For $15 a month, you can use their unlimited service to create your shipping labels with or without postage. I find this a valuable tool for several reasons:

It creates International First Class postage along with the customs form.
It also creates all the other postage you need such as domestic first class, priority mail, and express mail.
It will include the electronic delivery confirmation, just like any other online postage service provider.
It keeps a log of your postage purchases and mail sent so you can easily keep track of who you sent to (I find it very difficult to search for mailing sent on Paypal.com).
You can print directly onto smaller envelopes such as 6″x9″ and smaller. I find this perfect for my mailings as most of my packages are 6″x9″. This saves you on time (cutting and adhering labels) and it saves on paper and tape! I’ve found a significant saving in time, paper, and tape since I started using Endicia.com.

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Frizbee Mars Sock Monkey

In Blog, Inspiration, Updates on November 4, 2009 by admin Tagged: knit, maribel, sock monkey

I love anything yarn related so when I saw this Frizbee Mars Sock Monkey I just had to share it with everyone. I just love the knit hoodie! You can find many more of the Mars Sock Monkeys at Maribel Made Etsy.

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Crafts by Paula

In Blog, Updates on October 23, 2009 by admin Tagged: child accessories, crafts by paula, mei tai carrier

Today, I randomly met Paula of Crafts by Paula at Starbucks. I was working on business affairs on my computer when Paula sat besides me and asked about my crocheted hats. We began talking when I found out that she too is a crafter as well.

Paula is a seamstress and does all kinds of work but her website features Mei Tai carriers and infant sleep sacks. On her website, she includes a video of how to tie a Mei Tai carrier.

I am glad to have met Paula and hope to see more of her crafts in the future.

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Knitting Needle Rolls

In Blog, Updates on October 22, 2009 by admin Tagged: brush roll, crayon roll, d rings, dee rings, knitting needles, organizer, rolls

Well, these can actually be used for make-up brushes, crayons, etc. but I am a crocheter so my intention is to use it for hooks. The best part is that it closes with d rings, which is hard to come by. Bows are nice and cute but not practical for me.

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Grammy’s Rosy Cloche Pattern

In Blog, Crochet, free pattern on October 11, 2009 by admin Tagged: beanie, cloche, Crochet, free, hat, pattern

Grammy’s Rosy Cloche was inspired by my Japanese Grandma’s (obaasama) rosy pink yarn. It was originally part of a project gone unfinished in the basement for a knitted double layered and reversible skirt. While ripping out the unfinished project, I came up with this pattern.

Like all my patterns, I like to make it easily alterable to any size and I try to make swatching a minimum (no swatching needed but those that insist, swatch as you go).

If you like this pattern, why not – send me a picture of your finished cloche, create a link to my blog, or make a donation to support the puppies in need?

A pdf version of this pattern will be available shortly.

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COPYRIGHT and LIMITED LICENSE

This pattern is protected to the maximum extent provided by the United States and international copyright laws except as licensed below:

You may print this work for personal use only as long as the print contains this copyright and limited license section.
Patterns derived from this work may be distributed by the derivative author with the same or more expansive limited license provided here as long as the derived pattern acknowledges its derivation of this pattern by including the words “derived from Grammy’s Rosy Cloche pattern available at http://tantalizingstitches.com/blog/grammys-rosy-cloche-pattern/”.
Articles made by this pattern or articles made by a pattern derived from this pattern may not be sold in any way. The crafter is free to gift the finished items or donate them to charity. If you would like to sell them, please contact me.
You may display your articles as you please and do not hesitate to post pictures of your marvelous work!
Linking to this page is highly encouraged! Please refer your friends to this pattern with a link.

If you have any questions about this limited license, please contact me by email at el@tantalizingstitches.com. Otherwise please enjoy!

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OVERVIEW

The cloche is made in the round from the top down. It begins with six stitches. Each round increases by six stitches until the diameter (not circumference – lay cloche flat and measure) of the cloche measures at least 6.5 inches. (Round 6 was where my cloche reached just over 6.5 inches). Towards the end, stitches are decreased (Round 11). The decreasing section should be tailored to fit the circumference of the receiver’s head. At this point, multiple rows of decreases can be made, depending on how large you would like the cloche to be. In addition, if you would like the cloche longer, add more rows between the decrease rounds and the single crochet round. Add a flower of your choice.

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MATERIALS (choose anything but for reference this is what I used)

f sized crochet hook
2 colors of yarn – fingering weight acrylic or acrylic/wool blend yarn (I don’t really know what it is because it was in Obaasama’s yarn stash!)

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NOTES

After each round, do not turn.
Each bobble is always followed by a chain stitch.
Each bobble is stitched into a chain 1 space.
Unless stated otherwise, chain at beginning of row is not considered a stitch.

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STITCH GUIDE

Slip Stitch (ss)

Single Crochet (sc)

Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc)
yarn over, insert hook around post from front to back, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through two loops. See Stitch Diva for a step by step explanation.

ric-rac
NOTE: I learned this technique from Josi Hannon Madera’s Perfect Pencil Skirt pattern.
1 ch, 1 ss in next stitch

The First Stitch (1stBobble): 5 double crochet bobble stitch followed by one slip stitch
Chain 3, yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, (insert hook in same stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through two loops) x 3, yarn over, pull through five loops, chain 1. See NexStitch for a video tutorial.

The Stitch (Bobble): 5 double crochet bobble stitch followed by one slip stitch
yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, (insert hook in same stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through two loops) x 4, yarn over, pull through six loops, chain 1.

Decrease (Bobble Dec): 5 double crochet bobble stitch connected with another 5 double crochet bobble stitch
Note: Same as bobble above except do not pull through all six loops at the end and do not chain 1. Instead, with six loops on hook, insert hook in next chain 1 space and begin another bobble. Then, pull through 11 loops, chain 1.

yarn over, (insert hook in next stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through two loops, yarn over, (insert hook in same stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, pull through two loops) x 4, yarn over) x 2, pull through 11 loops, chain 1.

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INSTRUCTIONS

Begin with a magic adjustable ring.
Round 1: In ring — 1stBobble, 5 Bobble in ring. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stBobble. Do not turn (see note above). [6]

Round 2: (in each chain 1 space of previous row – see note above) 1stBobble, Bobble in same stitch, (Bobble, Bobble in same stitch) x 5. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stDCBS. [12]

Round 3: 1stBobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble (Bobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble) x 5. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stBobble. [18]

Round 4: 1stBobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble (Bobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble) x 5. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stBobble. [24]

Round 5: 1stBobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble (Bobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble) x 5. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stBobble. [30]

Round 6: 1stBobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble (Bobble, Bobble in same stitch, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble) x 5. Slip stitch to third chain of 1stBobble. [36]

[NOTE: add more rounds and increase six stitches per round until you reach just over 6.5 inches in diameter; if it is over 6.5 inches in diameter, skip some of the increasing rounds.]

Round 7-10: one Bobble in each chain 1 space. Slip stitch to third chain of 1st Bobble. [36]

Round 11: (Bobble dec, Bobble, Bobble, Bobble) x 7, Bobble. Slip stitch to third chain of 1st Bobble. [29]

[NOTE: add more decreasing rounds if the cloche is too large.]

Round 12: one Bobble in each chain 1 space. Slip stitch to third chain of 1st Bobble. [29]

[NOTE: add more rounds of Round 12 if you would like the cloche longer.]

Round 13: chain 1, sc into each bobble and each chain 1 space. [58]

Round 14: CHANGE COLOR – see Stitch Diva for technique. 1 fpdc into each sc. [58]

Round 15: ric-rac: chain 1, slip stitch into joining stitch, (chain 1, slip stitch into next stitch) x 57, Slip stitch to first chain. [58]

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Art of Crochet

In Blog, Crochet on October 11, 2009 by admin

Tantalizing Stitches The art of crochet is a fiber art that emphasizes color, texture, and shape.

While the word crochet may immediately conjure up an image of your grandma rocking on her chair as she pulls yarn from her basket, that is only the beginning of the realm of crochet. Crochet is both an art and a craft that simply requires a hook (not to be confused with knitting, which uses two long pointed needles) and a string type medium most people call yarn. Anything beyond this is left to the designer to imagine.

For example, the Purple Heart Collection as depicted in the picture to the right was inspired and centered around my grandma’s vintage purple yarn. I soaked the color into my imagination while visualing how the coarseness of the yarn would work with other yarn types. What stitches should I use? What other colors would blend well? Finally, I decided I wanted a feminine baby item with a light and fluffy skirt that would wear well with any messy baby.

So, where does the design process begin in crochet? It is a continuous thought – there is no step by step pragmatic approach with a definite beginning and end. However, let’s start with the materials.

Just choosing a hook is a process. The material, size, and quality of the hook affects the outcome of the crochet. The hook may be made out of plastic, wood, metal, or even appendages (some people crochet with their fingers). Many people prefer the texture and weight of wood, such as bamboo and redwood, when crocheting. Those who indulge in the aura of the hook often spend hours just choosing specially carved hooks embellished with gems, etchings, and other fascinating decor. The hook itself may inspire a certain type of project and that same hook may inspire different crochet artists to design completely different works.

Then there is the size, the thickness, and the length of the hook. The thickness or the size of the hook chosen for each project depends on: the material the hook is made out of (for example, smoothness affects the size of the resulting loops); the type of design desired (an airy, dense, or lacy look would all require different sizes); the artists individual technique (a loose crocheting artist would use a smaller hook); and finally, the type of yarn used. Of course, the type of yarn used depends on the design, texture, and suppleness desired. However, because the texture and suppleness is affected by the hook size used and the crochet stitch used, the artist often creates several samples or swatches using various hooks, stitches, and yarn.

How about the yarn? Yarn can be synthetic (acrylic or nylon) or natural (wool, alpaca, soy, corn, yak). It can be a single color or variegated. Different yarns can be combined to create different effects. Some artists cut cloth into strips, use ribbon, or even use grocery bags. Anything that can be knotted can be used as yarn.

When choosing yarn, the artist must consider the purpose of the item being used. First, the practical considerations: Does it need to be machine washable (acrylic does well in the washer)? Will it get wet? Will the yarn felt? The artist must also consider the durability of the yarn. Will the color hold?

How about the artistic considerations? The softness and tactile nature of the fiber; the thickness of the yarn; and the size of the resulting stitch. All these things must be considered while designing the project, whether it be a hat, an amigurumi, a blanket, or a sweater.

So, as you browse through any crochet piece, consider the imagination and work that went into its creation. Soak yourself in every stitch and fiber and indulge yourself in tantalizing crochet.

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About the Blog

In Blog on October 11, 2009 by admin

Welcome to my blog. My name is El and I am the founder, designer, and administrator of Tantalizing Stitches – I do everything here, even website design. My favorite past time is indulging in the art of crochet. However, since I have started to line my crocheted handbags with fabric, I have began to dabble in sewing and have contemplated embroidering.

In this blog, I hope to post my progress through various projects as well as crafting tips and selling tips that I have found useful.

View my recent posts.

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