Autumn Re-cap

All the colors of fall, so intense and warm…. Different shapes of leaves, such as; maple, oak, cherry, alder, hazelnut and walnut. Different symbols of the season; pumpkins, gohsts, scarecrows, witches and brooms landed on the fabulous printed fabrics. Knitted items for babies; hats, mittens, scarves, and the all-time favorite….Mary Poppins Hat………. all Sold on ETSY!

Alterations constantly coming and out the door. The prize went to jackets and coats as clients looked towards winter weather. We replaced zippers, zippers and more zippers! Shortened sleeves, patched holes and sewed on decorative patches. Slacks, jeans, shirts, blouses and T-shirts always a part of the routine.

Projects: Reclaimed a quilt made by a clients Grandma, new couch pillows were another must. Pet damaged repairs….some puppies like to chew on couch and duvet covers. Mask making has also been ongoing….

Just in time! Santa came by for an appointment. His red velvet slacks needed a little more elastic in the waist and the legs needed to be tapered in a bit to tuck them in his black boots. It’s fun to be the sewing elves!

On Thanksgiving the sound of the sewing machine, the snip snip of the scissors, the ringing of the phone and cusotmers knockingon the door STOPPED. It was time for oa breat to be thankful and grateful to everyone in the past, present and the future for being part of STITCHKNIT.

Now, let’s step into December! I hear Christmas music! Santa Clause is coming to town!

article by Brenda Sanchez 11.22.20

Complete……….and Shipped

First time I’ve had both pieces done at the same time!! And, for the first time, I have the hat in a child size too. Just waiting for the daisies & cherries! Should have it in my Etsy shop within the week.

Ms. Poppins Set…. in the Works

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Working on the hat & scarf set for a client…. Seems I always have a bit of orange yarn on the needles here at Stitchknit. This scarf is finished, and the hat is just waiting for the embellishments.

Hoping to have enough time this week to get some updated pictures of this combo. (saying this out loud, building in some accountability!)

C2C aka Corner to Corner

This is my latest baby blanket….and my current obsession! I love corner to corner blankets! Especially love the effortless edges & how straight they shape up as you go! Because of the pattern, there is truly no counting every stitch & row. This type of pattern absolutely falls into what I refer to as my ‘stupid crochet/knitting’ ………….the kind of thing I can work on while doing something else!

What’s on your hook/needles these days?

Do you have favorite. go-to patterns you use frequently?

Stitchknit Adapts to New Guidelines

The shop is still open………..and that is about the only thing that is the same these days!

To adhere to our states social distancing guidelines, I have moved to appointment only status for my Everett shop. I opened the shop this way, four years ago, so this feels familiar. So far, clients are usually calling to see if I’m truly open and then choosing appointment times. Instead of being open only 3 days a week……..I’m now taking clients Monday – Saturday.

The upside of this change is, I can take breaks between clients. Seems like a little thing, but it is on the plus side here.

A change that I can’t wait to reverse? Having my helpers return to work! I miss the assistance in the sewing room, as well as the conversations that made the days absolutely fly by! We’re keeping in touch by text or phone, which is great…………but makes me miss them all the more.

So, if you need an appointment……….give me a call or text! I’m still open for business.

Elastic

Who knew the world would suffer an elastic shortage? Even a month ago, I probably would have thought it impossible. However………I’ve used up my personal stash of appropriate elastic and am now experimenting with things a bit outside the box.

Trying to fold 1/2″ elastic to make something smaller that isn’t weird behind ones ears.

I have hundreds of yards of this flowered elastic and love how soft it is. This is my first attempt at folding it and running a small zig zag stitch right down the center. Still very stretchy……..and now narrow enough to slip behind my ears. I’ll make up a sample mask tomorrow and stick in my sample 1/4″ elastic in to see if the whole thing works.

I have elastic ordered from any vendor I’ve used before, but have nothing arriving before the middle of May at the earliest. If this folded elastic works, I have another soft, 1/2″ blue elastic in line for the next experiment.

I am making fabric ties………….but, I’m really not enjoying that method. Fiddling with my elastic seems easier & quicker!

Quarantine….AKA…Knitting Time!

Not many knitters (feel free to substitute crochet or sewing too) that I know, are complaining about having time to knit!  Let alone, be told we should all be staying home!  I have plenty of yarn (loosely defined here at Stitchknit as 2 rooms of yarn) as well as notebooks of patterns I have saved over the decades……so there is not even a slim chance I will run out of things to do!

If my fingers get tired of knitting or crocheting, I can always work in my sewing studio.  The alterations shop is staying open 3 days a week at this point.  My helpers are now all staying home, so it is just me working on orders.  I’m seeing lots of scrubs coming in for hemming…..lots of folks in the medical field are pulling more shifts and therefore are needing additional clothes.  Also working on different types of uniform alterations, as some businesses are seriously hiring at this point.

Grateful that I know how to entertain myself!  (and now no one is going to begrudge my extensive yarn collection!

 

 

Growing Pains

Too busy to keep up with anything these days!   I’m barely managing to keep up with clients orders in my little shop.

A great problem to have, people tell me…..   A successful, growing, home based business.  I love that my little shop is doing well, and grateful for the terrific clients.  BUT……   I can’t figure out how I’m going to manage if the shop continues to grow at this rate.

I did add in a wonderful high school student who comes in one day a week. She has been a true gift, doing most of the prep work for orders.  And, this week, I’ve added a woman who is going to help with the sewing, 1 morning a week.     I’ve also raised prices, stopped doing jobs I don’t like, and have the shop open only 3 days a week.

Trying any creative solutions………………

 

 

 

May Roundup

The month is almost over…….    I did follow through with my proposed changes for StitchKnit……..    And, as experiments go, I’m pretty happy.

I’m enjoying the new hours for the shop.   10-5 Wednesday through Saturday.   Opening an hour later, as well as closing on Tuesdays, is giving me more sewing time.  Blocks of time.   I was finding it hard to figure out, just when was a good time to get a wedding dress out, turn it inside out, and get it into a sewing machine!  Now, Tuesday’s are set aside for the large projects and it has been working well.

Harder for me, was my plan to hold off on taking any orders that had specific deadlines.   Prom season was a tough time to try this idea, however I had plenty of practice weighing whether or not, I could take on another prom dress.   I still can’t come up with a formula to help me decide.   Every week, the jobs are different.  And, I’m still the only one sewing……..and, yes, there are a limited number of hours in the week.

One of the best things to come about, was finding someone to assist in the sewing room.  I have a young lady who is helping out on Saturdays and making me feel much more organized.

Looking forward to June, and yes, looking forward to the last prom dress being finished for the season!

I’ll keep you posted………

One Post Per Year?

OK, that is ridiculous.  How long does an update to my blog take, for heaven’s sake?  Just checked, and my last entry was May of 2017.  Yikes.

Will see if I can up that to……….maybe 3 or 4??  🙂  I have been working full time, in my local shop, so have plenty to chat about, and pictures of work to share.  Not even sure I have an excuse for being absent.

Here’s a look into my corner of the studio.  

This is pretty neat, sometimes I can’t see the tops of my tables!  Have a couple more pieces of furniture coming in May……..hoping to create places for the orders waiting their turn.  Right now, they just pile up during the day, and I spend time after I close, getting everything labeled and stored in piles or on the hanging rack.

The little shop is booming.  New clients every day.  As much of a good thing that is……..I have discovered I can’t keep up with the work.  So, I’m going to try a new schedule, starting May 1st.

New Shop Hours:   10 – 5  Wednesday through Saturday.   I will see clients in the evening, by appointment only.

I’m hoping to use Tuesdays as an “all sewing” day, but not actually have the shop open to clients.  Having a large block of time will be great for some of the bigger, more complicated jobs.

Time to open up the shop & get started on my day!