I Love Bamboo

Bamboo is my favorite yarn fiber because it's:

1. Super soft
2. Natural and sustainable
3. Beautiful and has wonderful drape
4. Durable (if you treat it well)
5. Biodegradable 
6. Naturally antibacterial

Although, as with all things, it has its downsides.

1. The price (at least compared to acrylic)
2. Needs to be hand-washed (gently: it can swell and lose strength in water)
3. Splits a bit (not as much of a problem for crochet hooks as it is for knitting needles)

For me, however, bamboo's softness and natural sustainability wins out over the price and the handle-with-care issues.

Even when I'm making things for kids. Acrylic might hold up better, but I'm dedicated to crafting with natural fibers. Especially when it comes to items I sell in my store.

So, what are my favorite brands?

Bamboo Ewe by Stitch Nation is probably one of the least expensive and easiest to acquire. Its a light worsted weight blend of 55% viscose from bamboo and 45% wool.

Red Heart produces Eco-ways Bamboo Wool, an affordable, worsted weight blend of 55% bamboo and 45% wool.

I also liked Tranquility by the South West Trading Company, but they discontinued the brand, so I can only find it on Etsy.com or at the Stitches trade-shows.

I say check it out next time you're looking for a soft, beautiful yarn for any clothing project.

First Sale: Lessons Learned

Sometimes, most times, the only way to learn is to do. That said, it's great that the first two sales from my Presque Isle Etsy store were made to my mom and my good friend Andi.

Lessons learned:

1. Followup emails are necessary. First I need to put together an email that lets customers know I got their order and will be shipping their purchase soon. Then I need an email that tells them I've shipped their purchase. I got away with not doing it this time because I speak to my mom and my friend Andi every day--they know I got the order and they know exactly when I sent it. 
2. I need a logo. I thought I could get away with not having one... until I wanted to create my hang tags to send with my beanies. Suddenly I realized how bland they were without a logo.
3. PayPal charges a fee for sales. It's a tiny percentage, but it helps to know that when you're trying to figure out what your net profit is going to be.
   
4. Invoices are the easy part. I usually hate Microsoft Word, but their templates are very helpful.
5. A Thank-You-Please-Come-Again postcard would be nice. Something to include in my shipment. Something that says thanks for buying from me. Hope you enjoy your purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about your purchase. Oh, and I do custom orders if you want matching gloves or a scarf to go with your beanie!
6. Stamps.com is essential. It's the easiest way to create and print mailing labels with postage.
7. Packaging is important. Right before I put my first beanie in the envelop made of and stuffed with recycled materials, I realized that if this package was left on a doorstop where it was raining or snowing, the beanie would be soaked right through the package. So I bought some Dupont Tyvek envelops to wrap the beanie in before I put it in the recycled package. Not the most earth-friendly, but I plan on fixing that for my next shipment.
8. I need a scale (or at least set up a chart with approximate weights for my average shipments). I used the scale in the mail room at my day-job to figure out the weight of my first package. Turns out I may not have to charge as much for shipping as I originally thought.

I'm sure I'll be learning a lot more in the months to come. But until I build up inventory, I think I'll probably be more occupied with holiday gifts for my friends and family than sales from my Etsy store.

Presque Isle has launched!

Finally! After months of crocheting, writing, organizing, and picture taking the Presque Isle shop on Etsy.com is open for business.

I'm sure some people expect a ton of responses and loads of orders the moment their store opens, but honestly, I'm happy to have a slow start. I need to work out the kinks before people start ordering things.

The CIRRUS beanie in gray and teal.

My friend Andi ordered a CIRRUS beanie from me and I still need to sew the label in, make the hang tag, and craft my follow up emails. She also requested a pair of gloves to match the beanie, and gave me some great advice on promoting custom orders in my receipts and thank you messages.

I have so much to learn!

For example, I didn't think I'd really need a logo, but as I create the hang tags I realize a logo would be a nice sign-off. So now I'm figuring out if I want to design one on my own or get my designer BF to do it for me :)

Anyway, check out Presque Isle when you have a chance and let me know what you think!