Belle & Carter decided this year that they wanted a joint party and for it to be a superhero themed party. Belle wanted to be Wonder Woman and Carter wanted to be Batman.
The majority of decorations were handmade – I really let my creative side out for this party. This theme inspired me a lot (and was just what I needed after completing the first semester of my post-grad). I instantly started designing what I would knit – logos, superheroes, baskets, and name banners.
I was also inspired to get crafty and make some other decorations.
A little while ago, when I was buying wool for another project, I came across the shade Candy and just had to buy it. I had no idea yet what I would use it for but I just could not pass on the colour.
At first, I was inspired to make a basket, which I knit up in no time at all.
Some time passed. I was looking online for inspiration and came across the Sunbeam Short Sleeve Sweater from Paintbox Yarns. As soon as I saw it, I knew exactly what I was going create with the Candy yarn, even though the pattern is done with four different colours. Maybe one day I will try it with all four.
I studied the pattern and knew it would be a challenge for me as I have never made a top with sleeves before. I was excited for this challenge. I wanted to push myself more (even if I do not intend to sell it). Clothes will definitely be by request. They take time and can be quite tedious but absolutely beautiful when finished.
The pattern required two different sized knitting needles and as I only had one of the sizes, I made an adjustment and used two similar sizes to the pattern with the same difference between the two.
I was only a few lines into the pattern when I noticed mistakes. I was a little disappointed by this but, at the same time, happy because it really gave me the opportunity to make it my own but with a guideline.
It took some time to make. I had to take breaks away from it and work on other projects. I also ran out of wool so I had to wait for that to arrive. There were also times where I considered giving up. It felt as though I was never going to get it done. I kept going though and I am so glad that I did. I did make a couple of mistakes but I am so happy with what I achieved and I love my Candy Crop Top.
A small business owner I follow on Instagram recently posed the question of how do you find a balance between work/passion and home? And it certainly gave me food for thought. Especially when work and home are very much in the same place these days.
In some aspects, I have a fairly good balance between the two, but I do neglect parts of my work/craft life.
I have three kids – 4, 2, and 1. So, as you can imagine, I already have my hands fairly full. We have a fairly good balance, in which, we enjoy time together throughout the day and they also enjoy having time to play with each other. During this time, I have a chance to get housework done or knit (not that I always get this opportunity – kids seem to know when you want to do something and need some peace to do it) There is never a dull moment here!
The main time for my work/craft is at night when my kids are in bed (and even that has some challenges – like when they think bed time means party time) Some nights I can dedicate to posting online. Some nights I can dedicate to knitting. And some, very rare nights, I can have a night to do nothing at all and just chill (self-care is extremely important to me – it is a reminder to breathe and recharge) There are also some nights where I do class prep for the next day. I have a part of the day allocated to “school”, which my kids love. I am preparing them for going to primary school.
Some times my online presence might be neglected, or so it appears that way. I will admit that there are times when I simply do not want to post anything but that does not mean I have not been doing anything. I spend the majority of my nights knitting/creating and working on starting up my business.
Currently, I am working on a few different projects. I am knitting pieces for Easter which I will use for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt. My mom’s birthday is the same day as Easter this year so I am working on a special card and gift for her. I am also fulfilling a couple of orders, as well as finalising my main product range.
Just like with anything in life, it is important to find a balance. But what is more important is that you find the perfect balance for you. You have to remember why you are doing it and what you are hoping to achieve. Be realistic and stay true to yourself. We can all have great aspirations but life is unpredictable and sometimes we cannot meet these. You have to be able to forgive yourself and keep pushing forward.
I know that when I started on this journey, I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve but I got swept up with social media and I lost myself. I felt the pressure of always having to have something up. From seeing other profiles that always had a new post every day and constantly had stories on their accounts to reading articles that stated these are things you had to do. I started to lose the joy I had for it. I had to take a step back and have a good heart to heart with myself. I continued to create (I could never lose my passion for that) but I limited my online pressence.
It is important to have an online pressence and I am working on what is best for me. Posting when I feel completely satisfied and it is right for me. I am setting up a buiness of knitted pieces that are handmade with love. I take my time and pour my heart and soul into each item I make. I love what I do and I want my social media to reflect that.
I was recently asked to work on a special project and I jumped at the opportunity to allow my creative juices to flow.
I suggested three themes and created three rough visuals of each. From there, one was chosen and I was instantly inspired.
I got my notebook and pen (these are a must for me!) and I started planning. I created my to-do list, researched, and generated ideas.
Once I had that complete, the knitting side of me sparked up and I started designing wonderful pieces that fit the theme perfectly.
It might take one or two trial and error moments but I love the confidence I have in being able to knit pieces that people may not generally think to knit. I am proud of being able to design and create my own pieces. And it is so important to take pride in yourself. We have to embrace these moments. Self-love really goes a long way.
I cannot wait to create more and put this whole project together. I am also looking forward to sharing it with you all. But for now, it is a secret 🤫😉💖
Did you know that I handmake cards for any occasion?
As I am a knitter, I incorperate it into my card making.
I love coming up with ideas for these special cards. Cards are so personal and I have always loved making my own cards. I am so happy that I can incorporate knitting into card making.
Pricing starts at €3 and varies depending on size and amount of work involved.
I have currently created cards for birthdays, Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s. I will be starting to work on Mother’s Day and Easter cards soon.
It was my partner’s birthday last Friday and I had this one particular gift idea in my head. I wanted to include, and support, a local business with a knitted item from me.
I decided to knit a wash cloth and a small face/hand towel. In sticking with the theme of my gift, I wanted to get handmade soap. My partner’s skin is quite sensitive and we struggled to find a product that would help.
I came across Suds Johnson on Instagram and after looking at their profile and website I knew I would buy from them. The trouble was, what would I buy. Their products look and sound amazing.
I decided to purchase the soap gift set, which consists of two soap bars and either a travel tin or a third soap bar. I went for the option of three soap bars and then faced the dilemma of which three to pick. After reading about each of the soaps, I picked Nights Wash (Tea Tree & Charcoal), Sleepy Surfer (Lavender), and Lucky Langer (Lemongrass).
From the moment the package arrived, I could instantly get this beautiful aroma coming from the package. I was really excited to open it and it honestly exceeded my expectations. The aromas intensified as I opened the box to reveal the contents. I was blown away. Not only was there the three soap bars I ordered but also a sample bar, product list, and a handwritten note. I was speechless.
When I gave my partner his gift, he was extremely happy. He loved that I knitted him a Batman wash cloth and a Liverpool face/hand towel. He also loved the soaps. He was impressed with how they looked and smelt. Even our kids were happy and kept wanting to smell them.
So far we have only used the Sleepy Surfer and it has been truly amazing. My whole body felt instantly relaxed and my partner said he felt the same. Our skin was super soft after and still smelling of lavender.
My partner is very happy with how much better his skin is and he’s looking forward to trying the others.
I highly recommend Suds Johnson – excellent value, excellent service, and excellent products – and I will definitely continue to support this business.
My heart was not in it since I changed to Crafts. Emma’s Fine Designs is what I have dreamed of and I never should have changed it just because I could not have it for my Etsy shop.
I had felt that because my Etsy shop was one name that I had to change everything else.
I am very much in the R&D part of my business and I am currently working on my business plan. The only name I could put on it was Emma’s Fine Designs. I had left it to one side as I could not bring myself to change it to crafts.
So yeah, this is my dream and in pursuing it, I am staying true to it and myself. I have learned so much on this journey already and this was just another lesson to learn and grow from.
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey. It means so much to me. Also, thank you for your patience while I continue to grow and develop my small business.
I think the hardest part of handmade items is putting a price on them. I know I struggle with it.
I have been hearing a lot about people complaining about the prices of handmade items and it is upsetting. There are numerous reasons as to why we do what we do. I say reasons, and not reason, because I strongly believe that none of us started this just for one reason.
The minimum wage here in Ireland is €10.10. A person in paid employment knows that they will get money. It is not the same for us. We earn our money through selling our handmade items.
So I have decided to write about this to help people understand. There are people who just see a finished item and a price. They do not think about the work behind it. Some people compare and say they can get a similar item for cheaper in a store. No problem, go buy it there. Nobody is forcing you to buy from us. Some people simply do not care.
As much as we try to not let the negativity affect us, it still hurts. Just like any of you, we are trying to pursue a dream and live.
What goes into making a handmade product?
Supplies – the materials we use to handmake our items
Time – we pour everything into creating each piece and depending on the item and the work involved, each piece takes a different amount of time to handmake
Postage & Packaging – we have to consider how we will package our items and how much it costs; we also have to consider the weight and destination for shipment
Prices will vary depending on the item, the materials used, the time taken, and the weight and location for postage.
We are not machines. It is not a case of pressing a button and out comes your beautiful product. We are people, just like you. So please remember that next time you see our work.
Also remember that there are other ways in which to support us (and it doesn’t cost a thing):
This support means so much to us
It lifts us up and motivates us to keep going. We want to bring joy to all of you, especially in these uncertain times.
In a time where we are so easily connected, no matter the distance and differences, we should be supporting each other and raising each other up.
