tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272347492024-03-14T06:42:16.163-04:00It's All About Wool2Dye4Read information and background details about Wool2Dye4. Isn't it nice to know just a little more about the yarns and how some business decisions are reached, how an Internet business is growing, reacting to market trends, learning from feedback? On topic, it's all about Wool2Dye4.
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_____________________________________________Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.comBlogger309125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-25987394430435418292013-07-16T06:49:00.000-04:002013-07-16T06:49:05.414-04:00Call for Estimates for 4th Quarter is now closed<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our huge thanks to all who participated in this Call for Estimates for the 4th quarter of 2013. The response was the best it has been to date, meaning that we will be more accurate in our order, and have more control over the inventory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our purpose in calling for estimates from our wholesale customers is to get an approximate count of what is needed, and then we add on what we think general website customers might buy. It's a process of looking at average sales of each yarn per month, at the change in those numbers for the past two quarters. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Since we are starting to study and apply the guidelines of Search Engine Optimization, we need to consider the number of new customers will come to us from new and unexpected sources.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our mill has asked us to do our very best to whittle down our stream of orders so that they can predict what we will need and have the raw materials on hand well in advance of need. They work with us so very nicely, and have helped us out with emergency shortages since we started this quarterly order system. So, it is not written in stone, and they absolutely understand that we get sudden orders when there are clubs, just before festival season, or when someone's yarn goes viral on the internet. These are happy instances of having to catch up, and we try to work with everyone's schedules.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We do know that it is hard for our customers to plan so far in advance, and are really happy with the work they are putting into getting us their estimates. I just want to state again, to be clear, that the estimates are only that. They are not commitments to buy, but a guideline for our spinning schedules with the mill's schedules. We do hope our customers would let us know if they've changed their minds about any large estimates, or life's circumstances require them to back away from their estimate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">By the same token, it needs to be restated that at our end, we do not hold aside the estimated amounts for each individual, but add them to our estimate of website sales so that everyone will be covered. An estimate is not a reserve or private order. This is why is it so important that larger needs are included with the estimates, rather than stripping the website of inventory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are planning ahead and want our customers to help us in the effort. Our thanks to everyone who has participated in the Calls for Estimates so far. It is working.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-88947198358346011292013-06-28T10:52:00.003-04:002013-06-28T11:03:28.350-04:00Merino Sock Yarns and Butterfly Select Lace yarn arriving next week<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Good news! Yet another emergency stock order is arriving next week. Watch for the newsletter announcement, my signal that the shipment is arriving within a day's time. Once you receive the newsletter * then you will know that I have posted the incoming inventory on the website, and you are free to purchase at that time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here's what we will see added to inventory next week ...</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong> ... <em>lots</em> of skeins! and cones, too</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Butterfly Select</strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Gold</strong> ... not a lot, but enough to last until late Aug/early Sept shipment</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Soft Single Sock</strong></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>* Newsletter</em>: if you are not yet receiving our newsletter and would like to follow the news of incoming shipments and new yarns, send me an eMail with a request to be added to the newsletter eMailing list. Send it to: <a href="mailto:Yarnie@wool2dye4.com">Yarnie@wool2dye4.com</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sheila / Wool2Dye4</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-75419146246945003422013-06-26T14:47:00.002-04:002013-06-26T14:47:15.739-04:00Merino arrival for 3rd quarter: due mid-August 2013<h2 id="3rd_quarter_stock_arrival_around_aug_20_2013">
3rd Quarter Stock arrival… around Aug 20, 2013</h2>
There has been a slight shift in the arrival date of the third quarter inventory, due to a shortage of superwash merino this summer. This is a temporary thing, and it occurred three years ago, as well. At that time, I referred to it as our <em>‘superwash diet.’</em> There is nothing we could have done to prepare for this situation, and so we must ask you to adjust your scheduling to accommodate the arrival date of these yarns. Third Quarter’s inventory order contains these yarns:<br />
<strong>Butterfly Select</strong> <br /><strong>Crazy Eight</strong>, cones and skeins <br /><strong>W2D4 Merino Bulky-SW</strong> <br /><strong>Merino Traditional Aran,</strong> skeins and cones <br /><strong>Platinum Sock</strong>, skeins and cones <br /><strong>Sheila’s Gold,</strong> skeins and cones <br /><strong>Sheila’s Sock,</strong> skeins and cones <br /><strong>Silk DK 50/50</strong>, skeins and cones <br /><strong>Single Sock HT</strong> <br /><strong>Soft Single Sock</strong> <br /><strong>Sheila’s Sparkle</strong> <br /><strong>Ultra Merino 3Ply</strong>, skeins and cones <br /><strong>Ultra Select</strong> <br /><strong>Silk Sock 50/50</strong> <br /><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted</strong>, skeins and cones <br /><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong>, skeins and cones <br /><strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong>, skeins and cones<br />
Two yarns to arrive before that date are <strong>Diamond Select</strong> and the new <strong>Silky Single</strong> sock. (expected around July 14th)<br />
Just after arrival of 3rd quarter stock, we will receive a boost in three popular yarns to hold us through fall demand. these three yarns are <strong>Platinum Sock, W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong> and <strong>Sheila’s Gold</strong>.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-79127378512437593462013-06-25T11:50:00.003-04:002013-06-28T10:57:18.319-04:00Rule #1, Doing Business in the Sock Yarn World: Be Nice Like Your Mama Taught You<h4>
<em>Just Do Business</em></h4>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have a fairly large customer base, and deal with everyone through eMail. In every communication, I try to remember a few basics about communicating through the written word, and I thought I would share a few of them today:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>1. Be professional:</strong> Give good answers to information requested, and in a factual way which sets out the details of the project/yarn/pattern/order, etc. in a clear and easily understood manner.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>2. Do not use humor in business communications:</strong> Humor is so easily mis-understood that we stand a chance of insulting someone rather than amusing them. Too, one's style of humor sends subliminal messages ... I am cool, I am young and cool, I am old and trying to be cool ... You never know the tolerance quotient of your reader, so stay away from humor.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>3. Write in plain, grammatically correct language:</strong> Drop the cheering 'Yaaay's!' and use of too many exclamation points. I need to watch the exclamation points myself! Give information, talk about your product's attributes, get the message across. Please drop the Instant Message abbreviations. They are childish and send the message that you are either addicted to adolescent code, or you do not care enough to write out your thoughts in real words. Remember that you are writing business information and it will affect sales.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>4. Don't hide behind the anonymity of the internet to reply to insults:</strong> It's just not nice, and will not endear you as either a customer or a seller to anyone's heart. Do you need to tell someone off in a business letter, exaggerate a situation with metaphors that are unsavory or cutting? The answer is 'no.' There is no excuse for writing hurtful letters in a business situation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, how do we handle replies to eMail that we receive which really should have been slept on and then deleted? The answer is to just do business. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yes, conduct business in a professional manner without telling the recipient they are wrong, or they are childish, or bad, or insincere. If you have to apologize for a misunderstanding, do it. There is nothing wrong and it is actually a great attention getter to say something like 'I am sorry that I did not understand your question.' It gives the recipient a chance to feel appeased, even if ever so slightly, and may save you a good customer in the long run. Also, hold onto any reply to an unprofessional eMail and edit it heavily before sending it off. Short replies are better than long ones, especially if the writer displayed any negative emotion in their original communication. Short and to the point, throw in some extra product information showing that you are above personal vindictive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remember why you are even in communication with this person in the first place. Just do business.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-26121227442088714202013-06-17T11:48:00.000-04:002013-06-17T11:48:18.869-04:00Merino DK-SW coming tomorrow!We expect early delivery of W2D4 Merino DK-SW: Tuesday, June 18, 2013Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-32338780870778455982013-06-12T07:19:00.000-04:002013-06-12T12:24:47.063-04:00W2D4 Merino DK-SW returns<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have just received verification that W2D4 Merino DK-SW will arrive in approximately ten days' time. That will be around June 21st or so. As we get closer, I will be able to predict with more accuracy and will post here, and on Ravelry.com, also. The best and most definitive information, though, is always the wholesale newsletter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Reservations are still open in quantities with a minimum of five kilos of either skeins or cones. This is a service for wholesale customers primarily, but retail customers who love this yarn are also welcome, of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A reserve on a yarn is treated as a private order. We create the private order and send the customer a copy by eMail; then we post it on the website. It looks like any other product, except that the title is in code. For instance, if I were receiving the private order today, the coded title would read 'ST...6.12.13' --- the initials of my name and the date the private order was created. We post all private orders in a new category called, yes! Private Orders, and when the customer is ready to pick it up, they simply find the coded title matching the private order they received by eMail, click on the listing, and they can then add it to their shopping cart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Minimum order requirements for wholesale customers, which is five kilos, still apply to all orders containing private listings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To reserve, please eMail your request to <a href="mailto:Yarnie@wool2dye4.com">Yarnie@wool2dye4.com</a>.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-76667130380617856392013-06-06T17:09:00.002-04:002013-06-12T07:24:28.612-04:00Two Promo Yarns Have Proved Themselves<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From time to time we come across a yarn, one created in a special circumstance, which suits our lineup. That is what has happened recently with two merino based yarns: <strong>Silk-Merino 50/50</strong> and <strong>DK-115</strong>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Silk-Merino 50/50</strong>, the non-superwash version of our popular fingering yarn. <strong>Silk Sock 50/50</strong> turned out to be so delightful to knit that we had to have it. There is no pilling, the yarn has a truly wonderful feel to it as it flows through the knitter's fingers, and it has been adopted in Europe by many lace and shawl knitters. In fact, we actually received a shipment of this yarn, which was originally ordered by one of Britain's best known handdyers but shipped to Wool2Dye4 instead. Our customer base is firmly rooted in the superwash camp, and we at first did not realize what a little gem <strong>Silk-Merino 50/50</strong> is. At this moment, I am close to finishing a two-skein shawl, knit with this yarn, and already have three skeins set aside to knit a summer tee. It is a fantastic yarn, and just fell across our path!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The other yarn which we've been featuring as a promotional yarn is <strong>DK-115</strong>, and it came to us in a slightly different manner. This one was originally a custom order at the mill by a fairly well known American dyer; however, the yarn was not paid for and the mill sold it to our U.K. supplier to move it out of the warehouse. It is a 100% superwash merino in DK weight, and there are two aspects which set it apart, ever so slightly, from the DK-SW we have offered as our best selling DK weight yarn for the past eight years. The difference is that <strong>DK-115</strong> is a slightly finer fiber than the superwash merino in our standard, <strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong>, and the skein weight is 15 grams heavier than our 100 gram skein. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I really don't like playing around with skein weight. We have learned from recent experiments with introducing an existing yarn in two different skein weights, that our customers are pretty savvy about industry standards. BUT this <strong>DK-115</strong> is just special enough to break the rules a bit. You can consider this as a luxury yarn, one suitable for yarn/pattern kits, special vending opportunities, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Silk-Merino 50/50</strong> and <strong>DK-115</strong> will join the permanent lineup of Wool2Dye4 yarns this summer when supporting stock will arrive. In the meantime, they are offered for sale under the Promotion category on the website. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Would you like a sample of either yarn? Just eMail us at <a href="mailto:Yarnie@wool2dye4.com">Yarnie@wool2dye4.com</a> and request samples.</span><br />
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DK-115<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sBe761GrBneKAiOmov4x5PSkJUAcosGkJP0cP3XAsPpcaYMV0TUTOIWQtNmYb6b9TDMfu3Uw28SDMvXdZr2Q1woqHTyR_n5cujXK43STsl2tKQhB6wzlBLY4jWG9oNhWSSsL/s1600/Silk+Sock+NON+SW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sBe761GrBneKAiOmov4x5PSkJUAcosGkJP0cP3XAsPpcaYMV0TUTOIWQtNmYb6b9TDMfu3Uw28SDMvXdZr2Q1woqHTyR_n5cujXK43STsl2tKQhB6wzlBLY4jWG9oNhWSSsL/s320/Silk+Sock+NON+SW.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Merino/Silk Sock <br />
This is the non-superwash version of our regular item Silk Sock 50/50.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-37847033744843943142012-11-25T09:23:00.002-05:002012-11-25T09:23:30.319-05:00How Big Does My Garden Grow?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last week I read an interesting statistic about small businesses. According to The Week's November 23, 2012 issue, 'Less than a quarter of America's 27 million small businesses have employees.' Of that figure, I'd guess that 75% of Wool2Dye4's customers have no employees. This is hard to estimate, of course, and I have formed this opinion through eMail correspondence over the past 8 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Many of our customers are work-at-home small business owners. Many have left a salaried job to work at home, and for many different reasons. Pregnancy and child care seem to be the most popular reason, then caring for an ill family member. These customers want to add to the family financial picture, and have chosen to use their artistic talent to create their handdye business. That's where we come into the picture, as their supplier of raw materials, the yarns in different blends and presentations, enough for choice, enough to specialize, enough from which to pick and choose which fibers in which blends, twists, plies will become the palette for their handdye art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We also have customers who want to be their own boss, including retirees who want to create a viable business. We find that these customers talk about planning and forecasting consistently. They study their potential market in depth and then choose which yarns will fit their market, rather than which yarns they want to dye. These are the customers who understand pricing, profit, placement.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This same article cited research from the University of Chicago that 75% of small busienss owners are not aiming for growth at all. They are looking for a steady job as their own boss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I read that, something joggled in the logical side of my brain, something about the word 'growth.' Growth is not measured only in the number of employees one has, but by the bottom line. Profit is the best measurement of growth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Entrepreneurship is about understanding every single aspect of one's business, including where you want it to go. Just working madly, trying to make a profit, hitting a trend here and there -- this approach is not the path to a growing bottom line. Planning is the best way to improve profit, and that includes understanding where we want our businesses to grow, and one aspect of this understanding is how many employees our business would have at optimal performance level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Imagine the day when your business is profitable, it has improved the quality of your life in every aspect. How many employees do you see by your side? This is important to understand because it tells you something about how you like to work, how you get distracted, what distracts you, what effects the efficiency of the workflow in your business, what keeps you close to the goals.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Part of growth is having goals. Sure, they change as circumstances change, and are a moving target, but the keyword here is 'target.' Our picture of what our business is capable of achieving is the entrepreneur's fuel. Understand every aspect of your business, and your business will improve, your attitude will be strong, your business will improve the quality of your life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is that time of year when we head towards the closing of financial reports, the reckoning of profit and margin, and a good time to look at the life of our business and assess it's health, it's value, it's progress.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-4507446469805899782012-11-16T12:16:00.001-05:002012-11-16T12:16:44.910-05:00Call for Estimates, 1st Qu 2013, is now closed.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-67523453721195388902012-11-14T11:59:00.003-05:002012-11-14T11:59:49.497-05:00Call for Estimates ... 1st Quarter 2013Just in case there is a wholesale reading this blog entry, one who has not replied to our newsletter calls for estimates for the first quarter of 2013, now is the time to eMail them.<br />This Call for Estimates applies to wholesale customers who expect to need a minimum of ten kilos of an individual yarn. If you need 5 kilos of 5 yarns, do not reply to the Call for Estimates. <br />
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Look over your order history, consider what is planned for the first quarter of 2013, think about what is planned for spring time events and will need some dyeing up of inventory, etc. Depending on how your business is organized, you will have different needs at different times of the year. Then, send us your best estimates and we will include your needs in our own quarterly orders from the merino mill.<br />
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The Call for Estimate for 1st Quarter 2013 went out in two newsletters which were eMailed to all wholesale customers. <br />The deadline is tomorrow: Thursday, November 15, 2012.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-3013071544097321222012-09-27T09:20:00.004-04:002012-09-27T09:20:42.555-04:00National Make it With Wool website link<a href="http://www.makeitwithwool.com/home.html">http://www.makeitwithwool.com/home.html</a><br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: x-large; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">Welcome to the National Make it with Wool Website</span></h2>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES?</span></b></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">To promote the beauty and versatility of wool fabrics and yarns.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">To encourage personal creativity in sewing, knitting and crocheting with wool fabrics and yarns.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">To recognize creative skills.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: lime; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">To develop life skills, including: being responsible for one's self, being a good sport, accepting judge's decisions, and learning about and appreciating diversity.</span></li>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">WHO CAN ENTER?</span></b></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">Preteens, age 12 and under</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">Juniors, ages 13-16</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">Seniors, ages 17-24</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">Adults, age 25 and older</span></li>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">The category you enter will be determined by your age as of December 31 of entry year.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Anyone regardless of race, creed or sex who meets age and other guidelines may participate. Contestants must select, construct and model their own garments. Made for others entries: the intended wearer must model garments.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">WHAT FABRICS/YARNS CAN I USE?</b></span><ul style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px;">
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">100% wool or wool blend (minimum of 60% wool or specialty fiber) for each fashion fabric or yarn used. Specialty wool fibers include mohair, cashmere, alpaca, camel, llama and vicuna.</span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: magenta; font-family: 'comic sans ms', cursive; font-size: medium; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The entire garment body (back, front and sleeves) must be wool or wool-blend fabric.</span></li>
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Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-91620413705525845942012-09-27T09:18:00.003-04:002012-09-27T09:19:43.207-04:00Webinar from American Sheep Industry Association<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">From an industry report, here is an hour and half Webinar, presented by the American Sheep Industry Association, working with its Rebuild the Sheep Industry iniative. They received funding support from the Nastional Sheep Industry Improvement Center.</span> <br />
<a href="http://growourflock.org/resources">http://growourflock.org/resources</a>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-65943220196448081702012-08-23T16:39:00.001-04:002012-08-23T16:39:08.841-04:00Website Shipping Woes<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">About two weeks ago, FedEx was added as a shipper on our new website. Since then there has been a succession of shipping reps eMailing, calling, and dropping by unannounced. We like these folks a lot, but man! I am getting worn out with the effort to settle FedEx and UPS into a friendly and closely competititive existance. There is something in the cart program which just does not allow easy installation of shippers and their set-ups.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thankfully, we have a new WebFolk who specialize in installing this particular cart (X-Cart), and they are smart and work quickly. I have hope.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My purpose with this post today is to let readers know that there are madly fluctuating prices floating around our website, and that it will soon be fixed. Here's an example: today a customer placed a large order, and wrote a note in the comments section wondering if the rate she picked could be real. There was a difference of more than $50 between FedEx and UPS. See what we are dealing with here?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yesterday I spent two hours on the phone while a tech rep at one of those companies had remote control of the orders computer. He just couldn't get the installation right, and after two hours, he was ready to start the procedure all over again. I said, 'No.' Two hours is long enough for me to sit and watch over technical screens flying by, and I felt like pulling my hair and gnashing my teeth. I was doing the Silent Scream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Today a different rep came by -- he just left, actually -- and while he is just hte nicest young man, he was unable to solve the problem. That company says that I may have had another logon name in the past with them, some six or seven years ago, and it may be interferring. The trick is that there is no record of another login associated with my account number, so how, I ask, did this idea get any merit? Oh, I just ask that inside my head and do not dare to bring it up because it sounds so ... well, obvious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am beginning to tune them all out. So, I have posted a message on the home page of my website saying that we're havng problems setting up the shippers rates just now and apologize hugely. We've written to the new WebFolk who seem to be the only ones in this game who come up with fresh ideas. I am probably going to be charged tons for these weeks of fluctuating website prices, and cringe at the thought of those invoices. But, I am stuck. I must wait the process out, let all the players do their best to get the right answers in the right places so that I can go back to thinking about wool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I just want to think about wool.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-26690806799942685152012-05-15T15:33:00.000-04:002012-05-15T15:33:48.170-04:00Bluefaced Leicester Sample Packs<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It recently occurred to me that our line of yarn has grown to be so large, that we needed to divide them into logical sets. When we send out a set of samples, one each of more than 40 yarns, I can see where one would begin to look like another. I want customers to look at our yarns and immediately know what fiber base and what weight would best describe them. Those two pieces of information are essential to any yarn choice.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Too, we carry two distinct lines. There is the Merino-based line of yarns which we groomed from fine and extra fine merino, blended some with other fibers, kept some 100% superwash or non-superwash Merino. This effort was to use a high quality of Merino as the basis for a line. We are defined, in a way, by our really nice merino base.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The other line we carry is unique to Wool2Dye4 as a yarn manufacturer/distributor because we are the only American company selling this particular fiber in a complete line of yarns. I am talking about 100% British Bluefaced Leicester. This is a rare fiber in England, and valued for many qualities, rarity among them, to make it sought after. It is not from Canada, not from Colorado, and definitely not from an American herd which was cross-bred. This is 100% British Bluefaced Leicester, one of the oldest fiber breeds of sheep, and Woo2Dye4 is licensed by the British Wool Marketing Board to sell British wool in the United States. We are also the exclusive American distributor of Britain's largest and oldest wool supplier. Pretty rarified air, I'd say.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was beginning to look at our sample sets as a bag of little bits of lots of yarn. As our line grew, our sample set lost the unique quality it showed as a smaller line, even when we wound dyed samples around business cards, printed with yarn descriptions. Before that we used to punch holes in card stock and thread through 16" pieces of each yarn, trying desperately to line up the holes with the yarn name and description. Our sample sets have had lots of incarnations, and now they are about to undergo yet another.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A very clear picture of a new sample set came to me a couple of weeks ago. It would be two sub-sets creating one whole set. One set would be Bluefaced Leicester, the other Merino-based yarns. This is the logical division of our line, and even as I write this sentence, I know that there is actually a third sub-set: 6 Italian silks. A mini-mini set.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today, though, we began to put into action this general idea I had of presenting the two different fibers as bases. My sample makers from Vector Industries just left here about an hour ago piled with all of the supplies needed to create the first BFL sample pack, all nice and tied up prettily in it's own bag with a British Bluefaced Leicester promo piece too. It is going to look pretty fancy and neat.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then, the next step, in another couple of weeks will be to create the same sort of package for the Merino based yarns. And we'll just have to create mini Italian silk sets. They just have 6 yarns, so will be easy to accomplish. We will put together three unique sets and create one complete example of all of our yarns. Our sample set, nice and neat, that a customer will receive in the mail and remove from a large bag one baggie of Bluefaced Leicester yarns, another even larger baggie of Merino based yarns, and a cute little baggie of fancy Italian silk yarns.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think that sometimes we become involved in our product, or our business, and we forget to look at it with fresh eyes and see our business as our customers may see it. Since we launched our pretty new website this month, I've been getting lots of eMails and reading how people really thought our old site was crowded and unattractive and dated looking. They were right! So, that led me to look at everything that we put into our customers' hands, everything from the logo to the packaging of their orders to the samples we send. All of these are parts of the entire marketing package, and needed some freshening up.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So we start with the new sample sets. I was listening to a description of one of the sample makers, and discovered that this young lady has studied art and enjoys drawing. I immediately thought how neat it would be to include a card showing one of her drawings with a byline like,' Assembled by helping hands at Vector Industries.' Something like that. This is another of those good ideas that I want to follow up on. </span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-583942252438447672012-04-20T10:46:00.000-04:002012-04-20T10:46:58.380-04:00Seeing Any Trends?Written from Stitches South, Atlanta GA ...
This is the fourth year of Stitches South, the newest of the country-wide Stitches conventions. It is a gathering of knitters, crocheters, vendors, and teachers who are connected by one thing, yarn. In the warmth of the hotel corridors, fiber lovers are not daunted as they are easily spotted wearing shawls, sweaters, collars, wristbands or carrying felted/crocheted/knitted purses or totes. They are garbed in the medium and the medium seems to be in a shade of salmon this year. Yes, I'd say salmon or maybe it is now called coral, but it seems to be the new spring color among fiber lovers.
But who am I to talk, as I sit in my icy hotel room draped in lace shawl of muted pinks and greens. Angel Lace is the yarn, by the way. It would not be fitting to attend such an event without an outrageously beautiful garment to toss over one's shoulders, right? Besides, it's cold in these lovely hermetically sealed hotel corridors!
First impressions of what is for sale in the market is that colors are muted and in the earth-toned category. Not much of the in-your-face colorways that sort of always scream at me as I hurry past. Even noticed that one booth, usually known for knockout colors, has toned down their offerings. Of course I am checking out my customers' booths and just love to see Wool2Dye4 yarns all dyed up, twisted and tagged, and being fondled by strangers. A happy site to behold, it is.
Next, I notice some of the commercial yarn manufacturers have added some sparkly fibers to a couple of yarns. Have to say that compared to our Sparkle line, the softness factor in W2D4 yarns wins out. Not too many, but enough to take note of are evident in the commercial yarn booths.
Crochet is making a big splash here at Stitches south. It is everywhere: patterns, beautiful samples, books, classes. One booth has a major display of giant crochet hooks which slightly resemble a shovel, handles as big as a child's wrist. And, it was packed with happy, energized devotees.
Another theme I notice is the use, or should I say 're-use,' of materials. Saris cut up into yarn and skeined up, one booth featuring darling little sewn project bags with zippers. All of the materials in this booth are felted from re-claimed sweaters, aka Goodwill style, and there is a book, too, to show the rest of us how to make use of old knitwear.
Beading is prevalent both in knitted finished objects,and in vendors with some really wonderful varieties to show and sell. I bought an irredescent black, size 5 beads, for my sister who does jewelry. The Ernsts are here with their gorgeous glass knitting needles. Skacel has a new company with it's own booth around the corner from the big company booth. It's called Fiberhooking, and the designs, patterns, colorways are upbeat and really cute. (www.FiberHooking.com). Craftsy is here. They're really making a splash on the Internet, aren't they? And bags and totes and project carriers everywhere. One booth particularly caught my eye: Yarn-Pop with graphic cotton fabric project bags. They have large gromets in them where the yarn can be pulled through. Really upbeat and good-looking.
I bought a lightly felted hat, in the style of the Italian men's line, Bandolino. It was on the top shelf at the display at Buffalo Wool Company. I spoke to the owners there and they confirmed that a renewed interest in natural colors and fibers seems to be working in their favor. They see this as an ongoing trend.
My plan was to keep my little pennies in my purse, but that felted hat was calling my name. How will I ever get it home without crushing it, though, I wonder.
Lovely setting, great hotel and conference center, fantastic lineup of classes all make me wonder why I waited four years to come back. Off again, to stroll the vendor's floor and then to a class on introducing shortrows into knitting (Myra Wood is the teacher). It is a great show.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-44892815774027960962012-03-26T10:06:00.000-04:002012-03-26T10:06:10.387-04:00New Warehouse ... it's definitely an improvement!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just back from the new warehouse where we checked in the shipment ... handled by the new shipper ... and I am so very pleased to write this: Everything happened just as it was supposed to, if not better!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Amazing, really, to think how long we have wrestled with control over the boxes, how I have battled with the freight company, how I have actually micromanaged every aspect of my business. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When the proposal was made, the question was asked, 'What could you do with the time, once the warehousing is removed from your control?' I was speechless, started a couple of sentences but could not form just one thought because my mind was racing with ideas!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today it all made perfect sense. Thank you, Vector Industries, for making my business more efficient and for giving me more time to work at the things I need to work at. Wonderful.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-37050903730750924562012-03-24T13:54:00.000-04:002012-03-24T13:54:14.107-04:00March incoming Re-Stocking on Monday, 3/24/2012<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This post lists the shipment contents for March which arrive on Monday, and give a list of upcoming April and May shipments. All in the spirit of planning ahead!</span><br />
<h3>March 2012 Re-Stocking</h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">... (skeins, unless otherwise noted)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash DK MCN</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Sock MCN</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Euro 500</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Single & Stunning</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Ultra Meirno 3Ply</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong> & cones</span><br />
<br />
<h3>April 2012 Re-Stocking</h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Aran</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Sock MCN</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Donegal DK</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Euro 500</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Glitter</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Sparkle</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Sock</strong> cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Silk DK 50/50</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sparkle Select Lace</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Traditional Merino Aran</strong> & cones ... new</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Ultra Merino 3Ply</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong> & cones</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">... SO .... where is Sheila's Gold? We had a scheduling change with this popular yarn which was moved from the March shipment to April, and pre-sold immediately when that news was released. I am sorry for this. BUT it is coming back in May in good quantities. Here are the lists for the two May shipments, which will catch us up and put all yarns back into good position. </span><br />
<h3>May 2012: First Shipment</h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash DK MCN</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Sock MCN</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Gold</strong> & cones </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Traditional Merino Aran</strong> & cones (<em>new in April)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Ultra Merino 3Ply</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong> & cones</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">... The first May shipment will boost the popular yarns and restock several in cone presentation, especially <strong>Sheila's Gold</strong>. Go ahead and reserve now for April. (email your request to <a href="mailto:Yarnie@Wool2Dye4.com">Yarnie@Wool2Dye4.com</a>) <strong>Traditional Merino Aran</strong> will improve it's position, just in case it gets the notice it deserves. While it is a 4Ply and on the heavy side, we would expect it to perform better towards the cooler months, but there has been lots of interest in this replacement to <strong>Sheila's Aran</strong>. So, we are giving it a little more warehouse space.</span><br />
<br />
<h3>Late May 2012: Another re-stocking shipment </h3><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash DK</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Gold</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Sock</strong> cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Ultra Merino 3Ply</strong> & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted-SW</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">... cones again take a prominent place in the order, with <strong>Sheila's Sock</strong> cones returning. We have been overstocked, really, with this yarn on skeins, but entirely out of cones. This should give us plenty of cones to last into the summer.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Speaking of the summer, we ordered ten tons to last the three summer months, and will be drawing down on this order once a month from June to August. If you did not pre-order for summer months, but have some events or clubs planned, please eMail your needs to <a href="mailto:Yarnie@Wool2Dye4.com">Yarnie@Wool2Dye4.com</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Plan Ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You can do it.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-1153750186119958402012-03-21T13:40:00.000-04:002012-03-21T13:40:05.908-04:00Time to talk about price increases<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have a price increase coming up, effective May 1st. Over the past two years, we have seen the prices of some of our basic materials increase quickly. At one point, there was a change every week in the price and it was difficult if not impossible to plan ahead.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The fibers which have increased this year are the same list that I quoted last year: Superwash Merino, Silk, Cashmere, and Nylon. Now, most of our yarns contain some of each of these fibers, so we will see an increase on all yarns. In truth, up the line a bit we have had some help from both our yarn broker and the mill who have absorbed some of the cost increases we would expect. They did this because of our volume purchases.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have been studying the list and trying to come up with a way to keep the increase as small as possible. We have had increased shipping costs, too, and everyone who ships has probably had fuel surcharges tacked onto their frieght bills. We will come up with a way to cover the fuel surcharge, yet include the courtesy discount from my manufacturers in the final pricelist.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This post is informational only, to get the word out of the planned annual price increase, effective May 1st</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-39855749668796507302012-03-15T15:56:00.000-04:002012-03-15T15:56:15.281-04:00Pricing and Undercutting the Competition<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's March, and time to talk about pricing and, yes, price increases. Over the past year, we again have seen the cost of the raw materials for our yarns and their production rise. Superwash Merino has risen almost $6 per kilo. Cost of transportation has risen. Silk, Cashmere, and nylon have all gone up in price.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, we have to make some decisions around here, and eventually they will be passed to our customers who will go through the process, too, of deciding if or how much of a price increase they will institute; or, why they will not and how that will affect their business.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">First, here's what we are doing. We are absorbing some of the materials costs and not passing all of the increases to our customer base for the third year in a row.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now, what will my customers do with the new prices? I am going to guess that the larger customers will raise prices, the smaller ones will dig in and stay at the same price. The reason I say this is because the larger customers are able to stay large because they operate within the parameters of acceptable business practice, they understand profit, and they know about how to run their handdye business with solid business principals. Some of the smaller ones may know this and are purposefully controlling the size of their businesses, but many of them do not understand business or profit. I hear it every day. Many of my small customers are desperately trying to create a home business and to wring out every penny to contribute to the household earnings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What is their approach? They price low, in hopes of snagging sales. And when they price their yarns at too low a point, they hurt us all. Why? Because they undervalue the product.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Let's face the fact that lots of people buy our yarns, dye them up, and put them on Etsy, or sell the at fiber festivals, or at their local yarn shops. The yarn bases may be the same, but the end products differ enormously depending on the ability of the dyers, their sense of color, their sense of current color trends, packaging and labelling, and the price put on the yarns.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When people price out of fear, they are not doing anyone favors. Yes, they'll get a few sales from knitters looking for a bargain, but they devalue our wonderful yarns by pricing them down with yarns of lesser quality. I am talking about the poorer quality of many of the commercial yarns, too.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My advice is to take a good look at the prices the competition is charging in the market where you sell. If it is on Etsy, look at all the handdyed yarns, see if you can spot our yarns there and start a careful list of prices, and note the dyers' names beside the prices. Then move to the big sites which sell mosty handdyed yarns. (You know them; I just cannot say their names here in the blog.) Go through those sites carefully and make the same kinds of notes. I will tell you what the timid pricers will find through this exercise. They'll find that they are undercutting the experienced and professional dyers. They are debasing the quality of our yarn lines by doing so, and they are pinching themselves into a corner and the only way out will be to give up. They will never make a profit if they price in to stingy a manner. They will lose their enjoyment of the craft, and they will get depressed and yell at their children. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here is my business advice:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don't under price.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Research the market and know the prices that are being charged for equal product.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Price accordingly.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-76833074668610412812012-02-27T08:29:00.000-05:002012-02-27T08:29:15.031-05:00Big Freight company with Big Customer Service Problems<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For one entire week, we have waited for delivery of a little over 1.5 tons of Wool2Dye4 yarns. They have been sitting in the warehouse of our freight company, the largest freight company in the country, and just an hour away from my door. No one noticed that a customs form had not been attached when the shipment was received, or rather, that one of two customs forms had not been attached. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They work there every day, they handle all different kinds of shipments, yet no one noticed. The two people who made it their business to follow every document for every shipment have either quit or retired, and with some disgust, I might mention. Now, there is not one single contact who has stepped up to the position of responsibility. 'It's not my job,' rings through with every communication.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">It is enough to change shippers, and this is not an easy thing to do nor is it a decision come to lightly. We are talking about setting up paperwork with me, my broker, the mill, the airlines, each port along the path between the mill and Virginia. It's a big deal. Plus, it will probably be a time of getting the path corrected here and there. Sometimes path correction is a literal process, especially with a smaller freight company who does not have a network into every town and burg. We've just got to work things out so that there are many pairs of eyes on the progress to spot issues.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Shipping involves a substantial financial outlay. While we are not a huge company, we are a consistent shipper of around two tons each month, and this seems to be enough for smaller companies to think that our business is attractive. Not enough, though, for the Big One to actually notice.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I cannot list the number of people who have first told me that they would find out what is going on, and promise to call me back that day, yet never contact me. Sometimes I feel that someone somewhere is having fun watching customers squirm. Wool2Dye4 is just going to squirm right on out of their clutches and very soon.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Of course, this does not get my shipment to me any faster.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I truly hate backorders. My attitude towards stock and filling orders has always been based on filling orders immediately and shipping them within 24 hours. Over the years, I thought I had learned how to gauge the arrival day of incoming stock shipments, but this past week has taught me a lesson I thought I had learned: don't count your kilos before they arrive. Oh, my. I may even have written that here in this blog when the same lesson smacked me in the consciousness!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So, here I am, a little grain of sand on the horizon of commerce who spends what we consider to be a significant amount on freight, not counting daily pickups by the same company, each year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Customer service. For me it about each customer and getting their order out. It is about choosing samples to tuck into the package which are of yarns of a similar weight but differ slightly from the ones they ordered. It is about keeping my people up to date with news. I know that not all of my customers are on Ravelry.com, and so I publish a customer newsletter with news of upcoming shipments, new or retiring yarns, release dates of the new lines, etc. I often bring in an extra shipment of yarns which are retiring because of the complaints from those who love the retirees. Every single time, though, I wind up looking at a full shelf for months on end. What to do? I have to let those customers who complained get another chance to stock up on their beloved special ones. I want them to be happy, and to come back to us. Timely delivery and good service are basics of how we do our business.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I remember reading a book on entrepreneurship a few years ago and it was called Minding My Own Business. Don't know if it is still in print, even, but if so, then I absolutely recommend it. One of the points which stood out to me was for the small businessperson to think of themselves as a mini Fortune 500 company. Do what they do. Have a logo, a color scheme, a recognizable presence. Follow up on your promises, and get the goods into your customers' hands and fast. Plan your work, and work you plan, right?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Ok, enough rambling. I had to post here because this week's delay in receiving the shipment has caused some customers schedule disruptions because there is one yarn in the shipment which ran out of stock. It is Sheila's Gold, and it has become our best seller in the past couple of months. So, to be without it is quite a strain.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">A strain, but not an impossible obstacle, of course. The shipment will arrive, and I sure hope that is today! We'll get the orders out and write apologetic notes of explanation on the packing lists, and we'll work like mad folk to get this all done. For the future, we've doubled and tripled quantities of this yarn on future orders at the mill, but that can only be affected two months out. For the next two months, we'll receive normal quantities, then boost up to the level of plenty.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Customer service. Recognizing what your customer wants and needs, and then getting it to them in the quickest, most efficient manner possible. I love good customer service, really! Giving it, of course, but receiving as well. Right now, I am not getting good customer service from the Big Guys. I have choice, though, so lack of their good customer service will cost them one customer. Maybe one customer at a time, who knows?</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-33048636925644173592011-12-22T15:03:00.005-05:002011-12-22T15:13:10.201-05:00Efficiency Startles Yarnie Company Owner into Action<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Over the past several weeks, I have been in negotiations with two local companies who have warehouse capabilities beyond what I can do. Both companies have some different services to offer, and I will wind up working with both of them in the end. This business, Wool2Dye4, has grown quite a bit in the past two years, and this means handling lots more inventory. We receive it and check it off a list, then lift it and put it in place. We label the outside of the box, then we open the boxes, take the yarn out and remove the mill labels, and replace them with our Wool2Dye4 labels. Then, we stock the shelves or close the boxes again, and if there is any need to shuffle placement around, we lift them again and move them around. Considering that a box of skeins weighs 44 pounds at a minimum, and cones up to 70 pounds ... well, it is a physical job requiring strength as well as attention to detail.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In the eight months since I moved the company the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, I have had two packers/stockists who both had to be let go. Oddly, both claimed they had no idea why they didn't last, and one, unfortunately, was a friend whom I kept on as an act of friendship. Sadly, he didn't seem to think as much of our friendship and it ended badly, I am sorry to say. This last incident clarified my thoughts about hiring more employees to handle stock and warehousing, and through a circuitous route, I came to consider two different options for both warehousing and the labelling of all stock as a new alternative. It is wonderful when opportunities fall across your path, and you actually recognize them as such! </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Advantages include no physical labor for me or my assistant, a freeing up of current space for better use, and paying for this as a service rather than employee wages. I have had both packers file for unemployment benefits, and here in Virginia, you can receive benefits without having to prove you could perform the job! Pretty amazing, really, and very disappointing, especially over the one whom I had considered a friend. I cannot tell you how many conversations I had in my mind, but, of course, can never actually say out loud.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday I decided on a part of the upcoming change, the warehousing, stock labelling, and sample creation. I am going with a local sheltered workshop, a non-profit which employs physically and mentally challenged individuals. Twice I have been to the site and both times been so impressed with the attention to detail and pride in workmanship. Nothing like what I have just experienced with people who sought out a job and then slouched through the days. I feel so happy about this decision. In addition to getting all of this work handled, I am able to give back in a small way to the community.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The efficiency part, though, is fascinating to me. For years, I have created a process for each of the elements of my business. Samples, for instance, have undergone quite a change from the original little wound bits of yarn round individual cards printed with the yarn specs. I think we had 12 yarns at that time. Today there are 39 yarns in the permanent line, 9 special purchase yarns, and 5 or 6 retirement yarns. We are about to add 8 new yarns in January 2012, too!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday I was asked to come over and help revise the process of assembling my wholesale sample pack. The most recent incarnation of the wholesale sample pack has been a layering process, two columns on the front and two on the back, in a 9x11 bag with a sticky closure. For me this presentation has been cumbersome, so I absolutely understood the need for a new way to pack all the samples into one bag in a way in which the new packers could accomplish this, and which would be pretty. (I have a running joke, which is actually quite serious, and I frequently intone, 'Here at Wool2Dye4, Rule Number Two is Make It Pretty!' If a new employee ever asks what Rule Number One is, I know they were listening. This former friend, most recently disengaged, never thought to ask that question!)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, they asked me to create a wholesale sample pack and timed me. Of course, my fingers were fumbling and it definitely did not look very pretty. Then the first modification came: using a piece of cardboard as a center sort of spine and glue dots to affix two of the sample baggies at a time. That worked better, so we tried that. Again, I was asked to create the entire packet from start to finish, and I didn't do too well. So we three tossed around ideas, until the simplest and most efficient idea of all came to one of them. The new idea was to draw a single line down the center of a piece of card stock, and, using round clear stickers, affix two sample baggies at a time, working from bottom up. It made a spectacularly pretty, very neatly arranged set of samples. All these years, and I had never thought to try this!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They break down all jobs into a process and study the movements and method until they come up with an efficient way to perform the task. This includes much more than making samples, but in handling a large number of stock boxes and the contents, how to stack and warehouse them for efficiency. The next study will be about shipping efficiently from other countries, and there are some very exciting possibilties there, including some non-traditional approaches. More on that later.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Suffice it to say that coming into contact with these people has made an impact on my thinking. I realized that I no longer have to have total control over every aspect of the business and can learn to use the expertise of others, and to to trust the people whom I hire to handle that. This was brought home very suddenly on the day of their visit to look over the business. I was interrupted for about fifteen minutes, and when I returned, the President of the company asked me, 'What would you do with your time if we took away all the responsibilities of the warehouse?' I started to stutter, and couldn't form a complete sentence. Those who know me well will surely not believe that, but it is true. My mind was racing with flashes of marketing ideas I have stewing around in there but no time to turn into reality, of the new website almost ready to go but caught in a limbo where I just cannot move it forward, of the letters unwritten to customers in response to theirs to me, or just the very time to consider new ideas. The eMails alone used to take up three or four hours of each day, and in the past month, I have been distracted and my attention sidelined. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So there I was looking like a dummy, unable to answer that simple question, but this guy recognized that my mind was busy, busy, busy with the possibilities. That was the moment I knew they were onto something which would help me and allow the business to grow. I</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">t would mean that I would have to give up micro management! I am very good at that, but in my own defense, I do feel that without control of the processes, the business could never have grown as it has. Oddly, though, I felt a sense of relief come over me, and that was one of those Bingo! moments in life when you know that a good idea has just occurred and it is time to act and act well. So, I moved forward and it is all about to come to fruition.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I had another Bingo! moment seven years ago when I started Wool2Dye4. I just paused to reflect on that realization that hit me, and immediately turned my thinking towards how I could make the idea work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Through my life, many opportunities have fallen across my path, and I've followed a lot of them. While all were not good, I have learned how to let the bad ones go. Right now, though, I am sure I am onto something which will allow my business to grow in a healthy way, and allow me to enjoy it much more.<br />
It's a good time to be coming to a new realization, isn't it, with the new year approaching. I am corny and like making resolutions and writing lists, and taking care, and for anyone who is reading this right now, I've got to say that these little oddball preferences for order are key to growing a successful business. You have to like what you do and how you do it. You have to be happy with your choices, have the guts to look hard at how things have always been and take the chance to make a few changes. That is where I am just now, and I feel it is the right place to be. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-81019503495944723602011-12-02T17:24:00.000-05:002011-12-02T17:24:29.767-05:00Sales tax for internet merchants? Could happen soon!<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 7pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sales Tax measures ‘to Cost Us Big’ … December 1, 2011 WSJ</span></div>By ANGUS LOTEN<br />
Amazon.com wants to bring order to the way online retailers collect state and local taxes. And that has Web entrepreneur Stacy Strawn feeling anxious.<br />
Under a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, online retailers including her aren't required to collect sales tax for purchases made in states where they do not have a physical presence.<br />
<br />
Stacey Strawn says proposed online sales-tax rules would hurt her Silver Gallery: 'The big retailers will eventually take over online shopping.'<br />
<br />
Amazon is backing new sales-tax proposals but some small businesses are worried it may hurt them in the end, Stu Woo reports on digits.<br />
But Ms. Strawn, and others like her who operate with just a dozen or so employees, would have to begin collecting and remitting taxes for the more than 40 states that currently charge sales and use taxes, along with thousands of cities and counties across the country, as set forth by a Senate proposal unveiled last month.<br />
<br />
That proposal, which has the support of Amazon, includes an exception for small-business retailers with less than $500,000 in annual "remote" sales—a sum so low that it wouldn't even cover Ms. Strawn's employees' wages.<br />
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"These are the most small-business-unfriendly measures I've seen in years," said Ms. Strawn, whose Waynesboro, Va., store, Silver Gallery, sells sterling-silver bowls, cups and jewelry. "This is going to cost us big."<br />
Ms. Strawn isn't entirely sure what the cost to her business would be. A 2006 PriceWaterhouseCoopers study found local and state tax compliance costs small retailers 13.47% of all sales tax collected, compared to 2.17% for large retailers.<br />
<br />
The concerns voiced by Ms. Strawn and other small online retailers highlight a new point of contention in the debate over taxing Internet sales—the so-called small-business exemption in federal proposals is now so small that even many small fry aren't protected.<br />
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"The Internet is the only place where someone like us can be next door to an Amazon," Ms. Strawn said. "If they don't do something, the big retailers will eventually take over online shopping. And that would be a huge loss."<br />
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Nearly all of the Silver Gallery's $3 million in revenue last year came from online sales. The store currently has seven full-time employees, but she may have to cut some jobs as a way to deal with the added costs.<br />
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Legislation that would require online retailers to collect state taxes has been proposed in each of the past seven Congresses, including House and Senate bills in 2007 that set the small-business exemption at a much more generous $5 million in annual sales.<br />
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Amazon's willingness to get behind the proposals—combined with pressure from states for new sources of tax revenue, and bipartisan efforts in the House and Senate—has given the movement more traction this year.<br />
<br />
Last month, the world's largest online retailer expressed support for a Senate bill calling for standardized federal rules that would require online retailers to collect out-of-state sales taxes—with a $500,000 exemption for small retailers. Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president of public policy, said at a House Judicial Committee hearing Wednesday that any small-business exemption must be kept low to protect states' rights to collect taxes, while leveling the playing field between online retailers and their brick-and-mortar competitors that already collect state taxes—typically reflected as higher sticker prices. "No one should want these online sellers to take advantage of a newly created un-level playing field over small Main Street businesses, and no one should want government to pick business-model winners and losers this way," Mr. Misener said.<br />
"Amazon is prepared to make its technology available as a service to help sellers by collecting sales tax for them," he added.<br />
Other supporters of the proposals include brick-and-mortar-only retailers who believe the standardization will help create a more level playing field overall in the retail industry. Without a state sales tax, online retailers "have nearly a 10% discount automatically," contends Maggie Jetter, owner of Tweed Baby Outfitters, a baby goods and apparel store in Nashville, Tenn., that doesn't sell its wares online. "We're doing the same thing, offering the same products, so the law needs to be reformed and updated," she says.<br />
Online retail sales in the U.S. grew 13% to $176 billion last year, and are expected to grow by 12% to $197 billion in 2011, according to Forrester Research.<br />
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The University of Tennessee estimates that states and local governments will lose up to about $12 billion in 2012 from uncollected sales taxes.<br />
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Tod Cohen, vice president, eBay Government Relations, said in testimony Wednesday that the company believes the U.S. Small Business Administration should be the one to determine which small business retailers would be exempt. Forcing small businesses to take on the same costs and tax burdens as national retail businesses is unrealistic, unfair and will "unbalance the playing field" between giant retailers and small-business retailers on the Internet, Mr. Cohen said at Wednesday's hearing.<br />
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The SBA defines most small retailers as those making less than $7 million in annual revenue. In some categories, businesses such as women's clothing, book and games stores are considered small businesses if they have revenue of less than $25 million, according to the agency.<br />
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Some small and midsize retailers argue they may have to raise their prices to cover the costs of complying with a slew of new state taxes, under the proposed standardized federal rules. The risk is that shoppers looking for the best prices may then move their purchasing to larger sites that can absorb the added costs, said Joe Sponholz, president of BabyAge.com, a Wilkes-Barre, Pa.-based online baby products retailer with 29 full-time employees.<br />
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"It's not the start-ups or the Amazons of the world you have to worry about here. It's all the guys in the middle," said Mr. Sponholz, whose company recently built a distribution center in Nevada rather than California, to avoid paying state sales taxes. He says the $500,000 sales limit will only help very small retailers who have yet to develop a truly national reach.<br />
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A House bill introduced in October is also limited in the number of small businesses it would exempt. It makes an exception for those whose out-of-state sales are less than $100,000 in any one state, or a total of $1 million nationwide.<br />
—Stu Woo contributed to this article.Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-55696890267669069682011-12-01T15:42:00.000-05:002011-12-01T15:42:16.179-05:00Next Re-Stocking on Monday, Dec 5, 2011<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">New yarn in the incoming shipment, don't forget! It's <strong>Donegal Sock</strong>, and I, for one, will probably knit something out of it in the natural state. It's just so different looking and pretty! Ask for a sample if you do not yet have one!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The re-stocking shipment is definitely scheduled for delivery on Monday. We will spend all day settling it in and may get some of the orders out Monday afternoon. Tuesday, though, we'll be at 100% shipping capacity, and as usual, we ship in the chronological order in which your order was received.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Tomorrow is Friday, and I will send out the invoices for private orders, and then release the newsletter. By the time you receive the newsletter, the inventory on the website will have been updated to reflect the incoming stock. So, when you get the newsletter, you are free to browse the website and shop from everything that is coming in. What we have been waiting for is the new <strong>Donegal Sock</strong>, of course, and also the yarns wiht <em>Stellina</em> sparkly stuff in them: <strong>Sheila's Glitter, Sheila's Sparkle</strong> and <strong>Sparkle Select Lace</strong>. We even had most of the sparkly yarns up until last week, and I'm very happy about that change. Holding larger stock levels has definitely reduced the frantic factor around order time. Still, here we are at the holiday when everyone really wants to wear something sparkly, right? And we've got it coming on Monday, I assure you.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here is a list of what is in this shipment. (skeins, unless otherwise noted)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Angel Select</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Aran MCN</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Cash Sock MCN</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Crazy Eight</strong>, skeins & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Donegal Sock</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Platinum Sock</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Glitter</strong> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Gold</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Sock</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sheila's Sparkle</strong> *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Silk DK 50/50</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Silk Sock 50/50</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Sparkle Select Lace</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino DK-SW</strong>, skeins & cones</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>W2D4 Merino Worsted</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>* returning to stock</em></span></strong></div>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-61761724720018563152011-11-09T15:27:00.000-05:002011-11-09T15:27:47.155-05:00Future of our Falkland British Merino line<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have had a look at the stock of our Falkland British Merino yarns, and feel that there is about a six-month supply if our customers continue to pick it up at the same rate. In the late spring, our U.K. supplier made nine lovely new yarns available to Wool2Dye4, all from a unique area of the world, the Falkland Islands. The wool from animals who live their lives in one of the most extreme climates on the globe reflects a ruggedness that is unique to this particular yarn. These sheep have to work really hard to manufacture that fiber, so when we source it and bring it to our customers, we know that the yarn is something special and a</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">ll the more valuable for the limited supply of sheep in the British Falkland Islands. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here are our nine yarns, exclusive in the States to Wool2Dye4, straight from the sheep on the British Falkland Islands. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland 100% 4-Socking</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland 100% DK-SW</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland Bamboo Sock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland Platinum Sock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland / Silk Sock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland / Silk DK</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland / Tencel Sock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland / Tencel Select laceweight</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Falkland/ Bamboo Select laceweight</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you have already knit with the Falkland yarns, then you know that they have a lovely hand, the twist is beautiful, and that they are all nine beautiful yarns. Too, the white is startlingly white! They don't have to be dyed, unlike most other fibers which may have a creamy or beige tone. The Falkland British Merino yarns are beautiful in their natural state.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Would you like a sample? In your next order, be sure to make a notation in the comments section requesting a set of samples of the lovely Falkland British Merino yarn line.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji579owUx7JpMyeVQu3kbba5od9uqRpeYhtfhl2JSQ4izUTrrbVbgPuHNTLdhVMVAqTqA5y1WHbq16vjp_Qxppzfkocm30ArQWjpg1niHhjNTZm0prLzn76OeCk8iIbwqwzyUJ/s1600/Falkland+nursery.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji579owUx7JpMyeVQu3kbba5od9uqRpeYhtfhl2JSQ4izUTrrbVbgPuHNTLdhVMVAqTqA5y1WHbq16vjp_Qxppzfkocm30ArQWjpg1niHhjNTZm0prLzn76OeCk8iIbwqwzyUJ/s320/Falkland+nursery.JPG" width="320px" /></a></div>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27234749.post-63725926517198913452011-11-02T08:44:00.001-04:002011-11-02T08:44:54.382-04:00Soft introduction of two yarns this month<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Without much fanfare, we are doing a soft introduction of two yarns, a higher yardage sock/fingering yarn and a non-superwash in 100% merino. I'll tell you about the yarns and then about the possible future of each.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><em>The Basics about the Yarns</em></strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Euro 500</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">100% superwash merino</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">6-ply fingering weight, 500 yards / 100 grams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Presented an 150 gram skein of 750 yards</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sold by the skein for a short time</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Priced as Crazy Eight.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">W2D4 Merino non-superwash, fingering</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">100% merino, </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2-ply yarn, 438 yards / 100 gram</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">looser twist than sock yarns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Presented on typical 100 gram skein</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>weight and pricing to be determined</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Looking forward with these two yarns ...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><strong>Euro 500</strong></span> is one of those yarns which fell into my lap, a happy surprise. The yardage of 500 yards/100 grams makes it a very lightweight sock yarn, or, for lace and garment knitters, a heavy fingering yarn. It depends on what kind of knitter you/your customers are, and the sort of fabric which will be created from it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Six plies. That is sort of a European thing over the years, a thin yarn of many plies, and it makes for a strong yarn. The fibers used, of course, determine whether it is soft on the skin and easy to wear. I mean, we hate to wear scratchy yarns next to our skin, so shy away from knitting cowls, scarves, hats, turtleneck sweaters with scratch yarns. This is not a scratchy yarn, but is made from our usual springy superwash merino. It's the same yarn that goes into Sheila's Sock and Merino DK-SW, for instance, but it will feel different because there are so many plies. So, it is an aquired taste. I dyed my first skein last night and it rested overnight in the dyepot. Today I will wash it and give it a bath in some wool wash. I did two baths of purple, one I mixed and one straight from the dye manufacturer, and I think I am in love with this purple. Hope I can do it again. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see machine knitters coning this one up and using it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see knitted sock blanks from flatbed machines.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see antique circular sock machine (CSM) owners loving this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see fine gauge sweater knitters going nuts over it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see complete vests knit from one skein of 750 yards/150 grams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can see some great possibilities for this one.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong>Non-Superwash Merino</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now, this time I am doing something entirely different. I am sampling a yarn that I am not sure will be the final yarn we'll spin. That's because the weight hasn't been decided yet. So, I will invite everyone who samples the fingering skeins we'll have available to give feedback. What I need to know is this:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do we need to add a non-superwash to our line?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do we want it to be another sock weight? (Current sample will be 438 yds/100 gr)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do we want or need a sport weight in the non-sw? (I tried this a few years ago, and it languished on the shelves in a noticeable manner. Picture yarn languishing; now, picture it calling attention to itself? Hmmm...)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What applications will my customer base make for a sport yarn, if we go to the sport weight?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Do I have the customer base to support bringing in a new yarn in sport weight?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Good questions. All will be answered as we sample!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Want a sample? Write to me and I'll send you a little butterfly.</span>Yarniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14667987523503519404noreply@blogger.com1