Farmers Markets Drawing Closer

I'm getting excited, I'm back in my local farmers' markets again this year! I will be at the Kent Farmers' Market in August and the Auburn Farmers' Market in September. I've changed up my inventory from the last time I participated in these markets (2012 and 2013). This time around my focus is on smaller wearables, baby items and toy-like items. Items such as pacifier clips, baby blocks, stuffed toys, keychains, frisbees, hacky sacks, slippers, re-usable market bags, water bottle totes, etc.

I've been working like crazy fulfilling orders and trying to build inventory for the markets at the same time. It's hard but I'm having a lot of fun along the way because every item I make for babies I think of my new grandson who will also be here very soon (August) and I can't wait to meet him. Each baby item I make I think, my little grand baby needs this and he will love that. My son has already put in an order for a tiger teething ring rattle and a Benny the Bull (Chicago Bulls) pacifier clip. I have to design the pacifier clip myself because I don't think I can find a crochet pattern for a bull (but you never know, maybe with a little search on Pinterest or Ravelry, I will)!

Well I did a search on Ravelry and low-and-behold I found a pattern for a bull/ox and I will modify it to make him look like Benny the Bull, of which there are many versions of Benny to choose from, so I will be working on that soon.

Here is a sneak peak at what I've done so far to get ready for this year's farmers' markets:

Rattle Teething Ring (Tiger)

Teddy Bear Keychains

0-3 months headbands

Giraffe pacifier clips

Football keychains

Ladybug pacifier clip

These are just a few of the types of items I will have. I hope to see you at the markets. Happy Summer Solstice! And happy knitting and crocheting.

Summer is almost here, what are you knitting?

Now that the warm weather is getting here, many of us knitters put away the wools and wool blends and change over to the cottons and cotton blends to create lighter weight garments and accessories. What are some of the items you like to make during the warmer months?

Me I am getting ready for the my local Farmers Markets. I'm making a wide range of new items and bringing back some of my popular items to sell at the Kent Farmers Market in August and the Auburn International Farmers Market in September.

I'm looking forward to these markets once again. I took a long hiatus from doing summer shows and now I'm back. I've decided to do more items that are geared for the warmer weather, such as baby items in cotton (sun hats and booties), hair/headbands, felted dryer balls, market bags, bottle totes, cotton frisbees, hacky sacks, assorted key chains, baby rattles and bibs, pacifier clips, i-cord bracelets, potholders and dishcloth sets, cup cozies, pocket slippers, kitchen/bath scrubbers, swiffer covers, and baby blocks.

Here are some of my items that I've made so far:

Owl rattles

Crochet headbands

Froggie key chain

Owl key chain

Bunny rattle

Cotton frisbees

Hacky sacks

Felted dryer balls

Pacifier clip

Share some of your warmer weather items I'd love to hear from you and happy knitting!

Summer is officially over and Fall is here!

Well now that Fall is officially here, I'm looking forward to seeing all the new fall color selections from at my LYS and getting into some serious knitting.  This summer I did knit, but mostly I was keeping up with my sales that I was getting from my Etsy shop and trying out new patterns to sell at the Kent Farmers Market.

I really enjoyed the Farmers Market and will most likely participate again next year. I only signed up for 3 Saturdays this summer because I just wanted to see how I would do and what kind of response I would get with my knitted products.  I did better than I anticipated and learned a few things about what people are looking for and pricing my products.

Here are pictures of my booth on the three Saturdays I particpated.

Here is my booth on a beautiful sunny day on August 11, 2012

 

Here is my booth on a not so sunny day on August 18, 2012.. That's me, sitting behind all the signs in the photo on the right.



Here is my booth, on another beautiful sunny day on September 1, 2012.

I actually enjoyed working the Farmers Market, but I only had two issues: working the booth alone, doesn't really allow for you to have bathroom breaks and setting up and breaking down can be a hassle and takes twice as long compared to those booths who have more than one person. But overall the experience was good and I like that I was getting exposure for my products and getting my name and brand out there!

I've signed up to have an outdoor booth in October at the Renton Harvest Festival in downtown Renton, WA at the Piazza, so if you live locally, I hope I will see you there. I'm looking forward to showing off some of my new fall-wear and you can get a jump on your shopping - hey it's never to early to start putting away those stocking stuffers for friends and family who live far away.

Some patterns I'm looking forward to trying out for fall include:

Lion Brand's - Brimmed Cap

Red Heart's - Brimming with Fun Cap (crochet pattern)

Leisure Arts' - Rainbow Stripes (crochet bag)

Vickie Howell's - Urban Revival and Urban Jungle (crochet slouchy hats)

Some new colorwork patterns I have designed for my team spirit hats include:

Dallas Cowboys

Oakland Raiders



 And a new team hat I completed earlier this month, for a local woman to give to her brother is the University of Oklahoma beanie:

I certainly hope all of you are getting started on your fall knitting and if you get a chance share some of your projects with me, I'd love to hear from you and Happy Knitting to you all!

And the winner is...

Congratulations to Jenny Wilson whose name was drawn to receive the Vanilla and Chocolate personal spa set.

Thank you all who have "liked" Knitter Mama so far and keep checking in on Facebook for monthly drawings.

September's drawing is for a cabled cowl. I've knitted three of them so far and one has already sold at the Kent Farmers Market on Saturday, September 1. I'm going to hold on to the winter white and charcoal colored ones for the winner of September's drawing.

Denim Cabled Cowl - sold at Kent Farmers Market
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Design: Quick Cabled Cowl - Gabrielle O'Leary

All you have to do to get your name in the drawing leave a comment on Knitter Mama's Facebook page of what the next team ear flap hat design I'm making - *hint* - scroll down to August 9 on the timeline.

Charcoal colored cabled cowl with dazzling black buttons

close-up of cable

Winter white cabled cowl without buttons

close-up of cable


So, please stay tuned for more drawings. And don't forget to leave your guess as a comment on Facebook for September's drawing. Happy knitting!