*Yawn* - great day today at Craft 2.0! What a lovely bunch of people at the fair!
Will be back with a more substantial post once I remove these matchbox sticks from propping up my eyelids and have a wee shuteye. Maybe tomorrow :)
Thanks all the lovelies that stopped by and complimented us on our knitting! And funny all the people that asked us if we machine knit it all - no way hose, handknit all the way.
Nuh-night.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tomorrow's The Day!
I apologise in advance for anyone (is that everyone but me?) completely bored with my posts about the countdown and preparation for Craft 2.0...but I'm really excited as well as completely consumed with thoughts about it! Never fear, I have a few posts in my head non-related that I'll type up next week sometime.
The last week sure has been busy. Last weekend we were in Wanga's for a friend's wedding - where I caught up with fellow Coco Kiddian Kate, who passed on her stash of knitting for the stall too (see here for her post). This week Ali and I met up and organised the stall and any other details - she's been busy knitting/creating/sewing some wonderful items too - see her blog here for what she's been up to too.
Anyway - Coco Kids' first stall at Craft 2.0 is tomorrow...and yesterday I managed to take a photo of what I've been working on for it.
The last week sure has been busy. Last weekend we were in Wanga's for a friend's wedding - where I caught up with fellow Coco Kiddian Kate, who passed on her stash of knitting for the stall too (see here for her post). This week Ali and I met up and organised the stall and any other details - she's been busy knitting/creating/sewing some wonderful items too - see her blog here for what she's been up to too.
Anyway - Coco Kids' first stall at Craft 2.0 is tomorrow...and yesterday I managed to take a photo of what I've been working on for it.
Never fear mums of boys - although the table looks very pink and girly, there are definitely plenty of items for boys.
Last night was labelling night - and I had underestimated just how long it would take to get everything labelled - but it's done and they're all ready to be set up on our stall tonight in preparation for tomorrow.
Talk about a family affair too, while I was labelling, hubby was oiling the swifts he's made - so today they'll be packaged and labelled and then I think that's almost it! Phew!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
What is Craft 2.0?
I got an email the other day from one of my lovely friends asking me just what Craft 2.0 is.
To sum it up, it's a fabulous event, filled with lots of amazing stalls of handcrafted quality items. In fact, everything sold there must be handmade by the people running the stall - so there's no mass produced, made in Taiwan items. It's all carefully crafted from specially selected materials to ensure that it's a top notch product, and hence why it's a top notch event (both to pop along to and to be selling at). The application process ensures that it's high quality items covering a wide range of crafting at the stalls on the day (not everyone that applies gets a stall - there are a limited number of stalls and a much greater number of applicants than stallholders on the day)
There's a wide variety of sellers, this time around I think there are going to be more than ever before - but there are gorgeous handmade clothes using vintage fabrics, there is a wide range of jewellery, cupcakes, hand knitting ;), stationery, prints, toys, cupcakes, hand-dyed yarn, buttons, furnishings...and so so much more.
I love the fact that it's held at the Dowse too - a gallery with a fabulous cafe attached so that when you need a breather you can grab a good coffee before going for a second look.
I'm a little excited about our stall though because it was going along to Craft 2.0 over a year ago that helped me realise that there was indeed an opportunity for me to be part of a custom knitting business with my good friends and colleagues Ali and Kate. It feels like we've come full circle to be a stallholder at Craft 2.0 almost exactly a year since the launch of Coco Kids (an idea that was 'born' August/September 2009, but launched officially on the 1st of November 2009).
Just a note to those with kids - there is a fabulous 'Free Kids Crafting' stall (upstairs this time I think), where your kids can make their own creations.
If you have a babe in arms, an ergo/frontpac/backpac/sling/wrap is easier to get around in rather than a stroller - though this year with the fair being spread over two floors there may well be more room for moving a stroller around in :)
These pics are in NO way a good indication of all the wondrous things you can find at Craft 2.0. Last time we were there as shoppers and took along a travelling mascot that wanted to visit it...hence why a little stuffed toy Wanda is in each pic. The pics of Penny outside are definitely at the end (see the cupcake...the bribe to get us around) when we were both a bit pooped!
I wondered if perhaps I've been going on and on and on about how thrilled and excited we are to have a stall there when others still haven't been introduced to what Craft 2.0 is.
To sum it up, it's a fabulous event, filled with lots of amazing stalls of handcrafted quality items. In fact, everything sold there must be handmade by the people running the stall - so there's no mass produced, made in Taiwan items. It's all carefully crafted from specially selected materials to ensure that it's a top notch product, and hence why it's a top notch event (both to pop along to and to be selling at). The application process ensures that it's high quality items covering a wide range of crafting at the stalls on the day (not everyone that applies gets a stall - there are a limited number of stalls and a much greater number of applicants than stallholders on the day)
There's a wide variety of sellers, this time around I think there are going to be more than ever before - but there are gorgeous handmade clothes using vintage fabrics, there is a wide range of jewellery, cupcakes, hand knitting ;), stationery, prints, toys, cupcakes, hand-dyed yarn, buttons, furnishings...and so so much more.
I love the fact that it's held at the Dowse too - a gallery with a fabulous cafe attached so that when you need a breather you can grab a good coffee before going for a second look.
I'm a little excited about our stall though because it was going along to Craft 2.0 over a year ago that helped me realise that there was indeed an opportunity for me to be part of a custom knitting business with my good friends and colleagues Ali and Kate. It feels like we've come full circle to be a stallholder at Craft 2.0 almost exactly a year since the launch of Coco Kids (an idea that was 'born' August/September 2009, but launched officially on the 1st of November 2009).
If you have a babe in arms, an ergo/frontpac/backpac/sling/wrap is easier to get around in rather than a stroller - though this year with the fair being spread over two floors there may well be more room for moving a stroller around in :)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
11 Sleeps To Go!
Well it's not long now! 11 sleeps according to the calendar till Craft 2.0! And this year it sounds like it's going to be even bigger and better than previous ones (if that's even possible!)
In fact, it's so big and there are going to be so many stalls that Craft 2.0 is spilling up into the next floor of The Dowse in Lower Hutt. That's where you'll find the Coco Kids stall - upstairs (according to the draft layout, if there are any changes we'll let you know).
Never fear if you plan to bring kids in a stroller, there is a lift up to the next floor, and we imagine that there'll be a bit more space up there for breathing, than the crush you sometimes feeling trying to walk through the Lounge section of Craft 2.0. We'd love to see you! Come and say hello!
One thing that hasn't been mentioned regarding our Coco Kids stall (due to it not exactly being a custom knitting item) is that our stall should also have items FOR knitters, rather than solely knitted items. If you are on the lookout for a swift (to help wind your newly purchased Knitsch yarn), or sock blockers and stitch markers - then we can help you with that too! All wooden items (swifts and sock blockers) are made by my hubby, and the stitch markers are carefully crafted by any of the Coco Kids team.
So mark your calendars - the 30th of October and we'll see you there!
In fact, it's so big and there are going to be so many stalls that Craft 2.0 is spilling up into the next floor of The Dowse in Lower Hutt. That's where you'll find the Coco Kids stall - upstairs (according to the draft layout, if there are any changes we'll let you know).
Never fear if you plan to bring kids in a stroller, there is a lift up to the next floor, and we imagine that there'll be a bit more space up there for breathing, than the crush you sometimes feeling trying to walk through the Lounge section of Craft 2.0. We'd love to see you! Come and say hello!
Handmade Wooden Swifts - see the link below for more information
One thing that hasn't been mentioned regarding our Coco Kids stall (due to it not exactly being a custom knitting item) is that our stall should also have items FOR knitters, rather than solely knitted items. If you are on the lookout for a swift (to help wind your newly purchased Knitsch yarn), or sock blockers and stitch markers - then we can help you with that too! All wooden items (swifts and sock blockers) are made by my hubby, and the stitch markers are carefully crafted by any of the Coco Kids team.
Sock blockers - small, medium, large and toddler sized
So mark your calendars - the 30th of October and we'll see you there!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Paige Babydoll
Another testknit - I really am a sucker for test knits, especially when I should be knitting stock frantically at the moment, but I think there's always got to be some time for knits for my kids or else knitting becomes too much of a chore rather than something enjoyable.
So, this is a pattern by my friend Rachel Evans and has a number of options. This is the full skirt option and I still need to add a ribbon to the eyelet holes around the bodice - but it looks cute without it still in my opinion.
I knit it in some Woolly Wumpkins organic merino aran (UK) I had custom dyed in a co-op last year (the colour was Nebula minus the grey from memory) and it has sat in my stash waiting for me to come by the right 10ply pattern. Voila! It was a perfect amount for the test knit and although it pooled terribly when knit from one ball in the round, alternating 2 balls every 2nd row seemed to work ok.
Watch this space, I'll let you know when she's released it :)
So, this is a pattern by my friend Rachel Evans and has a number of options. This is the full skirt option and I still need to add a ribbon to the eyelet holes around the bodice - but it looks cute without it still in my opinion.
I knit it in some Woolly Wumpkins organic merino aran (UK) I had custom dyed in a co-op last year (the colour was Nebula minus the grey from memory) and it has sat in my stash waiting for me to come by the right 10ply pattern. Voila! It was a perfect amount for the test knit and although it pooled terribly when knit from one ball in the round, alternating 2 balls every 2nd row seemed to work ok.
Ignore the delicious ball of WOOLganics, I was hoping to use this as the contrast, but the shade of brown wasn't quite the right colour to use in the end
Watch this space, I'll let you know when she's released it :)
Monday, October 11, 2010
World Famous in New Zealand...
(to borrow L&P's catch phrase)
Ok, possibly not even famous within New Zealand...but Coco Kids has featured on the Craft 2.0 blog over the weekend! Not long to go now :)
Ok, possibly not even famous within New Zealand...but Coco Kids has featured on the Craft 2.0 blog over the weekend! Not long to go now :)
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Good Clean Fun
Had to add this pic - Tim is sporting his favourite hat at the moment. Last summer I couldn't get him to wear a hat, this year he loves this reject of Penny's. This is actually an unposed photo - the kids love to climb the steps and sit there together waving to me.
But, there's nothing like a bit of good clean fun too. You know, the kind where kids don't have to be bathed and dressed again following. We discovered a great outing the other day. Down the road at the bottom of 'our' hill is a fabulous reserve, Percy's Reserve. On Friday, the last day of the holidays, I had a sudden urge to take the kids somewhere and do something rather than letting them run wild in the backyard. We threw the trikes in the boot and grabbed the remainder of the bag of bread off the bench and off we went.
The kids jumped on their trikes the moment they were out of the car and proceeded to slowly inch their way up the hill to the entrance where we were greeted by a Mummy duck and her tribe of very cute and not so obedient ducklings (she had 10 of them, I wondered how she really was feeling trying to keep track of all of them). Anywho, we had a lovely time - the ducks and their ducklings were obviously hungry - and the kids really enjoyed having pretty much the run of the place and being able to bike along the paths.
And the fab thing was that Tim on a trike is SO much slower than Tim on foot. Though he did get off to do a bit of duck chasing with his sister...
Actually, we had such a lovely and peaceful time down there that today we headed back with Blair/Daddy (and the camera). The ducks seemed a whole lot less interested in us today - but on throwing our bread bag in the bin we saw it was overflowing with other bread bags and so know now that Friday is probably a good day to head to the Reserve...hungry ducks!
Wheeeeee - Tim just about to head down the path
'Grrr Mama! But I was hungry too!' (after mentioning to madam that the bread was really for the ducks)
Friday, October 1, 2010
September Round-up
My needles have been working so hard lately that I've been expecting to see smoke coming off them! It's all working towards our Coco Kids stall at the next Craft 2.0 on the 30th of October (any stock not sold on the day will go up here too in my 'Items for Sale' tab in case you're after a few Chrissy pressies)
So, a collection of items you'll see at Craft 2.0:
A range of Eden's - these are little singlets/vests that can be worn on their own, under clothing or as a vest layer over the top. I've knit some in 4ply merino (great for babies) and 8ply wool and 10ply cotton, in a variety of colours and patterns
A range of Milo's - again a vest or singlet, this one is chunkier looking with a little cable pattern running down the front
I've also got some Hotshot's lined up...
Perhaps maybe a Breezy or two
I'm trying to think of what else I should whip up between now and the 30th that I can offer? It's not really going to be hat weather is it?! If you've any thoughts or items you'd love to see on our stall let me know! Or size/colour requests? I'll see what I can do!
Coco Kids can guarantee that we have licenses or permission from the designers of ALL the patterns we knit. We respect the wishes of the designers regarding copyright and have either purchased the rights to knit their items or have written permission.
So, a collection of items you'll see at Craft 2.0:
A range of Eden's - these are little singlets/vests that can be worn on their own, under clothing or as a vest layer over the top. I've knit some in 4ply merino (great for babies) and 8ply wool and 10ply cotton, in a variety of colours and patterns
Dresses and tunics for girls? There'll be a variety of knitted dresses and tunics, ranging from:
Rainbow Dresses
As well as some Young Einstein cardies (these ones I popped cables into the raglans)
And how about some shrugs? Both Confection Shrugs and Leafy Shrugs - perfect for that spring/summer weather
Perhaps maybe a Breezy or two
What else....well, all going to plan, there'll be some items for people without kids to buy for ;) These will be great for pressies for others too I think. You might have to watch the stall for these - or check in here following the 30th.
I'm trying to think of what else I should whip up between now and the 30th that I can offer? It's not really going to be hat weather is it?! If you've any thoughts or items you'd love to see on our stall let me know! Or size/colour requests? I'll see what I can do!
Coco Kids can guarantee that we have licenses or permission from the designers of ALL the patterns we knit. We respect the wishes of the designers regarding copyright and have either purchased the rights to knit their items or have written permission.
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