Big new design, little bit of madness

Sure you can skip ahead to the pictures, but I'm in a particularly verbose (word of the day) mood. If you have the time, this is the story all about how my life got flipped-turned upside down... wait no. This is the first look at my new design, the Boulder Beanie, and just how trying being a designer can be sometimes, but in the end it's totally worth it.

I was awake at 3:30 the morning of my son's first day of kindergarten. It was a mixture of nerves for his first full day of school, mentally running through my to-do list, and my brain throwing me random 90s TV theme songs. Some of them are still stuck in my head.

Either way I got up at 5 motivated to get through my list before anyone else in the house was up. I folded laundry, cooked breakfast, cleaned the living room, packed my son's lunch, checked email... you get the idea. By 6:30 the sun was starting to light my backyard and it became the perfect place to take pictures.

I pulled out my tripod, attached my remote shutter, drug my wooden bench half-way across my yard, and started blindly shooting, and shooting, and shooting. Hoping that if I took enough pictures I'd get at least a few keepers.

Backing up a little... I'd first had the idea last winter, just not the time to work on it. So this Spring I finally attempted it. Fail. It was ok, but it wasn't what I saw in my head. I knew I could try to force the design, but instead I put it on the shelf and took a break over the summer. 

The break was exactly what I needed. I spent a lot of time playing with my kids, I read a little, and my house was actually clean on a regular basis. About a month ago inspiration finally hit. So I dusted off my hooks. That's when I found out just how many different ways there are NOT to make this design.

I changed everything, EVERYTHING about this design more than a few times. Yarn weight, hook size, colorwork, multiples, stitch counts, brim styles... it goes on. Welcome to my world.

Here're just a few of my failed attempts. I didn't take pictures of most of them. I just couldn't. Warning: bad phone pics and unfinished hats coming your way...

Yuck. I can't bare to make this picture any bigger.

It was only when my in-laws came to my house for the weekend that I finally had the best idea yet and the day to devote to it (a huge thanks to my awesome mother-in-law, Karen, for letting me work while she played with her grandkids). It came together seamlessly in the end, the way it was meant to. Not forced, just easy. So without any more rambling, I proudly give you my first design for Fall 2014...

the Boulder Beanie

This mah Abercrombie shot... now all I need are the half-naked guys.

It comes in a kids size too

I hope you liked my little preview and look into my sometimes crazy life. Let me know what you think of my new Boulder Beanie. It's coming out Monday, 8/25 so get ready!

play hard ... play hooky

Santa Beanie Pre-Sale & Photo Contest

I know, it's only September, but store aisles are already filling with blow up lawn decorations, wreaths, stockings, and ornaments, so I'm jumping in too. I'm having a Santa Beanie Pre-Sale so you can get a beanie at a discounted price and I won't be as overwhelmed during the holiday season. I also had a genius idea about what to do with your beanies once you get them... keep reading for details!

• Get a sale price for ordering early
• Order your beanie from 9/18 to 9/21
• It will ship to you on November 1st

Grab your cameras and bring out your footy pj's because in conjunction with the Santa Beanie Pre-Sale, I'm holding an Awkward Family Photo Contest! One winner will get a $25 gift certificate to my shop. It's the perfect last-minute gift for someone you love.

• Submit your photos from now until 12/15.
• Send me the pic through email or my FB page.
• All submitted photos will be posted here on my blog.
• Readers will vote on their favorite photo.
• The photo with the most votes WINS!
• Photos must feature at least one of my Santa Beanies (pictured, it can be made by me or made by you from my pattern) to be eligible.
• Only one photo per family is allowed.
• By sending me a picture you consent to allow me to use it on my blog, FB page, and other social media sites to advertise for the contest.
• You retains rights and credit for the photo.
• Watermarked photography is allowed.

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Eddyline Sunhat, Headband, & Belt Pattern is here!

Thank you for all your support during this round of Design Wars. Your votes, comments, and shares have made this a great experience and I've learned a lot. I appreciate you sticking with me to the end!

The final results (I don't even know who won yet and it's killing me!) will be posted on the DW blog tomorrow, but you can also see who won in the newsletter, set to go out any minute! Be the first one to know - sign up NOW!

To celebrate the end of a great competition, my Eddyline Pattern is now available! And do you want even better news? The first 20 copies sold on Ravelry are 30% off with the code EDDYLINE. Hurry because I have a feeling they won't last long!
** Update - all 20 sale copies are already gone!! THANK YOU! **

Here's where to get your copy:
Ravelry
Etsy
Craftsy

And now for some eye candy. Here are some of the amazing shots taken by my photographer, Jess at Jlight Photography (and a few I took)...

2nd Annual Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt!

While you're at work today, play a little hooky and go on a  Valentine's scavenger hunt! I've hidden 10 hearts (look for the picture to the left) in my Etsy Shop. Each one is hidden in a different picture. It could be on any picture, anywhere, any direction! To find them, hunt through all my hats & patterns until you come across one and you'll get up to 20% off!

My Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PlayinHookyDesigns

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Email me or send me a FB message with all the links to the listings you find to unlock your coupon code
2. Your discount amount depends on how many hearts you find: 1 heart = 2% off... 2 hearts = 4% off, 3 hearts = 6% off... 10 hearts = 20% off!
3. DO NOT GIVE AWAY ANY LISTINGS AS A COMMENT HERE OR ON FB. If you do, you will automatically be disqualified from any discount. Let's let everyone have fun!
4. The hunt is on all day! 
5. Your discount will be good all day today and through tomorrow

On the right is the exact heart you will find in each correct picture. If it's not that heart, it doesn't count. On the left is an example of how it may be hidden.

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

1st Weekly Playin' Hooky Sighting Winner

Last Monday I started a new contest for you and the first week of Playin' Hooky Sightings was a lot of fun. You used Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to submit some great pictures. In fact, I couldn't decide on just one. So we have two winners this week!

Congratulations to MELANIE for her pic of her daughter playing with her Playin' Hooky Disc and RENEE for her pic of her husband and his pit crew wearing their Houndstooth Beanies on their way to Sault Ste. Marie Michigan for the I-500 snowmobile race! 

Melanie & Renee won a skull and cross hooks button!

I'll choose another winner next Monday so keep your eyes peeled and submit your pictures!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Sneak Peek

I'm adding an entirely NEW LINE to my shop very soon! I just sent them off to be photographed. In the meantime, I'll give you a sneak peek at what's new!

Been busy!

This has been one crazy & busy Holiday season!

I've been working on a couple new patterns that I just listed at my Etsy shop. I haven't even had time to get the up on my website yet, but hopefully soon! I even got my husband, Colin, to model for me! I've been asking him forever, but now that I had a hat he wanted, I had some leverage. So I paid for his modeling services with the hat he's wearing in the pictures!

Along with my two new designs, I'm also trying to dye up some yarn to add to my shop. I've got a TON of white or off-white yarn just sitting around so I really want to start getting some of it listed!

I've also been talking with my LYS about selling my patterns. I finally got it together and brought them my Braided Cabbie Hat, Fishnet Beanie, and Townie Cap patterns. I also made them a couple of hats to display with my patterns! So if you're in Salida, CO go downtown and check out my designs at Fringe!

That's all my overworked brain can think of for right now! HAPPY HOOKING!

Old Patterns, New Patterns

OLD PATTERNS

There were a few things about my current patterns that I wasn't quite happy with. First off, the photography has never been as good as I've wanted. I just bought a new camera (thanks to my tax refund!) so I wanted to take all new pictures. But more than that, I wanted them to stand out as different than my finished hats. I decided to erase the background to give it a clean white background. and I LOVE IT! In my opinion, the look so much more professional, and it's obvious that they're patterns, not finished products. What'd you think?

Also, in honor of National Crochet Month I decided to lower the price from $4 to $3. I love creating new designs and sharing them with other hookers (and those who want to learn!). I hope by lowering the price that my crochet style will spread as more people buy them!

NEW PATTERNS

I also have a goal of 4 new patterns by the end of the month as a part of NCM. An idea struck me yesterday so I got to work. In my experience, forcing designs never works. I have to wait for that lightning strike and then start creating it with yarn. Hopefully I'll have this pattern finished in a day or two and start promoting it. Keep your eyes open!!

HAPPY HOOKING!

Lots to do

Well, I'm a little perplexed. When I got the e-mail from my wholesale buyer I contacted her right away and I still haven't heard back from her. That was on Dec 19th) I figured that she was busy with the Holidays and expected to get another e-mail yesterday (the 1st business day after Christmas). It's my first big order with her and we're trying to work out the best way to transfer payment so you can see why I'm a little anxious. I can't start on any of the hats until I get the deposit b/c I can't buy the yarn out of pocket right now. So I hope she gets back to me soon!!

I also have three pairs of wrist warmers I need to list in my Etsy Shop but I have to enlist my husband to help me. I like to to have clean, professional looking photography for my shop, but I'm having trouble. It's hard to take a picture of yourself in wrist warmers when you are the one snapping the shutter and being the model. The last time I tried, I had to use the camera timer, tilt the camera up with a matchbox, and find the right spot against the wall - all while trying to show off the wrist warmers in their full glory. This time around, I'm making my husband snap the photos!