Research and Development

One of my favorite parts of crafting is figuring out what it is that I want to make. When I knit a sweater, I ask myself what color?, what yarn?, what shape?, what size?, and many other questions. Especially if the sweater is not for me, I agonize over what the recipient of my knitting might most enjoy. My jewelry-making is no different, and over the past several months, I have found that I LOVE to do custom orders for people! Recently, I completed some row counters and stitch markers featuring the buyer's initials in polymer clay, with her name spelled out along the 9 beads of the counter! It was so much fun to work on!

And just this week, I created another for a returning customer that I am enjoying getting to know. I can't show you the whole thing...she is buying it as a gift...but I am happy to share the portion that I like the best! While working on this row counter, I wanted to remind my customer and her gift recipient to love well and laugh often. Even if you have struggles, you can find someone to love and something to laugh about, and I think my new found, faraway friend has figured this out! It's one of those things that helps to make this life more enjoyable, and too many people don't even try, it seems. I am a fan of those who do.

I guess you could say that I am also a fan of research and development. I like to sit at the computer and figure out what is out there, what people are buying, and what they might like, based on that information. Since I was a knitter before I was a seller of row counters, I start with the items I think I might like. . .that's how my very first row counter (partially pictured in the blog banner) came to be. . .I needed a way to count my rows without losing the counter when I put the project down.

After a few months of selling the knitting row counters, I realized that there was a gap in the market for crochet row counters. That could be because (in my opinion) crochet rows are not as difficult to count when looking back on the completed work, or it could simply be that it's not as clear-cut to figure out how to clip a counter onto a piece of crochet. So, I branched out to create crochet row counters and row markers, and I have sold a few of those.

Then, last month sometime, I came up with an idea. . .a wonderful, wooly idea! What if I could create a counter that would function for both crochet AND knitting? And I think I have done it! I have listed the first one in my Etsy shop, and I am excited to see if I receive some feedback on it. The counter can rest on the knitting needles, between stitches. . .OR. . .it attaches by the lanyard hook directly to a crochet piece, and the elastic markers slip past the numbered beads to count single rows and sets of ten. Here it is, shown on my Holly Cardigan!
And here it is on a Crochet piece (finished long ago, but nice for displaying crochet counters). So, what do you think?
So, I guess that's it for now. Research has been my "gig" this week. That cardigan is really coming along, and I am excited about starting the sleeves soon! And I hope I sell some counters this week!

Knit in Good Health!