Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Girl Power

365 Days of Creativity - Day 9 - Girlpower

One of the things that I love about the owner of today's featured shop, Girlpower on Etsy, is her "can do" attitude. An avid knitter with many years of experience in knitting and pattern design, Emily is ready, willing and able to take on requests for custom designs from apparel to accessories, toys to housewares.  And looking through her shop, you'll see that attitude backed up by a wonderful (and often whimsical) assortment of knitted goods.



I asked Emily to share her thoughts on a few questions I posed to her - and here are her responses!

Tell us how you decided on your shop name.
Girlpower was a whimsical idea - it came from having 5 sisters - , and it turned out to be a really great name! I actually picked out the name a while before I started my shop, and I think it sounds better (and is easier to remember) than "The Knifty Knitter", which I had considered.
In addition to crocheting/knitting, are there any other needle crafts that you enjoy?
After knitting my second love is free-form hand embroidery, then in reducing love, machine sewing, hand-sewing doll clothes, and a tad of cross stitch.
Do you come up with your own patterns for stitches or do you tend to stick to tried and true basic stitches?
Both, it depends on how adventurous I feel. When I want excitement I do it my way, mixed with a little common sense and tradition. Or it can depend on the fiber I am working with, and how it feels and drapes, there are so many possibilities!
What fiber do you think makes the most comfortable woven fabric?
I like cotton woven and wool knitted. I usually prefer pure cotton, but mixed wools.
Name one thing that not many people know about you.

My middle name, favorite color, & secret skills. (And they will stay unknown for the time being!)
Are there any important lessons you've learned the hard way since you started selling your products?
Yes, don't underprice, especially on custom items! The worst thing I did was agree with a customer to a ridiculously low price for a full-sized pullover, ouch. I won't be doing that again! Knitting takes time, so I can't give away my time, but not everyone knows how long it takes, or how much materials cost. A sweater, for instance, can take 30 hours of work, 1800 yards of yarn, and $80 in materials. So I am working on a 0.05-0.10 charge per yard of yarn knit plus yarn costs.
You're stranded on a desert island and you've been praying that you had one item to make life bearable. All of a sudden a crate washes up on shore. What's in it?

Only one thing? : )
What song always makes you happy when you hear it?
Fur Elise, Chariots of Fire
Emily also shared these sentiments -
Etsy has really been a great thing for me, because I can do what I love and do best, and share it with other people. I have a lot of fun with my shop and a lot of love in my items, I hope this reflects when you stop by and look. I hope to find people on Etsy who are interested in beautiful knits and custom made items, made unique for them. 
I'd like to thank Emily for participating here on my blog today! I also hope you'll take some time to visit and look through her offerings at Girlpower - you're sure to find something that appeals to your sense of fun and fancy!

xo,



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