Tuesday 22 December 2009

2009.........

Blimey what a year, and what an amazing last couple of months!!! I have loved every minute of it, the expanding of the business has meant some growing pains, and some steep learning curves, I don't get everything right but I try very hard to, and its meant some serious learning, even in the last 3 weeks, we have had a very steep learning curve. And the one thing I love is to keep learning and make changes and adapt to make things better, that for me this is exciting, and I love it that my customers seem to come on my journey with me, so thanks to all my customers this year, and all of my wholesale customers, its been a cracking year!

Next year, also sees a number of changes to Fyberspates in the way it operates and to manage the growth successfully, it will mean being a little less flexible about somethings, but that's the balance you have to strike and I am looking forward to that. Early Jan sees a whole restructuring of the unit ready for the change in wholesale =  no more commission dyeing for wholesale, simply a huge range of off the shelf (still one off's, unique), but its got to become more manageable for us, this will be launched in late January.

I am also hoping to do TNNA in the summer in the USA, and also might be going to meet a US distributor to organise that in late jan, fingers crossed :)

So, I its my last day today in the unit, and at work, I am having a proper length of time off for the first time in a few years. I am very very excited, I have a feeling I will sleep most of it. I will be back on the 4th of Jan refreshed and ready to go and tell you about all my plans.

Thanks loads everyone for your adorable support and fabulous smiles,

Happy Holidays and Happy new year.

xxxxxxx



Friday 18 December 2009

Imps in the wood and flowers

ok, I totally over did the said colours today on the update becuase I get asked all the time for them, so here they are in abundance....

here are some of my favs for today:

Infinity lace in imps in the wood.

Group 4 019 

Scrumptious 4ply in the same.

Group 4 025

Sheilas sock in kingfisher

Group 3 002 

Scrumptious 4ply in pansy....

Group 3 010



Thursday 17 December 2009

Last update of the year - tomorrow

OK, this week has been mad and very very cold, I have got no heating in my workshop and its about 3 degrees, mainly because of all the holes in the roof, strangely I never noticed those in the summer, lol.  I am layered up with clothes to the hilt so its bearable, and seeing as I used to dye outside even in the winter, its good at least not to be rained on hahahahaha!!!

So I am updating the shop,  and it will go online in the morning hopefully all in one go, if I get the photos done tonight, and then tomorrow Brian and I are planning our plan of attack for January, new equipment, new setup, new heating, new drying, new storage, NEW EVERYTHING. And the aim will be the only off the shelf wholesaler indie dyer with a Masive choice, its gonna be VERY VERY exciting.

So guess what??? For the first year in 3 years I am having Christmas holidays off, yup a whole 10 days, no dyeing or packaging or anything.

Last packing day is tomorrow for delivery before Christmas, BUT YOU NEED TO GET YOUR ORDER IN BEFORE 3PM. I will be posting things on Monday and Tuesday too, because my extraction and ventilation is being installed, but that's it then, no more posting until JAN 4TH. I definitely need some time off.

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Monday 14 December 2009

Launching new Wholesale package and ohhh sparkle fibre.....

I am really excited, I have wanted an alternative approach to wholesale for a little while now, I know exactly how I want it, but it takes some extra pairs of hands and storage....oh I have them now hahahahahaha.

Obviously most people have stocks of the things they wholesale and then they sell everything from their stocks with hand dyeing its not so easy to do that, but, I am confident that after doing it for a long time now,  that I can figure out which colours shops will like. So in the third week of January I will be launching a new section for the website where wholesale customers will be able to order yarn that is in stock, they will be able to see the photo's and what makes it even more fun is that all the yarn will be one offs, I will still offer custom dyeing, but there will be a premium for it for wholesale, not retail

If you are already a stockist of Fyberspates hand dyed, then you will get information on this automatically,  if you want to be a stockist please email me for more information and samples.

I am so so so excited, I really want to operate  a much smoother way of doing wholesale that doesn't make me stressed, and we can also ensure the quality control is absolutely at its maximum.

It will mean a big change in the way of working around here, but I am having alot of things changed in the unit, things built etc etc, and it reflects the increase in production, so its all good.

It won't make any difference to the retail side, apart from perhaps more yarn every week, but thats all good init ;)

Oh and I had a letter to say the sparkle FIBRE is on the way, yeah thats right fibre with silk merino and sterling Silver in it.........how absolutely exciting is that huh? oh and I ordered loads of it ;)

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Tuesday 8 December 2009

Whohoooooo - clubs are up!!!!

So medarlins,  the clubs are now up in the Shop, places are limited to make it manageable!!!

I am thinking about doing a project club, BUT I have to have the designs completed first before I launch it, so that will go on in the spring.

Currently the jumper club is for UK  only, but if you want it shipped over seas, please email me for a shipping supplement price.

If you want the club for a present, I can email you a club membership page you can print out and put in a card.

Many thanks!!!

XXXXXX



Friday 4 December 2009

Shop update

I haven't finished the shop update, but I will have to continue tomorrow as I have to go, BUT there are lots more treats.

My absolute fav this week are these two:

Ethereal in Gold silver and bronze and the same in Scrumptious 4ply...

Iphone 159

Iphone 154



Wednesday 2 December 2009

New clubs for 2010

OK, after much deliberation, planning and outsourcing the gorgeous organising of clubs I have the absolute pleasure to announce the club lineups for early 2010. They will start in February and be shipped on a monthly basis (apart from the Jumper club), because I will be working a month ahead as Jo will be doing all the packing and sending.

They will go on sale Next week, for 4 weeks till the 7th of Jan, there are limited places and the signups will close once the limit is reached, or the 7th of January, which ever comes first. 

I had the absolute luxury of choosing what ever I wanted because I am going to be the most wonderful bit... the dyeing!!!

With each club, you allowed to choose whether you want semisolids, or multi coloured, I really don't mind, with the Jumper club you can choose your colours too.

PLEASE NOTE FOR USA CUSTOMERS you get 15% of of the price of the club prices quoted here, because VAT at 15% is deducted at the checkout

OK lets begin with the new clubs.....

3 month LUXURY yarn club

Price: £58 for UK, £60 for Europe £62 for the rest of the world.

100gms of Ethereal (65% cashmere, 35% Silk)

100gms of Faery Wings (silk /kid mohair)

100gms of Nef 4ply

3 bi monthly Aran Jumper club  enough for 3 sweaters! AND  you get to choose the colours for this one...

This club comes per size, so you can join selecting the number of hanks you want for 3 months.

For example, you can have the 500gm a month, or 600gm, 700gmm etc, up to 1500 or higher if you want, there really is no restriction on this, I can dye larger dyelots.

One month you get scrumptious aran, next month you get Sheilas aran, and the following month you get the organic aran.

Prices

500gm club:  £140

600gm club: £176

Please add on £25 for every 100gm size added.

Shipping is charged at approximately 10 -15  pounds for the uk. No higher than 15 for an size.

For shipping to the USA and Europe, please emial me for the prices, the shop will automatically calculate the shipping.

3 month Sparkle sock club 

Price£50 for the UK, £52 for Europe, £54 for the USA

3 X 100gm, 100gm per month.

3 month Lace club

Price: £45 for the UK, £47 for Europe, and £49 for the USA

1 x tia lace

1 x Nef lace

1 x Merino Silk

Sheilas sock club

Price: £36 for the UK, £38 for Europe, £40 for the USA

3 x 100gm of sheilas sock



Tuesday 1 December 2009

I have a little helper called Brian :)

Right, the shop stock has got ridiculously low, its all selling rather fast!!!!!

  So this week there will be absolutely loads on the update, and I have a new helper to help me with the dyeing, and his name is Brian, very exciting. I need to clear some wholesale orders this week to get them to shops before we run out of shopping time, and I can't do it on my own.

So if you have any requests, please let me know.

I do also offer a next day delivery service if you need something for a gift.

I will list the clubs that will go on sale next week in a post tomorrow or later today, there are going to be about 5 clubs, all administered by JO, very exciting!!!! Perfect for Christmas presents too.

Also I need to point out that returns will be refunded sans the cost of postage, if its a simply yarn return, and please email me to let me know you are returning things, otherwise I have no idea who packages are from :)

OK, that's all the shop talk, the trip to Scotland was loads of fun, it really was, but blimin cold!!!

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