September Issue 2011

We are saying goodbye to the lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer... Fall is fast approaching and so we are all thinking Back to School and warmth.  Why not check out Dylana Designs and buy yourself a custom hand knit/crochet design or better yet you can curl up in front of the fireplace and make something special from the beautiful array of yarns and patterns on The Joy of Knitting

Recaping some of my New listings in my Etsy shops Dylana Designs and The Joy of Knitting.

Dylana Designs




Men's Knit Crochet Hat n Scarf in Tweed

  



 


 





 




Rainbow Yoga Mat Bag




 





Spiderweb Brooch



 











  





 The Joy of Knitting

 

Rejuvenation Wool in Olive



Rejuvenation Wool in Charcoal





Rejuvenation Wool in Cocoa



Hey I took a SUMMER break...

With the summer months being so short here in Toronto, I always spend the time walking about outdoors, which includes visiting tons of festivals, hanging out down by the lake and soaking up rays poolside.  I took a holiday from blogging and sending out e-blasts.  In September I will be fully back in business.

I have been busy coming up with new designs and writing new patterns for the upcoming season.  I am preparing to start knitting and crochet workshops by mid-September and participating in a few open houses and shows.  I have been fortunate to be featured in two blogs this summer.

The Dad Project

http://www.thedadproject.com/?p=2005

and

Natural Glam Diva

http://naturalglamdiva.blogspot.com/2011/08/she-takes-crotcheting-to-new-level.html#links

See you all soon!

Why I L.O.V.E. my business...

For the first time since starting my business I decided last year to really take a good look at my business for what is was and is. I went full throttle into it with my eyes wide open. I had to put into perspective exactly where I wanted my business to be three to five years down the road. While it's no walk in the park I must admit that I am totally enjoying this journey. I would love to share a few things I learned along the way with you:

1. Be a joyful business owner and have fun running your business. You are everything to your business, the manager, assistant, accountant, shipper, etc. Don't stress about the small stuff with every new day there will be new challenges so roll with the punches.

2. Listen to your clients! (don't take them for granted)

3. Try everything once! (sometimes the same things that you think will not work surprise you; always be ready to reinvent your business again and again)

4. Listen, listen, listen to advice from other people even those who do not have a business; remember they are looking at your business from a consumer standpoint.

5. Be true to yourself and your product/service. Meaning stick to good ethics and your vision, mission and policies when it comes to doing business, people will respect you more.

6. The most effective marketing for my business is talking to everyone and anyone about what I do.  It has gotten me so much sales and referrals sometimes I cannot keep up.

I always remind myself that I was creative and artistic before I turned my passion into a business and when things are not going perfectly or sales are slow.  I come back to homebase, sit down, relax and start a project and I fall in love all over again...

Our Great Canadian Weather!!!!

I guess it's old age but I am so sick and tired of the cold, rain and lack of sun. To top this all off I have been suffering the worst allergies ever in 10 years. I need to really talk about out great Canadian weather. Indeed it's been wearing me thin this year. Now don't get me wrong I love the seasons and Fall is my favourite by far. Fall just seems to me like a shedding of old skin, then Winter comes along so we can wrap that tender new skin in warmth, only to thaw out to the new life of Spring, then when Summer rolls around we are ready to find new friends, new adventures and just about anything new and exciting that this life have to offer. In my home country of Belize we like to say that there are two seasons. Heat and Rain. It is totally different from this Canadian climate. While I love them both differently at times when I am in Belize I long for the changes the Canadian climate have to offer and when I am in Canada especially at this time of the year I cannot wait to feel that hot sun on my face.

So for now I will just sit back and relax and wait for our great Canadian Summer which I hope will get here sooner rather then later.

To get everyone in a summer mood, check out my Summerwear  http://www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns?section_id=7848428 and Accessories http://www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns?section_id=7919985

One Love for everything Roots Rasta

Roots Rasta Drawstring Bag

Roots Rasta Halter

The Rasta colours are my very favourite to knit and crochet.  I make everything and anything from these colours.  If you are not familiar here is a brief meaning of what the colours stands for:


Black - Africa
Red - Blood
Gold/Yellow - All the treasures of the World that we desire
Green - Earth

Roots Rasta Yoga Mat Bag

Roots Rasta Headbanz

Roots Rasta Earrings

Roots Rasta Slouchy

Go to my Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns to see more Roots Rasta designs. If you do not see something you like you can order at any time.

May - Happy Mother's Day

***Joyful News***

I Love my Mom. She is the reason I am the person I am today. She taught me to love, dream, walk, talk and this list is endless. Good-natured, inspirational, smart, funny are just a few words to describe her. She has a very gentle, warm, kind spirit and she invites everyone into her heart and home and once you are there she will cook literally whatever your heart desires and feed you as much as you can eat from main course to dessert. She will mother you for a lifetime. I am not just writing these words because she is my Mom, anyone that knows her can fully attest to this. On Sunday and everyday, please remember to honour your Mom by saying and showing her how much you love and appreciate her and if you get the opportunity to hang out with her give her a big hug and kiss and remind her how fortunate YOU are to have her as your Mother. I Love You Mommy and wish I could be there to spend this time with you. Happy Mother's Days especially to my sisters, my sister-in-laws and all the other wonderful Mothers that are a part of my life.

News & Events

May Sale of the Month... I am having an end of Winter Sale in my Etsy Shop all this month. See the SALE SALE SALE section and save $10.00 or more on each item http://www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns?section_id=8043481

April 16th Easter Open House at Yvonne's Coffee Haus went off without a hitch even though it was a very rainy day, I got a few sales and a couple people interested in signing up for the Fall Workshops.

April 30th Shop Cats - TESTy Spring Craft Show at The Gladstone Hotel was very, very successful, it was the best show I have ever had. The flapper hat was the best seller for me, see more in my Etsy shop> http://www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns?section_id=7848428

Gladstone Hotel

Gladstone Hotel

Gladstone Hotel

Website

Please remember to check out my website www.thejoyofknitting.com

Facebook

The Joy of Knitting on Facebook now has 113 likes, please feel free to join or share with your friends http://on.fb.me/TheJoyofKnittingonFB let me know if you like?

Twitter

Follow me on Twitter @LadyDylana I am always looking for more Tweeties.

Blog

Check out my blog, I would love to receive feedback. http://ladydylanabelize.blogspot.com/

Facebook, blogging and tweeting keep me very busy every day. I do realize that it’s a necessary part of my business.

Custom Orders + Workshops

As always this is a reminder that customization is a huge part of my business and I am always open to work with you on your own style and design.

Please call me 416-828-5895 if you are interested in attending a knit or crochet workshop.

***Joyful Tips***

Q + A This month is about taking care of your cotton items...

Q. How to launder cotton knitted and crochet items?
A. Cotton, unlike many synthetic fibers, doesn't stain easily and easily releases dirt in washing. Machine washing of good quality cotton yarn is perfectly acceptable and has some advantages to hand washing. Machine washing in warm water with a mild detergent on a gentle cycle can be easier on a sweater than hand washing. Cotton is very absorbant and gets very heavy and hard to handle when hand washing. Getting all the suds out of the sweater is one of the most important steps and a washing machine completely drains and uses centrifugal action to get the soapy water out of the sweater and then rinse it completely and spin most of the water out. This makes the sweater drier than in hand washing.

It is also good to put your garment in the dryer on low heat for about 10 minutes to get most of the moisture out. After the sweater feels almost dry, grab it by the shoulders, snap it in the air a couple of times and lay it out on a towel, shaping it a little. This snapping action stretches each stitch lengthwise, bringing the sweater back close to its relaxed size, the size the sweater was right after you knit it. Cotton will absorb any moisture in the air so plan on washing your sweaters on a dry day.

Note: I find what works best for me is when washing coloured cotton, pay keen attention when washing so the colour does not run by doing a very short wash with very cold water and a little amount of soap.

Thank you friends, family and all the new people that came out to support me at my two shows in April, your business is much appreciated!

Please do not delete this email, share the JOY with someone you Love...

Thank you for Reliving the JOY!

April

 

***Joyful News***

Spring has Sprung and I am so ready for the freshness of the season. My most exciting news is finding Yvonne’s Coffee Haus to host my workshops. With Spring comes Easter, Mother’s Day, tulips, daffodils, Blue Jays and the list goes on. I am always so enthusiastic about Spring as this is when I make all my new year resolutions. My main resolution to start off the season is to eat healthier, get at least 8 hours of sleep every night, keep walking, going to yoga, and my most important plan for this season is to buy a new bicycle.

Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Dylana Designs

News & Events

April Sale of the Month... 10% OFF Accessories: http://www.etsy.com/shop/dylanadesigns?section_id=7919985

Saturday, April 16th - Noon til 5:00pm
Easter Open House
Yvonne’s Coffee Haus
98 Island Road
Scarborough, Ontario
Directions and Map: Yvonne's Coffee Haus

Saturday, April 30th - 10:00am til 4:00pm
The Toronto Etsy Street Team (TESTy) Spring Craft Show presented by Shop Cats
The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
Directions and Map: Gladstone Hotel

Knitting and Crochet Workshops

Please call me 416-828-5895 if you are interested in attending my knit or crochet workshops starting in the next couple weeks.

Website

I made some cosmetic changes to my website www.thejoyofknitting.com , check it out!!!!

Facebook

The Joy of Knitting on Facebook now has 100 likes, please feel free to join or share with your friends http://on.fb.me/TheJoyofKnittingonFB let me know if you like?

Twitter

Follow me on Twitter @LadyDylana I am always looking for more Tweeties.

Blog

Check out my last blog, I would love to receive your honest feedback. http://ladydylanabelize.blogspot.com/

Facebook, blogging and tweeting keep me very busy every day. I do realize that it’s a necessary part of my business.

Custom Orders

As always this is a reminder that customization is a huge part of my business and I am always open to work with you on your own style and design.

***Joyful Tips***

Q & A this month is for the knitter in you...

Q. How do I make a buttonhole?
A. Knit to the point where the buttonhole will be placed.
Slip the first stitch on the left needle as if to knit.
Move the yarn to the front of the work and leave it there. Slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch and off the needle. Repeat until you have bound off the number of required stitches for the buttonhole.
Slip the last stitch from the right needle back to the left needle. Turn. Bring the yarn to the front of the work. At the edge where the buttonhole was begun, cast on the number of stitches you bound off plus one additional stitch. The twisted purlwise cast on is a good choice. Turn. Slip the first stitch from the left needle to the right needle as if to knit. Pass the extra cast on stitch over the next stitch; then slip this stitch back to the left needle.

Q. How do I do an invisible seam?
A. If your garment is worked in stockinette stitch; insert the yarn needle under the horizontal bar between the first and second stitches. Insert the needle into the corresponding bar on the other piece. Pull the yarn gently until the sides meet. Continue alternating from side to side.

Thank you friends and family for all the custom orders over the month of March, your business is much appreciated!

Share the JOY with someone you Love...

Thank you for Reliving the JOY!