Weekly Update

Since this is our first Weekly Update, this one is going to have a bunch of fun photos of projects we haven't yet posted on our Facebook page.  Before we get started, let me explain the purpose of the Weekly Update.  One thing we will use this blog each week to give you a sneak peek items we're working on (some may be for orders and some may just be new creations - and some may be both).  We'll also post photos of newly finished items here first... photos will no longer be posted on Facebook until Mondays.  Something else we want to use this update for is to give you information regarding upcoming events, changes, or to get your input or suggestions.  And, because many of you have been following our work on the Newtown Memory Blanket Project, we'll give updates to that here as well - at least until we're finished!  Now, on to the fun...

Completed
These aren't just items we've created over the last week, but they are all items that we haven't yet posted on our Facebook page.  Those who follow our blog will get the first look into these new creations:

Alabama Logo Beanie - This was a custom creation for a friend who wanted it to give her husband.  I used to do plastic canvas crafts when I was younger, but this was my first attempt since elementary school.  I have to admit that creating this logo was a little more time consuming than I expected, but it was definitely worth it in the end!

Fireman Hat - This isn't a new creation, though the original version was only available in baby sizes.  We now have a version that is available in all sizes, from baby to adult, and we will fully customize the front to say whatever you would like (as long as we can make it fit).

Strawberry Beanies - As some of you know, Kathy's middle daughter is pregnant with twins.  At the beginning of the month we hosted her baby shower.  A couple of days beforehand, the youngest daughter picked out the most adorable outfits for her nieces from Gymboree.

 

I whipped these up by the next afternoon - and it was a custom design.  Despite all of the patterns we have for berry hats, I didn't feel that the top "stem" was right for any of them.  I did make notes as I went and hope to write this pattern soon.

 Sugar 'n Spice Hats - This was a pattern I bought specifically with the Twinkies (that's what we all the twins that Mallory is having) in mind.  It was created by April Hudson of Sew Much Love and can be purchased in her shops on Etsy, Craftsy, or Ravelry if you're interested.

Because I had made the hats identical, I wanted Mallory and her husband to be able to distinguish between whose hat is whose.  Since I have been playing around with polymer clay to start creating some of our own buttons, Kathy and I came up with the idea of using the girls' first initials to make large buttons.  The L is for Lily's hat and the E is for Ella's.

In Progress
It's been a busy few days here at Hooking Housewives. We are currently working on 2 dog sweaters, a newborn carrot hat/cocoon set (no pictures yet), a birthday cake hat (based on the Snappy Tots pattern for the Snappilicious Birthday Cake Hat).

 


I also have several Christmas gifts in progress - any sneak peeks of those will be a part of our blog on the 24th of each month, though you won't see the full finished products until after the Christmas holidays.  :(  Yes, I know that's many months away still.  LOL


Newtown, CT Memory Blanket Project

While Kathy is working hard to get boxes of squares edged for me to assemble, I'm still working on sorting the last of the squares we have received.  In the meantime, I have started and am almost halfway complete with assembly on our second blanket.

 


As you can see, there are still quite a few squares in this box that need to be added - some of which still need to be edged due to being added to the box after Kathy had already edged.


Information for Our Fans

A friend of ours gave me a satin robe that is so pretty.  She let me know ahead of time that it had a couple of places that need stitched up, which wasn't a problem.  Unfortunately, because of it being satin, one of the spots is too far gone for stitching.  Rather than trashing it, I am feeling compelled to do something fun with it. I've considered making a few bonnets and using it as the trim, but I want to ask for your suggestions before I make any decisions.  Here's what the material looks like:

One last thing that we want to tell you this week... we finally got our business cards in!  

We kept them simple for our first set, but are very excited about them!  These cards will start being shipped with every order.  At some point we will be starting a customer referral program that will earn you credit toward our items with every customer you refer to us who purchases something.  There will be more information coming in regards to the referral program soon!