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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

OriginalStitch Giveaway


Well now.  It's about time I did some intelligence gathering!

Goodness knows my poor local friends have been bombarded with questions and demands for the last three weeks. I've shoved bits of fabricky loveliness in their mitts and demanded to know what they would pay. I've asked them to put pencils in pencil rolls and tell me what width a pencil roll pocket should be. I've requested alternative versions of things that don't work. Got them testing handles, loops, flaps, rolls, ribbons. Stood arms crossed and assessed their child playing with a product. Got them designing products on the spot.
And not a stitch of remuneration don't you know. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch.
'Er Nextdoor was very cross with me the other day. The afternoon previously, I not only brought my daughters round for tea, where they made a mess in her son's bedroom, and ate her food, and she had to give me copious cuppas; but I also grilled her mercilessly on my prototypes, pummelled critiques out of her, and instructed her to come up with new ideas, oh and another cuppa please love; and then she couldn't sleep all night for trying to think of the perfect memo-board magnet-pad pocket-tastic anti-husband's change device all night.
Blast you and your fabric things, she said over the fence the next day as I handed her pan back (I stole the remains of the children's tea for my own tea - class act ain't I?) I'm sure I didn't get a wink all night for thinking about colourways and drop-down menus. You.

A...n...y...w...a...y.......
So as you can see we have been very busy making things for this 'ere Christmas Fayre I've signed up for, at which we have decided to focus on Kids' Stuff.
And I would love to know your thoughts on any of them....see some pictured below. And more next week when I have prototypes.
I don't mind what thoughts, just thoughts.
Do you like?
Would you buy?
Like the fabrics?
Would you buy for a boy or a girl?  Or both?
What ages would you buy them for?
Or maybe give me a thought on something totally random, like "We found a baby toad today". It's not at all connected, but that's what Isla said to me when I said what do you think of this backpack Isla?
O...k....
So, dear opinionators - put your comment in the comment box below, and I will choose one at random out of a woolly bobble hat (or rather one of the daughters will) and you will receive one of my fabricky bits of thing. Not even a prototype, but a real OriginalStitch product, homemade with love, labelled, wrapped, and sent just as if you had ordered it. Even more excitingly, it will have been made not by shoddy old me, ooh no, but by one of my lovely new OriginalStitchers. I don't know what it will be yet, and it may have to wait till after the fayres, but think - you'll have forgotten all about it and then it will turn up out of the blue, ah! The surprise! How lovely!
Can you just imagine?!
Wherever you are, whoever you are. Tell me your thoughts. I'll post to anywhere on the planet.  The daughters will be shoving their mucky mitts in the bobble hat on Halloween, 31st October and I'll announce the winner shortly after that!
Up in the next Giveaway - the Cafe Set, Pocketiddle Bag, and Hide'n'Seek Pops.  Aren't you just dying to know what the devil in a pencil roll they are? Hm?

11 comments:

Amanda Jane said...

I love the back packs and will definately be choosing 2 of those for my nieces (5 & 7) for crimbo. Hopefully they will show them off at ballet/modern/tap/swimming/gymnastics! will 2 be enough? My littlest, Olivia could definately use one and a pencil roll (plus colouring book), for a sunday morning entertainment,snack carrier when we cart her around Bucks & Oxfordshire watching brothers play rugby.Love the fabric combinations and the uniqueness!
Amanda Dobson

Elizabeth said...

Hi Catherine, Really like your new designs - especially the little back packs and the pencil rolls.

If you could do a few things that were definitely for little boys I think that would be good - football or super hero type fabrics type of thing - for any of your products. Little boys seem to get a bit of a lean time of it with hand-made items - which is not surprising as it is much easier, and much prettier, to make things for little girls.

Will mention your giveaway over on my blog ASAP.

lindsey said...

Lovely things! I would buy for younger children (under 7) especially the pencil rolls in bright, cheerful, fabric. The bag with drawing book etc in is super,too.

LollyChops said...

Since I don't have any kiddos and don't really know anyone with younger ones... it's kinda hard for me to chime in. BUT... when you speak of pencil rolls my eyes light up for myself! I have a ton of colored pencils and I would love a better way to store them than my regular pencil tin. I have two sets. One for watercolor pencils and one for regular colored pencils. Something toaccomodate them (I have about 200 of them) would be dreamy. Maybe in color segments. With a rainbow pattern where I could possibly group colors together... now that would be dreamy! Whew.. hope that helps you. it sounds like you are having a blast!

Big HUGS!. I'll write you back later! Thanks for reaching out to me.

Rowena said...

Hello Catherine, my last attempt at comments! I loved all the stuff - particularly the tote bag. Both of my smalls would really like that - minus the scissors. (We've had a few incidents lately).

I agree with Elizabeth - more stuff for boys - but I know it's harder to make stuff for the chaps.

Pencil roll-ups in my experience need a flap at the top - this helps to prevent the smalls from tipping all the pencils out when they investigate the bottom of the roll-up. I like the idea of a grown-ups
one - and I have adapted mine in the past and scaled them up to work as crochet hook rolls. I love the idea of a grown up's pencil roll too.

I'm looking forward to seeing the next batch of photos. Good luck with the fairs, and I'm off to big up the giveaway on my blog right now!

Rowena

Lorraine said...

I'm loving the tote bags.
My initial thought was, "I want one of those for me!" Then I thought, daughter and I could have one each - and my mind started rolling on (as it all often does!) What if they matched/coordinated?

Mmmmm. Funky Fabricky Pockety Heaven!

Jo Bryan said...

I love the backpacks I would choose for either a girl or boy with the stripes. The little totes are more girly. I like the fabrics and could see these being made in pale yellows and matching the other items like the pencil rolls.
I envisage buting for 3-7 year olds.

Oh and I saw a ladybird with one wing today, thats my random musing.

Heather said...

As I was wittering about at the weekend, I think young children would like some little kits to make things (bags and purses). Always a good activity to keep them quiet for a while particularly in the winter. Perfect stocking fillers and has the benefit of you not having to make them. Also thought earlier that one of the best bits of tat attached to a child's magazine that I have purchased was a little stocking for Georgina's baby annabelle doll. Very easy to produce and it can be embellished as they wish.

Wright Creative said...

I really like the little bag for the colouring book and the pockets for the pencils. Such a good thing to take when one goes for lunch or an early restaurant dinner with the children. However, I don't think I would want to pay more than £10 for it, don't know, is that stingy of me?? Really I love all the things you have made and think that they will sell well!! How clever!! And good luck!!

white o'mtorn cottage said...

oHHH...MY FAV is the backback and the pencil rolls are sweet too. I love them all. Sorry I can 't be of more help! love and good wishes to you in all your endevours.....Pam

UK lass in US said...

I'm sorry - I planned to post about this, but my daughter and I ended up getting sick. I'm only just back in the land of the living now.

They look like they'd all be great for a Christmas fayre. I'd imagine that the best things to sell would be stocking stuffers (small things like the pencil rolls) and low- to mid-priced stuff for people to buy for nieces and nephews etc. Well, that's what I'd be shopping for.