Yarn Review: Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn

Today’s review is going to be on Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn. This yarn is 100% acrylic and considered a 4-worsted weight yarn. This yarn has been compared to Red Heart Super Saver, but it’s much softer. For the crocheters out there, the recommended hook size is a size I-9, while the recommended needle size for knitters is a size US 8.

The color selection for this brand is AMAZING! There are so many different solid and variegated colors to choose from that it is hard to not pick them all. There are bright in-your-face colors and also subtle neutral colors. The colors even have some sheen to them, much like Caron Simply Soft. For a store brand yarn, I was very impressed with the color selection. Each solid color is 7 oz. while the variegated colors are 5 oz. This yarn is machine washable.

I HIGHLY recommend using this yarn for a variety of projects such as hats, scarves, blankets, and sweaters. You won’t be disappointed in the quality or the softness of this brand.

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Why I Crochet for Charity

Crocheting for charity can be a wonderful thing as you know you are making something for someone in need. It’s also a great opportunity to give back if you want to do something other than giving a monetary donation. Many people feel fulfilled if they are able to help someone out, even in a small gesture by donating a hat, scarf, or other handmade item. Whatever the reason for crocheting for charity, this is a great way to help make a difference in the world.

I started donating my crochet items to charities for a few years. I know I have the talent to make things, but after having my crochet items pile up, I thought it was time to do something about it. After all, there are only so many family members you can crochet things for, especially if you have a small family like I do. While I do sell most of my crochet items at craft fairs, and I’m trying to get more involved in Etsy, I wanted to also donate some of my items as well.

Donating my crochet items to charity gives me a chance to work on different stitches and patterns that I’m just learning and practicing.  The more you practice a stitch, the better you will get at them. Plus it’s an opportunity to give someone in need one of my crochet items rather than my items piling up in my closet.

I have donated to a few different charities over the years, one being the American Heart Association. They are looking for red newborn hats, which will then be given to babies born in hospitals during the month of February. This is to support American Heart Month. I have donated hats to them a couple of times. However, this year they have so many hats that they are not requesting anymore. I’m sure it’s different for every state, but this is what I found out this year in the state of Illinois.

Warm Up America is another charity I have donated to. This charity is looking for baby blankets to help warm newborns born in Parkland Hospital. Participants can also crochet or knit 7”x9” squares that will then be sewn into a baby blanket. This is a great opportunity for someone like me who loves making blankets.

Another charity I have donated to is Comfort for Critters. This charity is about providing comfort to animals living in shelters awaiting their forever home in the form of a pet bed. This will give the animal some comfort but also provide something familiar to them. Once that animal is adopted, the pet bed will go with them as they adjust to their new home. This is probably one of my favorite charities to donate to as I love animals. I probably have donated over 100 pet mats to them this year alone! As someone with a rescue animal myself, this means a great deal to me.

Have you donated to charity? Which charities have you donated to? Let me know in the comments below.

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Craft Fair Tips and Experience

Attending craft shows can always be a little intimidating. You never know how much you are going to sell or who is going to be there. While it can be intimidating, it can also be exciting. I attended a craft show yesterday at a local library. I attended this craft show for the first time last year after hearing about it from a former co-worker. They had a craft fair this past spring as well, so I was happy to see that they included a fall craft fair this time. I’m always looking to branch out and discover new craft shows, so I was excited to be back again at this location.

I thought I would share with you some of my craft show tips as well as my experience attending them. These tips are in no order, and I hope you find them useful if you are planning on attending a craft show in the future.

I decided it was time to come up with a new logo for my business. I never really had a logo before, so it was nice to finally get one made. For my business cards, I was using a basic, simple design that I created using WordArt. Nothing fancy, but at the time it worked. However, I wanted an upgrade, and since I’m not a graphic artist, I asked for help. One of my friends is a graphic artist and came up with the design. I came up with a few colors I wanted to use and he added them into the logo. The overall result is amazing. I love it so much! I tweaked my logo slightly to include different variations for different social media platforms, but I kept the overall logo he created for me.

I also had a new banner made for the front of my table. I wanted something that would stand out, but also went with the theme of my business. My sister helped me out with this, and I couldn’t be happier.

Choosing a target audience is essential when making and selling your craft items. Most people think they’ll just make a few things so everyone has something to choose from. However, this just makes your table, and you, look a little unorganized as you don’t have a main focus. Since I love making blankets, I decided to focus on making baby and child items such as baby blankets, newborn-child hats, and baby sweaters. I know I’m going back on what I just said, but I do have some dishcloths, mug cozies, scarves, and a few teen/adult sized hats leftover from previous craft fairs. I included them on my table just to see if they would sell.

Setting up your table or booth area is probably the most important part of any craft fair as this is how you are going to draw people over to your table to buy your items. While I’m not completely sold on my set up, I feel like I’m trying to improve each craft fair I attend. First and foremost, you want a tablecloth that will cover your table as well as the sides of your table. Underneath your table is where you’ll keep your bins and extra supplies, so you want to keep all that hidden so your table doesn’t look messy. You want a banner or sign in the front of your table that is big enough and clear enough for people to read. You want people to remember your business name.

In past shows, I’ve used baskets to hold some of my items, which I used again at this craft fair. I find that it’s better to have your items displayed at various levels rather than having everything lie flat on the table. You want the customer’s eyes to travel up and down your table as they’re more likely to buy something if something catches their eye. I used a collapsible storage bin to display one of my hats. I also used some items I had around the house to display my sports hats and minion hats as well as my blankets. If you have the space, you might as well make the most use out of it.

You also want to make sure you display the prices so people can easily see them. A lot of people are shy and they hate having to ask how much something is. I placed a sticker on each of my items. I also included little easels, which I found for less than a dollar at Walmart, to display my prices a little better. This seemed to work out great.

Another thing I incorporated this time that I haven’t in past is that I purchased a credit card reader. I purchased the Square Reader off Amazon for around $5. You can purchase this reader for free on the SquareUp website, but it wasn’t going to come in time for my craft fair. However, I was able to get a $10 rebate by entering the code included with my reader. This helped me get a few sales, so I was happy I had this with me. There are various credit card readers out there that you can choose from. I chose this particular one because it was easy to use. You can also customize this reader to include a receipt for your customers, which they’ll receive via text message/email once the transaction is complete.

Another tip I find extremely helpful is having a buddy with you. They can help keep you company and look over your table when you want to get up to use the bathroom or walk around to see what other people are selling. I’m lucky that my boyfriend was happy to attend this craft show with me as he kept me company and helped a lot. Don’t forget to bring a snack and some water, too!

As far as the sales went, I had my very first sale even before the craft fair officially opened up. A lady ended up buying a baby blanket for her soon-to-be-born daughter. The minion hats still seemed popular, so almost all of them went. Dishcloths, hot pads, and coffee mug cozies also seemed to be hot sellers this time around. I felt like this craft fair was busier than the one I attended in the spring, which helped out my sales a ton. A couple of people also requested custom orders, so I’m excited about that.

This has been my most successful craft show yet! I’m always learning what works best and what I need to change up for next time. I’m excited to attend my next craft show in the future.

Have you ever attended a craft fair? What was your experience like? Do you have any tips you would like to share? Please leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you!

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Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Yarn Review

Hi everyone!

Today I want to share with you my review of the Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable Yarn. When I first discovered this yarn, I thought the colors were absolutely beautiful. I think my favorites are the Dragonfly and Sunrise colorways as they are simply breathtaking. Each skein is 3.5 ounces and comes in 14 different colorways (see colors here). The yarn is super squishy and soft, making it perfect for cowls, shawls, or scarves. This is classified as a 4-worsted weight yarn and recommends a size J-10 hook for crocheters and a size US 8 for knitters. I like the slow color changes as you get an idea of what one color looks like before it slowly fades into the next color. This yarn is machine washable.I would recommend this yarn to others. I really like the color options and the softness of the yarn. I feel like you get a lot in each skein. One thing to remember with this yarn is that sometimes it goes from a thicker strand to a thinner strand at random. Also, it can be a little difficult to undo your work using this yarn as it tends to snag on itself due to its fuzziness. If you need to frog your work, go slow and take your time to avoid frustration and anger. You can find this yarn in your local craft store or online.

This is a shawl I made using the colorway Sunrise. I absolutely love these colors together!

Have you ever used this yarn? What are your thoughts? What is your favorite colorway in this collection?

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