Regularly updated, this is the post where we answer some questions from our lovely knitworthy followers! If you have any burning questions we’ve missed, please do let us know: we can update this post and answer flash questions on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr!
What do you do? Who does what work?
Cozy Hearth Yarn Works is a partnership between two sisters, and we have been slowly re-negotiating the boundaries of our partnership over the time we’ve been working together. Em, the younger sister, is currently taking a hiatus from writing, but has written some beautiful posts for the blog in the past – Em also manages all of our bookkeeping and financials, and designs patterns and knits finished objects for customers. Em loves knitting cablework, and tends toward more practical designs. I (Kit) am the older sister, and I manage our social media presence and marketing; I love knitting lace, and my designs tend towards the more fanciful end of our offerings (although I insist that shawls are the ultimate multi-use knitwear!)
Do we design our own work, or work from patterns?
Some of both! We always credit a designer in the store listing details if we’re knitting from someone else’s design, and we try to step carefully around the more conservative interpretations of copyright law in this regard. We also both love designing our own pieces, although this is necessarily a slower process as we test-knit and re-knit patterns until we’re ready to release them to the public.
What does “knit to order” mean?
If a listing is categorized as Knit to Order, that means that when you place the order, we start knitting the item! This allows you to select a color we don’t necessarily have in stock at the moment, or message us for customization. It takes a little longer to get your knits this way, but we keep you updated throughout the process, and in the end you get something made just for you.
How does custom ordering work? How is a custom order different from “knit to order?”
Custom orders are our favorite! They start as a conversation between you and us, so that we can help you figure out the best way to achieve your wildest knitting dreams. As soon as you have an idea about what you’d like us to knit, even if it’s vague or half-formed, you can start the conversation by messaging us on Facebook. As we work out the details with you, we’ll able to send you an invoice (or invoices, in the case of a large project on a payment plan.) In the end you’ll get something designed just for you, whether that be a recreation of a beloved but damaged sweater, a personalized lace shawl, or any other knit item that fits your needs perfectly.
I’m allergic/sensitive to wool/fragrance/dyes/cats. Can you accommodate this?
Absolutely! We do have our lovely shop cats, but all knitwear is washed and immediately packaged to avoid sending bits of our fluffy boys along with you. We do use a scented wool wash by default to add that extra-cozy touch to packages, but we’ll do a scent-free wash on request. And we adore custom-selecting fibers to meet a customer’s preference; send us a message to explain your allergies and what you want out of your knitwear, and we’ll help work out an alternative, whether that be artificial fibers or an alternative natural fiber that plays well with your sensitive skin <3
I want to support you, but I’m broke! What can I do?
We love each and every one of you! We try to make items affordable, but we also want to make sure we’re paid fairly for the amount of work that goes into our knitting, so we understand if an all-over lace shawl or a custom knit sweater is outside your budget. You can help us out by following us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr, and interacting with our posts! We gain customers mostly by word of mouth, so telling your friends about us and joining in the conversation on social media does a lot to support our knitting adventure.
Thank you all so much for sticking with us this long! Here’s to many, many more cozy years to come.
-Kit