The Eureka! Moment

I am finishing up the last semester for my graduate degree in education at Pace University, which is conveniently located near Seaport Yarns. I ran in before class on the Monday after I first saw my friend's new boutique with the thought that I would just pick up a couple of skeins of Lobster Pot cashmere for some neckwarmers. Well, I ended up spending a few hours (and more money than I had planned) talking with the owner and one of her employees, who was looking to do some sample work. I picked out some skeins of a wool/cashmere blend and some handpainted wool in addition to the Lobster Pot cashmere. I then wrote down some quick patterns for my first employee (wow!) and left my purchases with her, thinking that I would be picking up several scarves later in the week.

Of course, I soon learned that stitch patterns don't show up so well when a fine yarn in dark colors is used. In addition, fine yarn (we're only talking about US 4's here) just doesn't lend itself well to hand-knitted mass production. After only one skein (and one week later), I exchanged the wool/cashmere blend for some more of the handpainted wool (which felt like knitting with roving) and some Noro Big Kureyon, which certainly knits up quicker. I am beginning to realize that it is important to stay flexible and make decisions quickly; I am also slowly adjusting my business model and keeping my options open as I go along. More importantly, I realize that I have a lot to learn before I can get this enterprise off the ground.

But that didn't stop me from dreaming on the long commute home that first Monday night. I just couldn't believe that I had come up with an idea for a business related to knitting that could expand, that was scalable, and that would make me happy for a long time to come. Frankly, I couldn't believe that I was even going for it, but all the planets just seemed to be aligned and I thought that if I never aimed for the stars, I would always look back and ask, "What if?" I was imagining my own line of menswear, knitted items to start and then branching into other areas. (After all, Ralph Lauren started with neckties and look at him now!) I was thinking about selling online, about custom orders, about retail storefronts, about my own show at New York Fashion Week, about "Muted Elegance: The Book", about possibly being able to afford to knit and design full-time, which is what I think most knitters would love to be able to do.

Since then, reality has brought me back down to earth and every now and then I wonder if I will be able to turn my dreams into a successful business, but, for that one brief moment driving home, I was happy imagining a new future for myself and Monte. But, there sure is a whole lot of planning and work still to be done!