Same socks, different day.

After finishing up in the Mongrel Sock workshop today, the last job is always the sweep through to clean up ready for next week. Even the sweeping's are a delight.....

The colours in this sock run are beautiful.

We are truely blessed to be surrounded by things of such beauty. The colours we are able to use in our pure wool Mongrel Socks and Mongrel Tasmanis head, arm and leg warmers are gorgeous. The wool's feel is naturally soft and luxurious. But just look at the beautiful spectical Mother Nature threw my my way this after noon.

A double rainbow no less, in colours like the socks we've been knitting today! 

 

 

Then, and I can't believe I actually caught this image. The New Holland Honey Eaters - that are just some of the amazing bird life we have living with us, came for a visit.

In flight!!!

 

Viewed from the sweatshop.

 

Who ever said making socks was a boring business, has absolutely no idea of our reality.

The changing colour of socks.

That making socks can be repetitive...is an understatement. When we finish a run of a colour in all the sizes and different products we make. Even if we began liking the colour mix, by the time we're ready to change colour we are well and truly sick of the sight of it.  Always a pleasure to choose the next colour mix. While we do have a standard colour range in our Pure Wool products, dye lots change and so does the way the final blend appears. It can only be a slight change in the shade, of say one of the seven colours we blend together, to make the socks, arm and leg warmers and head warmers, they can appear very different to the last run. Yay! A changing colour day today - we've been doing the Camo green mix, while it's nice, is is quite dull. We are back on my favourite Blue/Green pure wool socks mix. It's day one of the run and I still love it, give me a week or two and I will have developed an aversion, so much so that I won't even be able to wear that colour for a while, I'll be over it. Funny how the mind works, eh?

Sockarazzi

 These Mongrel socks and arm/leg warmers were spotted out and about last weekend and the fabulous wearer's kindly allowed us to take a quick snap. Generally we wouldn't take any identifying shots, always hard to tell who's foot is who's but I have included one this week (with his permission) featuring a smile so infectious that one look would melt the hardest of hearts. His smiling eyes are amazing, I'll be he got away with murder as a child.

Winter is here!

Waking up to snow on Mt Wellington is a sure sign that winter is here, and along with winter comes our busiest time. We've had a flurry of orders coming through online, very encouraging in these precarious economic times. Our sock machines have been working over time, and we have been madly trying to get a lot more of our Mongrel Tasmanis Arm/leg warmers made. They're one of my personal favourites, at our house they are always at a premium, first thing on and last thing off though winter. They're soft and warm. We are so glad we have not bowed down to the pressures of reducing our business costs and gone for a cheaper quality wool like most other sock manufacturers- the wool we have always used is the best quality that money can buy. The 20 micron superwash merino we go for, Aussie grown, is processed in Germany to cutting edge environmental and sustainable standards. A far better "bang for our buck" than the cheaper alternatives. Sure, it make's our products more expensive than some others but you can always rely on on the quality. "To get what you pay for" is something we have always done and will continue to strive for, and is a key to our business success. From 2010 all our wool will be free from "mulesing", and we thank PETA for putting pressure on the industry and forcing chance.

Down for the count

Well, winter is upon us.....apart from the fact that the weather has turned in the last few weeks, one sure sign is the dreaded lurgy has descended on the house. We'd be doing alright, then suddenly, bang, the whole family has it. I won't go in to the specifics but none of us are up to much right now. Unfortunately, when you work for yourself, there is no such thing as a "sickie", it really doesn't matter if we feel good or ordinary-if there is work to be done, it gets done, just without the usual enthusiasm. So we are all trying to stay rugged up and warm( all of us have our mongrel socks and arm/leg warmers on), the workshop is freezing, so I have been doing just about anything I can think of to stay out of it. Lucky, we're up to date with our production, and really only have the online order's to deal with. I can do most of the processing in the comfort of our office, with just quick trips out to pick and pack. Thank goodness for the computer, because dealing with customers face to face while battling the flu is unpleasant for all. I'm happy to share the love with our customers but not the flu.

Opps!

I've said it before and I've have to say it again. I love our customers. Not only do they obviously love our Mongrel Socks but they also good folk.
This week I buggered up.....big time. I sent off an email to some of our customers to let them know of our current special online offer of free socks, managed that OK, but also disclosed all those email addresses of every recipient, a big fat no-no. Discovering my mistake too late, after the email was sent, ARGH!, we all know you can't unsend, if only. Ignorance is no excuse. I really am truely sorry for compromising the privacy and security of my customers, unfortunately I can't undo whats done, but can make sure it doesn't happen again. I had customers email back letting me know of this muck up, taking the time to tell me how to do it right in future, Amazingly, none unleashing the torrent of abusive emails I deserved and I expected. They were all so good about it, it is quite humbling. Here are some of the emails I received.

Thank you for letting us know about your special offer for your online customers. My wife was delighted with our previous order: they were quite the best socks she has ever had.

I am concerned though that the email header showed the names and email addresses of some of your other customers and presume that they have been made aware of mine. To minimize SPAM mail I am very careful to give my email address only to those who really need to know it.

Most email programs allow mail to be sent to several people without showing the names and addresses of all the recipients. In Outlook Express, which I think you used, you should open the View Menu and select All Headers. This will open an extra field in the Header labelled Bcc: (for Blind carbon copy). Addresses entered in this field are not sent to the recipients.

I doubt if any of your customers will misuse the address information that you have inadvertently provided. However the privacy of customer information is an important, even critical, issue in online shopping so that you need to modify your email procedures urgently to prevent any further breaches of this sort.

Yours sincerely
Hxxxxx Sxxxxx

Hey guys,
thanks very much for this offer. I just thought I'd let you know that when emailing people who don't know each other (eg. for business purposes), it's normal to enter their email addresses in the BCC field, rather than the To field or the CC field. BCC means Blind Carbon Copy, and it means that their email addresses are not shown. These days many of us are quite protective of our contact details, so it's good for customer privacy.best wishes for the business (my arm warmers and socks are just about to make another London winter more bearable)
Nxxxx.

Hello Mongrel socks folks,

Thank you for your email about the specials. I love your socks so I will take a look.

On your email I notice that you have listed my name and the names of the other recipients on the top of your email. If you are going to send me any future emails I would like you to make sure that my name is listed as “undisclosed”. The way you are currently using the list means that anyone you have corresponded with can now access my email address and I am uncomfortable about this. My privacy is important to me and I go to great lengths to keep my email address private. I am sorry to complain because I love your socks.

With respect,

Txxxxxx

So thanks to our customers, I will get it right next time and thanks too for your understanding.

Argh! One of those days!

Some days things just don't run smoothly. For no rhyme or reason, things just go pear shape. We're having one today. Wish I could go back to bed and start all over again. Good thing every day is not like this one. Generally, when we hit the sock shop, things are pretty predicable, chores that need doing, get done. Today we made the necessary changes to one of our old Bentley Komets to go in to the Pure Wool Arm/Leg Warmer mode. Nothing too complicated, but changes never the less. Every thing we did was standard but a little fault appeared. Nothing that affects the end product, but it does make it more time consuming in the finishing off process. Not something we want to continue, when time is money. With these old machines the smallest of adjustments can make a huge difference. Hard to believe that a quarter turn of a screw, will result in dramatic changes to the end result. The rigmarole involved in identifying the cause of our problem is particularly time consuming. With every stab at a solution we have to knit more test runs. This is all very slow, and eventually tiresome. Especially when we are running out of things to try.
Anyway, these things are sent to try us.
Best I get my backside down to the shed and get back in to it.
Typically, I did try to upload some photo's of the machine, but my blogger won't let me post any photo's. Why? Who knows. Although it does seem par for the course today. I'll try to get some photo's up soon, well, whenever the cyber gods will allow it.

Mosh Pit Parenting

Making great socks is one of the many hats I wear. Being (or trying to be) a good parent is another. Preparing my teenager for what life is going to throw her way, the good the bad and the ugly of life, pretty much tops the list at the moment. The parenting roll constantly changes, when your kid’s little it’s pretty straight forward, but gosh, it gets murky with a teenager. It seems every other parent in the world is far more cool, liberal and easy going than me (or so I’m told by my little darling!).
With small children, as parents, we look forward to our offspring achieving expected milestones, first- tooth, word, day of school etc. In the teenage years we hold our breath and hope the “firsts” are a long time coming, every parent knows what exactly what I’m talking about!
Well, we have just had a first!
A few weeks ago my youngster met the mosh pit! I have to say I was ‘freaking out’ at the thought of my child disappearing in to the pulsating crowd at a huge day/night rock concert. The little petal had to listen to me run thru every scenario and solution known to man. Parents, you all know the drill. Blah, blah, blah. In one ear out the other. Lucky for us (and my nerves) my husband and I we’re both going to the same concert-not for the entirety but for the headline acts (vip passes, no less.) My teenager was horrified to learn that we would be there too. That is ‘so not cool’. Tough! Teenagers have got to learn that their parents have a life. Well, her plan was to ditch us asap and hook up again for a ride home. As we headed out the door I’m looking over my darling. “You can’t wear thongs to a concert; put real shoes and socks on! Get some more clothes on, it’ll get cold later!” I managed to get her in some runners and our woolly socks but NO WAY to taking something warm to put on later. Argh! She didn’t want to have to carry anything; I suppose that was fair enough. I didn’t want to carry anything superfluous either. I took with me, a couple of pairs of arm/leg warmers we make and wool head warmer in my bag, just in case I got cold later. So off we went, we were duly ditched when she’d found some friends, and not to be seen ‘til the concert finished. We had a great time in the vip area, by the time I’d had my allowable 2 drinks for the evening (I was going to driving home) it was just getting dark and the night was still young, so I pulled an executive decision-leave the car, taxi home and have a couple more drinks (not to excess but perhaps more than allowed). My husband and I had a ball, caught up with friends, and enjoyed some great music. Most of the bands we had never heard of, it didn’t matter (I’ve heard of then now), by late in the evening we were rocking with 6000 others in the midst of the mosh pit. Of course it was hot and sweaty in the seething sea of bodies, but it was a freezing cold night, pretty typical of Tasmania in the autumn. Thank god for my arm/leg warmers, they were on and off all night. And Yay! I wasn’t the only one wearing our arm/leg warmers, time and time again I saw people wearing them. They’re pretty easy to spot. It’s a great feeling to see other people enjoying some thing you take pride in making. At the end of the night when we met up with the little petal, the look on her face was priceless; when she found out we’d had a wonderful time and were grabbing a taxi home. Mortified! She took the high ground. Why did I have to have a few extra drinks? What about the car? What if any of her friends saw us, you’re too old to be in the mosh pit! How embarrassing! She was stunned that we’d had a ball. I think she had expected us to be bored and outraged at some the crowd/and performers antics. NOT! I did explain how responsible I was being, making the decision to enjoy the night and not just waiting it out until she was ready to go. I think it’s great to shock your kids. Keep them guessing, I say. Be unpredictable!
On the way home chatting about the night, she was moaning because her feet (the shoes now filthy), were stood on a million times in the pit. She didn’t actually say thanks for making me wear shoes and socks, but I know she appreciated having them on. Sometimes mum does know best. That’s one “first” down, I’m happy to patiently wait for the next.