If you haven’t quite completed your Christmas shopping yet, this would be a great time to buy for friends and family or for yourself! You will also find my market bags, hair flowers, and more!

Warmly,

I’m sure you are sick of my woe-is-me ranting so I’ll get on to more fun things. Thanks for indulging me…a girl sometimes just needs a listening ear to feel better. I mentioned last week that I had a new batch of scarves that would be ready for purchase soon. Well, it’s finally all listed. Loads of colors! Hope you like them!

Warmly,

I’m pleased to share the first round of 2011-2012 rose scarves. Like the past few years, these are my very own design (I hope you won’t be fooled by my imitators as I work so hard to be original!). Each is made with recycled wool and/or cashmere sweater knits. I water felt each knit in very hot water to make them nicely stable, smooth, and soft. So the scarves are not only made of very high quality fabrics but are also eco-friendly. These photos show the scarflette length which is designed to stay criss-crossed at the neck. Like modeled by dorky me here. Also available are a traditional medium length which hits at the natural waist. And a long length (scroll to the bottom of the page) which hits below the hip. The long length is especially nice wrapped around like a cowl.

In late winter, sewing machines in houses around my county begin to whir and buzz with the sounds of producing the next seasons rose scarves. These are made locally by women in the North Carolina high country. It takes all year to make enough inventory for the next fall/winter. And “enough” really isn’t the right word as we’ve sold out each year. For 2011, I made some production changes so that we have higher quantities of them for this season so hopefully more of you will be able to enjoy your very own. And some for Christmas gifts as well!

We work so hard all year that it seems this day just can’t get here soon enough. The fruits of our labor! In the shop, you’ll find a large number of styles in each size category. I still have a number of the scarflette length to add and hope to have that done by tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Warmly,

Happy to say the first round is available!

Click the links to the left for scarflette (30-31″), medium (48″) or long (55″ and up).

In coming weeks, I’ll share photos of how versatile these are…seriously, I don’t just say that because I designed them. Dressed up or dressed down, there is a scarf in the bunch for any style you are after! And if there’s not, contact me and I’ll make you one.

It’s hard to switch gears sometimes and think about scarves…but I must! Scarf selling season hits pretty fast after school starts.

As mentioned earlier, it has been a busy time of photographing the fall/winter line. I thought you might like a sneak peek.

The scarf designs are created out of reclaimed wool and cashmere sweater knits. Each unique and eclectic scarf is handmade in the beautiful mountains of NC. In order to keep up with demand, I have a few local friends helping me this year with my cutting and sewing. You can find our joint sewing efforts here on my website (as well as in a number of fine boutiques across the US). And if you would like a scarf that came straight from my personal sewing machine, I will list some of those here at EismanDesign.com AND my etsy shop will be devoted to items that I’ve personally sewn. Basically every scarf goes through my hands several times but I just like to clarify so that you understand I have a number of people helping me sew this year.

Edited to add: Etsy has redefined its terms of service and allows you to have help as long as your business and product stays within your direct control and the handmade spirit of etsy. So you’ll find our joint efforts in my etsy shop as well now!

The goal is to have the first round available to purchase in our online stores (here and Etsy) by August 1st. The scarves were a hit last year for Christmas gifts so if you’d like to get an early start on your Christmas buying check back in a couple weeks.

Hoping we don’t sell out quite as fast this year! We are working like little elves.

But I’ll back up a few months!

This past fall and winter we sure felt blessed with all the wonderful customers purchasing and sending kind compliments regarding my new scarf idea. And shortly after the first week or two sales, it was exciting to have The Today Show interested in featuring them. (It’s hard to say “The Today Show” and not wonder at the same time if it really happened.) And yes, to be sure, it was a tiny humble little clip about holiday shopping on Etsy but that bit of encouragment and all my happy customers kept me churning out scarves at an insane speed through the holiday season.

It was fun…but a bit wild. I’m still trying to figure out how 400 scarves churned through my sewing machine during the Christmas shopping season!

The thing about me is I go all out when I do something. And I’m a people pleaser so knowing that there were Christmas shoppers that were disappointed when my shop was always sold out drove me to the brink. (And getting all the “when will you have more ready?” emails pushed me over!) I quickly realized I’d need help if I was to offer them another season. So since January 1st, we’ve been very busy behind the scenes preparing for this coming fall and winter.

The first order of business was getting help with the cutting. Each scarf is made of a minimum of 20 pieces and up to 70 pieces for the long lengths. That’s a whole lot of cutting! My own mother has been one of my master cutters! Thanks mom! Once the cutting was well underway, I found several wonderful local woman to do contract sewing. It has been terrific to work with them all and get to know them. And it is mutually beneficial. They are able to work out of their homes, on their equipment and at their desired pace…adding a little to their family’s income during a time that jobs are hard to come by. That thrills me to no end.

And I can truly say that the scarves are each made with talent! Though I don’t sew every scarf myself this season each and every one does go through my hands. Several times in fact!

So that brings us back to today. Over the next couple weeks, I’ll be photographing and listing many scarves on this site. There will be lots of styles and sizes to choose from!

If it’s anything like last year, they will go fast so if you wish to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping the scarves will be ready for purchase within the next few weeks!

As you can see from the gallery of photos below, our original rolled rose scarf design can be customized in so many ways. The sky is the limit for color combinations.

Please contact us if you have a specific desire. We’d love to work with you!