Today marks one year of Knit with Heidi! I started my blog on this day, March 7th, 2020. This day is also my nonna’s birthday (she would be 106 years today), which is a funny coincidence since she is the one who taught me how to knit. And look where it brought me!
One year ago the pandemic had just hit Italy very hard, and I had just lost half of my income because of that. And my beloved baby boy (cat) Taneli got sick, and I needed to take him to the vet every day. To me it was a total disaster. I was completely alone, in lockdown, my family was over 2000 km away, I was broke and I was loosing my beloved baby boy who meant the world to me.
To overcome the situation, I got the idea to write down patterns of knitwear that I had worked with over the last couple of months. And that is how my blog was born.
Unfortunately no amount of love and knitting patterns were able to save my boy, which was very very hard for me, especially since I needed to face the tragedy in the middle of a lockdown and almost completely alone. Lockdown alone is hard for single people, let alone lockdown and death of your pet.
But the good thing is, that what I created during that difficult time is something that turned into my career and passion. For that I'm so grateful of.
In this work that I created for myself I can use my creativity, my design skills, my IT and marketing skills and my background as a concept designer. I can share the joy of knitting and inspire other knitters like you around the world. I can guide my customers to make more ecological choices in fashion, yarns and knitting. I can pass forward the skills that my nonna Eila taught me. With the same love and enthusiasm.
During this first year I have published 62 knitting patterns and created a thriving knitting membership, Knitter Babes. So I have worked very hard. And enjoyed every minute.
To me it’s important to have a business with a meaning. On top of ethical and ecological values, I support the homeless people of Florence with my work. Last Christmas I organised in co-operation with another company a Christmas gift bag to the homeless people of Florence, containing Italian and Finnish Christmas treats.
I thought that also they deserve to have a Christmas, so I bought 30 pink paper bags and ordered 30 panettone and baking equipments. I baked them the same kind of salty pastries that my nonna used to bake to all parties, and gingerbread. I also added an orange (vitamins are important you know), a San Pellegrino drink and a cup, plate and napkins to all bags. The last night before Christmas I spent making Christmas card to put in each bag. To the cared I wrote
Sei importante (You're important)
Sei unico (You're unique)
Sei amato (You're loved)
I thought those words are important for everybody to hear, and I thought maybe some of them have not heard them for a long time. Those words are true to all of us, also you, so please take them and store them in your heart. I want to say them also to you.
I delivered the bags personally and wished to every received a Merry Christmas. And I really felt that they appreciated the gesture. One fo the people that I spoke there said, that he can see that I'm not rich, because rich people don't care about them. I told him that I wanted to make this gesture because I see them every say, and I wanted to show them that they are not invisible. I see them and I care.
Also please know, that every purchase you make from my web shop, I forward a part of it directly to the homeless people. It's my mission in life to help them. And with every purchase you help me to bring joy to these wonderful people.
It's also my mission to help you and my Knitter Babes. I want to inspire you and bring joy and beauty to your life. To me it is important to listen to my customers and their needs. And many of my customers had wished, that on top of just patterns I could also offer the things that are needed to knit the designs: yarns and tools. Based on this valuable feedback I have received, I’m now bringing to my web shop Knit Kits: packages that contain everything you need for knitting, in a beautiful packing (go check my Instagram stories, and you'll see a sneak peek of how beautiful the mailing bag will be).
With DIY Knit Kits you will get all of this:
🧶 Digital knitting pattern
🧶 Yarn (you may choose the color from a pre selected collection)
🧶 Needles needed for the project
🧶 Knit with Heidi leather logo tag that you can attach to the garment once it's ready
🧶 Darning needle to weave in the ends
🧶 Everything beautifully packed in a stylish mailing bag
🧶 Free international shipping
When you place a pre order now, you will enjoy a generous -20 % discount from all knit kits. The discount is already calculated in the prices.
See the growing collection and place your discounted pre order here:
I want to thank you fro being here. It means a lot to me, and you are very important to me. I'd love to hear your wishes on how can I serve you this year. Please comment the post and tell me what is your knitting dream and could I help you with it?
With love,
Heidi
