Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I sent Barbara Walters a God Bless the USA sweater for her Cha Cha!

I had this idea about contacting the candidates campaigns to tell them about our God Bless the USA dog sweater, but it got too late, not enough inventory. So I got this other idea today to send one to Barbara Walters for her Havanese dog, Cha Cha. I sent a letter with it telling her about us, and hoping she could have her dog wear it Election Day, or maybe even on The View!

But I'm getting ahead of myself - I want to show you how our items will go out to our customers.
First, the item will be folded and have our K9knittersUSA business card/tag affixed with a tag gun. On the back of the card are places to put length, chest size, For Dog Weight, washing instructions, and Handmade by: with the first name and state of the person who knitted the item.



Then, it's wrapped in black tissue paper and tied with a red, white, and blue ribbon. Below, is how it will look when Barbara Walters receives it. I sent it overnight!



Oh, I forgot to show you the clothing tag that goes on every item:
So now you can see what our customers receive when they buy one of our sweaters, coats, or accessories. Below is the letter I sent with the sweater:
Dear Ms Walters:

Enclosed is a gift for Cha Cha from K9knittersUSA (www.k9knittersusa.com). We are a knitting club and we knit for charity – 100% of all the proceeds from selling dog coats, sweaters and accessories from our website is sent to one of our two charities. All of our admin, advertising, labor, yarn – everything, is donated.

The charities we have chosen this year were inspired by the Presidential candidates: VetDogs, is a charity that provides service and assistance dogs to Veterans who are injured or disabled. This choice was inspired by John McCain and his service to our country.
Best Friends Animal Society, is a charity who, in their own words, “. . . is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us.” They work with humane and rescue groups all over the country, and are probably best known by the public for their show “Dog Town” on the National Geographic channel. This choice was inspired by Barack Obama and his family’s announcement that they will adopt a rescue dog after the election. We hope to knit a God Bless the USA sweater for his family’s dog if we can get the correct information.

This sweater for Cha Cha is a pattern that is unique to K9knittersUSA – the God Bless the USA dog sweater. I hope it fits and I hope Cha Cha can wear it to all the patriotic events she goes to – perhaps even on Election Day!

We are a sister group to K9Knitters in the UK who have been doing this work for two years. We are just getting started, so if Cha Cha could model her sweater on The View – wow, would that be great! Any publicity for us would really help.

Thanks for all the good work you ladies on The View have been doing to keep this election and it’s importance in front of your viewers. And also for allowing your Cha Cha and your love for her to be in the public eye. Helps everyone to know that we dog lovers aren’t so nuts!

Sincerely,
Cathy Hudspeth
K9knittersUSA
Do you think we'll get any kind of reply? I'll let you know.

Monday, October 6, 2008

A New Look for www.k9knittersusa.com!

Our wonderful webmaster, Jean in Colorado, has found software that gives our site a better look, and is easier to get around. I think it loads tons faster too. Please go there, www.k9knittersusa.com and shop around - oh - and don't forget to sign up for our newsletter. I am organizing the 1st Edition right now.



The signature sweater I designed is now done! Yea!!!!!! You can see the first prototype that is for sale on the website, but here is the lovely Roxie modeling God Bless the USA:


Knit with Plymouth's Encore Chunky in red, white and blue, I have just been stumped on star graphs. Different sizes require different number of stars, placement, and even size of stars. So - no intarsia stars! We will be using applique stars glued on with fabric glue. These things are NOT coming off!

Doesn't Roxie look darling?!

So I will be getting the pattern out to the test knitters today (I know, you have heard this before, oy vey.) My idea to call the campaign offices of McCain and Obama to tell them about this sweater and how 100% of all proceeds go to either VetDogs (McCain) or Best Friends Animal Society (Obama - he has promised his daughters they will get a dog once the campaign is over, and they have announced it will be a rescue dog.). Can you just see campaign workers out spreading their word with their dogs dressed in the God Bless the USA sweater in tow?! But, since less than 30 days to election day, it is too late. Maybe next election . . .

Next up - God Bless the USA coat - with belly band and buttons.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

K9knitters in the UK

I was IMing with Carrie, head of our sister organization in the UK when she IMed this:

K9knitters: Btw, this article was in our local newspaper last week.....
K9knitters: http://www.thestar.co.uk/diary/Knit-a-coat-for-this.4455328.jp

Here is the article:

Knit a coat for this goat


Ageing goat: A new jumper would be blooming lovely for Dandelion as she is getting a bit doddery

Published Date: 04 September 2008
By Nick Ward
THE cold is coming - and no one feels it more than us old goats.
Take Dandelion, Whirlow Hall Farm's ageing Anglo-Nubian.Staff report that Dandelion is now getting a bit doddery and she has not only lost a lot of weight but she's also lost a lot of her hair.Chief Executive Bridget Evans said: "We're worried that the cold of winter will be too much, so we're looking for someone to design and knit a woolly jumper for her."It could still be a risk – she might be tempted to eat it but we're hoping for the best!''Why not pop along and meet Dandelion at the Farm Fayre on Sunday September 14 when knitters will be able to measure her up.
Here are Carrie's (and my) comments:

K9knitters: If I wasn't tied up with dog coat orders at the moment, I'd be sorely tempted to help!!!
HudCathy: OMG!!!! right up your alley, what with the chickens and all - hahahahaha! uproariously!
HudCathy: that is definitely going on the blog
K9knitters: There is no mammal for whom we can't knit a coat!
K9knitters: THat should be our new motto!

Don't even ask about the chickens! It is fun having a sister organization halfway around the world! I wonder if we will ever start knitting for goats?! hahahahaha

Monday, August 11, 2008

We are ready to serve.

K9knittersUSA is ready to knit! Through the fabulous new website for knitters, Ravelry, we have already signed up a number of knitters and the sweaters and coats will come pouring in. If you would like to be a knitter for K9knittersUSA, please email me at hudcathy@k9knittersusa.com. If you are in need of patterns, mention that - I have plenty to share. I received several books and a lot of patterns from K9 Rescue Knitting Club, UK. They are the tried and true patterns that they have been using for years.



I became passionate about knitting in December, 2004 when my ex-stepson brought his two little doggies, Skylar and Skoobie, to Florida during Christmas week. It was unseasonably cold and little Skoobie, a Manhattan Terrier, was just shaking like
crazy. So I logged onto Lion Brand yarn website, downloaded a dog sweater pattern, went to Joann's and bought yarn and needles, and voila' - dog sweaters for both!

Check back often to see the dog sweaters/coats we will have available for sale.

COMING SOON - the GOD BLESS THE USA dog sweater!