Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Quick Question...

I have been busy preparing some stuff, I mean, my lovely textile work for a Christmas Craft Fair. I am making up labels for them, and I like to be precise in what it says so the person knows exactly what they are getting. But I am having a dilemma about wording some of the finished items.

What wording would you use...?

Dilemma 1:
I've made some shopping bags with rough linen yarn that could be over 40 years old.
Is it...
A. Vintage
B. Salvaged
C. Recycled
D. a mix of the above

Dilemma 2:
In the shopping bags I also used cut up strips of old clothes, so is it...
A. Vintage
B. Recycled
C. Salvaged
D. Vintage and Recycled
E. Vintage and Salvaged
F. Other

Dilemma 3:
I made some of my scarves on a old knitting machine. So, they are not hand-made but they are not electric-machine made. What would you call them?
A. Knitted
B. Hand-Loomed
C. Machine-Knitted
D. Other

Dilemma 4:
Some of my wool comes from charity shops and other sources. Knowing how squeamish (and snobbish) some people can be, I don't want to call it second-hand. It hasn't been previously used, so technically it is not second-hand or recycled. So, what would you call it...
A. Second-hand
B. Recycled
C. Salvage
D. Vintage
E. Other


I have spent more time thinking of ideas of things to make than actually making. Even now, when I should be busy with needles and hooks, I am procrastinating on the net, and quietly panicking...

How many unsuccessful businesses and products can one girl come up with...Anyone want to buy a great idea...

3 comments:

Lauria said...

1. Shopping bags made with vintage yarn and 2. recycled cloth lining. (linen softens up if you rough it up. You may want to abuse your bag to get the best tactile response!) Using vintage here might be a little loose, but it's definitely none of the others. Salvaged has bad connotations to me (especially since I'm searching for a car! salvaged title = no go.)

3. Machine-knitted. Is hand-loomed a real thing? I've only every heard it called machine knitted?

4. Other. Unless it actually is IS vintage (1950s or older)

5. PICTURES PLEASE. :)

Bionic Laura said...

1. Vintage has better associations for people than recycled.

2. Thrifted, Refashioned, Revamped. Craft magazine always uses these words which make recycling sound cool. Refashioned bag made from vintage linen?

3. Hand loomed sounds good to me. People won't know exactly what it is so they'll think it's cool.

4. I don't think you need to say where the wool comes from if it's not been used before.

Good luck with the fair!

Anonymous said...

Reused is a great word too! ;-)