KooWooL

27.7.17

The Kimiono Kimono

Throwback to Spring 2016 and a visit from little Goblin, who suggested that I make kimonos. I thought sure? Why not? They look pretty easy and people seem to really like them. So I found some fabric, tried it out, prototype or 2 and voila the Kimiono Kimono was born.

The Kimiono Kimono was named for my niece Kimi actually Kimiko who has been my advisor from the beginning in fabric and fashion (I primarily choose to dress like a gym teacher).

All my Kimonos are handmade by me. The styles have changed and there is more selection from when we started. Fabrics are sourced locally and abroad. Abroad by the models who travel near and far and send me pictures for the Travelling Kimionos. These guys have been from Iceland to Indonesia and many points in between.

Recently I had the good fortune to have the talented Rachel Boekel take some photos of the Kimionos. She has an amazing gift for seeing the beauty in the things that surround her, bringing out the exceptional in her subjects and seeing the world from a unique point of view. All photos in this post, with the exception of the "Travelling Kimionos" were taken by Rachel.

Please check out her blog to see more of her amazing work. Rachel Boekel Photography

17.3.17

Wool Wool Wool

Wooool I apparently haven't posted in a loooooong while. A few things have changed like I actually have Instagram now! And a few things are still pluggin along as before, like my Etsy shop, though sales have definitely picked up there!

The biggest change for me has been the use of upcycled materials in my work. My basement overfloweth. I have been scouring thrift shops and sales, rummaging through closest of friends and family and turning old into new. Wool sweaters are the prize find and can be turned into almost anything! Mittens, slippers, zipper pouches and hats just to name a few. So if you come for a visit, don't leave anything behind! It is not safe with me... at least it may not look the same when you get it back!

Here's a little before and after:

27.4.13

Bitcoin

Last week I started accepting Bitcoins at my online shop as well as on Etsy. For those of you who haven't heard, Bitcoin is an online currency that was created by a programmer named Satoshi Nakamoto. It has been gaining a lot of popularity both with users and in the media. The simple way to understand Bitcoin is to think of it as digital cash, instead of a bank holding your money and sending it at your request to Amazon or Ebay, you hold money in a digital wallet and send it directly to whoever you want to buy from. This is called a peer to peer currency exchange that has no middle man (and no service fees!).

A lot of people see a lot of different things in the rise of Bitcoin, some see it as a way to buck the current monetary system. The main differences between the two are, Bitcoin isn't based on debt i.e. if you don't have any, you can't spend any. And new Bitcoins are added to the market at a fixed predictable rate, rather than at the discretion of the Government. Others see it as a way to hide online transaction therefore avoiding taxes (tracking bitcoin transaction is quite difficult so I'm told), and still more see it as an investment opportunity. Although quite young, fortunes have already been made and lost speculating on Bitcoin.

So, why am I joining in? Well, the best answer is, for FUN! Why not? Its already been a great experience, I haven't made any sales yet but I have increased the traffic on my website and my Etsy shop and I've had a lot of interesting discussions with the Bitcoin community. I'm also being interviewed for a feature article on one of the Bitcoin Business directories! So if thats not a good reason I don't know what is. Alright, thats it for now, check back in a few days for my article on new line of Aprons!

25.4.13

Johnny Depp, Fascinators, and KooWooL!

Hello all!

And welcome back to the KooWooL Blog! First off I would like to draw your attention to my newly renovated Webpage! Visit it at koowool.com. Now, down to business...

As some of you may know I am a big Johnny Depp fan, and this has inspired me to take a turn as the Madhatter of Brooks! I'm not just talking about my regular line of retro hats, which although very fun to make and very well received may not be worthy of the notable Madness that characterizes the fantastical hatter of Wonderland. I'm talking about Fascinators! (They are very big in Japan, I'll have you know).

This foray into one of the most obscure reaches of the Millinery arts has been an interesting adventure and I am excited to see where it leads, perhaps with my help the Duchess of Cambridge will finally succeed at bringing back the Fascinator!

As headgear they are more of an accessory of style rather than function, if you're going to the beach I'd suggest...something with a brim larger than one centimetre. Stay tuned for my next post which will be all about the exciting world of Bitcoin!