Happy alloneword Folks

Hi Everyone,
Here are photos of two alloneword caps and the folks who love them.

Owner of the cap.

Kid of the owner of the cap.

Have a great day!
Mary

Alameda Magazine -- featuring Alameda Bicycle and alloneword!

Hi,
I am so excited.  The next issue of Alameda Magazine will be out this Thursday.  It will have an article about Alameda Bicycle and a little feature about alloneword cycle caps.  Yup, I can't wait.  I am so excited.  I was interviewed for this months ago.  They said there would be photos and everything.

Today, to prepare for the deluge of orders, I am cutting fabric -- a lot of fabric.  I also cut some last night.  Tomorrow back in to the shop to sew sew sew sew.  I have many new designs and a new series of black and white caps to make.

Have a great day,
Mary Elizabeth

Left Coast! and Right Coast!

My Cycle Caps are taking over the world! I am so happy! Alameda Bicycle is .... you guessed it.... Presenting... alloneword cycle caps! (and the crowd goes wild). Yippee! Yes! finally a local shop! Yippeeee!

Okay, no more exclamation points. I am just so happy. See, Alameda Bicycle got me started in the cap making game. Joie even has the first Lupe cap I made. Here is a quick snap of her in that historic cap:

Joie got me going and Jim is my very best customer. They both work at A. B. This is also the shop where I got my bike fixed up for commuting to work. Which, as you know, is how I lost 45 lb. and kept it off.

Alameda Bicycle has a special place in my heart because they have been so very kind to me. First they got my body in motion, then my mind. Here is a link to Alameda Bicycle:

alamedabicycle.com

Just a quick note. A. B. will have first pick of my newest caps. Caps so new that they are not on my Etsy site, nor any shop this side of the Mississippi. You would have to go to Brooklyn, NY (http://www.velobrooklyn.com/ ) to get caps this fresh.

See you biking around town,

Mary

PS a shout out to all my peeps over at AB. You know I love you.

m

Christmas right around the corner!

Good Morning,

I met the sweetest lady, named MaryBeth, yesterday.  Her shoulder has been hurting her so she can't stitch.  How sad.  Mary Beth also has grandkids, happy joy.  Last year little Clare got her stocking this year is Conner's turn.  However, due to afore mentioned shoulder hurting she is worried it won't be done in time.  What a nice Grandma to plan ahead.

It looks like I will be completing the stitching on Conner's stocking.   The canvas is a large mesh with thin warp and weft.  And the image is of a winter mountain town night scene.  Lot of the colors are blues and purples.  It will be a difficult stitch.  But I like that kind of puzzle so I am looking forward to working on it.

Today is clean up workshop day.  I need to organize things and make more room.  Out goes anything that is not alloneword related.  Then tomorrow I can make up my cap orders and have them in the mail by the weekend.  Yes!

Happy Thursday,

Mary

CAPs CAPS CAPS!

Hi Everyone,

Seems like the days pass by and I have no idea where they go (nor what I did in them).  

On alloneword I had a request for a large size cap.  When I found out who asked for it I was so happy.  It was this cool guy in Boston that makes these amazing designs on t-shirts.   Just so good to have someone I think is so good want something I made.  Nifty.  And, he knows some new to me slang.  I just love that.

Okay - I need your advice out there.  I have been getting lots of requests for Large Caps (23 / 24 inch)  I am thinking about having two sizes: "Regular" 21 to 22 inch and "Einstein" 23 to 24 inch.  Please comment.  I need your input.

Today I am off to get a hair cut, and to a fashion show with my Sis.

Also I have added custom option entry on my etsy site.  Please tell me what you think.

Over,

Mary Elizabeth

Oakland White Elephant Sale

Happy Weekend Everyone,

True to my word we (Ruth, me in the middle, and Dolores) all went to the Oakland White Elephant Sale. It is this great indoor flea market that benefits the Oakland Museum and its many programs. Here is a picture of all three of us in the sewing section. Yep, we really were having that much fun.

I went to the sale with a specific need in mind. I wanted to get a head. Really, I need a good hat form for my cap business. Not only to take photos for my etsy website but also for blocking wool caps and the like. My chances were pretty slim that I would find my elusive quarry. Then I saw it -- With a big N. F. S. (Not For Sale) written on the bottom of it. My heart sank. I asked the nice lady if they ever make exceptions. She kindly said no. She even asked her coworker about it. Even she said no, and that she had been volunteering for years and everyone asks and the answer is no. Heart in hand I asked to talk to the manager.

I came back when the manager was in. That is when I met Pam. I told her about my caps and how I need to have a model to photograph caps for my web site. She was nice enough to offer a mannequin head. Then I told her of my plans to use this hat form to block wool hats and caps. Pam told me about her Mom who used to be the manager of the accessories section at the Elephant Sale. And how her Mom wrote N. F. S. on the bottom of this head. I asked once more if I could give it a good home. And Pam said Yes! I just could not believe it. Her Mom is named Lucile and therefor the cap form is now called Lu. It is the perfect mascot for my shop.

Pam was just so kind to listen to my story. I will never forget her, her kindness, nor her nice Mom named Lucile.

Now take a good look at this photo of the three of us. The sign behind Pam's shoulder says "if it is not priced than it is not for sale." She made an exception for me, and I really appreciate it. Thank you PAM!

More to come,

Mary

This news just in:

I am so excited. I was just startled awake with the possible  answer to my cap problem.  Two cap patterns! 

I can have a prêt-à-porter ("ready to wear" less fitted more versatile sized cap) and haute couture (custom made one by one) cycle caps.  Both caps with the flat lock seams and great graphic design.  However, the prêt-à-porter will be less fitted with hat elastic around the crown of the cap.  This should solve the sizing problem and make the cap more secure at high speeds.  The Haute couture cap will be fitted to the wearer and incorporate their design elements.

It seems so simple now.  Now I can make performance caps for my Etsy and at my local bike shop clients, and make fitted caps for my clients here in town.  

Wow so cool.    

The cap issue aside,  I just had to share my moment of inspiration.  In the morning (when I am awake) I will explain the caps and the issues I have been working on.  But, just right now I wanted to give you my feeling of creativity and joy.   The creative process is so interesting to me.  It is so amazing what the brain does.  I seem so uninvolved.  Matisse said something about this in his Jazz book.  I'll look it up and get it to you in the am.

Thank you for being here.

Sleepily, 

Mary