Katy Lin Boutique - meet the products!
I consider myself to be a pretty picky shopper that loves to shop. Earlier this year, I decided that it was time to use my love of shopping as inspiration for my own little boutique. My goals were to provide you with goodies that are kinda like my patterns—special AND so useful! Every single product you see in the shop is one that I personally use and love. I chose to work with small businesses whenever possible because what could be better than small businesses supporting one another! Through my travels, I met each company’s owner, well before I knew I was going to create my shop. They have all been wonderful to work with and I can’t wait to sell out so I can get even more goodies. I was able to be so hands-on throughout the entire process; you can know that these offerings are truly “me”! I hope they hit a sweet spot for you and make your knitting even more pleasurable. But my goodies aren’t “just” for knitters, I’ve got some awesome stuff for non-knitters, too. So, share my boutique with your friends after you check it out yourself! I wanted to give you an overview of what you can find in the shop, all in one spot. So, this post will be a long one but you can also check out the video below for a quicker overview!
The Products
It all started with a conversation between me and a very dear friend, Kari of Urban Smirk. Kari was my next door neighbor for not NEARLY long enough, but our bond has covered long distances and she’s an incredible graphic designer. I came to her with the most basic of ideas and she developed my new sheepersona, Katy Lin. Katy Lin has loads of plans, she’s just getting started! Since you’ll see Katy Lin throughout the boutique, I wanted to introduce her right off the bat!
relaxation package
The ultimate pampering package for knitters and non-knitters alike! This package includes everything you need for a cozy night at home: a soy wax vegan candle, body oil, hand creme, potpourri satchet, and turkish towel. Spoil yourself, or spoil a friend: this package is such a treat!
Turkish {blocking} Towel
These blocking towels are life changing, I tell ya! If you’ve ever wanted to up your blocking game (and style), you’ve got to give these Turkish blocking towels a try. Made from 100% cotton, these oversized towels will help your knits dry quickly by absorbing tons of water and keep them safe on a variety of surfaces. I love to use one towel to remove as much water as possible, and a second towel to lay my knits on as they fully dry. And of course I have Katy Lin - my spokesheep - with her witty sayings on each towel, courtesy of Kari who not only designed the towels but also printed them!
Katy lin Acrylic Pins
Funny story, my pins arrived and I was ecstatic. THEY ARE ADORABLE and so well made. Then I realized that they were even better because they have a protective coating that prevents them from getting scratched or beat up in any way during shipping. I took the photographs before I even realized this so just know that your pin is as clear as glass and they come in 4 different options: 3 of Katy Lin’s situations and 1 branded KO logo option!
katy lin tees & Tanks
What’s an online shop without cute tops! You’ll find Katy Lin’s sassy wisdom on all my shirts with four different saying options:
”Lay Flat to Dry”
”It’ll Block Out”
”Stop looking at me like I’m a ball of yarn”
”You can’t knit all day if you don’t start in the morning”
In each listing, you’ll find detailed sizing information including charts and direct links to the shirt manufacturer’s size diagrams. There’s nothing worse than getting something that doesn’t fit! I’ve chosen to use Next Level (tees) and Bella + Canvas (tanks) tops for their softness. You’re going to love your top.
lip balm
My lip balm has history! Way back when I used to haul patterns and merch to floor shows, I started making vegan lip balm. It’s been years since I did it but I knew I wanted to bring it back for the boutique. You can even find my recipe right here online if you’d like to try to make some on your own or just to see all the ingredients (they are also listed on your balm label, of course). I plan to update my balm seasonally (pumpkin spice this fall anyone?) and right now I have Peach Champagne and Peppermint Eucalyptus + Vitamin E. My balm sold out regularly the first time around, it feels amazing on your lips and it’s wonderful to know that only natural ingredients are going on your body.
ko rose & lavender potpourri
Speaking of making and mentioning roses for the first (of many) times today… I’ve also learned the art of making potpourri! My potpourri is created from rose petals, lavender, sage and a little eucalpytus—all of which come straight out of my home garden. After drying each plant, the potpourri is created by adding a bit of essential oil. After early experimentation, I settled on a citrus accent. Your potpourri can be delivered in a jar or sachet, depending on how you intend to use it. I recommend jars if you want to be able to pop the lid and set it somewhere or a sachet if you plan to use it in drawers or closets.
Smells so good!
Roses + Lavender = YUM.
ko washi tape
I’ve become recently obsessed with this tape. It really started during lockdown, as I used it to track my sourdough starter growth but when I was designing Fierce, it really, really came in handy for my knitting. Did you know that you can even use Washi tape on your tablet or computer screen and it still won’t leave any residue? If you’re working from paper, I recommend using a sheet protector so that you can easily peel your tape off after completing each row and move it up your chart.
cms supply co.goodies: Wool Wash & Vegan Candles.
I met Cady of CMS Supply Co. last fall and just about went broke in her booth at Black Mountain Yarn Shop’s Indie Extravaganza. She is SO GOOD at yummy scents and her wool wash will really soften your knits. The two of us created a new candle scent, Peach Champagne, because I wanted something that said “South Carolina” (which is where I live!). Did you know that SC is the largest producer of peaches in the US? In both the wool wash and candles, four scents are available. I’ll also mention that you can find Rose scents in both products because we all know I can’t resist anything with roses.
Utopia Bath LTD
New York Sheep & Wool never disappoints, and even though the fiber is amazing, this past year my game-changer was meeting Melanie of Utopia Bath. She let me try product after product and I walked away with plenty of them. Some were for me, and some were planned gifts! Utopia boasts the “Best Hand Créme Ever” and I have to agree. I’m obsessed with it and my shop carries 3 scents. I also stock Melanie’s Body Oil. If you’ve got dry elbows or knees or are looking for glowing skin, you WANT this amazing body oil (4 scents available).
clothespin {swatch hanger} wall decor
I absolutely love finding useful things to put on my walls. For me, it typically comes in the form of cute hooks or even hanging folders so when I found these giant clothespins my instant thought was HANG DRYING A SWATCH. These babies are cute on the wall AND are fully functional. Hang your swatch to dry, hang artwork, or just hang the clothespin. Either way, it looks great and you can use it for whatever you desire.
merch
I’m a knitwear designer and so I just couldn’t help myself, I GOT MERCH! I have more stickers on the way but here’s a look at my stitch markers (by THE SEXY KNITTER), and Merch Packages. I put together these packages as a way to give you a great price (saving over 10% of retail) on a variety of items. Each knitter’s merch package includes the shirt of your choice and other goodies so that you can get a little taste of what’s in the shop in a budget-friendly manner.
shop kO
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shop kO 〰️
It’s been such a blast shipping out packages this week, normally I would consider that particular task not-so-fun but right now every order is feeling so special! I am so proud of the work that I and all the small businesses I’m partnering with have put in! I can’t forget to note my local printing company, Black Rock Branding, who printed all my shirts and helped me narrow down colors, choose the “right” number of sizes, etc. Thank you Tiffany for ALL your help, and as we continue on this adventure, too! And to all of you just remember, you’re awesome!
Lastly, I just hope you LOVE how your packages arrive! When goodies arrive on my doorstep… I love seeing brands represented and that’s why I chose to use Sticker Mule (https://www.stickermule.com/) for my shipping bags, stickers and packaging tape! It’s really nice stuff, y’all. So if you’re a small biz thinking about your own branding, I highly recommend them! I love getting to see the proofs and then having an opportunity to tweak my own design before approving. It’s really been excellent customer service all around.
If you haven’t checked out my shop yet, get on it! It will just make my day if you place an order ✌🏽❤️🧶 + 🌹.
XOXO,
