The story of the Circular Solution starts in 1998 with long scarves, custom knitted for a boutique in Chicago. Long knitted scarves made with jumbo, long circular needles that curved and knotted somewhere in the middle along the way. Circular needles came curled up in small pouches and remained that way unless you microwaved them or soaked them in hot water for a long time.
Frustrated with these kinks, I found myself thinking of ways to eliminate the problem. Knowing from a friend who hung hers out of a huge ball of yarn on her desk, it was obvious that hanging them somehow was going to be a solution. So they hung from drawers, hung out of toilet paper holders and hung and hung.
Lucky for me, my husband owned a factory with a marvelous sample woman who could turn samples into great products. I turned my problem to her with countless, varied products to see what would work. After many failed attempts, a variation of the circular solution emerged with tunnels marked with a felt marker to delineate sizes. I took that sample to the friend to trade for the ball of yarn that held her circular needles. She took one look and proclaimed “ you need to market that:.
So – over time, a more professional product, the Circular Solution took shape and I was encouraged to go to trade shows and persevere by another well known knitter, Meg Swanson. Off I went to my first trade show in Richmond, VA and from there the story is history. Meg introduced me to a well known catalog company, who found my circular solution a good enough product to put in their catalog.
Off I went to many trade shows across the country with my sister who helped me at these shows for many years until she retired . My husband then filled in and took over many activities that arise from having a product go nationally.
Once the circular solution became popular, many customers requested matching items. So first came the Doublepoint needle case, followed by one for straight needles call Sticks. And then another, The Hooker got into the lineup for crochet hooks and other types of hooks.
After attending a class on using multiple yarns, another problem reared its ugly head. Tangles, lots of tangles of yarns crisscrossing and tangling on the floor or in ones lap. So another product had to be designed to add to the product line. The knitting nest , with its four pockets, helps out there.
When my husband sold his factory, would you know that we had another problem. Who would make these wonderful products for us going forward. We now had a thriving business and looked to a local Sheltered Workshop for handicap clients to carry on. They, not only do much of our production that helps us carry on our business, they help themselves to earn money and become productive citizens in their own right. It is a win-win situation and keeps the story going on.
