Primarily Practical Knits

Easy Care Knits for the Family

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Frequently Asked Questions

From time to time I get questions that are not addressed elsewhere on the site. I will answer those questions here. Please check Customer Service for other information, or Contact Me with your own questions.

Questions

Questions About Orders

• Do you charge extra for rush orders?
• Can you copy designer knits?
• Do you ever sell wholesale?

Questions About Knitting

• Are your designs available as patterns or kits?
• Do you give lessons?
• Can you tell me more about knitting machines?

Questions About Home-Based Business

• How did you start your business?
• How did you get your website?
• How did you get people to visit your website?

Answers

• Do you charge extra for rush orders?
  If you are buying a ready-made item that is in stock, I will only charge extra if you request a special shipping method that is higher than Priority Mail. For custom orders, there is an extra charge of 20% of the item's ordinary price, plus any extra shipping if necessary. Please note that during the Christmas season there is a good chance I would not be able to accept a rush order at all. At that time of year I am already working overtime, and some custom orders would be simply impossible to fit into an already busy schedule. Return to Questions
  
  
• Can you copy designer knits?
  Copying designer knits is a tricky area for legal reasons. Copying the basic look or design is allowed, since that aspect of a garment is considered functional and therefore is not covered by intellectual property laws. However, a distinctive and recognizable symbol, logo, crest, or other design can be trademarked, and most often it will be. It would be illegal to copy something like that and then profit from the copy. Examples of things I have been asked to knit for sale, but could not, include a baby blanket with a sports team logo and a sweater with the Ralph Lauren Polo crest. Return to Questions
  
  
• Do you ever sell wholesale?
  I am not really in the wholesale business at this time. However, I can sometimes give discounts to customers who buy larger quantities. I have on occasion given bigger discounts to customers who intend to resell the items. If you are interested in this sort of arrangement, please contact me and we'll talk about it. Return to Questions
  
  
• Are your designs available as patterns or kits?
  I hope to create a new website at http://www.primarily-practical-knits.com/ where some of my original designs will be available as PDF files. Many of the items you see on this site will not be available, for various reasons. Some are not original designs, so I have no legal right to sell the pattern. Some are original, but I created them with considerable input from my customer. I don't feel they are really "mine" to sell. Some are original, and I haven't yet written them up in finished form. These will be available as soon as I have them ready. Return to Questions
  
  
• Do you give lessons?
  I am happy to give knitting lessons in Lexington, Kentucky, for either hand or machine knitting. Rates are $20 an hour for one person. For small groups, I charge $15 per person per hour. Return to Questions
  
  
• Can you tell me more about knitting machines?
  I would love to, but it could take a while and I'm busy knitting! Fortunately, there is a lot of information on-line about knitting machines. I would suggest you start with this article: Hand and Machine Knitting: The differences and similarities. If you think you might want to try a knitting machine, this article will help you figure out what kind might suit you best: Selecting Your Knitting Machine. The yahoo group called knittingmachines is a goldmine of information on everything you could possibly want to know about choosing and using a knitting machine. It's a huge group, with lots of experience, and many friendly, helpful knitters. Return to Questions
  
  
• How did you start your business?
  I did lots and lots of research! I searched the phrases "small business" and "home-based business" on the Internet, and asked for help finding resources at my local library. The Secretary of State's office for my state is very helpful on tax issues, as is the IRS Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource. The Small Business Administration has information on many related topics, and a wonderful program with its Small Business Development Centers (SBDC). I took several very helpful classes at my local SBDC. Return to Questions
  
  
• How did you get your website?
  Again, I started with research. I knew I couldn't afford to pay a web designer, so I learned about different programs that can be used to build websites. I chose Microsoft FrontPage because I thought it would be a good compromise between easy and powerful. I then joined a yahoo group for FrontPage questions, and spent the next 3 months or so building my website. I have continued to improve it as I learn more. Return to Questions
  
  
• How did you get people to visit your website?
  I was lucky enough to learn about some wonderful on-line classes on search engine optimization. They are free, but do require some time and willingness to work within the existing class structure. Information about the classes can be found at Small Business Website Development Training Center. I cannot recommend these classes highly enough. They were the single most important factor in the unexpectedly rapid success of my business. Return to Questions
  
  

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