After waiting for what felt like an inordinately long amount of time, my sample arrived! I waited many weeks for this to arrive, and when it finally did, I was really nervous to open it. Having worked with my sourcing agent overseas, I know that she did her best to understand my requests, and I did my best to communicate them; we will see how effective we both were.
My first impression was, “my word, that is a lot of yarn!” And orange?!? None of my designs have orange in them; in fact, orange was the main color that I was trying to get away from. Oh no, oh no, oh no, I hope this is not a big waste of everyone’s time!
![my golden sample still in it's package with lots and lots of yarn](https://www.sterlyngash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/unpacked-kit-1-scaled-e1673065859582-1024x713.jpg)
![way too much yarn in the wrong colors](https://www.sterlyngash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/the-yarn-scaled-e1673066059541-300x264.jpg)
These colors are just not what I had in mind. I mean some of them are fine; the navy, brown, and even the light blue color, but orange? Just. No. I probably should have not opened this in the evening, because I find that my motivation, excitement, and grit seem to fade as the night progresses. I started picturing all of the 1-star reviews coming in…”This is NOT the same colors pictured!!!” and “Orange?!?! Really?!”
Ugh, I begin to feel pretty overwhelmed at the numerous changes that need to be made for this product to be right.
I will say, however, that the yarn quality is some of the softest, strongest yarn that I have ever felt. I have never heard of Milk Cotton yarn, but this stuff is pretty amazing and would be awesome for small amigurumi projects.
Once I got the garish orange color out of my head, I placed my monk’s cloth designs in my embroidery hoop, and then it felt like all of the discouragement melted away. Oh, my goodness. While I saw plenty of things I wanted to change, I realized something I have known all along (but seem to forget often)…I can absolutely do this. These designs are my designs. I have to start somewhere, and this is my starting point. I feel like the finish line is so far away, but this was a defining moment: seeing my product and the potential it holds.
That being said, I knew the art needed to be simplified and I wanted the designs to be more cohesive if someone wanted to make them for a nursery or a wall in their home. And it was at this moment, that I remembered that I was a graphic designer and could take what the artist sent me and truly add my personality to it.
![my punch needle kits inside their embroidery hoops](https://www.sterlyngash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/my-designs-scaled-e1673065979722-1024x1003.jpg)
![punch needle kit contents](https://www.sterlyngash.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/punch-needle-kit-scaled-e1673066095369-1024x1003.jpg)
The next piece of my golden sample was all of the contents that will be included in my kit: the embroidery hoop, the instructions, the notions: scissors, punch needle, punch needle threader, oversize needle, and needle threader.
The contents were more than okay; they are high quality, and I don’t have any changes that I want to make to them. I wasn’t sure if the scissors were going to be necessary, but after conversations with friends, I am convinced that when someone wants to try a new craft out and they purchase a kit, they want everything that they will need in that kit.
The last piece is the instructions and branding. This feels like such a big task, but I know that I will get the ball rolling on this so that it is perfect and I am proud of it.