HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM SUE ROCK ORIGINALS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I can' believe it - 2008 is here. After clearing out the old and wanting to bring in the new there is a bright view on the horizon.

SRO is now in negotiations with a Fair Trade knitting manufacturer in Africa for production of their Fall line. The beauty of organic yarns, natural dyes and thick chunky textures will be all the rage for 2008 and beyond. Mohairs and natural wools are in abundance in Africa and will be in high demand with market trends towards organic fibres. These manufacturers have never used chemicals to produce their yarns and all of it is handspun. Fair Trade knitters in this region are an untapped market and have been wonderful to work with.

Closer to the home front, we will be leaning strongly toward organic and alternative fibers for the future. SRO will feature stunning velvety mohairs, llama blends and creamy organic cotton crochet all season. We have handpicked some of the finest New York hand crocheters and hand knitters to work on our production and design team.

See you soon!

Crochet as Fibre Art - Sue Rock Crochet Welcomed at Corporate Art Show

In October, Sue Rock's crochet work was welcomed at the Thacher Proffit & Wood's Homegrown Art Show. Photography, Oil paint, watercolor and mixed media were also featured.

It is amazing to have my work featured at this unique venue. I am currently working at Thacher Proffit, so to have the opportunity to showcase my work in a different way seemed great. The responses have been wonderful and whenever I am in the 30th floor corridor, I get a chance to see my work.

I think the most interesting part was choosing the pieces and then figuring out how to mat them.

My husband and I worked together using insulation (lightweight and inexpensive!) covered with sheer black as a background .

Sue Rock Originals at ART OF CURVES

Fall is in the air and if you know anything about the Fashion capital of the world - New York is the home of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. On Friday, September 21, 2007, Sue Rock Originals will be featured with more than seven other designers focusing on bringing fashion to those of us who are larger than a size 2!!!

Art of Curves presents itself as "...not just a fashion show, it's a movement". We are thrilled to be a part of this extravaganza. Scheduled to take place September 21st at New York's Westside Loft, The Art of Curves will be showcasing for a cause, some of the plus community's top designers including: Svoboda, Trentacosta, House of Sir Charles , Sue Rock Originals, and Big Girls United.

We will be focusing on Fall fashions with seven new skirts, Ponchos, coverups and vests!

See you there:

what: THE ART OF CURVES PLUS SIZE FASHION SHOW AND AFTER PARTY
where: 336 WEST 37TH STREET 6TH FLOOR
when: SEPTEMBER 21, 2007 8PM
cost: $40 AND $80 VIP ( open bar, food, preferred seating, gift bags and more)
online ticket sales: http://biggerandbetterthangs.com/fashionshow.htm
contact: info call 866-239-5534 or http://us.f510.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=theartofcurves@gmail.com

Sue Rock Originals - the beginning........

sue rock originals came out of the need to bring the classic tradition of crochet to the growing handknit and crochet marketplace. We are design company that has produced of a line of hand crocheted seasonal accessories and clothing. We will be launching a travel bag in the fall that has been produced in collaboration with the men and women of Rwanda and Kenya. Their knitting and crochet cooperatives have been key in making this possible.

Without any liquid capital and in an effort to "make a dollar out of 15 cents" I searched the internet for crochet patterns. These wound up being the initial pieces to a now extensive vintage pattern collection spanning the early 1920’s to today. Ebay would be next – as the resource for first purchases of yarn. Its back and forth correspondence style between buyer and seller encouraged a wonderful sense of community. One relationship afforded a remarkable windfall – all of the remaining stock from the yarn store she had closed 3 years ago (at 10 cents on the dollar!). As I surveyed the mounting patterns and now non-stop boxes coming to my door, I marveled – "God must certainly have a plan for this….."

Hats turned to scarves and scarves turned to skirts. As the retail market continued to flood with Mexican made ponchos and imported Chinese scarves, I diligently worked on crochet fedoras, bubble cloches and dense, tailored men’s accessories. A chance meeting with marketing consultant Jada Goodlet turned the direction of the company to a whole new perspective – a line of travel accessories in rich fabrics and wonderful colors for the high end travel market. But how to have these items created easily and affordably? Enter Cari Clement, originator of the Fiber and Craft Entrepreneurial Development Center (FACED), one of the Centers for Social Responsibility located in Kigali, Rwanda and a thriving knitter’s cooperative. With her and Liz Wald of EDImports, sue rock originals has the samples for its travel line and the beginnings of a thriving business relationship.

Through working with people such as Jada Goodlet of Goodlet Consulting, Liz Wald of EDImports, the United Nations Micro Economic Development Group and businesses like 4W Circle of Arts and Enterprise in Brooklyn, sue rock originals will most assuredly be successful.