Welcome to the Virgo Knits Store .....

Here you will not only find Knitted Nappy Soakers/Longies but also other knitted clothing items for babies and toddlers.

Even Premature Babies are catered for!!!

I knit a variety of garments from baby sizes right through to adult sizes. Both summer and winter weight garments will be available [depending on demand].

Combination sets will be made available from time to time. If you were after a complete outfit for your 'Little One' ... You only have to ask.

Custom Orders are welcome.

My Nappy Soakers/Longies are knit from 100% Pure Australian Merino Wool, [Australian sourced, ethically grown and spun/processed] and will arrive to you pre-lanolised and ready for immediate use.

I have been knitting/crocheting by hand for over 40 years and machine knitting over 22 years. You can be assured of attention to detail and quality of work. The range of garments and styles offered for sale will change over time.

As a SPECIAL SERVICE for those parents with "Precious Preemies" I will work with you to customise [ie. knit to size] your purchases to fit your baby at the time of sale.

Remember if you are not sure about something ... Please ASK!!!


I will post to international locations ... exact postal costs [including registration & insurance] will be emailed within 24 hours and a revised invoice issued.
There are NO charges for packaging or handling fees.
Your items will be sent using Air Mail/Global Priority [approx delivery is 10 'clear' business days].

Please Note:-NO ITEM will be released for postage until the full payment has been received and noted ... there will be no exceptions.

I send out items using Registered Post only ... HOWEVER ... I will use other services offered by Australia Post if asked to do so.
I do not charge for packaging.
All customers ... both domestic and international ... only pay a pro-rata rate [proportional amount] of the actual postage charges as made by Australia Post. In other words you pay a discounted rate on the actual postage rates.

I will not be held responsible if your item is lost/stolen in transit where a less "secure" option is chosen.
Payment methods accepted are Paypal; Direct Deposit [net-banking] and Money Orders [Australia only]. Personal cheques and International Money Orders are not accepted & will be returned if received.

Thankyou to all for your business and support.

Regards

Sharyn

I feel it is important to distinguish 'handcrafted' items...

Domestic or "home" knitting machines take a lot of work and knowledge and in some cases can take as much time as hand knitting.
Hard to believe? Even an item as simple as a beanie may have a lot of shaping [depending on the style] and all that has to be done by hand-transferring of stitches. Sometimes the only way to get a desired pattern/stitch or effect is to hand-tool it and this can take a lot of time regardless of the final size of the project.

The fabric produced using a knitting machine is of a more even texture than hand-knitted fabric, which is particularly noticeable on large areas of plain stocking stitch. This is an advantage, and saves a considerable amount of time.

There's a big difference between domestic machine-knit and mass-produced factory-knitwear.

The mechanics and concept of knitting by hand versus knitting on a machine are completely different.

The knitting machine is used to make the knitting process quicker, just as a sewing machine is used to speed the assembly of garments and quilts. The benefit to the consumer is that a custom designed item can be created for them at an affordable price, due to reduced labor time. These items can in fact bear the name hand-made. I choose to call my work "hand-crafted". There is, in fact, quite a bit of hand work involved in knitting items on the knitting machine. Something made with the help of a sewing machine can be truthfully called hand-made ... the same applies where domestic knitting machines have been used. These are very different to factory-style knitting looms.

All my knitwear items are made by me, in my home, from start to finish.
They are all knitted to size, using fully-fashioned techniques, and not "cut and sew" construction techniques ... like the mass-produced stuff you find in the retail stores.

All garments are sewn together by hand using the same yarn as used for the item itself ... no sewing machines or overlockers/sergers are used ... except for attaching my embroidered logo or a machine-embroidered design onto the item.

Machine knitted garments require more preparation in the beginning in order to produce something that is wearable. Swatching for tensions; stitch sizes and row counts; yarn suitability is more important for machine knitting than in hand knitting.

By using a knitting machine and high quality ingredients [the yarns], I can make hard wearing, long lasting and dependable garments which are not found in normal retail stores. It allows me to make unique and individual garments for everyone with no limitations to size. Everyone can be catered for ... babies right through to adults.

This is why I can say that every item I make is "fully fashioned and/or hand-crafted" knitwear.

All garments are hand crafted/made and finished by me personally. I have an extremely high standard of finish ... because I am "fussy" - not only with the outside appearance of the item ... but also in how it is put together, and therefore its wearability.

I do not employ contract knitters to knit my garments, nor do I outsource any work ... again because I am "fussy" but the main reason is because I can then fully guarantee the quality of each and every finished item. ALL items listed in my store are personally made by me. If you see something you like but want a different colour - all you have to do is ask ... I am able to customise any of my items to suit your requirements.

I draft my own patterns or designs wherever possible. Where necessary the required licences/permissions/restrictions have been sought, purchased and approved by the original designers.

Many of the designs used are specific to the brand of machine used ... some of which are universal, whilst others cannot be replicated because of the limitations of the patterning device on a specific brand/model of machine.

A highly respected knitwear designer who uses knitting machines has been known to say ... "Machine knitting is just another creative outlet to master."

I DO NOT and WILL NOT copy another person's artwork or embellishment .... so don't even ask ... as I consider this an infringement of copyright.
It is their work and therefore their property and I will not be a party to stealing.
Where I have personally drafted a pattern and/or design ... it is completely my own work, I have the notes and measurements/drawings and therefore I own the copyright for that particular item. Please do me the same courtesy by not "copying" my work, items or designs.

What is a full-fashioned knit?
This is a knit made from panels where all shaping is done during the knitting process and then sewn together.
Usually reserved for hand-made and hand-crafted items ... and this includes hand-knitted items.

What is a cut-and-sew knit?
This is constructed of flat panels cut from pre-knit [usually factory produced] fabric which are then sewn/serged together. Interlock and jersey fabrics fall into this category.

Seams are bulkier and stiffer than in full-fashioned knits.
All "factory" mass-produced knitwear is produced in this manner.

Garment Care
My garments can be hand washed in luke-warm water, or machine washed [where specifically stated] on woollens/handwash/gentle cycle, using an appropriate wool wash and COOL water and GENTLE settings only.
Some items are specifically hand-wash only ... please read all care instructions that come with your item ... they are provided for a reason ... to help you look after your garment.

IF HAND-WASHING...

DO NOT rub or wring your garment [will cause felting], just squeeze it gently in the water.
DO NOT HANG [peg out] your garment when wet as it will stretch and lose it's shape.

Lay flat to dry ... use an airing rack out of direct sunlight. You can use a fan to "create" a breeze if necessary to assist the drying process.

NEVER put a WOOL garment into a clothes dryer ... unless you are deliberately trying to shrink or felt it.

Please read all descriptions and measurements where provided and e-mail me if you have any questions and/or concerns.

Feedback received from recent customers ....

"...I can't thank you enough, the colours are perfect, the buttons are gorgeous on the shoes, and it looks very cute on!Love it, thank-you!...."

"....THANKYOU!! they are fantastic, as always. The very best knitties. the only ones i will buy!! You are very talented. I shall let every one of my cloth using friends see and hear about my latests knits...."

".... it all arrived safe and sound this morning. I am absolutely blown away, it is far and above what I expected!!! I can't thank you enough Sharyn, you work is beautiful and your generosity has made my week. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

".... Hooray!! It is here!!! It is absolutely beautiful! I am happy for you to use a pic in your gallery. It is a great piece of work and as others have also said you should be very proud of it. Thankyou so much! .... "

".... It is such a pleasure having done business with you. Your e-mails show that you have geniune concern about my satisfaction with your products .... "

" .... HURRAY!!!! They came this morning. OMG Sharyn they are DEVINE!!!! They are all just so beautiful. Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou. I am just so happy with everything - its so gorgeous and well made...."

" .... It is so soft and a really nice fit, the detailing is beautiful. It is my first knitted soaker and I can't believe how well it works. I liked it so much I am getting her to make a custom sized one .... "

" .... Just wanted to let you know that the soakers arrived safe & sound yesterday & they are gorgeous.I also wanted to thank you for the little extra that you kindly gave - what a nice thing to do.... "

" .... I received my soaker this week and I absolutely love it! I love the colour, the pattern, the fit, the quality is outstanding and I thank you so much for making it. I admire those that can knit whatever the form...I believe that both *arts* are incredible skills...if only I had some of that skill LOL .... "

" ....I like your machine knitted covers because I find they can withstand a gentle machine wash where as hand knitted ones don't. I am hopeless with the hand knitted ones. I usually hand wash the machine knit covers but if by chance they end up in the wash it's not a dire catastrophe, they are just a bit fluffy, and best of all still work perfectly.... "

" ....The results are spectacular. I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything. I can't explain how all the girls ponchos and hats (and bag - it is perfect) have exceeded my expectations and blown me away. Its like a baby shawl only better because its fitted and warm as anything and beautiful!! THEY ARE **Puuuuurfect.** ... I would be so proud (I am proud of them) of them if I had made them. I want a knitting machine and to learn everything about them .... "