I knit, a lot. It is an obsession of mine. I no longer make things for myself, after 40 years my drawers and closets are full. I look to knit for other people who want or need things. Baby stuff, kid stuff, adult stuff, even dog stuff. I would knit for cats too but they seem to have an aversion to anything that needs putting over their head... But I digress.
Recently I was asked to make a sweater for a man, a big man. No problem. Size is never an issue for my needles. This gentleman is 6'5" so the sweater back measurement was 38" long. The inside arm seam measurement was 23". The sweater used up almost 8lbs. of heavy yarn. I don't know this person, I am a friend of his mother, so I was knitting 'sight unseen' for a guy who lives on the other side of the continent. The sweater was his Christmas gift and I have been told that he is thrilled with it and that it fits perfectly. This got me thinking. How many other large people are out there who need custom knitwear? The whole NBA for one!
The Miami Heat may not be interested in my product. Florida weather does not really lend itself to sweater wearing. I need to target the northern teams like the Toronto Raptors or the Boston Celtics. New York, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cleveland, all potential customers. Kobe could probably use a little cheering up so he might like a cozy garment to wear on the sidelines. I would let every player pick and design their own apparel piece. They seem to grumble about being told what to wear on and off the court but I'm sure the NBA would approve my creations. Basketball guys all design their own running shoes and headphones so why not a sweater? I bet their moms don't have the time to knit one for them since they have to go to games all the time and cheer their boys on.
I am also open to the WNBA. Tall women have the same problem as the men. Finding clothes to fit is a bitch when you are not a perfect size 6. I can fix that! Sweaters are just a start. Hats, gloves, mitts, coats, bikinis, it can all be made out of fiber to fit like it was made for them, because it is.
This niche market is my target of choice because.... Well, just because. I'm the other extreme size. I feel their pain and frustration with clothing but at least I can shop in the children's department when I need jeans or t-shirts. The "bigs" have no where to look but custom made apparel.
Come on Kobe, Lebron, Brook and Metta.... Bring it on! Long arms, endless torsos and necks the size of tree trunks don't scare me. I have knitting needles in YOUR size!
M
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