...it's not just hippie crap! Frequently Asked Questions
(or things you should know about me and my obsessions) rinthered at gmail.com or IM me RinTheRed.

Q: Who the heck are you?

Hi, I'm Rin. I crochet and rock out for a living. I live in PA, I love music (mostly metal. Oh irony!) and I've been crocheting over 26 years. I also travel cross country, camp, laugh, scamper with random kids, musicians and doggies.

Around 1999, I began using my random and non-traditional art passions to take over the world. If I knew then what I know now about what rewards hard work can bring, I might have picked a more serious business name, perhaps.. *grin*

While you visit the site, I'm listening to music and making someone a hat they designed themselves. Or maybe I'm uploading new pictures. Say hi! What kind of hat would you love? I crochet one item at a time for individual customers, clothing designers, musicians, Movie/TV/Video. (Music is the best) Chances are good you'll see me working before a show.

Being a pretend rock star is fun, but what's better? Seeing your happy face when I give you your new favorite hat.

Once you get a handmade hat from Rin, I hope you'll come back for another, or a gift. My favorite hats to make are dreadlock tams, beanies, headwraps, and Hip Hop Hats.

My hats are product tested by family and friends and I DEMAND they abuse them. I feel it's important to get every penny's worth - If i stay up till 4am making hats ALMOST EVERY NIGHT, I want it to be the best hat you ever got - since there's usually a 2 week-2 month waiting list, I do a lot of writing/talking to help people understand my dedication.

I Support made in the US and organic, or vegan materials.. it's what you as my loyal customers ask for to remain green!

A room of yarn ain't cheap, ya know! I'm happy in Doylestown so I'm going to settle in. I'm between NYC and Philly, a great place for music addict like me. Still going to make hats for you, of course! I aim to hire people, so... rock & hard place see ya later, I'm getting some financial aid from the tooth fairy. I spend up to 15 hours a day crocheting. I can't wait to take over the world with craftin and rock n roll.

I originally learned from my Mama - but by watching my Mom (amazing afghans) I learned how to crochet by watching; and bless her heart for trying, it just never made sense to me to read a pattern. even one i know now. a code I cannot break. And now I just don't have time -

Sadly, I have no patience for patterns or long projects, which is silly considering I crochet up to 15 hrs. a day! But it's good cuz it taught me how to play fair and share, giving everyone a 'no stepping on toes' business policy that everyone can enjoy. I've employed many friends and family thru the years, I am looking to expand in my town and employ some ex-computer nerd turned crafters like myself.

I began making up hats, and eventually it turned into full-time CUSTOM dreadlock tams (Who knew? That'll teach me to joke about 'hippie crap'), and sometimes I get lucky and my hats are purchased for use in a movie...
(shameless promotion warning: out on DVD. INTO THE WILD Directed by Sean Penn)

I make hats. There's lots of other things I know how to make, but I 'fell into' hats almost 10 years ago as a full time occupation. Around 1999, I began making hats, and eventually it turned into full-time CUSTOM dreadlock tams (Who knew? That'll teach me to joke about 'hippie crap'), and sometimes I get lucky and my hats are in a movie or seen on TV. That's awesome, but what's better? Seeing your happy face when I give you your new favorite hat. I live in PA, I love music (mostly metal. Oh irony!) and I've been crocheting over 26 years, since i was 7 or so.

Q: What's Hippie Crap?
A: The name of my business, while hilarious, was originally my response to "So, Rin, what do you do for fun?" My response? "Meh, I make hippie crap, you probably wouldn't be interested.." thinking, no one could possibly be into macrame, crochet, recycling, reggae, as much as I was! AND OH BOY WAS I WRONG! Thru friends, family, randomness, and all my other crafting pals, I know where to look for good quality, handmade items, but hey - let me have the tams and hats, thankyouverymuch! I get a lot of laughs from my business name, but I take it very seriously, and I work all the time. Even when I'm rocking out! I can be found at a bluegrass jam one night, and a rock show the next!

I've been making jewelry, hats, and tams since 1999. I started out with all my friends - even now I give hats to my friends to 'product test' when I get a new type of yarn or try a new style. They give me feedback about the hats and help me improve them, I take pictures of as many people as I can! Don't have Etsy? Don't have Paypal? That's ok! I take checks and Money orders. I've got loads of pictures to show you.

Q: Stitches - What's the difference?
A: There's a difference in difficulty, amount of yarn used, and how long it takes me. There's reasons for the difference in stitches. Warmth, and stretch, style. An open stitch is quite breathable (great for summer), so I usually recommend them to people with very large dreads. This way not only will the hat be more comfortable and let your head breathe, you also won't need a new hat until you literally grow out of it! Tighter stitches have no holes, warmer than an open stitch, and while it does stretch, it doesn't stretch as much as an open stitch. Here are the current stitch options.

Q: WHAT'S MY SIZE?
A: Look at the page for the item you want first. There's recommended sizes on each page. The way I make my sizes is based on the length and size of your Dreadlocks! This is not a traditional sizing structure (like with Haberdashers or Milliners hats) but one that is based on customer info. I have spent years having my friends family, and anyone that is interested in helping me test out my products. I can show you pictures anytime!
- Figure out how long your dreads are. Sizes and cost are based on length and thickness of hair. Everyone's hair is different - big tams take up to 10 hours to make! Don't buy too big! ALL TAMS STRETCH WITH TIME. Made of yarn, made to last!

Sizes are mostly one-size fits all (everything but the dreadlock tams/hats, that is), but I make CUSTOM items one at a time, I'm your gal no matter how much trouble you have fitting into store bought hats!

Q: What yarn content can customers choose from?
A: Store your little treasure neatly, I made it with love! Here are the current yarn choices for this year.

Q: Do you make hats, tams, and jewelry for Vegetarians and Vegan's?
A: YES! I am happy to make anything with no bone or horn in it and only wood or stone materials. Look at the large pictures on each item to see what materials it consists of, and if you'd like me to replace bone or horn with wood or gemstones, then just EMAIL me to make you a SPECIAL ORDER! Most vegetarian/vegan people I know choose my organic cotton or banana silk yarn. These do not contain any animal product at all. I use many types of yarn to make hats. I recommend the Organic Cotton Yarn. This do not contain acrylic yarn, pesticides, or anything else that isn't 'friendly'.

Q: What's with all the organic?
A: My customers have led me the way by asking me to 'go green' with my yarn since I started. I have always loved oc yarn, but don't like to hear rumors of possible agro-hassle, so I just choose to stay with organic materials, since there's so many options! Organic yarn, bamboo, banana silk, recycled, and hemp yarn are just a way for me to feel like I can give my products a unique spin. It's not just hippie crap! I like organic food (YUM), organic fibers, and re-using! I still use acrylic yarn for machine washable options, and also recommend it for children's hats so you'll see them offered for IN STOCK items occasionally.

Q: How do I care for my new hat, tam, wrap?
A: I think the best care is no care at all! I would like it if you would hug it and love it because it DID take me up to 10 hours to make your goodie! But you don't have to go crazy. Basically it'll last you for YEARS, you don't need to WASH IT all the time. Remember: Natural Fibers! Don't let your dog chew it, or throw it on the floor for people to step on it or dust bunnies to live in it. If you take logical measures to care for your hat, you won't need a new one for a long time (though of course I always recommend you get more than one hat made by me *wink* for the seasons!

Q: I grew out of my hat! Now what do I do?
A: Good for you for keeping your hat this long! You have 2 options. I highly recommend you wash your hat and pass it on to someone you love. If it's a tam, I MIGHT be able to add rows to it so it's bigger. This costs about $15 plus shipping, and I can't promise anything! If you've really abused the hat, it might not be able to be fixed. Email me and ask my advice.

I love music. Singing and making tams are my favorite things to do. I also love bad TV - I admit it! Since 1999 I've lived in NJ (3 towns), NY (Brooklyn), NY (Woodstock), PA (Bethlehem - 4 places!) and I am FINALLY settled, in a spiffy new office (pics soon!) and I feel more organized and productive than I ever have! Now I get to go to John & Peters as much as I can stand. Look for me - I'll be rocking out to Chris Harford, Moistboyz, WEEN, Sound of Urchin, Project/Object...

So pretty much my daily routine is: Get up, make coffee, and begin crafting or paperwork. Mondays I go to Sara's or she comes here and we ship out the orders that are complete. I check my email/IM all day so that people can leave me a message about their orders. Around 10pm I check to see who's playing music in town and then I pack up my crafting and go out to see who's around! OR maybe I will jump in the car and drive out for the weekend.

I love what i do - I also have to make sure I can stay in business. It's a tough balance sometimes, but I always think about the people I get to make special stuff for, and it ALWAYS makes it worth the 11+ hour days of work. No weekends!

Thanks for wanting to know more about me.

CUSTOM:
·First come, first serve.
·Orders are handmade by me one at a time in the order which I receive payment.
·Ask me to help you pick out options like style, size, and material if you need help. IM me= rinthered.
·You must use the 4-Step form or there will not be the correct payment for materials.
·It can take up to 90 days for me to make your goodie(s) during the holiday season.
·Normal turnaround is 3 weeks from payment.
·I always email with a tracking # when I ship, or IM you when I begin making your order.
·There is always a waiting list, so please do not ask me to 'rush it'.
·If you need it for a gift, try to IM or email me before you give me payment, I will do what I can within reason.

PAYMENT:
·PayPal is preferred from verified accounts.
·Please make SURE your shipping address is correct on your PayPal account.
·Check and Money Orders are accepted via snail-mail. Contact me BEFORE you send me money.
·I don't take payment until you are happy with your options.
·You have to do your own math based on the Step 1-4 order form.
·There is no obligation to pay me if you are only inquiring how much something is!

SHIPPING:
·I ship everything US postal service priority mail International and Domestic. Current rates are what I charge, currently there are no sub-charges, and I do not make a profit off shipping. Domestic Shipping up to 1lb = $4.75 international $24.99
· I ship on Fridays-Monday. I usually wait till last minute to make as many orders as I can to ship out.
You will get an email from usps.com or rinthered@gmail.com with info.

COMMUNICATION:
·rinthered@gmail.com is my email. I check it all the time, but cannot answer every one immediately.
· I don't sell my patterns. I don't read patterns. I do not tell how I make my hats, please don't ask. I love to make hats for you.
· Instant message me! RinTheRed on ALL chat programs. Add me to your buddy list and I will keep you posted.

 

NEWSLETTER:
·Sign up for the newsletter on any of the web pages. MAKE SURE TO VERIFY YOUR EMAIL USING THE WEB LINK. I have to do this or it's considered SPAM.
·With a name like HIPPIE CRAP it has to be good. or SPAM?- look for my communication in your junk mail and take me outta there!
·Sign up for my newsletter, get a % off IN STOCK ORDERS
·I'll begin contests this summer for FREE IN STOCK items for newsletter people ONLY.
· If you don't want to be on my list anymore, please don't send me nasty emails, you signed up for this! You have to unsubscribe just like on any 'bigger' website newsletter lists. Change your email when you leave your job, leave school, etc..

DISCOUNTS:
·ALL IN STOCK items are discounted already.
·ALL "name droppers" (tell me another customer that referred you to me!) and BOTH people get 10% off. You must contact me BEFORE you send payment for any discount program so i can adjust your invoice. Use your paypal email to communicate with me re: discounts.
· ALL return customers get 10% off IN STOCK purchases. Again, email me before hand so I can adjust the price for you.
· I'll work on free shipping eventually.
· I'll begin contests this summer for FREE IN STOCK items.

Q: Give me your patterns, sell me a pattern?
A: No. I can't. I made my patterns up myself so I could have this business and be unique. Also, I can't read patterns. Never could!

Q: How do I order? How Do I pay? When Will it ship?
A: How to order = send me an email with the order form telling me what you want. How to PAY = Paypal. There's a sample order form on the CUSTOM page.
I Ship on Mondays thru USPS (US Postal Service) Always priority, always with a tracking# Checks, Money Order ok, too. If you have questions, email me!

Q: Do you Ship Internationally?
A: YES! PayPal or International Money Orders US$

Q: How do you figure out the cost of each hat?
A: My hats and wraps are all tested by friends and family to make sure that your hard earned $$$ is well spent and that the only reason to get a new one is for the different seasons, or colors..Open Stitches are the least expensive stitch, and are very useful! The prices are based on the cost of the yarn and how long it takes me to make something (from 1 hour to 10 hours) - some of the stitches are really complicated and take up a lot of yarn!

START HERE (CLICK): Pick Style, Yarn, Color(s), Stitch, Size, Stripes! No Obligation feel free to add as much to your shopping cart as you like, you're the one that decides when you're ready to buy!I'm also working extra job(s) like: Vending at Kutztown University SAC, Doylestown at Lilies of the Field (1st Friday Doylestown, PA ) and 2nd Saturday Collingswood, NJ with Mystical Creator. WHEW! Costs (as always!) are simply based on materials used plus labor. It can take up to 10 hours to make your hat. It takes me on average about 2-3 weeks to ship things out, I'm always on IM and can tell you where your name is 'on the list'. Oh how I love to make hats! Click The PayPal Buttons to add your options, please make sure you add all your options or i'll have to send a paypal request for the rest and I hate that almost as much as saying 'no'! You MUST Choose something from each Option Category.

Q: What is the difference between an IN STOCK hat and a CUSTOM hat?
A: It's pretty simple. IN STOCK hats are hats I made while on tour, or traveling, and I bring them back with me, take a bunch of pictures of them and I usually discount them. THE PICTURE YOU SEE IS THE ITEM YOU ARE BUYING. Sometimes I use up all my 'scrap' yarn and make neat patterns or stripes. Usually IN STOCK hats are one of a kind, and they usually sell out the same day they are posted. IN STOCK hats/tams/wraps etc. usually ship within 5 business days of your order. Or on Mondays, whichever comes first. CUSTOM orders I make one at a time, just the way you order it, with the many color, size and stitch options that I've offered to make your item as unique as possible! It can take up to a month to get your order because a lot of people order my hats. it can take up 10 TEN HOURS to make a hat! So... if I get a lot of orders I like to give myself time to rest between projects. YES I MAKE THEM ALL MYSELF! So. sometimes my poor little fingers hurt. (that's why I also make bead jewelry to give my fingers a rest!)

Q: Can I send you a picture of me enjoying my new tam?
A: Well, look how cute you all are, how can I resist?? I love to get pictures, and if they're really good I use them in my catalog! Many of my friends and family pose for pictures, and let's face it, it can get tiresome! I don't get nearly as many pictures as I would like to. Keep in mind I like my pictures to be in focus, usually in profile, and featuring the hat as the main subject of the photo. Those are the kind of pictures that I love to have for the web site!

If you'd like to be added to my web site photos, just send me a picture of yourself wearing your hat with permission for me to use it on my website! If it shows off the hat well, I'll use it to display 'your' style!

People who modeled, product tested, or contributed to the HippieCrap.com website photos and appear on the site. Huge thanks. My customers love you guys. You help them see what my hats look like in action: C from KEF (my Medium Tam guy), K (Headwraps), M Love (The Insidious Rays beanie expert), SoulBoner (Project/Object headbands), Cosmic Crusier (Wavetaster), Rev B-Ill (Sound of Urchin) & Mikey Retard (black widow skully), Liz (Life with Sirens DVD), the Movie INTO THE WILD ('Mr Penn loves the hats' ?wow!), DK from Radio Station, RB from RetroCrush, VDub, Taco Bell Beatdown & Weenmeoff (Vomlette), Bri Roomie (sexy 'big head'), SeaHag, Lorax, all my friends' kids, A (Alarmclockdesigns, XS tam perfect!), C&J (Phoebus Apollo) ... more love on my links page...


Want to Know More?

I spend time on the road and bring my crafting with me - I make Tams, Hats, and Wraps. I also make all the Bead Jewelry. I have met a lot of 'crafty' people on the road in my travels.

My grandmother and my mother taught me how to crochet 26 years ago! I used to make a lot of weird clothes & stuff for my dolls mostly. I have tried SOO many times to just make a blanket, or a poncho, or even a scarf... but sadly, I was never able to understand patterns. I would just make up stuff as I went along. Sometimes it would work out great, other stuff has ended up in the trash.

I started selling my stuff at concerts around 1999. Living in NJ made it easy to get to lots. I was making mostly macrame/hemp jewelry at this point, and it was just a hobby. I would make up patterns and sell them to my friends for presents during the holidays, and that was just fine with me. Once I began buying my materials by the POUND, I knew I had to start selling to more people so I could keep crafting. Then I got into beads, then I got into hats.

I tried out a few made up designs for my friends, and started selling them at shows. People started asking me for my hats, it became most of what I was doing.. REALLY busy! Whenever I see someone with dreads, I can't help thinking "oh- they need one of my tams!" which happens a lot cuz I love reggae music haha!