Added two great new beanie styles to the catalogue that definitely delights me, as I hope it does you.

Yellow Snow is my attempt at a funny name, but I think it’s a great name to describe a really, really bright yellow hat that will be a great way to get attention. Prideful is a seven-colour hat that I developed for sale at Pride Toronto 2010. The dome panels are in colours of the Pride flag: red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), blue (harmony), and purple (spirit) with a black brim and stitching to bring all the colours together.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the crowd at Pride Toronto and I’m scrambling to get everything together and in order for the pending adventure.

In the meantime, I have been tweeking the website up a bit so it has a better look and feel. Besides some obvious and not-so-obvious graphics, there are some substantial changes to the way the catalogue and the feature section looks and functions along with some pagination changes, a new faster-loading slideshow on the welcome page that’s sharper looking, a fan page and modified about and contact pages that have more ways to interact and access all of the information and updates coming from beanskully.

Pride is having a dignified sense of one’s self. Prideful can help you display it in the warmest of ways.

Display pride all over your bean, keep it warm and wick away moisture for comfort while making a whimsical statement in colours of the Pride Flag: red (life), orange (healing), yellow (sunlight), green (nature), blue (harmony), and purple (spirit).

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester fleece.
• Gay made in Canada with Pride.

Safety Tip: Don’t eat yellow snow. Wear it!

Daring and flashy, Yellow Snow will make your eyes snap-to and pay attention. Your bean will stand out in warm and moisture wicking comfort while making a great statement.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester fleece.
• Made in Canada.

Join me at Pride Toronto to celebrate 30 years of Pride.

Beanskully beanies will be available at the Miss Colleen’s Soap Of Love booth in the Pride Toronto Street Fair. Miss Colleen and I have been friends for over a decade and working together for several years now. We always have a great time meeting all of you.

Be sure to come by to not only see us but pick up your gay made Prideful beanie or droopie!

• Date: Saturday July 3 and Sunday July 4, 2010
• Saturday: Noon to Midnight
• Sunday: Noon to 11pm
• Location: Wellesley St just east of Yonge St Booth 25, Section C MAP

Blake Durbin likes beanskully

Blake Durbin likes Miss Colleen

For a very long time now I have wanted an updated studio so I would have a comfortable, organized and streamlined space to work – and play – for a large part of my day. Some time back, I scored the best room in the house for my office and sewing room. I have a large front-facing bay window and I am directly connected to not only the kitchen and front foyer – I am just a few steps away from the living room.

The space is large, open and airy and gets a ton of natural sunlight. I live directly across form a natural style park and a moderately busy roadway that keeps me feeling connected while allowing me just a few steps away from not only the home I have come to love, but a really great, private backyard.

This room was partially complete. The thick layers of old paint had already been removed from the window trim and two walls of baseboard. Two walls of baseboard and one small and one large double pocket door trim had to be stripped – including the moderately ornate header trim board. The single pocket and double pocket doors still need to be stripped…something we are going to look at getting professionally done.

Once the stripping was completed, the staining and glossing was done as well as a new room colour that is a very light silver/blue. The radiator was coloured using a hammered iron look the same as the kitchen and guest room radiator. A beautiful wallpaper that has black and metallic silver leafy vines on a white background was used on one side wall to punctuate the whole area with a feeling of movement and freshness while keeping a traditional look. The sun moving around the room throughout the day gives a very nice effect with the metallic silver.

I purchased three matching and inexpensive wardrobe style cabinets to hold all of my fabrics, tools, notions and machines for all of my beanskully production as well as all of my office supplies. The large cabinets have a really good, streamlined look that hides all of the clutter associated with my work and office and give the room a slick look.

This whole situation is to improve the space I work in so I can actually get back to work…something I should be doing right now – considering Pride Toronto is just around the corner. Did you see the table dressing for the booth table that I started? Check it out on Twitter or Facebook.

Added SIX new beanie styles today!

Just in time for spring, I added Mint Glacier Camo and Hunter – both great for Canadian spring outdoor activities, especially hunting and fishing. While keeping your bean warm on those chilly mornings, one will help you blend in, while the other will help you stand out in a big way!

Another great Mosstopper style beanie, but in a great navy blue colour, is the new Navy Groove. Everyone loves that fluffy hat – so here is the second of at least three colours I have planned.

The standard Canadian Maple colours are a bit different now, utilizing a white background with red maple leaves. I’ve added two options in addition to the original, one with a red brim and one with a white brim. And don’t worry – the original is still available, only now it’s called ‘Reverse Red’.

Finally, we have Ice Cap. A lovely and simple white beanie. This, along with Navy Groove and Hunter, was most requested.

All of this and best of all – I have a new pricing scheme! With Toronto Pride coming up I had to figure out the best way to price the hats…and it ended up benefiting YOU! Most of the beanie styles are now only six bucks, while more complicated or rare fabric beanies priced only very slightly higher. Hope you enjoy that!

Browse around and let me know what you think.

A great, stylish look inside and out with the same amazing fluffy texture as Mosstopper, only in a beautiful navy blue. It’s warm & cozy and is sure to get noticed.

• Stylish, warm and fluffy, has a reversible brim to be used under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Cool mint colours in a nice light green, medium green, black and brown camouflage. Warm, fuzzy and great for blending in.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Perfect for cycling, hunting, fishing or really anything outdoors, Hunter is bright neon orange so your bean won’t be missed, making it an excellent safety measure in addition to looking great.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Currently sold out. Check with our brick and mortar locations.

Like a crisp morning after a fresh snowfall – bright and sharp white. Nicely close-cropped, warm and fuzzy.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

I will be out of town from Tuesday, April 13 until Tuesday, April 20 for not only some sourcing, but some much needed R&R in Toronto. Orders placed during this time may be delayed slightly – please be patient with me!

On another note, once I return I will be resuming work on the new colours and some new things I have been working on so I can get up to speed before Toronto Pride (which I will be selling beanies at!) including some summer beanies I hope to get done before summer is over.

I added three great new styles to the shop today – four if you count the two colours of brims on the Camo.

The new styles are Northern Safari – a giraffe pattern with a brown brim, Forest Camo – a camouflage beanie with your choice of a brown or black brim and finally, the much desired Relic.

It’s been a long few days for me at the serger, but I’m still enjoying it even though I feel like a factory worker at times. I have many more styles coming up in the next month or so – make sure to follow me on Twitter and join the Facebook page to stay updated on product additions and updates.

Even in cold weather you can have a little safari style. Great looks for under your bucket or not. Giraffe design punctuated with a brown brim.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Great style for under your bucket or a cool look without. Brown, olive, black and tan camouflage design punctuated with a black or brown brim.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Close-fitting.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

The basic black bucket liner style beanie that everyone loves. Soft and supple yet tough, it will keep your head warm and dry. Your bean will not only love it, but it will look good too.

Now available in regular brim, medium brim, pumpkin head and droopie style.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester fleece.
• Made in Canada.

‘Pinky’ may be pretty, but she’s a trooper when it comes to keeping your head warm and wicking away moisture.

Excellent as a bucket liner, but even better as a beanie – ‘Pinky’ attracts all the right attention.

• Beautiful, snazzy and delicate, with a bit of flash.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $8.00

Currently sold out. Check with our brick and mortar locations.

Today was Beanskully’s first official day of business!

**cheers from the crowd**

I got off to a wonderful start with many supportive friends helping me out with my initial startup problems. Who knew a check mark here and a bracket there could make everything collapse into a big non-working heap in a matter of seconds. What a great learning experience so far – and it’s been about one hour.

I have made a couple of sales already…although bumpy…they have progressed well otherwise. I am so excited to get to work on an amazing five new designs that I hope to have manufactured and available the first week of February.

Whew! I have a lot of work to do!

Thank you everyone for being so amazing – this is going to be so much fun!

So many things going on at once!

With my time off at Christmas, I have ramped up production once again, as well as doing some work on the long neglected website. I wanted to have everything up and running long before Christmas, but 2009 turned out to be a pretty hectic year for me and beanskully ended up suffering. Now I have my time back and my priorities in order to get moving once again and hopefully have my website tinkering done, product finished & photography done as well as the ominous task of naming and writing all the entries for each of my products – as little as that may be. One thing I am not is a good writer.

I have started on a new beanie, Mosstopper, that is made from a really nicely textured fleece in a funky colour. It’s a bit difficult to work with, so they take a bit more work to complete.

So, be patient with me and things should get moving along here first thing in the new year (or hopefully sooner!)

Things are getting started even though I have tons of work to do.

The website is obviously under construction, and will be for awhile. The products (so far) are just dummy entries that I am using to fill up the pages so I can edit, tinker and get a feel for the finished product before I have my grand opening.

I will be taking time to set up beanskully on twitter and facebook so we can connect and discuss what you think is important and the direction of beanskully in the future. I am learning at the same time as doing, so product additions will take some time, but it will happen. I am learning more and more everyday and I’m really excited about the future of beanskully.

If you have any suggestions or comments, contact me anytime and I will be happy to discuss it with you!

A great, stylish look inside and out. Extra soft and smooth on the inside with a fluffy texture on the outside, it’s warm & cozy and is sure to get noticed.

A blazing beautiful green arctic fleece with an amazing fluffy texture that you will love.

• Stylish, warm and fluffy, has a reversible brim to be used under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• Made a bit roomy.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Here are some links to interesting people and websites.

Beanskully products are available at the following locations:

The hazy grey of northern twilight speckled with the greens and blues of a fading winter sky. Beautifully plush arctic fleece for extra warmth but just the right thickness to fit under your bucket.

Cool, understated look can be worn with anything and look great all winter long.

• Warm, medium-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

Show your Canadian pride! This warm, arctic fleece bucket liner styled beanie is great at keeping your head and ears warm whether under a helmet or not.

Classic Canadian colours with a maple leaf design can be worn as a bucket liner or when you take the bucket off for a sharp statement and no ‘helmet hair’. Canadian Maple comes in three different styles to choose from.

• Warm, low-profile nap to fit under a helmet.
• Close-fitting.
• Strong, stretchable, professional style stitching.
• Brim stitch on exterior so you won’t get forehead lines.
• 100% easy care polyester.
• Made in Canada.

Price: $6.00

The plugins used to add functionality are:

The return address is:

beanskully
c/o Blake Durbin
338 Red River Road
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
P7B 1B1

If you are unhappy with your beanskully purchase for another reason, feel free to contact me so I can resolve the problem. I want everyone to be happy!

The touque-style beanies (also referred to as ‘brimless’) have a more malleable design that allows it to better accommodate different melon sizes and wearing preferences, such as high on the head with a droop or tight and down low over the eyes or even rolled up.

My name is Blake Durbin, and I am not only a visionary entrepreneur and humble public servant, but a fun addition to any dinner party.

Ever since using my mom’s 1970′s vintage Singer electric sewing machine, I have always had a desire to create. During elementary and high school, I often upcycled my clothing, mainly because I couldn’t afford new clothes, but also because I have never had any training in design or garment fabrication so I couldn’t make my own from scratch. Taking home economics in high school helped me understand the use of the sewing machine better, and I was able to perform more functions with it – even though all I ever made was sweat pants and some oddly shaped pillows during those classes. I also made some chocolate chip cookies, but those were a rock-hard crusty burnt mess.

After high school, my focus was elsewhere and I never continued with sewing much even though the desire remained. Throughout my early adult years there was a driving entrepreneurial spirit in me that led to producing several home-based business models and then successfully launching them. I always wanted to run a home-based business employing one of my hobbies, and sewing seemed the right fit because of many reasons besides the obvious one – I enjoy it!

I’m hoping Beanskully becomes something I can enjoy for many years to come, and I eventually would like to expand the product line to include other ideas that you can’t live without.

Thanks for dropping in!

Currently, beanskully consists of beanies/bucket liners that I make from my own simple patterns but will expand into more products along the way.

• Learn more about the designer.
• Learn more about the beanies.
• Learn more about your satisfaction.
• Learn more about this website and all it’s do-dads.

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