Welcome, miss_m,

I usually stay out of the logo critiques, but I would like to give you a few small suggestions.

You do have a nice sense of design as evident by your samples.
The mixing of weights, and even the mixing of type designs have been well done by others, so continue working with the concept.

Even though your client wants a “clean, modern, fashionable” look, and even though you “kind of like” Helvetica, I think you can go much further with the design simply by experimenting with another typeface or two.

I won’t tell you what typefaces to try, others might suggest some. I only think that looking like literally thousands of other logos is not going to help your client, and you as a designer.

Part of what building an image or brand is to develop something that would make it more memorable to potential clients (theirs, not yours).
Though it’s still not impossible to do with Helvetica, it just isn’t easy since so many others look like it.

Hopefully some of the other forum members can suggest more interesting typefaces to complement your already good design.

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Yes, I’m old, but I’m back in style!

pudding yarn?

Miss m, welcome I like what you did on the first businesss card caps PUDDING lower case yarn. It creates levels of importance. I have a suggestion if you make the business card with a fold you could have the yarn graphic cover the name and address information and just show the graphic and the name.

I had one other thought leave the left hand side of your card blank put the type on the right hand side. Now hand tip on a piece of yarn on the blank side of the card using double side tape or Elmers Glue. This can be done when things in the store are slow. This would be a unique 3D card.

I like the second design best. The font and layout seems cleaner and adds to the overall sophisticated feel you have given the design. I would ad some sort of punctuation to the phone number however, periods might be most minimalistic, because it didn’t read as a phone number right away. I would also make sure the red swirl and the red in the name are the same color, both for consistency and to save money in printing.

I like the idea Dan brought up of adding a piece of yarn to the cards. This might allow the owners to advertise specific kinds of yarns at different events or times of the year.

thanks for all the comments everyone!

and to eric_west: yes, pudding yarn. like i said i had nothing to do with the name! it’s actually grown on me, though.

Don’t know if this logo/identity is still in development, but my wife had some comments. She’s a “modern knitter” herself:

I love the front of the cards. My only question is in relation to the back’s design. I see that you were instructed to keep yarn out of the design (“no yarn balls, nothing cutesy or crafty). I think this is doing the product and the store a major disservice. I’m a knitter. I want yarn. I don’t want cute, but the fiber is the key part of the obsession. Computer created lines seem odd, when an equally abstract spiral of yarn would communicate the product, as well as a modern sensability. A clean white background could equally show off the texture, the color the twist of the fiber. I am only one person, with one opinion… I knit for the tactile sensation, the design oportunity, the creative freedom, and to bring color into my life. Why hide those things that I, as a knitter, desire most?

I’m less concerned with the basis for your design as with the store owner’s branding ideas. But regardless, if I ever get to Alberta, Canada, I’ll be sure to give Pudding Yarn a look-see.

Though not a knitter, I agree with crugen’s wife. The current “yarn” looks too computational to me. I think something thicker and more literal might do better. Does yarn come in balls or on conical spindals? If the latter, you might do something with the “A” or “Y.”

As far as faces go, I agree Norbert. You should explore more options. Helvetica is too generic, and Avenir (while excellent) just doesn’t seem like a fit considering the industry. I know you said there is no room in the budget, but consider the importance of brand identity. With an abstract same such as “Pudding Yarn” and a clean/modern/minimalist look, you might have customers asking just that - Pudding Yarn?