Michaelmas

Llangolman Church - Michaelmas Fair

We are up to our elbows in fairs this week.  Tomorrow there is the Llangolman Church Michaelmas Fair, in aid of raising funds to help keep the church up and running.  Not all of us are church-goers, but we feel that it is important to keep our local churches open and available for the community. 

Although it is a bit too early to be thinking about C*******s, I have made a few unseasonal items and will be hoping to sell them at the church fair tomorrow.

Narberth has the ever popular Food Festival, which is open on Saturday and Sunday.  There is also the Pig Street Craft Fair, where you can buy lovely crafty items and Pembrokshire Pet Pawprints will be selling handmade, natural pet snacks. 

Crochet sessions

Hoopla Yarn

It has always been my intention to learn how to crochet but have ony got as far as buying books and hooks.  On Saturday I went to Canvas and Cloth in  Narberth, where they were holding a crochet workshop. The plan for the day was to learn how to crochet by making a bag.  We were going to use Hoopla Yarn - Canvas & Cloth are stockists - www.canvasandcloth.co.uk. 

The yarn is made of  recycled  selvedge from cotton t-shirts but feels stretchy and firm, so ideal for a bag.  There are bright  colours and neutral shades, as well as patterned varieties

After 4 hours of intense learner crocheting (with loads of mistakes and help from C), this was my happy result:

Burgundy Crochet Bag

Catch up ......

Jeannie's Beannies

Had a gap month or 2 from the blog but am here again with tales of crafting and such like. 

Was kept busy knitting beannies for the shop - not many buyers in this hot weather but you always need to forward plan for those long months in the cold and dark.  Sensible crafters are probably thinking about their Autumn and Winter collections already.  Creating takes such a time!

Over at Jane's vintage shop, where I have my Haberdashery Emporium (shelf), I have been selling de-stash yarn.  These days I am only using natural dyed yarns, so decided to have a clear out and pass on my stash to better homes.  The yarn sells at the bargain price of £1 per ball and has been proving popular with my loyal customers.

 Vintage wooden knitting pins are always interesting to me because they were used in the 1940s and 1950s.  So many people I know tell me that their mothers used to use them.  My mother used plastic and steel pins, as far as I can remember.  I sell these wooden knitting pins for £3 per pair in the shop. They are not as bendy as bamboo but look good on the craft stall.

 

At the Wonder Wool festival I bought this sock yarn and have now dyed it with Madder and it turned into a lovely shade of Madder brown.  The Really Wild Festival at St David's is happening at the end of July and I am planning to sell the yarn there.  The Guild has a stall at the show and I am in charge of the sales table on the Friday.

Apparently, the hot weather is ending today as rain is coming in from the west.  This means I can stop being distracted by sunshine and garden, so can stay indoors and busy myself with photo shoots for the blog.   My current knitting project is making mini bunting for the craft fair at Maenclochog this Sunday.  Also need to get on with the dolls ........

Nearly Easter

It's nearly Easter holidays and we have just had the sunniest weather - warmth and blue sky.  Last week-end was Wonderwool Wales at Builth Wells.  Not only did I find some wool bargains there but I also had a fab time with the shop girls at a lavender farm at the top of the Brecon hills.  So much eating, drinking and squealing.

I have been dyeing with natural plant dyes and have experimented with onion skins, daffodils and dandelion flowers.  The yarn will be sold from my Folksy shop and any Guild shows that I attend this summer.  This week I am going to try Brazilwood and Madder dyes but it can be difficult to get the right colour from them.  Not that it matters - it is all just fun to do.

Fizz enjoyed camping in the garden, I am sure of it.

Things to do ....

This week I will be dead heading the spring bulb flowers from the garden and then using them to dye some yarn.  One method of dyeing is to place the dried flower heads in a pyrex dish, together with cold water, alum and cream of tartar as a mordant and then leave in the greenhouse and let the sunshine do the work.

There is a "Show and Tell" at the Guild meeting this Wednesday but unfortunately I have sold all my knitting, so I will probably take some work in progress, such as Fair Ilse leg warmers, 4ply doll clothes and some yarn I have dyed with onion skins.  The other members usually produce some amazing items, so it will be an interesting evening.

Shrove Tuesday ...

Time to use up the eggs and make the pancakes.  Lemon, sugar, golden syrup, jam?  Lambs are in the field, frost in the early morning, sunshine - it will probably rain later this week.  Spring nearly here?

Image via Wikipedia

Today I am also going to a photo shoot to promote the Damson & Slate shop.  The article on running a business in the countryside, will not be published until February 2012.  Let's hope that the shop is still flourishing next year.

Mug Cozy

The Wonder Wool Fest is nearly upon us - 9th April - and I haven't made anything to sell, but the Guild have asked that we make some mug cozies to sell on our stand.  How about casting on 48 stitches and kntting rib or moss for 22 rows.  Cast off and add buttons on one of the sides.  In front of the buttons  make button holes with crochet hook and a chain stitch.