Leap! ....

Derwyn - Hand Knitted Doll

Although Damson and Slate closed their Narberth shop at the end of January, I am pleased to say that they are still trading on-line at www.damsonandslate.co.uk.  Even better, they have asked me to carry on contributing knitted items.  Derwyn, with the marmalade hair, is my most recent creation. Dolly is hand knitted with local, natural dyed yarn and stuffed with sheep's fleece.

Have a peek at Damson and Slate's website as new items will be appearing there very soon, for Spring 2012.

Cotton Fabric Dolly Cot Sheets

Last month I mentioned that I was making doll's bedding with some cotton fabric purchased from Canvas and Cloth, Narberth.  You can see just how pretty the sheets look.  A hand knitted blanket, together with a fabric pillow, is part of the dolly cot set.  The pink blanket in the photograph here was knitted with a silk/wool Rowan yarn.

Doll Blanket

Here we go 2012 - knitting and such like

Fair Isle mini blanket

New dolls in red and blue

January 2012 was to be spent in creating new knitty stuff for this seasons craft sales.  Looking at old Fair Isle patterns inspired me to knit this mini blanket for doll/teddy.  The yarn used is Welsh Mountain DK natural brown and quite sturdy, not at all soft, so will stand up to the wear and tear of picnics in the garden.

These dolls are a new and original creation.  The limbs have been knitted from soft lambswool, which looks like very fine 2 ply but knits as 4 ply.  This time I have used toy stuffing and not sheep's fleece to stuff the dolls.

Doll/teddy needs options, so I have also created blanket, sheet and pillow sets.  Some of the yarns used will be more luxurious than others, such as this pink one, where I have used Rowan silk tweed.  The sheets and pillows have been sewn from fabric bought from Canvas and Cloth in Narberth - very pretty they are too.

This is just a start for the season - but why did I think I could make all my stock for the year in one month?  Didn't happen .....

January ended with a flurry of snow.

Pembrokeshire snow

Season Finale

Bea's Christmas Robin

Thanks to everyone - customers, suppliers, fellow crafty folk, for all the fun I have had this year.  Now is the time to tidy up the craft room and plan for next season.

Yesterday was the first Christmas Fair for the Really Wild Festival and was held in St David's, Pembrokeshire.  It was very friendly and cosy and I loved seeing the reindeer, even if they did look a bit grumpy.  Perhaps they wanted to be in Scotland with the snow.

Needle Felted Miseltoe bought at the Christmas Fair, St David's

Very Christmas Vintage Fair - Narberth

Geranium's Vintage Wares

Giddy Aunt, Narberth, organised their first Vintage Fair and a busy time it turned out to be.  Canvas & Cloth and Nelly Dean were also at the venue, along with several other stall holders. We hope to be back at the Plas Hyfryd during Easter for another fair.

Nelly Dean's Stall

Canvas & Cloth's Stall

Rygbi ....

Pippicraft

It was all excitement and anticipation with us this morning, as Wales were playing France at the rugby World Cup in New Zealand.  It was also time for me to be at the craft fair in Maenclochog, helping to raise funds for the church in Llys-y-fran.

The sun came out for the first time in at least a week and the local community turned out to enjoy our crafty stuff, cakes, tea and soup. 



Wales lost the match .......

Nellie Dean's Christmas decorations

Bea Creative's sachets

Any more fairs?

Geranium and Canvas & Cloth share a stall

The Albany Hall in Haverfordwest was such a lovely venue for the vintage fair yesterday.  It was clean and bright in the main hall and the ladies in the kitchen made some fab cake. It was a shame that the fair didn't go on until 4 and had to stop at 2, but I made some lovely new friends and hope to bump in to them again at the Christmas Vintage Fair in November, at Narberth.  The very generous Vicky had such wonderful pieces on her stall and I just had to buy the old fashioned crepe paper Christmas garland and bits and bobs of textiles.

Nelly Dean's stall at the vintage fair

 My next venue will be at Maenclochog Community Hall for the craft fair, fundraising in aid of St Meilyrs Church, Llys-y-Fran - www.llysfranchurch.co.uk/fundraising.html.  This will be on Saturday, 15th October from 10 - 4 and there will be refreshments, bric a brac, local produce, raffle, crafts and a children's activity corner.  Although time is running out, I am still making items for sale on my stall.  Bea Lovegrove and Nelly Dean will also be there, with their lovely hand sewn goodies. 

Mandy Roberts' stall

A Vintage Affair - II

There is a Vintage Fair taking place on Saturday 8th October from 1000 until 1400hrs, at the Albany Hall, Haverfordwest.  The hall is adjacent to the swimming pool and leisure centre, near The Green.  I will be sharing a stall with Camilla from Canvas & Cloth, Naberrth and will be selling knitting and sewing haberdashery, bric a brac, books, patterns etc.