November Update

I can't believe that it's been a month since I last posted here - things have certainly been busy!

I had an exhausting but enjoyable day at the Alexandra Palace show - it was great chatting about knitting and crochet to fellow enthusiasts and we had several items from the Guild's collection on show, which were great conversation starters. Another lady demonstrated Tunisian Crochet - something I've never tried but now feel I could tackle. Probably something to keep for a break over Christmas - before then I'm just making stock for my Farmers' Markets.

St Alban's was very busy last month and I'm off there again tomorrow. Fortunately the weather is forecast cold and bright, ideal for me, and I'll be putting the holly garland on the stall as a not-so-subliminal "Christmas is coming" message to market-goers!

 The following weekend I'm at a craft fair at Royston garden centre - indoors (yay), which I'm looking forward to. I did one day there last year and it was pretty busy, so I'm hoping it will be the same again this year. As there's no Wheathampstead market this year, I can do both days and I can leave the stall set up overnight on Saturday. 

I've sent of my application for Wonderwool Wales, so fingers crossed that I'll be accepted. After the muddy experience of Fibre East, I'm not sure if I can persuade my mother to come with me, so I may have to do it on my own....anyway I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

September Markets

It was a lovely sunny day last Sunday at St Alban's Farmers' Market - warmer than it's been for the rest of the summer, which was nice to be out in, but unfortunately made for quiet sales. There's no market at Wheathampstead this coming Sunday, due to (I think) a change of management. I'm actually quite pleased as it has been very quiet and generally unprofitable during the year and it remains to be seen if it will get going again in October.

It will be nice to have a Sunday morning at home this week anyway.I've got some custom dyeing to do, plus getting my yarn club parcels ready to send off on Monday, not to mention knitting, so I've got plenty to keep me busy.

It's back to Harpenden Farmers' Market on Sept. 23rd, after my summer break, one I look forward to going to - it's always fairly busy and it's a pleasant town to visit.  

April Update 2

It's been fairly quiet for sales at my markets just recently- suffice to say that Wheathampstead didn't surprise me! I did sell a couple if bits there, but still came away having made a loss. I think it will have to go after May.

This weekend just gone I was at a craft fair in Hertford Corn Exchange on Saturday and that was even quieter! I only covered my parking, so another loss. I think it could be good there for the Christmas season, so I think I'll leave that one until September.

Finally, I was at Harpenden Farmers' Market on Sunday and at last some sales! The forecast rain held off too, so at least I can finish the month feeling good! I only do the winter months there, so I'll be back in September.

However, I've been busy online, especially with sales of my yarn, so the month is up on last year - not so bad in a recession.

My next event is a craft fair as part of the Kimpton carnival on 5th May - I stepped in as there had been a cancellation, but I did an event there a couple of years ago and it was quite well supported, so I'm looking forward to it.    

Easter Weekend

I sent my first parcel to Australia on Monday - it should be well on its way now and I'm dyeing again to re-stock the shop. Our new camera has really improved the pictures and I can get much better colour definition now.

I've added some more "Foliage" and have tried a new colorway - "Purple Berries", which I'm hoping will be popular. Pictures below:

I'm nearly at the end of this batch of yarn and will have to order some more soon.

Also, I've ordered a new base yarn direct from India, which I'm hoping will arrive shortly. I saw their stand at the Alexandra Palace show and bought a sample skein, which was really good quality - let's hope the bulk of it matches up! Just in case it doesn't, or that the parcel doesn't arrive at all (!) I've only ordered a relatively small amount.

I'm not at St. Alban's Farmers' market this Sunday at its Easter Day, but will be at Wheathampstead next week. Then the weekend after that I'll be at Hertford Craft Fair on Saturday and at Harpenden on Sunday.

March update 3

Firstly, here's a picture of my latest yarn shade - cantaloupe, like the inside of the melon!

As I said before, I was aiming for peach, but came up with this, which I really like, so if it sells well I'll keep it in the repertoire.

I've been doing some more dyeing today and this time have gone for a rich purple-plum colour. I'd also like to do some jade green, a colour I hit on by accident when I was mixing up another blend, but I will have to get down to making sure I have all the colours in stock that I want to take to Fibre East first.

Harpenden was a lovely market last Sunday. the weather was great, it was well attended and my sales were up on last year - ideal! I'm not at another market until Wheathampstead on 15th April, so I've got a few weekends free to catch up.

Knitting wise, I'm trying to concentrate on my summer stock now - cotton scarves and an alpaca & silk lace-weight stole. Pictures to follow.

March Update

Where does the time go! Sorry not to have posted for a while, but here goes with all that's happened since last time I was here.

Firstly - our holiday in Wengen was great! We did some skiing, some winter walking, riding about on little trains and generally having a good time, I think I may have lost weight too! Here's a picture of the view from our hotel room. I did take some knitting with me but didn't do any! I read "Little Dorrit" instead and thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't get much time to sit and read, now that I don't commute, so this was a rare treat.

I did St Alban's Farmers' market last Sunday and sales were up on last year, which is good, but no cards sales so I didn't get to use my little machine!

I've got a busy weekend coming up, with an all-day craft fair in Hertford on Saturday and Wheathampstead Farmers' Market on Sunday morning. I'm not expecting too much at Wheathampstead, but am hoping for a good day on Saturday - it's a new venture for me, but an established event, so I'm hoping it will attract plenty of potential customers.

February Update - 2

It's been busy - which is great - but has meant that I've neglected to blog, tweet, etc. Anyway, now it's a rainy Saturday afternoon, the house is relatively clean, the shopping is done and I can sit at the computer with a clear conscience!

Updating from my last post - the pamper evening at Redbridge dram centre was dire as far as sales were concerned - I didn't sell a single thing, and it has been a long time since that happened! People did attend, but they just weren't interested in buying. This was true for all the traders, so it wasn't just my things which is some comfort. Also, to just make things worse, I forgot to take some knitting with me to do, so the evening was completely unproductive.

In complete contrast, St Alban's Farmers Market was really busy - I took more than I did at the December market and finally got to use my credit card machine! I didn't expect to do so much as the day was cold and wet and when I got home I had an online order too, so the month is ending on a high.

I'm at Wheathampstead Farmers' market tomorrow morning - perhaps that will surprise me by being really busy, but I'm not too worried now! The weather is forecast cold and sunny and I'm looking forward to the most delicious bacon roll for my breakfast there!

Next weekend we're off to Wengen in Switzerland for a week's skiiing, so I'm starting to relax already!

A busy time

Wheathampstead was fairly quiet last Sunday - as expected - but the weather was good and I did sell a few things, so not too bad. Also, one of the other stalls - Barn Bacon - make the most delicious bacon rolls I have ever tasted, so it's worth going just for that!

I'm at Harpenden this coming Sunday, always a nice market and I look forward to going. Hopefuly sales will be OK - for January I'm not putting everything out, but concentrating on wintery things. I ususally sell lots of hats to dog-walkers and gardeners!

Apart from the markets, I've had another etsy sale to one of my regular customers and have been quite busy "behind the scenes" too.

There's three new colours of DK yarn in my Etsy shop ( see mini shop right) and I've been experimenting with a new dyeing method to get red based colours to be colourfast. I think I may have found it. I've dyed a lovely solid cranberry-red colour in my DK silk and am using some of it to to make a bolero. I'm going to write up the pattern and "publish" it in time for Fibre East, so I can offer it to my customers there.

Finally, I've bitten the bullet and decided to accept credit cards. I understand to 66% of transactions are now made with a card and I'm sure I've lost business at my markets, when I've only been able to take cash, so I've put in my application. I've done my money-laundering checks and it should take about 4 weeks if I'm accepted, so fingers crossed!

The final push!

Getting ready for Wheathampstead Farmers' Market this Sunday morning - my last thing before Christmas, barring any late present buying from my etsy customers - there's still just about time for any UK parcels to get there before the holidays.

I was pretty busy at St Alban's, even though it got colder and wetter as the day progressed! I was pleased to pack up and go home and then had to dry all my stock out in the conservatory overnight before packing it away. It's all ready for this week now and the weather forecast is for cold and sunny - ideal - so let's hope people turn out for some last minute shopping.

Into December

I'm at St Alban's Farmers' Market this Sunday - their last one before Christmas. The weather forecast isn't brilliant, but at least it's not snowing!

I've been trying to make up some stock, but won't get everything done in time. I did try to tell people last month that I wouldn't have much left after Harpenden, but I don't think they believed me!

The week after is Wheathampstead - as long as the weather holds - it was too snowy to get there last year! If it goes ahead, I'll have to decide if I'm going to continue there after April - at the moment I'm not really selling enough there to make it worthwhile.

Then I can finally get ready for Christmas - I'm doing hampers as presents this year - it certainly saves a lot of worry over what to get people and really everyone in our family has got everything they could possibly want, so it's nice just to get some edible treats.

Quick update

Here's a picture of the yarns I've got on sale at the moment - I arranged them in a basket for my Fibre East application and thought they looked good enought to share! I've just dyed some rose-pink too, which will be going on Etsy as soon as I can photograph it.

I went to a local school Christmas Fair last night, really to support a friend of mine who works there, but it turned out to be quite busy - just goes to show that things don't always go the way you expected!

Wheathampstead Farmers' Market last Sunday was rather quiet - disappointing for pre-Christmas and I think I'll have to review that one at the end of the season. So far this year I've lost money by going there and you don't need to be on Dragons Den to work that out!

I'm at Harpenden Christmas Carnival on Sunday - looking forward to it as it's usually fun event and sales should be good too. I've been making up some nice colorful hats as the weather's getting colder - they should be all ready by then.

I'm on Twitter now too - see the button on this blog to follow us!

A Busy Weekend

A busy weekend is coming up!

I'm at a garden centre christams fair near Royston, Herts. all day tomorrow (Saturday) and then at the ususal Farmers' market at Wheathampstead on Sunday morning.

It's the first time I've been able to go to the Garden Centre fair, although they have asked me in previous years - let's hope it's succcessful as it's a long way to go and I'm having to take my own table! Wheathampstead could be OK or people could all be waiting for the Harpenden Christmas carnival, which is the week after and is usually very busy.

I'm getting ready for the next Fibreholics round too - out 1st December - and have been busy dyeing this week - check out my mini etsy feature for a couple of new shades of yarn.

And finally, I've applied to Fibre East for a stall at next year's event - if I'm accepted it will be my first show.

More October

After a busy week last week, it's been quieter, but I've still got loads to do!

I was at Wheathampstead last Sunday and sales were actually good! I think people are starting to think of their gifts in good time this year - it's always better for me if sales are steady over the whole of the autumn rather than a big rush at the last minute as it gives me time to replenish things that have sold well.

I had a good day in Birmingham last Saturday and was able to get plenty of knitting done on the journey, plus the meeting was successful and I met some nice people there.

I'm off to Harpenden this Sunday and am hoping for good sales. The weather is forecast good and dry, even if it will be a bit windy and Harpenden is always a nice place to visit. Some of the shop owners there don't seem to like the Farmers' market and resent that there are stalls near their shops on one day a month - these are usually the shops that aren't open, so I don't see what they are complaining about, especially as the market does draw people into the town.

The yarn is begining to sell online now, which is very pleasing - I was thinking I would end up using it all myself! I'm debating whether or not to take a stall at Fibre East next year and really launch the yarn. My mum can come and help me man the stall and it would be a fun weekend, so I'm moving towards "yes". I think the bookings open in November, so a couple of weeks yet to finally make up my mind.

Update

Phew! The exam's over and I'm begining to wind down from all the last-minute studying. I'm glad I did it though, as it was a great paper and I found it reasonably straightforward, except that I ran out of time and couldn't attempt the final question. doh!

St Alban's market was busy, the weather was good and I had steady sales - up on last year, so a good day. I'm at Wheathampstead this Sunday, which may or may not be OK - it's a nice place to go, but sales there are just not cutting it!

I've had a couple of online sales this week, which is always nice - I love it when my stuff goes all over the world! I'm a bit sad and look places up in the atlas when I'm sending them off!

Off to Birmingham by train on Saturday for a Knitting and Crochet Guild meeting - I love train journeys, hope it's not too crowded, so I can get my knitting out!

Update

Just got back from Wheathampstead - weather fine and dry, so not at all as expected!

I didn't sell as much as I hoped, but did give out plenty of fliers for my yarns and plus, when I got home I found I had sold my Squares scarflette on etsy, which was good news.

I'll have to go through my stash of yarn and see if I have anything that would look good made up in that design.

I'll be at Harpenden next week and am looking forward to it - it's always a pleasant place to go to and the market is held in quite a sheltered place, so even if the weather isn't great we don't get too wet!

New Scarflettes

Further to my last post, here's the pictures of my new scarflettes, made with some beautiful handspun yarn from shop "auntpeggyscloset" on etsy.

They're imaginatively named "diagonal" and "squares"!

I've put them in my own etsy shop, but was quite tempted to keep them for myself!

Off to Wheathampstead tomorrow - weather forecast not good!

St Alban's Market

Just got back from St Alban's Farmers' Market - we were so lucky with the weather - the forecast showers held off and, although it was quite windy, the market was busy and we had a successful morning in bright sunshine.

Several regular customers stopped by and after a fairly quiet start, sales picked up and we were busier than we were in September last year.

I'm at Wheathampstead next week, which has been pretty quiet so far this year - let's hope the wallets come out and people start shopping (very) early for Christmas!

I bought some lovely handspun yarn in the summer and I couldn't resist making it up - in spite of having a huge stash of yarn to knit up! I made a garter stitch scarflette "on the diagonal" with one 100g skein and am nearly finished another in a "squares" pattern. Pictures to follow.

Finally - I have been published! Not as grand as it sounds - I was a runner up in a "design a scarf" competition run by "Knitting" magazine and they have published all the winning and runner-up entries in a new book. It's called "Scarves" and is published by gmc books (www.gmcbooks.com) I do get a namecheck as the designer though, so I am thrilled!

May-June update

May has been a very slow month for sales, both St Alban's and Wheathampstead markets were quiet - for many stallholders, not just for me, and the Etsy shop has been quiet too. I had hoped the yarn would fly out the shop, but perhaps I'm being too optimistic!

I've been trying to use Ravelry more - I had been on it for ages, but not really used it as much as I should, so I've been busy uploading pictures and joining groups. It's quite compulsive!

I'm looking forward to June, with the Fair in the Square at Highgate (London N6) on the 18th being the highlight. It's a lovely area and I've never been to a sale there before, so I'm hoping to meet lots of new customers. Check out their website www.fairinthesquare.co.uk for all the info.

As well as thee, I'll be at St. Alban's (12th) and Wheathampstead (19th) as normal. Let's hope they're busier than May!

I've started making up a wrap in the bamboo yarn I dyed and am going for a dip-dyed effect and a chevron stitch pattern - it's going a bit slowly, but I hope to have it finished in time for Highgate.

Also, my silk supplier has had to switch to a different yarn and I've got a sample of that to dye and make up. It's spun in the same way as the original one, but is thinner - more DK than Aran - so I think I'll take the opportunity to try a different design. It's time for a change anyway.

Picture to follow!

April Update

A little late, as April's nearly over, but we were pretty busy, especially at St Alban's Farmers' Market, and have done better that April 2010, which is nice in a recession.

No Harpenden market for us this month as it was Easter Sunday and we had church followed by a family party - a lovely day, plus it forced me to tidy the house! We have had the builders in to refurbish one of our bathrooms, so there were a lot of thing in the wrong place plus Dust! They're nearly finished now and it's looking great, so all the upheaval will be worth it.

I had the great news earlier this month that I've got a place at Highgate's Fair in the Square to be held on June 18th - it's a lovely area and I'm hoping to meet plenty of new customers. Still working on my shawls, which I hope to have ready for then.

In the meantime, I'll be at St Alban's on May 8th and Wheathampstead on May 15th as normal and possibly at Harpenden on May 22nd. I'm on the reserve list for Harpenden, so I won't know until nearer the time if I've got a place.

Spring

Well, the weather seems to have finally turned nice and sunny and under that influence, I'm feeling vaguely optimistic, although Wheathampstead market last Sunday was very quiet - I sold just one tea cosy, which didn't even cover my petrol money getting there!

Other stallholders were fairly quiet too, so I don't know how long the market will carry on for. There's a new market setting up in Radlett on the same Sunday and several people are transferring to that one, so there will be less stalls, which in turn will mean that the market is smaller and less people will come to it, so those stalls that are left will have fewer customers and so on until it just dwindles to nothing. I have decided to stick with it for the time being - as my business is quite seasonal, there's no point in moving taking on any more markets until September.

On a more cheerful note, I spent Tuesday afternoon at my beautician getting a lovely relaxing body wrap and facial - it's so nice to have some time to myself and it feels great afterwards. If you're in north london give them a try - www.parksidebeautycentre.com - I've been going there for over 20 years!

I'm at Harpenden farmers' market this Sunday - and am hoping it will be quite busy. The weather forecast is perfect for my stall - cold but sunny, so I'm hoping to sell the last of this season's hats and woolly scarves before putting my spring and summer stuff out next month.

Still working on my summer shawls!