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!

Enfield Show - A busy Weekend

We're having the last gasp of summer weather here, with a lovely warm dayyesterday for our annual town show. I entered some classes of the baking competition and am pleased to have won some prizes (first in bread, fruit cake, sausage rolls and cookies and a third in jam tarts) - all we have to do now now is take the entries home and eat them!

I'm also on the home straight with my Open University maths studies for this year, but it is getting a bit difficult! I've been trying to work through the unit about applying complex numbers to fluid flows, but I'm just not getting it! I think I'll have to give up on that for the time being and wait for the tutorial - often when someone explains the topic, it is just so much more straightforward than when I've been trying to work it out for myself. In the meantime I'll go onto the next topic and try to get ahead with that. I've got the exam in October and it will be relief to get it done, although in post-exam euphoria I'll probably sign up for another course!

Knitting wise, I'm trying to finish an alpaca & silk lace weight stole that I started ages ago, so I cam get it in the shop for Christmas orders, plus I have got half way through a bamboo shawl, but think the colors don't look right, so I will have to undo it, wash the yarn to get the kinks out and start again. Oh Joy!

Autumn Starts!

There were no posts during August as I was taking a bit of time off, but now September is here, I'm back from my holidays and getting ready for autumn-winter 2011-12!

I've been accepted into fibreholics - I'm so pleased - and will be included in their next round - due to go out on September 7th I think. I've sent some aran silk and some DK silk and hope people will like it. I've added some DK weight silk to my etsy shop (pictures below) and to Ravelry and have some more ready to dye. Let's hope I'm rushed off my feet with orders!

Seas of Green DK Silk

Leaf Green DK Silk

Fall Garden DK Silk

Sadly my suppliers are having problems getting the aran weight silk, so I may not be able to continue with it, but I'm hoping that they will be able to resolve things. The only other alternative seems to be to import it directly and I really can't afford to buy 200kg at one go! Plus imagine having to go and pick it up from Felixstowe or wherever it would arrive - it certaintly wouldn't fit in my Nissan Micra!

My first Farmers' market of the new season is on September 11th at St. Alban's and then I'll be at Wheathampstead on the 18th and Harpendend on the 25th. I'm hoping people will start shopping (very) early for Christmas!

Fibre East

I had a thoroughly enjoyable day at the new show Fibre East last Saturday - the weather was fine, so it was easy to get around the marquees and the event was well managed by the friendly officials.

It was really well-attended and of course I bought much more than I intended! Pick of the show for me was the Teeswater wools stand - www.teewaterwools.co.uk - loads of beautifully dyed yarn for knitting or weaving, plus samples of finished projects for inspiration.

I also found out about Fibreholics UK and their scheme for sending out sample bags from small independent dyers - just what I could do with to publicise my dyed silk, so I have applied to join. fingers crossed that I will be accepted.

July - August

Just got back from Wheathampstead market and luckily managed to dodge the showers. I didn't sell a lot, but did have a run on my crocheted flower hairslides, so I'll have to get making to replace them.

Plenty of time for that though, as I'm taking August off and my next market will be at St Alban's in September. It seems like a long way away, but I've got plenty to do in the knitting department, as well as two assignments for my OU Maths course, so it will fly by.

I've dyed some more yarn - plum purple colour this time - and have put it in my etsy shop. Sales have been quiet - I was hoping that the yarn would be a year-round seller, but it is a very crowded market place and I will reassess things in the autumn. I will probably start taking to to my Farmers' markets and will look into doing the round of yarn shows, taking out ads etc.

I'm off to Fibre East next Saturday as a customer. It's a new show and I'm looking forward to it. I'll post a review next week.

July update

Just to let you all know that I'll be at St Alban's and Wheathampstead Farmers' markets this month (10th & 17th respectively). I don't know how awake I'll be at Wheathampstead as we're off to our niece's wedding in Cambridge on the Saturday!

Highgate Fair in the Square was a little quieter than I thought it would be, but it was a pleasant day out and my husband stayed for the day instead of just dropping me off which was a great help - among other things, the Ladies' were a long way from my stall!

I've just been reading up on a new event - FibreEast - which is taking place at the end of the month. It's only about an hour's drive from me, so I'll be going for a day and I'm looking forward to it.

Finally, I'm in a really active team on Etsy, Knit1Treble2, and we're having a July sale with 10% off in our shops between the 9th and the 24th. Let's hope it generates some sales for everyone in what can be a quiet time of the year.