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!
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Silk Yarn
I've just decided to offer some of my silk yarn for sale - I am often asked by visitors to my Farmers' Markets "where can we get this yarn?" and up until now the answer has been that you can't! But I thought "why not" and when I was dyeing another batch of yarn for my silk scarves, I did some extra and this is now for sale in my Etsy shop.
I've started out with just three colorways - Teal, Foliage and Berries - and will just see how they go. They're all popular colors, so if they don't sell as yarn I can always use them myself! Pictures below:
Berries
Foliage
I've started out with just three colorways - Teal, Foliage and Berries - and will just see how they go. They're all popular colors, so if they don't sell as yarn I can always use them myself! Pictures below:
Berries
Foliage
Teal
Friday, 6 May 2011
Bamboo
Just finished dyeing some bamboo yarn - I wasn't sure what colour to try, but went with a lovely deep cerulean blue - always popular. I diluted the dye for each skein, so it started off with a strong solution and by the time I'd got round to the fifth and final skein it was quite weak, making the colour range from dark to pastel.
There should be enough yarn for two stripey wraps - all I've got to do now is get knitting!
Monday, 25 April 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, 24 March 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, 17 March 2011
March Markets
Well, I've just read through my last post abpout february markets and March looks as if it will be pretty much the same!
We were on holiday at the begining of the month - a great week skiing in Are, Sweden. It was so nice to be out in the open air and in the mountains. We've been there several times, so we know all the slopes. This year I managed to do several runs that I've wimped out on in previous years so I was feeling quite pleased with myself, but this was balancd by falling off T-bars a couple of times and also getting hit on the head by said T-bars too! This is the first year that I've worn a helmet from day one and I'm so glad I did.
I came back to St Alban's market and, like last month, it was busier than last year, so thanks to all my customers there. I'm at Wheathampstead this Sunday - hopefully the pattern will continue. I'm also doing Harpenden this month - I did hope to have one of my shawls ready, but I don't think I will get it done in time.
I've got an assignment due for my OU course and I'm in a display with my Keep Fit group this Saturday and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day!
We were on holiday at the begining of the month - a great week skiing in Are, Sweden. It was so nice to be out in the open air and in the mountains. We've been there several times, so we know all the slopes. This year I managed to do several runs that I've wimped out on in previous years so I was feeling quite pleased with myself, but this was balancd by falling off T-bars a couple of times and also getting hit on the head by said T-bars too! This is the first year that I've worn a helmet from day one and I'm so glad I did.
I came back to St Alban's market and, like last month, it was busier than last year, so thanks to all my customers there. I'm at Wheathampstead this Sunday - hopefully the pattern will continue. I'm also doing Harpenden this month - I did hope to have one of my shawls ready, but I don't think I will get it done in time.
I've got an assignment due for my OU course and I'm in a display with my Keep Fit group this Saturday and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day!
I have finished a bamboo yarn scarf though and am very pleased with it. The yarn drapes really well and I think my customers will like it for spring and summer.
Thursday, 17 February 2011
February Markets
Just a quick update on work in progress and my markets.
St. Alban's Farmers' market last Sunday went very well, in spite of the weather being a bit overcast and drizzly and Very Cold! I had wondered if I would still need to wear my thermals and I'm so glad I did. However, I had lots of sales - more than February last year and enough to compensate for not going to Hatfield or Royston this month.
I'm off to Wheathampstead this Sunday, which is always a nice place to go to, but can be a bit quiet. I'm trying to be a bit more disciplined in replacing the items I sell each market, plus of course catching up with what I sold before Christmas and making my new spring and summer stock!
I dyed my alpaca and silk laceweight yarn last week and am very pleased with how it has come out. I've done five pastel colours - lavender, rose, turquoise, pistachio and blue, which should please most customers. I thought they were going to be too bright, but the yarn has dried to a nice heathery effect and they should look beautiful once I get them made up. Pictures to follow once they're on the needles!
St. Alban's Farmers' market last Sunday went very well, in spite of the weather being a bit overcast and drizzly and Very Cold! I had wondered if I would still need to wear my thermals and I'm so glad I did. However, I had lots of sales - more than February last year and enough to compensate for not going to Hatfield or Royston this month.
I'm off to Wheathampstead this Sunday, which is always a nice place to go to, but can be a bit quiet. I'm trying to be a bit more disciplined in replacing the items I sell each market, plus of course catching up with what I sold before Christmas and making my new spring and summer stock!
I dyed my alpaca and silk laceweight yarn last week and am very pleased with how it has come out. I've done five pastel colours - lavender, rose, turquoise, pistachio and blue, which should please most customers. I thought they were going to be too bright, but the yarn has dried to a nice heathery effect and they should look beautiful once I get them made up. Pictures to follow once they're on the needles!
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