Crochet in the country

Just two years ago I ran my first 'summer school' here in Kent which was such an enjoyable day I thought it deserved another reprise. I've posted the advertising blurb for the 2006 event as a taster of what is on offer and would be delighted if any of you would like to join in on the proposed 2008 jaunt. I haven't decided on the date as yet - I'm testing the water at the moment - but if you are interested then e-mail me on bee_at_home@hotmail.com or post a comment here. It really is a super way to get together with all those former alumni from previous classes and to swap some tips and learn some new tricks.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Stuff and more stuff

Stacey from my most recent beginners' class (and now she isn't a beginner anymore!!!) has sent me details of an up-and-coming event at Excel in London which I'm sure will be of interest. The Stitch and Creative Crafts show is a tried and tested formula which has travelled around many parts of the UK and has landed for a short stay in the capital. From 28 February to 1 March you can wallow in so much craftery and never even come up for air!!! There are bound to be alot of choice of new and different yarns and I can only say that you'll certainly get loads of ideas and still have change for the bus.

The website has a mass of info about getting there and exhibitors so check it out - http://www.stitchandcreativecrafts.co.uk/

More talented people

I'm still musing on the wonders of etsy and the other day while browsing a wonderful blog called poppytalk (more about that later) I came across this nice little 'shop' called fringe which got me to thinking of how much fun it is to create with our skills. I'm sure that there is no end to people's wish to look for accessories that have some design credibility and knowing that it was handmade is also a bonus.

To take a peek and get an idea of what a nice complete collection can look like. Her shrug and corsage are pictured above.

As I said, I've had rather alot of time on my hands to dabble in e-world and another happy hunting ground is poppytalk which, although not strictly about yarn matters, is a wonderful inspiration for the creative juices. Her poppytalk marketplace is where I found fringe and adventures of jr. Adventures of jr has oodles of crochet (the mittens pictured above are hers) so very much in our radar.

Well, there's alot to be doing, so off we go.

Tomorrow the world!

I know that some of you out there in crochetland have learnt your skill and maybe you've hidden it away or decided that it just wasn't enough for you. I certainly feel that way about alot of things (strangely hockey was one of those things for me!!!).

However...I absolutely know that some of you are literally 'hooked' and want to make and learn more about crochet every day. The trouble with that is there is only so much room in a home for all the cushions, scarves, pins and doilies and the frustration comes when the space gives up. At the same time maybe the items you make are getting a bit of a following and friends (and even interested strangers) are asking where you got those gorgeous crochet items from. When that happens, have you thought of marketing some of them?

There are a multitude of ways - local markets, e-bay, your own web-site; but often that involves an initial outlay which might not be in your business plans just yet.

I'm a devoted fan (not a participant yet, but that's because I just haven't found space in the day yet) of Etsy, an online market-place for those who are truly keen to get their items to a larger public. To sign up is very simple and then you can 'own' and manage your own shop and offer to a world-wide market. Just click on etsy and away you go. I've spent many happy hours browsing all the talented people out in the great wide world and there's no reason why you shouldn't be there too!!!

Another arena are on-line shops which do require you to invest more than just your skills but will do alot of the very necessary promotion work that goes into telling everyone about yourself. I have a 'shop' with a great e-department store called notonthehighstreet.com and if you want to see what is expected of the potential crochet business then do check out my homepage I've posted a few of the projects that sell well and which have become a bit of a stock-in-trade for me.

Anyway, off you go!!!

Curiosity!!!

Well, thanks to a surfeit of curiosity just days before Christmas I've been unable to post any news - crochet or otherwise - as I broke my leg whilst rushing outside to watch fireworks!!!! I've missed not pondering on all things wooly and now I'm sort of back to a normal life I realised how long it is since I posted anything. I'm walking almost normally but that's pretty much thanks to my 'big boot'!! Everything has slowed right down - well, mainly me and so I've been doing loads of crochet. I'm really excited at the moment as I've got a little project brewing and I hope to be getting really involved with alot of the vintage patterns I've collected with a view to publishing them. So...I'm really excited with all things 50's - nipped-in waists and beautiful collars. Just wait and see.

At the same time I've been spending lots of time looking for beautiful design on the internet and I've stumbled on a wonderful pair of blogs that I know you'll love. They're not directly connected with crochet but, hey, we don't want to be narrow-minded.

Anyway, the first is a site so diverse and interesting it puts me quite to shame. This, to me, is the mother and father of all blogs - design*sponge - and there are hundreds of wonderful postings and links so please, please go there.

The second is also a lovely, chatty blog that is very similar and is obviously more connected with print and textiles - print and pattern - but here too you'll find gorgeous things to inspire and lots of links. All these skills including crochet are so interlinked and we can all benefit with a little dip into different 'professions'.

Now I'm back I'll post some more stitches this week and a pattern so please keep checking.