Merry Christmas..

.and a Happy New Year to you all.

My last market for the year...

..is tomorrow.
Mooroopna Farmer's and Craft Market
It should be another nice day. The heat hasn't hit us yet, so hopefully there will be a few people around.
Of course I will be busy spinning away. I will have all my yarns, dyed and natural tops, felt batts and knitwear. Landscape dyes are stocked up ready for next year.

Castlemaine Artist Market tomorrow.

I haven't attended a December before, so could be interesting. a customer from last month asked if I was coming back, which is why I will attend. If the heat keeps sales down or non-existent I will rethink this next year. I have found the market to be well organised and friendly, and I have had great sales over the past year including on a 38 degree day in early March.
I will have all my machine knitted items of course, along with my handspun and handdyed yarns. These would be a great gift to a knitter who always has wool in her/his hands.
Scarves and beanies would be great to send overseas to family members.
Today, at Nagambie Lakes Community Market was poorly attended so sales were poor for all stallholders.
Girgarre market next Sunday, and Mooroopna the following Sunday and then a break from markets in January. Of course lots of spinning, dyeing and knitting to do.

Big day over near Wangaratta..

..with the North East Yarns.
It was time to weigh and label skeins of yarns ready for the markets and the
10 to 4 Gallery in Glenrowan.
I took over some scarves which had been knitted from our yarns. I used knitting machines for these.
But they display the colours well.

Oh dear....

I am sorry I haven't posted but by the time I get something done I forget to take a photo with the camera and there it is...
It is much easier to take a photo with the phone and I can immediately post it to Instagram, and Facebook.
I guess this is something I will have to work on.
Anyway I have dyed some yarns, and am spinning more yarns. There is a pile on the table in the Studio waiting to have photos done for the website and my etsy shop.
And I have been very brave and changed the template of my website, and I think it is much better.

It is September...

..and  have been neglecting the blog. But you know I have been busy.
5 markets a month.
Family commitments.
Machine knitting.
Spinning.
Handdyeing yarns and tops.
Will have to think of some lighter garments for the Spring  (NOW).
don't forget to check me out on Instagram, Facebook, my website and etsy store.

It's been awhile..

..but life gets busy.
I have bad jumper orders which although knitted on a machine do take some time. So here is a sample of the works completed, and some have already sold. Ad some get sold before I can take a photo. And I have one more garment that I have forgotten to take a photo of. another job for tomorrow.

New Yarns ...

..added to my Etsy store CraftbyColleen
Corriedale 8ply handdyed.

Busy, busy..

..as the Bendigo sheep and wool show gets close.
I can get photos done of progress, but takes time to then get them to computer.
Dyed tops are ongoing, dyed some more sock yarn, and m winding off 100gm lots of white 8ply Corriedale yarn for dyeing. Decided to spin up some of my dyed tops as I had sold more handspun yarn and this needed topping up.
I completed a new style jumper to sell at Bendigo but has now been sold and gone to Tasmania. so am halfway through another using Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Pumpkin, and more machine knitting needs to be done.
And need I say Girgarre market is on this Sunday.
Tuesday and Wednesday are medical appointments for my mother.
Then Bendigo to set up on Thursday.
That's about it. So back to work. Follow me on Facebook and you will get more details on what is happening.

The Echuca Vintage and Steam Rally ..

..is on again this weekend.
Rain is predicted Saturday and clearing Sunday, but it has never stopped visitors.
I will be in the Shed as usual demonstrating how to spin wool. All my goodies will be there.

New wool tops..

..added to the website.
With a 2 day event in June, and a 3 day event in July, I am starting to slowly get more dyeing of products done.
So I have started with a few wool tops, and have started some sock yarn.
As well have added some more colours to my Poncho/Wrap.
Currently on the mid gauge machine I have a rolled shawl collared jacket.
so now the website is updated it is time to get back to the knitting machine.

It is time...

.. to start getting more items ready for the 2 and 3 day events coming up with the Echuca Steam Rally on the Queen's birthday long weekend in June, and the Bendigo Sheep and Wool show in July.
so a couple more yarns added to the website.
and I am adding new colours to the Poncho/Wrap as well. This garment is still selling well.

Found a new Website...

...to play with.
It is more easy to navigate. So it is now live on a trial basis
Check it out at
http://colleenscrafts.spiffystores.com

I think I will go with it. I still have a bit of work to do and improve content.
Wish me luck.
Also it is set here in Australia, so fees stay here.

re Website

Just giving a headsup to the fact that I will not be renewing my account for my website colleenscraftsstore, as I sell mostly through markets and yarns on etsy. It has been mostly an advertising venture.
But rest assured I will still be active on etsy and facebook, and my Yarn van will still go to the markets.

Unfortunately not time..

..for posting photos.
Big market this Saturday at the Rushworth Easter Festival, plus a parade, art show
And the Easter Saturday Market, all day.

Washing Fleeces..

..I thought it was about time I started getting more fleeces prepared. I am currently carding one, so taking one bag at a time I have started washing another fleece bit by bit so the work does not feel so monotonous.
This week I have one of my poncho/wraps to replace, I am still spinning a soft merino in pastel colours that I blended. And I have been spinning white Corriedale tops at the markets, so will finish and dye another 2 this week.
Need to dye more wool tops as well, and start winding off the 8ply yarn for dyeing.
and after that will see what I can do extra.
Only one market next weekend.
Mooroopna Accredited Farmer's and Craft Market next Sunday.

Getting ready for another 2 Markets this weekend.

Saturday I will be at the Handmade Market, Bendigo at Kangaroo Flat Rotary Park, for the first time,
And on Sunday back at our local Girgarre Market.

Hoping the weather will be cooler, as compared to our hot week last week.

Markets this weekend are...

Saturday at Nagambie Lakes Community Market, and
Sunday at Castlemaine Artists Market.

And it is going to be hot. High 30's. Not going to be good for selling wool yarn and products.
But I will be there.

Update of yarns on my Etsy shop...

..Here are a few of the yarns I have just added to my etsy shop
www.etsy.com/shop/craftbycolleen

Well the 3 days at Seymour..

..is over. Thought it was  bit slow with sales, but Sunday proved better. Friday compared with last year, Saturday was down, and Sunday way improved. It is an event that you never can tell. Probably go again next year to compare. Because it is the end of summer and most times it is extremely hot, but luckily this year we had 2 cooler days and Sunday warmed up.
so now, back to work to replace sold garments and think of new ones. Keep dyeing yarns and tops and I always am spinning.
Next market will be Nagambie Community Lake market on Saturday March 5th, followed by Castlemaine Artists Market on Sunday March 6th.

Seymour Alternative Farming Expo..

..is on next week

http://www.seymourexpo.com.au/

And I will be there. In the Craft room in the clubrooms at the oval. First aid will be there as well.

I have North East Yarns Products from Corriedale fleeces.. Natural coloured felt batts, natural coloured yarns, natural coloured tops, Jumpers (might be a bit early but worth looking at), ribbed ponchos.

http://www.northeastyarns.com/

My products include small amount of knitwear and accessories, handspun yarns, handdyed yarns, handdyed wool tops, Bamboo knitting needles and crochet hooks, Landscape dyes.

I have some of my products on my website.

www.colleenscraftsstore.com

www.etsy.com/shop/CraftbyColleen

Please come to the expo and introduce yourselves. Great weekend. With a little bit of luck we mightn't be too hot.

New garment and Van updates..

A machine knit project I have been thinking about..

 

 

And a couple of cheap shelving units added to the van

 Sheets and tablecloths hold the items in when on the road. Then all gets tidied up at the markets.

More work..

Yarn and tops

 

 

And some machine knitting in progress



Here are some...

.. wool tops I have been dyeing this week.
You will now find them in my etsy shop
www.etsy.com/shop/CraftbyColleen

 

And some recent handspun yarns.

 

 

And some knitting