Happy New Year..

..and new yarns on etsy. Some yarn coming soon. and some socks.

Christmas approaches and a hot summer follows...

And so I have had my last market for the year. It was raining at the start, so waited a
while for that to settle. Thought it was going to be a bit quiet but made a few sales of my poncho/shawlettes, which are so ideal for any season. and had to pack up quickly at 11.30am as the heavens came down with thunder and lightning in the midst. so now drying out gazebos and the van awning.
so time to slow down and reassess what new items I can add to my stock. Plus restock beanies and mitts for adults and kids.
Handspun yarns I just keep adding, trying different colours.
I have purchased local fleece for yarn processing. This is a shared project, but my share is 75kg minus the loss in processing. This is white Corriedale and it is a very soft yarn and I will have fun dyeing it.

There is never enough time to post everything,

..so here goes.
As well as family commitments I have been working hard.
Machine knit jumpers. Trying to get enough beanies and mitts for the markets, as well as handspinning yarns.

Big weekend with the Rushworth Easter Saturday Festival Market, followed by the regular Mooroopna Farmer's and Craft Market on Sunday.
the following Saturday April 22nd, is our annual Wangaratta Wool day at Milawa. so have started dyeing more wool tops. Not sure how much time to wind off and dye more yarn.

Busy times ahead..

I have started back at the markets. Played with a new cardigan design, simply styled with tapered sides, and a diagonal front.

 

I have all my regular products, and another cardigan in Charcoal. And I have been learning more about the DesignaKnit program from a group on Facebook.

I have lots of new handspun yarns and handdyed wool tops.

Girgarre market is on Sunday and then next Friday is the Seymour Alternative Farm Expo.



 

 



 

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Getting ready for the weekend markets and Pop up shop..

..and so far have summer scarves, light short sleeve lace cardigans, working on yarn.

 

So, in a couple of weeks..

..I will be at Nagambie Lakes Community Market on the Saturday, Sep 5th, and a new, for me, Castlemaine Artists Market on the Sunday, Sept 6th.
So I have been busy spinning, and working on the knitting machine, and the knitter's loom.
Need to get more cardigans and jumpers done as well as beanies and scarves.
Sunday is Father's Day, so good for those last minute handmade gifts. Below is a selection of items ready to go. More on the way.

Nagambie Lakes Community Market..

..is on again this Saturday. It will all be held in the park in front of the Lake beside the motel.
I have some new yarns which at present are listed on my etsy shop
www.etsy.com/shop/CraftbyColleen

and don't forget to check out the website at
www.colleenscraftsstore.com

But come and touch the yarns in person.
Following a very successful Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show I have limited stock but will be working hard to bring up the levels. Finishing off a new Adult machine knit jumper at the moment.

 

 



Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show

...here I come. Will be in the Osborne building as part of the North East Yarns. Yarns, garments, accessories, wool tops, felt batts, etc.