Thoughts of a Late Night Crafter

2008-12-04T15:35:00.002Z

Whew, I wish I knew what 98 bags of wool looked like before I ordered it, my shop is a little crowded, but woo, what a lot of yummy yarn, and all half price too. I will be standing in the cold tommorrow handing out leaflets, shame the kids have left home! (not that i would of course......)

So if you see me looking blue, thats actually blue in colour, not just fed up, remind me its all for a good cause!

2008-11-25T16:54:00.003Z

I decided to add another range to the shop, so I am now eagerly awaiting Twilleys Spirit, in five fabuolus colours. Off to do a Craft fair at Nancledra this weekend, and looking forward to cathcing up with a few crafters I havent seen for a while, Still not feeling too Christmassy, but i'm sure that the smell of Ruby Murry's curry will help, this is the first year i will be able to eat it, not being allergic to peppers any longer, I cant wait! Oh, and the smell of mince pies of course!

£15 a pair! and you paid that!

2008-11-20T12:55:00.004Z

Now, why would anyone pay £15 for a pair of needles. I often thought that wood needles were needles were needles, but not so. DH bought me a pair of Lantern Moon size 4mm for our Wood anniversary (He did need prompting, and i did get the usual 'but yoiu already have loads of needles'). They are now the only 4mm I use (unless I have to cast on more than 100dk.). Such needles, such smoothness you never thought possible. It all comes down to the 'cost per use' ethic. If you can get, say, 50p a use then its a good buy, anyting less is a bargin and anything more, well, it would have to be something special. So my needles are an absolute bargin. Now to collect the full set..........

Porthelven

2008-07-22T11:55:00.007+01:00

Well, i have been a bit busy of late, what with the flood, laying new carpets and summer hoardes approaching, so making a few things for the wee shop. Last week i finished what i think is my favorite bear to date. He is Porthelven, a wee Elven Fairie Beary, with lovely sparkling wings and swarovski crystal antenna. Me and the hubby went to Porthleven to photograph him on Saturday, such a lovely day, and a reminder of how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. .

I am also knitting a pair of socks in cornish organic that i have hand dyed with Australian Landscape dyes. (Cant now call them organic as they dyes arnt) but I dont think Uncle Peter will mind. They have to be in the post by thursday so Imust knit into the small hours again, oh well, any excuse!

2008-02-25T13:48:00.003Z

I am back to making bears at work, little Cornish Beach Bums. I do love making the wee things as, like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get. I have started with a rosy pink one, as it is Mothers day on Sunday. New photos will be added as soon as i have uploaded the software to my new camera. I have managed to set up the new 'do it all' printer, all by myself, but whether I can actually photocopy on it remains to be seen, me and photocopiers don't mix. Now, I don't want to tempt the fates, (there are quite a few) but, photocopiers are a bit of a Nemesis with me, many a time I have broken the calm silence in the library with a loud exclamation of 'it shouldn't be doing that' and when the lovely assistant comes to my rescue is usually quite bemused (or worse) as yes, it is rather strange as they didn't think copiers did that either. Its the same at tills, if its going to go odd, it will be with me stood there. I have even walked away for it to go right and then go wrong again when I return. I guess its my electrifying personality.....oh is that a tumbleweed just passing...

2008-02-12T10:58:00.000Z

I have an apology to make. I always thought that life was to short for it, even told lovely ladies in my shop that I agreed with their husbands, life is to short to knit socks. Oh how wrong I have been, so to all those ladies I have thought were being just a little silly with their knitting time, I am sorry. I got tempted by a lovely color way of Lorna's Laces and was going to knit a jumper for a miniature bear with it. But, having had the 'sock' conversation a few times i thought I really aught to know what I'm talking about, I cant really say its a waste of time till I have knitted one (didnt think I would even finish a pair) and them I could say with certainty that life is to short. Three pairs later and some hearts with the leftovers, I am just slightly addicted. Its the wool you see, they make such pretty patterns as your knitting dont they! I havent made the jumper for the bear yet, And as for grey school socks, I still think life is definately too short.

2007-11-01T16:29:00.000Z

Cornish Organic kits are now on E-Bay, I have added a few extras to the kits, like sewing needles and embroidery thread, although the knitting
needles are not included.

2007-11-01T16:25:00.001Z

I have finished the little jumper for 0 to 3 months, e-mail me if you wouldlike to receive it.
houseofbartlett@hotmail.com

2007-10-29T12:00:00.000Z

Well, what a weekend, I have now got Cornish Organic Wool And Kits, so I have been knitting a sheep tea cosy for the shop window. I have found out that loops aren't that difficult. But, I haven't embroidered the face yet, not one of my strong points so may end up looking like one of the cast of the new film 'Black Sheep', evil and very wrong.

I have also arranged my winter Workshops for the run up to Christmas, including an Aran workshop, Check out the link
http://www.houseofbartlett.co.uk/80235/info.php?p=6

Why does Aran still come up as wrong in the spell check? steek doesn't come up either, intarsia another, surely other specialist words make it into the spellcheck so why not us knitters?

My lovely long fur arrived this morning, so another fudge looking bear will be appearing shortly, Photos to follow, Oh and I havent finished the second arm of the baby sweater, tonight I promise.

2007-10-24T12:15:00.000+01:00

Well, I couldn't manage a whole evening without doing anything, so despite not knowing any pregnant ladies at the moment, I started a 0-3 months little lavender Aran, back front and half a sleeve later.... It looks so small, I cant believe either of my kids were that tiny, but its a pattern I knitted for the eldest when I was still pregnant. I shall post a picci when I have finished it. I shall offer it for a charity donation, so get in touch if your interested.

2007-10-23T16:23:00.000+01:00

What a week! I have managed to throw myself down the stairs, socks and uncarpeted wooden floorboard stairs don't go together and i forgot to leave the socks at the top of the stairs as normal, and ended up at the bottom a lot quicker than usual. My shoulder is so painful, I cant knit!!! I cant actually do much at all, so my lovely hubby is going to have to cook dinner. I cant put much pressure on my wrist, no cutting, no sewing, I think I am going to go a bit mad.

2007-10-22T12:10:00.000+01:00

Ha, computer strikes again, I cant get my husband upright!

Hubby in a chunky jumper

2007-10-18T15:20:00.001+01:00

2007-10-18T15:09:00.000+01:00

This is National Knitting Week, Feels odd, as I knit pretty much every day, am I to knit extra I ask myself? No, I have decided to stock wool in my little shop. Lots of local knitting shops have closed, and many people have asked for it, so in honour of National Knittting Week, I am ordering lots of wool. Our knitting group, Knit One Sip One, which meets in The Kiddlewink bar in the Westen Hotel, St Ives, on the second thursday of the month, had our first male knittter join us last week. I was really suprised as Knitting is still seen as being in the female domain, despite Kaffee Fassett and Brandon Mabley. But, even they knit for women. I can think of nothing sexier than my man in a cuddly sweater, (well I can, but thats not for this blog!)

Fudge,

2007-10-15T16:22:00.000+01:00

This is Fudge, Who I sold last week, Made with 41mm tipped pile mohair,he is yummy and soft, with sculpted paws and shaded and sculpted face. My most expensive bear to date, and so much fun making him.

2007-10-15T14:47:00.000+01:00

This is Tew ha Lowen, meaning Fat and Happy in Cornish, This is what I am working on at the moment. He is in the Cornish colours of black and gold with Cornish Tartan ribbon around his neck. His little belly is filled with glass beads to make it squishy.

2007-10-15T14:38:00.001+01:00

St Ives harbour in the sea mist, this is the view from the end of the Arcade that my shop is in.

2007-10-15T14:02:00.000+01:00

I guess you would like to know a little about me, I'm Kay, living in St Ives Cornwall, and I have a little shop on the Harbour that I sell Crafts of all sort hand made by local and not local people alike. I love it, I am surrounded by so much Talent. I manly make bears, jewellery, annd do the occasional textile art piece. Now the season is nearing its end and the tourists all go home for the cold weather, I can clear the decks of the 'shop' stuff and get out my more creative genes.

Today I shall be mostly making a bear. I have a Christmas Show where I am selling my lovely furry bears at Scorrier House, (Cornwall). It may seem like a while but time does travel quickly when you don't want it to. I don't 'do' Christmas, so this is a bit of a trial. Its not that I am a scrooge, but when most of your christmas' have disasters of some form, you being to dread what is coming next. I am making another Tew Ha Lowen, number five of a run of forty. At home, I am in the process of knitting a Cable jumper in 'Black Watch' Aran for my husband, Tim, and another simple cardi for me in Marble Chunky, browns and greeen, for when I want to watch the telly, not the knitting!

2007-10-15T13:56:00.000+01:00

Thoughts of a late night Knitter seams a good place to start. I loved Pam Ayres as a kid, her poery made me chuckle aloud, especially this poem as I was learning to knit when it was popular. I remember the first thing I finished. It was a tabard with a Fleur de Lise on the front for my Sindy doll in red and blue. It had Garter stitch down the side and, as my mother didn't know what garter stitch was, I was sent to 'Aunty' Silvia. She was sat there knitting a yellow sweater, and was knitting at such a speed I thought was impossible, AND SHE WASN'T LOOKING!!! I stood there thinking, 'I'm going to do that one day.' Between Aunty Silvia and my needlework teacher, Mrs Goodenough, I have been inspired to try everything, so now, like most crafters, I knit, stitch, crochet, jewellery make, bead, felt, weave, silk paint, paper make, cross stitch, embroider, bear make and drink a lot of coffee. It isn't the coffee's fault that I'm a late night knitter, i don't have any after eight o'clock,i just don't sleep early. Lights off about two is the average.
So, this is the blog of A late night crafter. Do come back again.