Quick Christmas / Party Garlands.... to make!

 One of the lovely things about this quick and easy garland is, you can make it as a family. Anything that gets cut up and can fit through a sewing machine, can be sewn into this garland.

Even fat handed burly men can join in this activity!

Just cut up any scraps you have around: Felt, fabrics, ribbons, lace.... i tied a few bells onto ribbons to add to the pile of scraps.

 I pre-iron my shop bought Bias Bind and then just keep adding random additions to the bind - with a small gap between each. The gap doesn't have to be uniform at all....nothing about this garland needs to be uniform or precise. It is probably best if you just allow your children to hand you whatever they feel should go on next as that childhood chaos is usually more creative than our own adult restrictiveness. 

 I measured this length to fit a particular space i had in mund for my home festivities but you can just make it any length and hang it where you feel it fits.

Also - you can colour theme it, if you are having a special 'colour theme' Xmas?

I made this garland with anything i had in my studio and i have since decided to save it for a Spring Party. And, now i know this garland works and looks ace, i am making red and white for my Christmas Dining Area.

 It is a poor photo - i was too eager to show you how it looked to wait for better light. But.... i love it!

You can buy awesome handmade Bias from here

I have used this for another project and i love it.

 I also plan to stock a little bit of Bias in BigFish - but not much and not as lovely as the above stuff.

 NeedleBooks are being replenished and i hope to have a big fat stack of new designs ready for January. Feel free to suggest any designs that you think would be popular. I tend to go all girly and Matroyshka-like... i need to break habits for 2011.

 And Fabric Yearning, mmmm....

Loving the Cath Kidston stash *strokes it* gorgeous plans for some huge floor cushions for my daughters bedroom... some bunting.... maybe some bags.....

I am full of ideas and inspiration for 2011.

I have loved the Christmas Retail rush (now it is over for me) sold out of most decorations and Christmas Bunting.  Just enough time to sew some awesome gifts for my family.

No rest for the (super) wicked xxx

make a garland.....!

*Important News* ...if you are coming to the MaKe Fair in Wolverton - this Sunday....

 Ok, Ok, so it isn't soooo important but i wanted to tell you anyway.

I have had a few emails from lovely local ladies pre-ordering supplies for Delivery on SUNDAY at "MaKe" in Wolverton. This is more than OK with me. It saves on hassles and postage.

If you are coming to MaKe and want specific items from any of my online shops - please don't assume the whole range will be available on the day as that is far from possible.

 I will have mixed Button Bags and some Shapes & Patterns but by no means will i be bringing the entire range. http://bigfish.etsy.com/ if there are items you want do let me know via email on Thursday or Friday this week. I am out at a Fair allll day tomorrow too, so don't fret if i don't reply directly.

 The same applies to the Felt. http://fuzzyfish.etsy.com/ i will have some smaller packs of Acrylic Felt and maybe some Wool Felt but not all these rolls. So if you want half metres / metre packs, just drop me an email.

So... what will i be bringing??

Well, lots of the http://snowfish.etsy.com/ decorations but again, not all.

Some Lavender Cushions and textile bits but no NeedleBooks and no Bunting that is 'non Xmas'.

As it stands right now, i have sold out of Angels and Xmas Bunting.

I will see how tomorrows fair goes in terms of stock. I still have Thursday, Friday, Saturday to do any catch up sewing.

It may sound a bit 'drastic' this Blog Post, but really, i'd hate it for a local person to come along expecting a 'something' which isn't there.

We have limited table space at any fair and i have limited car space! and physical energy to LUG this lot everywhere i go.

""phew"" AND,,,,, saving the best news till last,,,,, there is *new* stripey ribbon going into the shops, yippee! AND i will have BARGAIN BASKETS at MaKe on Sunday - filled with de-stash fabrics that i cannot find a use for. And Older Design Brooches as PaperFish gets a mega MAKEOVER for 2011.

New fabrics from Japan and the US and big bags of bargain ribbons for wrapping and *new* lush Ribbon Bags too.

Gosh, i am tired out now! 

See ya xxx

Fun Fair.... MaKe! Tips on selling.

That's my mum! on my stall. It was the Bank Holiday "MaKe" Craft Fair at Wolverton.

The venue is fantastic and i love going there as a stall holder. As ever, there was plenty of colour, fabric, felt and buttons.... the variety of stalls was good and the standard of work was high.

I know i have written 'Tips for Craft stalls' in the past. i am no expert and don't want to come across as terribly preachy or smug. Craft Stalls are hard work and it is very scary putting yourself and your goods out on display. Some people can be cruel and dismissive of your work (how rude are they?) but many people truly 'get handmade' and are there to support you.

THIS fair was particularly hard in some ways. It was after Easter (and nowhere near Christmas!) the school holidays with families gone away... so getting customers to shop was always going to be more of a worry. A few tips for this sort of fair...

1. It has become a regular fair - so any fair that you attend on a regular basis is completely to your advantage.

2. Blog the fair, blog the date (get the date right!? - iam guilty of being rubbish) and let everyone know what you will be selling.

3. Download the poster that the organiser sends you and ADVERTISE the fair yourself too.

4. Email local customers and tell them What fair is on, what they can expect to see and that you will be there.

5. If it is a more expensive fair, and your table fee was £30.00 - to my mind i would need to have, at minimum, £300.00 worth of stock to sell. Ideally, £600.00 That seem alot to you? It is, and i had maybe £450.00 of stock with me, so i need to heed my own lesson.

Jane Charles' amazing fabric and felt display tree - i love her egg box on the stand too.

Lots of quirky display ideas x

A very very pretty lady sat opposite me with a great table cloth and beautiful hair!

What else can i say about selling at Fairs that hasn't already been said? not much, so i'll just repeat the obvious... and trust me, i kick myself each time i forget these things too:

1. A variety of items is best, with a variety of prices from 0.50p to £15.00 personally, i don't sell much that has a price tag over £15.00 at a craft fair. Other people might have a higher maximum tag.

2. Cards with website address' to hand out - I have had customers email me BEFORE i have even got home from the fair wanting X,Y,Z ordered.

3. Talk to customers and browsers about crafting and techniques... they are the stall holders that took money at this fair.

4. Does your display POP OUT from the entrance to the fair? Can people see you from further away? is there good height to your display? WHAT is it they will remember when they walk away? Because being remembered is the key to building up a base of local customers who will want to return to your stall at the next fair.

5. Ask yourself the serious question - Are you selling things that people *want* to buy? or are you at the 'right' venue for your products customer base?

And - a big ole wave to lots of people who i saw at the fair - the lady in the YUMMY dress who has a daughter the same name as mine. And her Mother-in-Law in that fantastic handmade jacket.

Hello the very pretty lady with 3 daughters whose husband talked about buttons with us.

Helloooo Emma-Louise and the lady with you who were there for crafty supplies and i didn't have much chance to chat properly.

HHHHeeeeELLllOOO girls who made felty bracelets - and their great mums :)

Helllooo Melanie who shopped (thankU) and cycled over with her poorly son.

and HI! to the lady who is a local teacher and came with her mum and has come to see me a few times now...

StitchyWoo & Jess

(i don't want to sound like i am at the Oscars here just THANKS for coming, all crafters appreciate the support xxx)

MaKe Crafting event - Monday APRIL 5th

APRIL 5th 10am - 4pm

Wolverton MadCap Theatre, Milton Keynes....

Last time, there was great cake and some music and awesome craft stalls.

I will be there with some of my handmade stuffs and with loads of Crafting supplies

Come HERE if you love all things crafty x

Hope to see you there!? x

P.s I am doing this MAKE & TAKE table for the younger visitors to come and have a go at making their own textile bracelets - well worth bringing the young ladies!?

Meet up with "MaKe" at Madcap...

A few people asked me about the MaKe event... so,a few details.
am not an organiser of the event but i write for the local Craftzine "Local Craft Matters" (who DO organise it all) so i am a part of the team in a way.
MaKe is held in Wolverton, Milton Keynes at THIS GREAT VENUE called Madcap. A big sunshiney space with great atmosphere. Easy to bring children and buggies. We are mostly upstairs but i believe it is disabled and 'buggy' friendly, with a lift... (i will check that again)
I will be there with my many Buttons, Felt Packs, Fabric by the half metre, Lavender cushions, Bunting, PinPuffs and Brooches... there will be a variety of artists and artisans with a real variety of handmade goodies.
There will also be CAKE! very important. And Tea! even more important.

Last time i was there (October 2009) there was a bead workshop people could book into. I cannot confirm if / what they will have at the next event.

I am hoping, this time, to have a small children's table for bracelet making. It is a little something to make them feel involved.

If you do have a spare hour or 2 to pop along - we'd love to see you!

If there are items of mine you have seen in the shops online and want me to bring them then you can always pre-order them and pick them up at the MaKe event. I cannot guarantee that what i have online, will also be what i have at the event...

So, keep an eyeout on my blog - when i know more details, so will you...

Our Dates:

Easter B/H Monday - 5th April.

August B/H Monday - August 30th.

Last Sunday in November - 27th.

11am ish - 3pm ish

Playing with Christmas Presents...

Child says: "I'm bored Mamma"
Mother replies: "Don't be so silly. Go and play with all those new toys you were given for Christmas"
*child skips off to play*... Mother looks down at her hands and thinks *i'm bored*...

So i decided to play with some of my Christmas Gifts: I haven't 'packed' the Cath Kidston sewing basket yet. I am going to fill it with my travel sewing kit. I spend alot of time between my Parents home, my home, and various child related activities. This basket will have all the items i need so i can pick it up and *know* i will have pieces and essentials to work with on 'the move'.

Cath Kidston's craft books have come under some 'fire' from the dedicated UK Designer / Maker devotees and i can understand why. Her items are far from 'handmade' themselves and she is perhaps riding on the back of a growing current trend. I don't mind though. Her books are colourful and fun and i ask little else of my Craft Books.

The "DK Sewing Book" is something i need. I have never had any training in sewing and i get frustrated at my lack of knowledge. I am not a patient person and i want to be 'GOOD' at something immediately... at least i have this book now that might encourage me to, patiently, try some new things.

**Note to Self** take some time off in March and DO things for MYSELF :)

(feel a bit perkier today. A good camera and craft sessions can do that)

Weekend Craft Fairs...

So, i found myself at 2 Fairs this weekend. The first was in a school and was a very small fair. I'm afraid there was little to report from there, other than some lovely people that i met.
The Sunday Fair was where it was allll happening. "MaKe" in Wolverton, Milton Keynes. If you missed it, you missed a treat! What a joy to be at a fair that was so friendly, with so much space and very well organised. I had a massive stall area to play with which is always so nice. I hate being rammed table end to table end in a grotty light-less hall. This was a theatre - blissful hall and so sunny (when Jamie opened those wooden shutters)

I am in no way ashamed to admit, i had my small Christmas Tree up and was selling early decorations. Why not? People were enjoying them and buying them so i make no apologies for it.

I love looking at the stalls all set up - 2 mins till the Fair opens to the public (stall holders grabbing drinks and toilet stops, worrying about where we parked our vehicles for the day...)

Lovely lovely JANE Charles and her wonderful felt items. Isn't she great? watch this space for her own etsy shop http://buysmallbeans.etsy.com

Her items have an almost scandinavian look to them? and Jane herself was wearing fab clothes (wish i'd got her in a shot now...)

A lady selling her paintings - she was telling me she is a keen photographer too and this was her first fair! Great artwork lady x

Cake Makers / decorators, mmmmm.... look at that castle - it is darling!

Oh... and, ummmm they were selling cupcakes too so i HAD to have one....

I would love to be really slim and wear tiny jeans and tight vest tops, BUT... i think i like cake even more than i want to be thin (i tell myself i'm feeding my hour glass figure)

Cute, cute, cute.... this lady is fresh from Art School - cast out into the big bad world and she ended up next to me.... poor / lucky her (depending on how you view it)

She is Jessica Sharp and you can see some of her stuff here: http://nellieandelsie.etsy.com but again, this is a virgin etsy shop so keep watching, there is more good to come from Jessica (ooohhh, teacups and whimsy and seaside shells and nostalgic letters)

I didn't get a chance to catch this lady's name but she was a stunning artists - and needs to keep her stuff to galleries as she was soooo good and her stuff is much too divine (and heavy) to be carting around to fairs.

Jamie's Wife.... "Mrs Chalmers". Now, no offence J, but i'm pleased i have a pic of your good lady rather than yourself. You are such a limelight gent and your wife was so quiet - she is also far better looking :) "Hello MrsXstitch - it was lovely to meet you" x

Schmooze himself, MrXstitch had a really lovely, simple and galleresque display of Cross Stitch pictures he had swapped with other cross stitchers / embroiderers / contemporary needlefolk.

There were some great pieces....

I really liked this picture>>>>> but i want to clarify, this day was far from being 'pants'. It was great. Thanks J, thanks Carole, thanks to all of those who came along, it was nice to meet previous internet customers!! get to know new people and share the enthusiasm for crafting.

Back to the grindstone.... x

Think of this post as a trendy radio show... as i do i few "Shout outs!"

Big "Shout Out" to Lupin x she knows why! and i wanted to show her i really did wear my tea cup brooch today!!.... and that is me with my *new* giant Starbucks Mug, mmmmm. A big "Shout out" to anyone round Milton Keynes - i'm at Giffard Park Primary School tomorrow at an Autumn Craft Fair... see you there locals!?>>> (that's my stuff i'm getting ready)

BIG "Shout Out" to Milton Keynes / Stony Stratford / Wolverton people as on SUNDAY i will be at the MADCAP centre in Wolverton for a Craft Fair called: MaKe! Come along, it might be fun...

(getting my Brooch stand ready)

"Shout Out" to BigFish.etsy.com where i will listing these yumtastic buttons - they are clear! coolio or what?

and a little "shouty out" to my PaperFish shops on Folksy and Etsy where i'm uploading these Button Love Brooches....

Maybe i'll have time to take photos of crafters lovely stuffs over the weekend...?

I will try xxx