I have a shiny new Folksy shop!
Christmas themed sets of stitchmarkers for both knitting and crochet are for sale in my shop, all with free postage. I have non-Christmas stitchmarker sets and some gorgeous hand-embroidered jewellery almost ready to upload, so watch this space!
Pink kalanchoe from the Co-op in Blatchington Road.
New pincushion made from a needlepoint stitch sample (Jacquard stitch) backed with flowery cotton fabric and stuffed with animal wool.
Tax return done - tick; socks washed - tick; knitting - tick; reading - tick.
Er, can't think what else. I've been busy all week but haven't got much to show for it. The weather's been very curate's egg lately.
The amaryllis has two more flowers almost out...
...and suddenly it's Friday. Heigh ho...
The remaining zodiac blackwork charts are now available to download at Tom Pudding Designs: Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio.
I'll be at the Christmas Market at Cornerstone, Hove this Saturday December 8 from 11am to 3pm with hand dyed yarn, stitch markers, beaded and embroidered jewellery.
I'm at Craftaganza with Brighton Craft Guerrilla on both days with my lovely hand dyed yarn, stitchmarkers, embroidered and beaded jewellery.
Taurus Zodiac Blackwork at Tom Pudding Designs.
New free chart to download at Tom Pudding Designs.
Aquarius Zodiac Blackwork at Tom Pudding Designs.
Sagittarius Zodiac Blackwork at Tom Pudding Designs.
Capricorn Zodiac Blackwork at Tom Pudding Designs.
New free chart to download at Tom Pudding Designs.
A friend sent me some old transfers of designs for embroidery - there's an interesting mix of design styles dating from 1914 to the mid-Fifties including several sheets with a London theme.
Nothing much of note going on today apart from a little gentle knitting at Hove Library with Emma followed by lunch at Ethel's. Back at Wibbo Towers now, sewing and listening to an excellent reading of The Woman in White.
Met up with Steph and Emma (the other Brighton Craft Guerrillas) yesterday and we're beginning to realise how little time we have until the craft market is here. Most of my stuff's done apart from a pile of embroidered and beaded brooch fronts that need the finishing touches, backs and brooch pins added. I may be some time...
Brighton Craft Guerrilla will be at Craftaganza's Christmas Market at Fabrica on December 10 and I'm busy dyeing, stitching and crocheting all manner of stuff for the stall. The venue's nice and central and we're looking forward to plenty of visitors wandering round and (hopefully) buying! I'll post more details nearer the date.
This is the latest batch of sock yarn ready to be skeined and labelled; I'd better go do just that...
New free download at Tom Pudding Designs.
Write about your typical crafting time. When is it that you are likely to craft - alone or in more social environments, when watching TV or whilst taking bus journeys?
I'm happily retired and these days can do as much or as little knitting, crochet, embroidery, sewing as I fancy. After over thirty years designing and making things for clients and publishers, it's a joy to be able to make exactly what I want.
I ease into a typical day with a mug of tea and an hour or so's knitting or crochet.
I'm usually supervised by Fearsome Miss Flossie who sits by my feet waiting patiently for her breakfast.
I haven't had a television since 2001 and much of my crafting is accompanied by audio books, radio programmes or music, with the occasional film DVD when I'm knitting something that doesn't need concentration.
I live round the corner from an excellent library (name-checking Hove Library) which has a really good, constantly changing audio book selection (above is yesterday's haul) and I also have a subscription to Audible. Music-wise, I listen to classical music, opera, rock, folk, jazz and I'm a big fan of Radio 5 live's football coverage.
I try and balance hours spent crafting by myself with regular company in the shape of a couple of knitting groups (Brighton Knitters and Knit & Natter at Cocoon) and with regular exercise walking by the sea.
This is the last of this year's Knitting and Crochet Blog Week's posts - thanks for the comments and see you again next year :o)
Free blackwork chart to download at Tom Pudding Designs.
Christmas Happiness Bellpull - make the finished piece into a bellpull or frame it.