Knit your own socks.

Today's title may sound like an order, but it was infact the name of the workshop which started last Saturday.

Here are a couple of pictures of some of the lovely ladies that joined me in the Courtyard Coffeehouse in Brackley for the 1st of three workshops. We cast on in the round and knitted a section of rib. Some people practiced casting on more that once - but we all know that practice makes perfect!! We all left with the first sock well on the way and everyone was smiling - so all in all a success. We will be meeting again on the 27th to learn to turn the heel and at the beginning of March to decrease for the toe and master grafting. This is a picture of our table, so you can see that there was lots going on!

If you would like to learn to knit socks, but missed our workshop this time, keep an eye on the workshop link on the right for future dates.

The other very exciting news is that we have set a date for our first PubCraft Night: 1st March 7.30pm at the Red Lion pub in Brackley. All are welcome, please bring a small crafting project along and prepare to make new crafting friends.

Workshop booking are coming in at a steady trickle, so if there is something that you fancy coming along to, please download a booking form and send it to me to confirm your place.

That's it for now folks. X

A huge welcome

I would like to say a great big HELLO and welcome to Sarah of Noahs Ark Crafts who became a member of the Pin Money Craft Co-operative on Monday. Pop over to http://noahsarkcrafts.blogspot.com/ to have a look at her blog. She has updates of what crafty things have been inspiring her and also recipes. The sticky toffee pudding looks fabulous and I can't wait to try it out. There is also a link from blog to Sarah's etsy and folksy shops, so get clicking and shopping! I met Albie owl from Sarah's 'made by you' range. He is really cute!!

So nothing ever happens in Brackley - well that myth has been well and truly consigned to the bin after Saturday's event in the Town Hall. It felt like the whole world was there, and it was non stop chatting from 9 till 4. We demonstrated some peg looming and spinning, so thank you if you were one of the willing (some less so) volunteers that helped us out.

The sock knitting workshop starts on Saturday. We will be casting on and ribbing the cuff on Saturday and then meeting again on the 27th of Feb to turn the heel. Finally finishing off decreasing for the toe and mastering the kitchener stitch on 13th March. There are still 2 places left, so if you fancy coming but haven't got your booking form in yet, download it and get it to me as soon as you can. Don't forget to check out our other workshops on the link on the right.

The last bit of exciting news is that we will be launching our website early next week (all being well, and if the computer gremlins play nicely) so look out for that, and put the 1st Monday of the month on the calendar as we will be organising crafty get togethers in the pub on that day. Venue still to be arranged, but I will let you know as soon as I know!!

Keep on crafting. X

Spinning in Bristol

I have had a fab weekend at my sister's in Bristol. We decided to get together and have a crafting day.

My sister's friend Liz brought her spinning wheel as she wanted a few hints and tips on how to improve her spinning and we had a wonderful time playing with wool. We discovered that her wheel has an integral 'Lazy Kate' - how exciting!!



As you can see from the pictures; collectively we knitted, crocheted, peg loomed, spun and sewed, as well as ate cake, drank tea and consumed a fair amount of chocolate. We finished the day with a japanese take-away. Perfect!

And finally just a couple of pictures from my "Guess what I was?" range. Go on have a guess what do you think these two items started life as?

Don't forget to have a look our workshops and let us know if there is something you would like to do which isn't being advertised yet. X

Life starts again.

The snow has gone and life had got going again at full speed ahead.

Business first: The learning to pegloom workshop on the 6th March has had to be changed from St. Peters Church Hall to the Methodist Church, but all other details remain the same, including the time (2-4pm.)

I have started making for February's craft Fair, where you will find our stall in the town hall, Brackley on the 20th Feb. February to me is still winter and we need warm things to cosy up to. With that in mind I have been working up a few pairs of 'Lotte' mittens. Warm and cosy, but keep your fingers free for what ever they need to be doing (knitting, texting, eating etc)

These will be available both as finished items and as a kit.

I have been spinning variagated yarns, as I think these gloves look best in an interesting yarn.

I fell in love with those lovely blues, and there wasn't quite enough for a pair of mittens , so this is what I made:

Just for me. Pattern is called Urchin and found on Ravelry. But not allowed to make these for sale. So it's a one off! More spinning has been done for the gloves though.

I am also planning a range of recycled items, but more about that next week.

Don't forget it is Brackley Knit'n'Knatter at the Greyhound in Brackley on Thursday from about 7.30.

Keep on crafting. X

Happy New Year

I wish you all a very Happy New Year and hope you are enjoying the snow!

We had a very busy run up to Christmas and met so many lovely people in the process. We were at Magdalen School Christmas Fair, which was buzzing with Christmas shoppers. It was our first time there, but I think it will be an annual event in our diary. I for one did most of my Christmas shopping there, as there were so many lovely stalls.! If you didn't go - look out for it next year.

We were also at the Brackley Craft Fair in the town hall, which was unusually busy and we meet many crafty folk of Brackley. The time there flew with chatting to people and enjoying the vibe, but I think the highlight of December was the Victorian Christmas Fair in the Courtyard. We set up in the snow and frost, but the sun shone and lots of people came for a chat and to see all the great things going on. We stayed there until about 4pm, when the sun dipped below the buildings and it started really getting cold. It was such a lovely day and a real demonstration of what a great community Brackley is becoming.

Well, enough of looking back and lets look forward to an exciting 2010. We have already got three workshops organised and we are having our first crafty get together tonight at Rachael's house on Hill Street.

The workshops are as follows:
Knit your own socks: 6 Feb/27 Feb/ 13 Feb, 3-5 pm, £3, The Courtyard Coffee House, Brackley
Learn to Pegloom: 6 Mar, 2-4 pm, £5, St Peter's Church Hall, Brackley
Easter Family Crafts: 27th Mar , 2-4pm, £5, St Peter's Church Hall, Brackley

For further details please see the links under our new 'Pin Money Workshops' section. If you would like to come to a workshop, please download a booking form and send it back to me with payment. If you are able please feel free to print out a poster and display it, and/or give a leaflet to your neighbour or friend. Word of mouth is really powerful!

I hope to see you at one of our events in the near future. Please do keep checking back to the blog, where I will be posting information about all our events and where to find us next.

Keep on crafting! X

Meeting up

This has been a fantastic week for meeting up with people.

Started on Monday where the Pin Money Craft Co-operative had our meeting. It was an inspiration to hear what everyone else had been up to and I was left feeling re-invigorated by the enthusiasm of other. Lots of events planned, so I will keep you posted.

Tuesday was knit and chat at Boycott Farm, hosted by Mia from the Naked Sheep. Again a lovely bunch of people and so nice to chat and share our love of knitting. It is a very companionable thing and something which has surely been done, all through the ages.

Thursday saw the September meeting of Brackley Knit'n'Knatter with both new faces and old. We are deciding on a charity to support as several people have already been knitting lots of squares and others would like to make garment too. The generosity of knitters never ceases to impress me. So the task is to decide on a charity to support this year and to start putting together all the squares to make blankets for the Salvation Army.

No photos this week, but look there should be something to show next week, as I am experimenting with dying at the moment.

Check out the shop!!!

I have finally got around to launching the etsy shop. Check it out through the the link on the right.

Things have been busy this week though. I held a peg looming workshop on Saturday evening at Boycott Farm on behalf of the Naked Sheep. Two lovely ladies came along and we spent a lovely couple of hours making sample rugs with fleece roving. They both looked amazing and I hope they have found good homes by now.

The next craft fair in Brackley is the 17th Oct, so I am starting to get things ready for that. I finished spinning all the Romney fleece and started on Tiffany (the Llama)'s fleece from Flore. It is spinning ok, but feels so different from wool, it's quite strange.

Also made another bag this morning, this one has a contrasting lining and I am planning on using recycled sari yarn to knit the front panel. It seems in keeping with the reclaimed material theme that all my bags have.

The first pair of fingerless gloves are nearly finished. I have called the pattern 'Lotte' after my sister, as like her they are pretty and girly. The first pair are in hand spun yarn that I got as dyed roving from the very talented Natalie at the Yarn Yard, but I am planning the next pair in the grey Hammervale Jacob. Should be available in kit form as well soon.

Well 'mum' duties call as the girls have just arrived back from school and carrot cake needs baking and dinner cooking.