Winter Artisan Markets

Ah...The fickle nature of markets.

The past three weeks I have had a market stall. Same place. (The Northcote Town hall). Same time. (Saturday 10am - 4pm) Same stuff (Recycled woollen accessories, craft kits and crocheted stuff...you know the sort of thing!) 

So you think there would be some consistency over the weeks as to what sells, right? 

Well….ah….No.

And that’s why I love markets. Even though we repeat the event each week, each week throws up surprises. One week it’s the re-sew-cool kits selling like hotcakes....

- the next week it’s all the recycled cable jumper scarves 

– and the next week the beads have their moment in the sun.... 

 And next week? Who knows!

One thing is consistent – I have a great time meeting people. I’ve come across old friends, old neighbours and many new faces. I love chatting – talking with people about how I make my rope scarves, encouraging them to crochet, recycle and make. 

Little girls look at my fairy floss beehive hair in wonder. Older ladies give me tips on my knitting and crochet – yesterday a lady told me how to use jelly crystals to dye wool!(Yes! I will be trying that!) Dorian, a toddler hanging out with his mum at another stall, peppered my day with lovely soft cuddles. Yesterday as I sold something – I would go and buy something from one of the other stalls…thanks Grandma Chuckles! These are the most wonderful toys!

 

I'm not there to make money (Goodness knows I have been known to give the stuff away!) but for the great day out and the people.

So thank you to all who have visited my stall, complimented the work, shared the craft ideas and brightened my day like the winter sunshine streaming through the amazing town hall doors. One more Saturday to go - Northcote Town Hall 10am -4 pm. 

Come and say "hello!"

fingerless mittens?

Fingerless mittens....well it's a funny phrase isn't it? Because, technically,all mittens are fingerless - and with these ones  you can see fingers!Confused? Hmmm. Let's call them hand warmers!!!!

I've been making them by the dozen. Literally. I've adapted a few patterns to come up with this quick easy pattern.

Hand warmers pattern

50 g 8 ply wool Size 4.5 mm (7) hook

SMALL: Chain 30 and join with slip stitch. (MEDIUM chain 33, LARGE chain 36)

Row 1: Ch 2 (for first half treble) 1 half treble in each chain around the ring. Join to the chain half treble with a slip stitch.

Row2: sl st into half treble space. Ch 3 (for first mock treble) then tr into same space, ch 1 then 2 tr into same space. 1 shell made. Skip 2 ch, tr into next ch, skip 2 ch and shell (2 tr 1 ch 2 tr) into next ch. Continue in this pattern to the end. (5 shells) (MEDIUM AND LARGE FIT 6 SHELLS AROUND – doesn’t matter if you squeeze it in at the end)
Sl st into the 3rd ch of 1st mock tr

Row 3: Sl st into ch sp in shell. Ch3 (for first mock tr), 1 tr into same space, 1 ch and 2 tr into same space (a shell made)1 tr into top of 1 tr from the prev row. Continue around.

NOTE: if you want a longer cuff, insert more rows here before the increase.

Row 4: Increase row. Sl st in ch sp of shell. Ch 3 (1^st mock tr) 5 tr into same space.1 tr into the top of previous row single tr, then shell (2 treble, 1 chain, 2 treble) into shell ch sp. Cont. pattern around the row. Join with slip stitch in 3^rd ch of 1st mock tr

Row 5: Sl st in space between 2nd and 3rd tr. Ch 3 (mock tr), 1 tr 1 ch 2 tr  into same sp (1 shell made) ch 1 skip 2 treble then shell (2 tr 1 ch 2 tr) into space between 4^th and 5^th tr from increase. 1 tr into single tr from previous row, shell into space between shell from previous row. Continue pattern around. Join with a slip stitch into 3^rd ch of 1^st mock tr.

Row 6: sl st into shell sp. Ch 3 (to be 1^st tr) 1 tr into same space, 1 ch 2 tr into same space (shell made. ) I tr into space between the 2 shells from previous row. Continue pattern around.

Continue in this pattern for at least 3 rows. If you want a longer thumb piece then do 4 or 5 rows.

Row 9: *Create the thumb: Ch 3. Skip 2 shells and join to the next single tr creating a space for the thumb. Ch 3 ( mock tr in the next row) and continue around, shell into the shell space from previous row (2 tr 1 ch 2 tr) until you get to the edge of the thumb space,ending with 1 tr. 
Skip one ch of the thumb divide, 1 shell in next ch, skip one ch and  join with a sl st in the 3^rd chain of the first mock treble.

Row 10: Ch 3 (for 1st tr) Shell into the next shell space and continue around until the edge of thumb space, ending with the 1 treble.  Skip 1 treble, 2 treble in the next treble space, 2 tr in the next tr space, join with a slip stitch to the 3^rd ch of the first mock tr.

You can finish off here for a short mitten or continue for a few more rows for a longer mitten.

You can finish off here for a short mitten or continue for a few more rows for a longer mitten.


Happy making! I will have this pattern as a hand out at my market stall next Saturday at the Winter Artisan Market at Northcote Town Hall, 10 am - 4 pm or you can buy a pair I have made for $20!

Give the people what they want.

What do they want? Short scarves and mustard.

Something I am really enjoying about the Saturday markets (besides getting out of the house!) is having the chance to talk to people and get feedback on what I'm making. Apparently, other people don't want to wear a gazillion clashing colours as I do (go figure!) but  seem to love muted earthy tones. And short scarves - they want their scarves short and no nonsense.

So introducing the recycled jumper short scarf.

Let's see if they sell!

Introducing Mr Fox

The re-sew-cool mr. fox bag-tag kit will be making his debut at the Northcote Town Hall Winter Artisans' Market tomorrow!

He's packed with everything you need to get crafty and foxy!

Also there to entertain us tomorrow will be the hilarious looking comedy duo

 "The Signoras"

I sense a fun day ahead!!!

recycled jumper scarves

Recycled jumper scarves available at the Winter Artisan Market, Northcote Town Hall, 10 am - 4pm.

Brave the cold and come and get some winter wares!!!

Loopy!

Today we have been packing mini paper chain scarf kits for our stall at the Winter Artisan Market  - again this Saturday at the Northcote Town Hall, 10am - 4pm.

 The mini paper chain scarf kit has 36 pieces of pre-cut recycled jumper felt!

We have packed some gorgeous colour combinations today - some muted, some bright, some Autumnal and all pretty!

And here is one I've made as a sample...

Special market price is $25! It's even a great project for the kids to make themselves! This Saturday,I will have a paper chain scarf on the go so kids can come along and try some stitching and add a loop or too.

wearing the wares!

I'm still busy busy  busy making stock for the upcoming Winter Artisan Market stall at the Northcote Town Hall  ........but this recycled jumper scarf and recycled jumper turban have found a home in my wardrobe....will have to make some more wares and stop wearing the wares!

sweet by and by

Last year I started to make a few things to sell, outside of the recycled jumper goodness that is “sister outlaws". But to do this involved thinking of a name for my wares – a brand/label. Liz at Gleaners (my one and only stockist! Thanks Liz!) helpfully told me that phrases worked well. And so I got to thinking...and thinking...and eventually arrived at the “sweet by and by”. 

Why? Well, it is a gentle phrase from another era. “By the by” or “by and by”, is an accepting sort of phrase for the passing of time. As someone who is impatient, busy and a bit frantic at times, I like the phrase. It calms me down. It will all get down, by and by. Let things be, let the world turn, the seasons pass and don't fight it.  Craft is a process that is often slow going, one stitch at a time, so I think this suits hand crafted items.

As for the “sweet by and by”, it is a hopeful phrase for the future – that the future is brighter and sweeter. It’s a lyric that pops up in old-timey-folky songs that are often roaming around my brain.

“In the sweet by and by, we will meet on that beautiful shore.”

I will be selling some sweet by and by products at the winter artisan market at the Northcote Town Hall. So far, I have made all these little crocheted beads, with a little hook and embroidery cotton, which I string, onto a long snake chain. There will be more things, by and by.

Welcome Winter

It’s the first day of winter here so we’re celebrating with hanging a little snowflake  garland, made from felt, interfacing and doilies. Now when I say “celebrating” I should clarify that I really, really, don’t like winter. 

I am very sensitive to the cold! I seemingly feel the cold more than the rest of my family. And it’s not just the cold but those dull grey Melbourne skies. But what can you do? As the song goes, “you got to  ac-cent-tchu-ate the postive, eliminate the negative." Or as Machiavelli puts it, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. Or simply “If you can’t beat ‘em, join em!”

As kids we had to catch an early bus to school. Oh! Those foggy, frosty mornings! Mum would put our shoes in the oven before we had to put them on! As a film student, our peak filming time was through the winter. For three years I managed to cope with outdoor shoots, night shoots and worst of all – outdoor night shoots – by wearing a snowsuit. The sound people would be very annoyed if I moved, but it was the only way I could manage to get through was by zipping myself into those overalls!

How do you cope with winter?

This first month will fly for the sister outlaws because we will be taking part in the Winter Artisan Market at the Northcote Town Hall! So we will cope by making and selling gorgeous wintry-recycled-felty-jumper-goodness!