Released into the Craft Community

  

Once a year I am released into the craft community at the CHSI trade craft show at the NEC in Birmingham. It is a business show for craft product retailers to fill their order books with supplies for craft outlets. I am invited as a press blogger which means I get to mingle with other bloggers for lunch and then head out to look at the new craft trends for the year. I also get a day to myself in half term.

I collaborate with some of them already so it is nice to put faces to the people I talk to via email. Others I see year on year and we meet up to share new resources. Part of this set up is that there are a lot of free samples floating around which we are given to try out. I came away with some interesting products which I will have a play with and share with you over the coming months.

This post really is just a bit of eye candy but my waste-not mind has a creative craft outcome. Cutting sample images out of fabric catalogues makes for some beautiful card making opportunities.

Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxx

PS. Can I just say a huge thank you for your comments to my last post. Sometimes I am really surprised with what people engage with but food hits a lot of people's hearts. It felt good to know we had things in common :)

Things

A few weeks back now we all attended our local Horticultural and Craft show. We have a bit of a reputation for entering everything but the whole family likes to join in. 

This is the jumper my mum entered in the knitting section. Isn't it great? The cables look like little owls and it is funny to see people's eyes as they come to realise what the pattern creates. She won of course.

The children entered decorated biscuits and cereal cakes and Big Sis stuck her neck out and entered the adults chocolate cake class which came second. She can bake that girl. They roped their friend in this year too.

They got lots of prize money and we ate bumper amounts of cake and tea when we got back. Little M won the best exhibit in the children's classes with a 'garden on a plate' She loves doing this because she can be very meticulous and precise which is in her nature.

Bloke won the best item in show with his whittled letter opener, he was very modest and said it wasn't perfect but if you could touch it, it is soooo smooth - it is in his nature to be precise too.

I won things too. I feel a bit embarrassed to report that both Big Sis and I entered the scarf class. She entered her crochet scarf and I entered the Stranded infinity cowl. I was first and she was second! It was the adult class so I guess that's what happens when you mess with the big girls! It was all very good humored of course.

Do you have anything similar near you? 

Jo xxxxx

psst... There is another 'thing' I have bought a new sewing machine, but more on that later.

Craft Day Out

Currently, I am lying flat out on the sofa after a mammoth day of crafty chit chat. I attended the CHSI Trade Show which is held at the NEC in Birmingham. It is a trade fair for craft suppliers to buy and sell to craft retailers and although I do not buy or sell, I was invited as a blogger to investigate new products...my girls would have loved these new sewing kits for children.

I had some train trouble so I missed a DMC workshop but caught up with them at their trade stand where I picked up some new products to try over the next few months. I did miss to see some of my blog friends which was frustrating but that is the rail service for you!

I met Frankie from Knitwits owls and we shared a cuppa. I chatted to Joanne from Tilly and the Buttons about my latest Bettine dress whilst wearing a Coco! Arne and Carlos showed me a purl stitch Norweigean or continental style for sock knitting. I called in on Flojo to take a peek at their new pattern release, exciting, show you soon. Finally I sat and made a fabric flower brooch while talking to Jenniffer Taylor about her up and coming new book release. So much to see and so many people to chat to.

Of course it would be a shame to show you all my wares in one go so I shall enjoy sampling up some new projects to show you over the next few months. 

 

Have a good week.

Jo x

Opportunity knocks

Today I had a little trip out. A change from my usual Mundane Monday family jobs. A trip on the train for an opportunity to craft a little and chat a lot.

I sampled up this travel wallet to teach at sewing class and it had its first trip out to the CHSI stitches trade show at Birmingham NEC. I loaded up with my train tickets, press invite, pen and blog cards. 

First stop was a bloggers breakfast hosted by ICHF events who organise these exhibitions. I got to meet up with other bloggers: some I knew Lucy from Love, Lucie, some I didn't Julie and Loti and a blast from the past Shimelle Laine from my frenetic scrapbooking days eight years ago.

We had a workshop run by DMC (run-D.M.C!) sharing some of their new products but I have a few more hours to put into those before they are ready to share, all gorgeous though. Otherwise the day was a veritable feast for the eyes in all colours of the rainbow. You couldn't buy anything, because it was a trade show and not open to the public, but I did manage to come home with a considerable amount of given materials to blog about during the year.

So the eye candy...

 

Yarn from Coats.

Danish toy kits from Go Handmade.

Stylecraft yarn made into the most beautiful blanket.

I must learn to do join-as-you-go crochet.

Fleeces and yarns from woolyknit.

I got to say Hi to Flo-Jo from my knicker making exploits.

There was an amazing knitted exhibition by Bernat of all the Narnia characters, needless to say this was stunning.

I watched a bucket box tutorial by Stuart Hillard using Amy Butler fabrics. I am going to use his corner technique in my class tomorrow night - perfect timing.

 I also sneaked a pic with the teeny weeny Tilly from Tilly and Buttons.

I had a great day out.

Thanks for looking. Jo x

Exquisite collar

I made a blouse, a proper one with a collar and buttons and everything. I even restrained myself and made it in a solid colour so that I could get some wear out of it. A lesson learnt during Me Made May 2015.

I haven't made many things with a collar so I was pleased with the little curl this one had on each side. It sits very neatly and looks so smart.

The back has a tie that I had to move up slightly but it makes it sit well round my waist.

I used Newlook 6598 View C but now I have got the hang of the collar I would love a gingham one with short sleeves. The fabric was sponsored by myfabrics.co.uk and is from their new tula cotton range. It is a medium weight cotton and holds a shape well without feeling stiff. It comes in a huge range of colours at £6.50m. It has a sort of linen weave look to it - really nice.

I wore it to our local Autumn show at the weekend.

Little M was delighted with her first prize in the children's sewing, winning one pound and coming first made her forget all about the day she was sewing it, lost her temper and shut her own thumb in the door. I am not sure having a day in A&E, a general anesthetic  for surgery and losing a thumb nail was quite worth a one pound prize for a tapestry teddy bear but she seemed to forget all that in the excitement of triumph.

We won lots of other prizes too so now I can wear my cardigan, Little M can cuddle her crochet giraffe and Big Sis can wear her cardigan from her nanny;all entered into classes.

We love show time. Do you have anything like this by you?

Jo xxx

Busy at showtime

Thank you for all your comments on the barbie dress, I nearly didn't post it because I thought it insignificant but I'm glad it triggered such happy memories for people.

So, onto the weekend, it has been fun packed and hectic and of course involves some craft. First up was our local veg and craft show on Saturday.

My entry into the limerick competition.

The girls enjoyed making vegetable models. I mean look how happy this girl is...

Yes, you have seen it correctly, it is a poodle made out of cauliflower! She came second and was thrilled.

We won lots of certificates and the whole family entered a range of competitions.

As soon as the prize giving was over and we had collected our exhibits at 6pm we dumped the stuff at home and raced to the cabin at the farm. We didn't want to miss sleeping over this weekend with all the mild dry weather we have been having.

We celebrated our day with Bloke's second prize apple wine and the children had a fizzy 'wine' too.

Then we had to eat Bloke's second prize courgette cake.

While waiting for the fire to heat up the girls and I opened our prize money. Didn't I mention prize money? £1 for a win, 50p for 2nd and 30p for third prize. Whoooo! They thought they were rich with £2.50 each.

Sometimes you get toasted marshmallows just right...

I reminded them not to burn their lips on the hot marshmallows and as I turned around I saw them cooling them down like this - it amused me.

I left my new bookmark at the cabin as I enjoyed reading Big Sis's nature journal. She records all the wildlife she has seen every time we go to our cabin, she looks them up in the reference books we keep there. We bought her the journal for her birthday. She wanted me to cover up her picture of a frog - I loved it but she didn't.

  

So a little bit of everything: crochet, wine making, baking, learning and ultimately on Sunday afternoon after a long walk with lovely friends, some relaxing in a deck chair. 

Hope you had a great weekend whatever you got up to. 

Jo xx

Oliver

Now, these are not scraps, these part balls are a kind gift from a lady who has just finished my crochet classes. She gave them to me after she had finished a baby blanket for her grandchild with a thank you card. It is the softest baby alpaca you can imagine.

What to do with such a quantity? I went to the library last week with the twirly girlies and spotted this book.

It is full of the most classic, gorgeous bear patterns.

I fell in love with Oliver, he is beautiful and luckily quite small so I cast on immediately. I have enjoyed making him over the week in little snippets of time in the sunshine.

After a little sit in the garden I had this little pile of limbs.

One evening I stuffed and sewed. I can make neater seams with the stocking stitch side showing so I went for that.

Now for the crucial and deal-breaking part of making any toy, an endearing face. (I'm sorry to report that Baboushka went out in the cull)

Here is Oliver all finished and happy. 

I am saving this toy for my present box for when a baby is born. I have made the limbs very secure and used thread for the face, no beads. I might also put him into our local show in the knitted toy category in the Autumn.

Do you make toys? 

It is hard to get just the right pattern don't you think? 

Jo xxxx